Street Kids: The Tragedy of Canada's Runaways

Customer Reviews:

Street Kids: Is there hope?.......2000-06-03

This book was amazing! I loved the real life examples and just how truthful it really was. Street Kids shows how hard it is to be a teen on the streets and how it isn't just 'get up and live life on the streets'. Life on the streets is not easy; food is hard to come by, drugs are hard to give up and sex is almost the only to make some kind of income. There's pressure; there's danger there's dismal hope for a future and this book lets people know that. As a reader, I became more aware of just how serious the problem with Canada's runaways is.... well done Marlene Webber!

Average customer rating:

Insightful, But Could Have Been Better

Brief Yet Comprehensive

Falls Well Short of His Previous Work

The American Project

A mixed bag

Power, Terror, Peace, and War: America's Grand Strategy in a World at Risk
Walter Russell Mead
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and How It Changed the World

God and Gold: Britain, America, and the Making of the Modern World

The Breaking of Nations: Order and Chaos in the Twenty-First Century

Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (The Joanna Jackson Goldman Memorial Lectures on American Civilization and Government)

Taming American Power: The Global Response to U.S. Primacy

ASIN: 1400077036
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Amazon.com

Walter Russell Mead, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, offers an historical examination of U.S. foreign policy and the way it has become so complicated, divisive, and fraught with unintended consequences that it is beyond the control of any one group or ideology. Looking back at the 20th century in an attempt to identify a grand strategy for the future, he declares the years between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the attacks of September 11, 2001 to be "lost years" in which a difficult global shift began to take shape. He identifies this transition as the beginning of a shift from a "Fordian" (as in Henry Ford) system of mass production and mass consumption to a more dynamic "millennial capitalism" in which the free market is changing to benefit more people around the world, particularly those in developing countries. Mead also looks closely at how the Bush administration has reacted to the September 11 attacks and the threat of further terrorism, offering both thoughtful praise and sharp criticism in nearly equal measure. (The book is worth reading for these incisive comments alone.) In explaining the distinctions between "sharp" (military), "sticky" (economic), and "sweet" (cultural) power as tools for shaping the world, he makes clear that he believes the U.S. should be shaping the world—ideally by example and shared values, but also through military force and economic coercion when necessary. A strong "advocate of the American project," Mead remains optimistic about the future and predicts that the U.S. will be successful in spreading economic and political freedom far and wide, including regions that will offer great resistance to such changes. At times the narrative gets bogged down in potentially confusing academic terminology, but overall the book is filled with thought-provoking ideas and intriguing details about the role and limitations of U.S. influence and what it bodes for the rest of the world. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

International affairs expert and award-winning author of Special Providence Walter Russell Mead here offers a remarkably clear-eyed account of American foreign policy and the challenges it faces post—September 11.

Starting with what America represents to the world community, Mead argues that throughout its history it has been guided by a coherent set of foreign policy objectives. He places the record of the Bush administration in the context of America’s historical relations with its allies and foes. And he takes a hard look at the international scene–from despair and decay in the Arab world to tumult in Africa and Asia–and lays out a brilliant framework for tailoring America’s grand strategy to our current and future threats. Balanced, persuasive, and eminently sensible, Power, Terror, Peace, and War is a work of extraordinary significance on the role of the United States in the world today.

Customer Reviews:

Insightful, But Could Have Been Better.......2007-04-01

It almost goes without saying these days that the presence of the United States in the world in one form or another is a major issue. Whether you're an American or from another country, American foreign policy and cultural hegemony is an important topic worth considerable attention. In this book, Mead attempts to catalog the character of American foreign policy as it exists today and the character it must exemplify in the future in order to be successful. In this way, "Power, Terror, Peace, and War" is a sequel to Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and How It Changed the World. For those who have read "Special Providence", this book is not nearly as good, as the writing here sometimes reflected a lack of focus on Mead's part.

Nevertheless, Mead makes some very interesting insights that make the book more than worth reading. He differentiates the four types of American power: Sharp (Hard: namely military), Sticky (Hard: namely economic), Sweet (Soft: namely cultural), and Hegemonic (Soft: the three previous provide a symbol of inevitability). He also deals with two groups of countries who don't agree with the American vision for world order:

1. Extreme internationalists who want more rapid development of international law and "world government". Examples are Canada and Germany.
2. Those countries, such as France and Russia, who promote traditional power politics and are "realists" in terms of foreign policy.

After examining these to categorizations, Mead seems to simply go through a litany of other related issues, such as Evangelical conservatives, the Kyoto Protocol, September 11th, and globalization. Dealing with these issues makes for interesting insights, but Mead's sense of focus suffers. Mead is a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, so this book is more than worth reading. However, if you're only going to read one of his books, read "Special Providence".

Brief Yet Comprehensive.......2005-04-23

One of the positive by-products of 9-11, is an increased interest in Geo-politics across all spheres of American society. Mead's book is a perfectly succinct and comprehensive answer to "no blood for oil" and other slogans that are bandied about by good people who feel at a loss faced with the seemingly inexplicable actions of their government, and its friends and adversaries. Ought to be required public school reading.

Falls Well Short of His Previous Work.......2005-01-17

Walter Russell Mead had the unfortunate timing to publish one of the best new books on U.S. foreign relations just as 9/11 changed the American security landscape forever. His remarkable "Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and how it changed the World" hit bookstands around the country within weeks of Al Qaeda's attack. The work, which was part revisionist history and part typology of U.S. foreign policy traditions, had everything going for it except one thing: it called for an American global pullback, and cautioned against international overreaching, just as 9/11 ensured the U.S. would be extending itself around the world with a vengeance. What's a talented foreign policy specialist to do? Why not write another book?

The result is something of a disappointment. "Power, Terror, Peace, and War: America's Grand Strategy in a World at Risk" feels rushed and light. Weighing in at just over 200 pages, and with no bibliography, the book is thin in both original thinking and scholarship. Mead obviously felt he had to say something about 9/11 without delay. He should have taken his time. Where "Special Providence" had much that was useful and interesting, even after events had overtaken its conclusion, this book is likely to sink out of view without a whimper. Comparing the two books is an object lesson to authors who believe that topicality is of primary importance to the quality of their book.

A problem of Mead's that was not apparent in reading just one of his books, but which appears with more clarity after reading two of them, is his addiction to classification systems. His four part typology of American foreign policy -- Jeffersonians, Hamiltonians, Wilsonians, and Jacksonians -- is the centerpiece of "Special Providence." In "Power, Terror, Peace, and War", he comes up with a three-part division of sharp power (military), sticky power (economic), and sweet power (cultural), because he apparently wasn't satisfied with the traditional dichotomy of hard and soft power. He also speaks of Fordism and millennial capitalism, hegemonic power and harmonic convergence, and he reprises his classification of Jeffersonians, Hamiltonians, Wilsonians, and Jacksonians from the previous book. Not all of these terms are Mead's creations, but most of them are, and the result is the book has a strained quality to it. Even informed readers might feel a little at sea when contemplating ideas such as whether revivalist Hamiltonians' post-Fordist strategy of sticky power helps America's harmonic convergence. (Mead doesn't actually say that word for word, but it sometimes feels like he wants to.)

Despite this compulsive desire to come up with neologisms, Mead says very little that is interesting or new. In "Special Providence", he changed the way I thought about U.S. foreign policy in the nineteenth century. This book, on the other hand, is instantly forgettable. Mead makes general comments on economics that are weakly supported (how does Mead know whether millennial capitalism is here to stay?) and throwaway remarks on current events which were already dated by the time the book was published. Rather than waste your time with this work, I recommend reading his "Special Providence", a superior book in every way.

The American Project.......2005-01-01

Walter Russell Mead is the Henry A Kissinger Senior Fellow on US Foreign Policy at the Council of Foreign Relations and the intellectual power that he brings to bear on the issues of foreign policy are as impressive as his job title. He marshals the disciplines of politics, economics, sociology, history and religion to produce a provocative and compelling analysis of America and its role in the world.

This important book describes what Mead calls the "American Project...to protect our own domestic security while building a peaceful world order of peaceful states linked by common values and sharing a common prosperity." This project is rooted in American history and tradition. (This work should be read in tandem with Surprise, Security, and the American Experience by John Lewis Gaddis.)

Mead identifies four schools of thought that animate our way of thinking about foreign policy. 1)Wilsonians are idealistic internationalists who believe the spread of democracy abroad will give us security at home - many of the neoconservatives are of this persuasion. Present-day Wilsonians are notable for their lack of confidence in international institutions. 2)Jeffersonians adhere to isolationism, even less of an option today than it was in the 19th century. 3)Hamiltonians are the business class that promote enterprise at home and abroad; they believe that globalization contributes to peace and security. 4)Jacksonians are described as "populist nationalists." They have the individualist's suspicion of government. And, oh yeah, they like to fight. In foreign policy that translates into overwhelming force and total victory.

The Bush administration's war on terror has been, according to Mead, a combination of Revival Wilsonianism and Jacksonianism. The internal conflict between these two approaches are never more obvious than in the present occupation of Iraq. While the Wilsonians are delicately trying to plant the seeds of democracy, the Jacksonians want victory over the evildoers regardless of the consequences.

Another trend that Mead describes is the shift from managed capitalism ("Fordism") which is a cooperative arrangement among the managers of state, business, and labor to a global capitalism ("millenial capitalism") which is less regulated and less equitable in its distribution of winners and losers. The Hamiltonians are promoters of millenial capitalism. It is a worldwide phenomenon that the state elites dislike because it diminishes their control over the economy. One more reason they hate us. The poor also liked the old system because it brought government subsidies. Alas, they too hate us.

Mead's prescription for helping the poor is of course in tune with millenial capitalism. The money for old style foreign aid is no longer there since Western governments are all running huge deficits already. He advocates private banks lending money in the form of microloans. This has been done succussfully in Bangladesh and elsewhere. (Read Banker to the Poor:Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty by Muhammad Yunus.) Outreach to the poor is not only a good in and of itself but it also provides fewer soldiers for international terrorism.

The Revival Wilsonianism of the Bush administration also has a religious element. Mead believes that the religious aspect of the foreign policy agenda should be embraced by us and the rest of the world as a basis for action since international institutions are not providing us with the proper values necessary to guarantee our security. This is where I part company with Mead. Even though international institutions have failed on many occassions, I still have more confidence in the United Nations than evangelicals in charge of foreign policy. We must guard against becoming like the enemy; trying to fight Islamic fanaticism or fascism with evangelical Christianity is not the proper course. The proper solution would be reforming existing international institutions to reflect new realities. Long live the separation of church and international governance.

This book is very good at identifying the domestic sources of our search for solutions to our international problems. The goal of this book was to offer important discussion on securing America domestically within a network of states that share our values and it achieves that goal reasonably well.

A mixed bag.......2004-09-29

Mead's book is very stimulating. His review of foreign policy and domestic politics is wide-ranging. He creates memorable labels that help highlight the main points of his argument, even if (see the editorial reviews) they may oversimplify or distort somewhat. He lays out more compelling reasons for US interventions in the Middle East than does the Bush administration, while noting some of the ways in which the administration has fumbled the ball.

Yet there is a deep flaw in Mead's argument. In his account, Millenial Capitalism and American Revivalism are inevitable, the working out of the inner logic of capitalism and US politics. They are explicitly progressive, replacing an inferior Fordist system. Millenial Capitalism will do a better job than Fordism of providing for the poor and spreading the benefits of growth.

These are elements of faith to Mead - the foundation on which he builds his analysis rather subjects of analysis. Assuming progress, he overlooks past cycles of the rise and fall of economic liberalism and imperialism. Ignoring the cycles, he misses the reactions to the disruptions caused by trade and imperialism, and how they lead to the creation of the Fordist system. He pays too little attention to the reactions to the neoconservative project for global hegemenony and how they will affect international relations. The cold war arms race is reviving even now; Mead misses it.

Mead's America is also largely devoid of human agency. The role of a 40 year ideological project by the radical right in undermining Fordism and fostering the idea that Millenial Capitalism will lift all boats, and that the world requires American dominance, is substantially ignored.

Finally, Mead seems to be under the spell of American exceptionalism. He tells us of his world travels and talks, and how many people's views were enlightened by his explication of US foreign policy. I waited in vain for an admission that someone outside of the US might have valuable insights into international politics or that Mead himself has learned anything that informed his policy proposals.

In short, Mead's book represents thinking "inside the box". He is informative and educational, but his vision is limited by disciplinary boundaries and ideological commitments.

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Very interesting
A Bit Too Narrowly Focused

Grand Strategies in War and Peace

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300056664

Customer Reviews:

Very interesting.......2005-12-01

Historically, discussion of "grand strategy" was discussion of the operation of a war. In this interesting book from 1991, author and historian Paul M. Kennedy tries to broaden the definition of grand strategy to include the husbanding of national resources to support a war effort (even before a war actually begins), the use of economic and diplomatic weapons against an opponent, and the working towards a desired post-war peace.

This book is a collection of some nine essays, each by an eminent authority (including future U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice). The first three essays look at British grand strategy during the War of the Spanish Succession, World War I and World War II. The next four essays look at the grand strategies of the Roman Empire, seventeenth century Imperial Spain, Imperial and Nazi German grand strategies, and French grand strategies in the two World Wars. The eighth essay (the one by Condoleezza Rice) looks at Communist Russia's grand strategies from the beginning of the Soviet Union to the Brezhnev era. The final essay was written by Paul Kennedy himself, and suggests how American grand strategy should look to function in a multipolar world where America has been overtaken by other powers in key measures of national preeminence.

Overall, I found this to be a fascinating book, with Eliot A. Cohen's essay on Churchill and World War II Britain being the very crown of the book. The final essay on the United States has been overtaken by events, with the U.S. still maintaining preeminence in spheres in which Professor Kennedy foresaw eclipse. But, that said, this is a fascinating read. Also, it does make one see how the recent administrations (both Republican and Democratic) have not pursued a grand strategy that has left America fully ready to deal with future wars, supported by broad alliances, or pointed towards a brighter post-war world.

So, let me just say that this is a very interesting book on national grand strategy, one that will give anyone a good deal of food for thought. I highly recommend this book.

A Bit Too Narrowly Focused.......2000-05-15

This book has a lot going for it, not least of which is an editor with an excellent reputation. The authors of the individual essays are also well-known and respected within the field, and the essays are well-written and cogent. However, despite Paul Kennedy's explanation in the preface, the essays concentrate primarily on either military strategy during wartime or preparation, primarily military, for the next war. What consideration is given to economics, alliances, and diplomacy is geared toward military preparedness. This makes the essays much narrower than Kennedy's definition of grand strategy implies, and I cannot help but wonder about the choice of essays.

Within this narrow field, however, this book is excellent. The essays are clear, easy to follow, and persuasive. Most do an excellent job of providing not just a history lesson, but an analysis of the positive and negative aspects of the strategy. Of particular use were the three essays concerning British strategy in the War of Spanish Succession, World War I, and World War II. The essays on German and French policy also covered more than one war, making them useful for an analysis of how policy changes over time. Both successful and unsuccessful examples are given, and much thought is given on why this is so.

Beyond this, all I have are minor quibbles, the most serious being the fact that this is, essentially, a series of case studies. It is dangerous to use case studies to provide an objective analysis, in that there is a temptation to choose a thesis first, then choose which cases to observe to support that theory. Case studies are more useful in defending or defining a theory than in determining one. Here we can only hope that Paul Kennedy's reputation is earned (and I believe it is), because it would be very easy for him to mislead us.

The focus of the book is on Western Europe, and this is somewhat disappointing, given that other countries are becoming more and more prominent on the world scene. An analysis of Chinese, or even better, Japanese policy would have been useful, especially given its unique position. The end notes are placed at the very back of the book, making it difficult to check references, etc. The first essay could have used tighter editing as well.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Inroads: A Journal of Opinion, published by Inroads, Inc. on January 1, 2005. The length of the article is 5673 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Looking across the Mediterranean: radical Islamic politics and the West's response.(The War for Muslim Minds: Islam and the West)(Power, Terror, Peace, and War: America's Grand Strategy in a World at Risk)(Book Review)
Author: John Richards
Publication: Inroads: A Journal of Opinion (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2005
Publisher: Inroads, Inc.
Issue: 16 Page: 106(12)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The fog of peace in the Southwest Asia Gulf region: The time and place for a new grand strategy (Research report / Air War College, Air University)

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The fog of peace in the Southwest Asia Gulf region: The time and place for a new grand strategy (Research report / Air War College, Air University)
John A Glasier
Manufacturer: Air War College, Air War University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Grand Strategies in War and Peace
Paul, ed. Kennedy
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS3PEG

Book Description

An engaging and informative guide to the natural history of the vast, forbidding Arctic region. In clear and elegant prose, the author details the history, flora and fauna, geology, and importance of the far northern world. He covers such topics as the ice ages, glaciers and other geologic formations, weather, birds and animals of the tundra, the great northern forests, and man's arctic explorations. Illustrated.

Europe Finds the World (Cambridge Introduction to World History)

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Europe Finds the World (Cambridge Introduction to World History)
Trevor Cairns
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Barbarians, Christians and Muslims (Cambridge Introduction to World History)

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Barbarians, Christians and Muslims (Cambridge Introduction to World History)
Trevor Cairns
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Afro-Bets: First Book About Africa : An Introduction for Young Readers (Afro-Bets)

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Afro-Bets do excellent job

Afro-Bets: First Book About Africa : An Introduction for Young Readers (Afro-Bets)
Veronica Freeman Ellis
Manufacturer: Just Us Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0940975122

Book Description

The Afro-Bets Kids: Langston, Nandi, Glo, Stef, Tura, and Robo are together again. This time they explore the continent of Africa as they listen to stories their teacher, Mr. Amageshie, shares with them. From learning about the early tribes of Eygpt to the rolling hills of Africa's natural beauty, here comes a complete and perfect introduction to this vast continent.

Customer Reviews:

Afro-Bets do excellent job.......2000-02-18

This book was purchased for my 8 year old daughter as a Black History month present. She has read the entire book and has as enjoyed looking at the pictures. It held her attendtion and got her more interested in Africa--which made me extremely happy. The way the book was layed out allowed her to get a better understanding of what was going on. Using actual photographs with the cartoons really gave her a different approach to reading. She was allowed to see the actual events and dress of Africa in certain areas. That's what drew me to the book in the first place. If an individual is teaching or introducing a child to Africa, this is a good book to do so with.

Brief history of polar exploration since the introduction of flying, (American Geographical Society. Special publication no. 11)

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Brief history of polar exploration since the introduction of flying, (American Geographical Society. Special publication no. 11)
Wolfgang Louis Gottfried Joerg
Manufacturer: American Geographical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

A Geographical Introduction to History (History of Civilization)

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A Geographical Introduction to History (History of Civilization)
L. Febvre
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This masterpiece of criticism is as witty as it is well informed, teaming with insight and erudition. It is the best and broadest introduction to the study of human geography. More than a text, it could be read by anyone with any interest in the subject of geography.

The Herakleopolite Nome: A Catalogue of the Toponyms With Introduction and Commentary (American Studies in Papyrology)

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The Herakleopolite Nome: A Catalogue of the Toponyms With Introduction and Commentary (American Studies in Papyrology)
Maria Rosaria Falivene
Manufacturer: Scholars Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

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Italy: A Geographical Introduction
Jacques Bethemont
Manufacturer: Longman Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Noms de lieux de Franche-Comte: Introduction a la toponymie

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Noms de lieux de Franche-Comte: Introduction a la toponymie
Francois Lassus
Manufacturer: Editions Bonneton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Noms de lieux du Poitou: Introduction a la toponymie

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Noms de lieux du Poitou: Introduction a la toponymie
Pierre Gauthier
Manufacturer: Editions Bonneton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 2862532010

Book Description

The islands of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali are ecologically one of the richest, most biologically complex areas in the world, sought out by thousands of knowledgeable nature lovers every year for the spectacular variety of wildlife and beautiful vistas. This book provides the first
complete identification guides to the birds of this teeming tropical paradise. It gives descriptions of 820 regional species, illustrated in 88 specially commissioned color plates accompanied by notes detailing distinctive features and habitats. Entries cover nomenclature, plumage, markings, voice,
global range, distribution and regional status, habits, and diet. The main text gives practical information on where to find many exotic species, citing major birdwatching locations. Introductory chapters discuss habitats, climate, land-use, and conservation concerns. Professional ornithologists
and amateur bird watchers alike will find this the indispensable bird guide for eastern Malaysia and western Indonesia for many years to come. It is also an unrivalled source of information for casual travellers and ecotourists.

Customer Reviews:

A must-have.......2003-04-19

Any serious birder to the listed regions of this book would buy this book.

It is the best guide of the region so far with excellent plates and useful details. What I find especially useful, particularly for the raptors, is that they show illustrations of the birds in flight.

The drawings appear consistent and the bird's information at the back of the book is easy to access.

The birds are categorised according to their family which definately makes for faster checks and identification, which I find important when in the field.

The spine of the book though is a little week and you might want to have it rebound before it falls apart - especially with all the browsing that is to be.

Get it re-bound.......2001-11-29

This was the book that everyone who seemed to be serious used in Borneo, but if you are going to be out in the bush for more than a few days and make frequent use of field guides, consider having it re-bound before you leave -- many people I passed along the way were finding that the plate pages were starting to fall out.

A good and comprehensive guide to the region........2000-10-11

Many newer guides have been published about birds of this region, but this book still deserves its place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in birds of South-east Asia. Illustrations are good, and descriptions are detailed and mostly accurate. A bit bulky to carry in the field, but not a problem if you bring it in a backpack. The situation with forest fires in South-east Asia (especially Indonesia) is growing worse each year, so get out there and see some of these extraordinary birds while you still can!

Field Guide to the Birds of Java and Bali

Average customer rating:

definitely needed if you do birding in java&bali

Field Guide to the Birds of Java and Bali
John Ramsay MacKinnon
Manufacturer: Gadjah Mada University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

definitely needed if you do birding in java&bali.......1997-11-29

I think it's the best you can get if you are doing birdwatching in Java & Bali.. I've been using and I'm satisfied, but if only the pics are replaced with photograph and the view when the birds fly.. it would make this book BEST of the best!

Insight Pocket Guides Bali Bird Walks (1994)

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Bali Bird Walks

Insight Pocket Guides Bali Bird Walks (1994)
Insight Guides , and Ansight Guides
Manufacturer: Apa Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0395690145

Customer Reviews:

Bali Bird Walks.......2003-10-23

A knowledgeable naturalist, experienced guide, and birding expert, British expatriate Victor Mason takes you on a congenial, witty, horticultural walkabout off the beaten track on Bali. Starting out at the Beggar's Bush Restaurant above Campuhan Bridge (home of Mason's Bali Bird Club), he hikes with you through the cultivated rice fields to see otters, civets, macaques, egrets, kingfishers, lychee and tamarind trees, white Brahmin cattle in Taro, giant banyan trees, butterflies, and clove and vanilla plantations. Mason gives you a friendly, conversational, step-by-step tour-from ravine to ridge to individual hibiscus blossom-complete with historical and cultural commentary on the terrain, temples, monuments, and countryside that he knows so well and loves so much.
Having spent the last twenty-six years on Bali, Victor Mason meticulously covers every cart and goat track within an eight-kilometer radius of foliage-rich Ubud. He will lead you down rocky steps to spring-fed watering places, secret gardens, Gunung Agung ("soaring to the ether and wreathed in vaporous wisps"), groves of sago palms, swimming in the Ayung River, and into the sacred simian stronghold of the Sangeh monkey forest. He lays out a variety of itineraries, graded according to difficulty, and offers timely tips (travel light, bring a sarong and a sash for entering temples--plus bathers for your swim-and beware the armies of stinging red tree ants!). Bali Bird Walks is designed as a practical, how-to, destination companion: long, thin, and light (8 ½" by 5"), the book is shaped for easy insertion into purse or backpack. Lavishly and colorfully illustrated-and buttressed throughout with detailed maps-you cannot lose your way. Most of the self-guided walking tours are circular and will return you to Campuhan Bridge-happy, inspired, and full of Mason's entertaining, old-school British, anecdotal bird stories.
For those of you lucky enough to find Victor Mason in residence on the island and available to lead you on one of his tours in person, you can book his "Bali Bird Walk" through Sobek Tours at 975009 or 287059 (or directly through the staff at the Beggar's Bush Restaurant). The four-hour tours begin at 8:45 A.M. and cost $47 per person including a fresh coconut break and a delicious lunch: intrepid trail guests/budding ornithologists will also be provided with a bird-spotting list and binoculars. For armchair nature enthusiasts who would prefer not to brave bamboo bridges, rushing white waters, and scrambling monkeys face to face, Bali Bird Walks takes your imagination where your feet are not yet willing to tread. The book is a total delight-it puts you right outside in the warm sunshine and brilliant, lime-green young "sawah" with invaluable Victor Mason right by your side!

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Birds of Bali
Victor Mason
Manufacturer: Periplus Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Birds of Java and Bali (Images of Asia)

Average customer rating:

Disappointing and not complete

The Birds of Java and Bali (Images of Asia)
Derek Holmes
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Here is a colorful new book that will be of special interest to anyone involved with ornithology or wildlife conservation. This unique survey furnishes a detailed, yet easy to understand overview of the wide range of rare birds indigenous to Java and Bali. Comprehensive in scope, the volume
provides information on the rich variety of species found in this area, with easily accessible and non-technical descriptions of over 45 species, their distinguishing features and behavior, and voices and habitats. This guidebook is fully illustrated for quick identification.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing and not complete.......2002-05-01

This was the only book I could get my hands on before my trip. The plates are good but incomplete. Many birds I saw were not even covered in this book. It's organized taxonomically and the descriptions are pretty good, but I try to ID from a picture, then I read a detailed description. It is a small hardcover book, so it is easy to carry.

From the Introduction:
This book is designed to give the layman an introduction to each bird family, and by describing one or more birds from each, enable him to identify most of the birds that can be found readily in the various habitats of Java and Bali. There are colour illustrations of 112 birds, and text references to at least 120 more. A checklist at the back tabulates 433 species on the Java and Bali lists. Once the reader has developed sufficient interest to compare his own findings with this list, he will need to obtain a more detailed field guide. The list is not fully comprehensive, as there are some 50 additional species which reach the islands only rarely, as migrants off-course or as oceanic wanderers, and these are not included.

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