Book Description
The fans in their seats are barely able to contain themselves. The buzz of the crowd rises higher and higher until that first Superstar walks onto the stage and into the ring. It doesn't matter where you are in the arena-ringside or high above the floor you know that it's going to be an exciting night. There are signs everywhere, the people in their seats chant for their favorite wrestler. You get caught up in the wave of excitement filling the place. Maybe tonight a title changes hands. This is the WWE anything can happen.
You begin to wonder just what is it like to be a WWE Superstar. What do you have to do everyday to make it? What is it like to spend your life with countless numbers of people cheering or even booing you? You look into the ring and wonder. What if you could go behind the stage? What if you could travel with one of the wrestlers? What would it be like to visit a Superstar in their home? Unscripted is an unvarnished, all access look inside the lives of World Wrestling Entertainment's Superstars. From life on the road traveling more than two hundred days a year, to performing in front of hundreds of thousands, the WWE's Superstar's share their incredible story in their own words offering readers an unprecedented glimpse behind the scenes.
The Undertaker tells you why he didn't become a professional basketball player. Goldberg tells you why he joined the WWE. The Rock reveals how his own father tried to sabotage his career. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon speak openly and frankly about their relationship. Chris Jericho describes how he keeps it all in perspective. Sean Michaels talks about his revitalized career and how important his family and his faith are. Kurt Angle explains how you can wrestle with a broken neck.
Unscripted lifts the curtain on the backstage areas of the shows, the homes and the everyday lives and ordinary events of these extraordinary people. It is a lavishly illustrated tribute to the men and women who climb over the rope day-after-day for the roar of the crowd.
Customer Reviews:
Entertaning.......2006-12-06
This book is different from all the other WWE books I have read. All of the wrestlers are in it. It tells you how they grew up what has happened in their life. It also tells how they got into wrestling if it was for the better or the worst. It also tells you about what really goes on behind the curtain, also how they prepare before a match. The book also tells you if you want to get into the business the superstars tell you how you can and what they use to help them stay healthy and strong and some of them flexible. They also talk about what kind of injuries they have had, how long they were out for, and how serious the injury was.
I would recommend this book to any wrestling fan. It is a really good book for people who just started to get into wrestling because it tells you a little bit about them and it has pictures of the superstars. You will also know what their real names are and what there characters names are.
Entertaining .......2006-12-05
This book is different from all the other WWE books I read. All of the wrestlers are in it. It tells you how they grow up what has happened in there life. It also tells how they got into wrestling if it was for the better or the worst. It also tells you about what really goes on behind the curtain, also how they prepare before a match. The book also tells you if you want to get into the business the superstars tell you how you can and what they use to help them stay healthy and strong and some of them flexible.
I would recommend this book to any wrestling fans it is a really good book for people who just started to get into wrestling because it tells you a little bit about them and it has pictures of the superstars. You will also know what there real names are and what there character name are.
GOD BLESS EDDIE!!!.......2005-12-01
This book is a wonderful read into the lives of WWE wrestlers. One of the best things about this book is that it shows what the real names of the wrestlers are. The best name belongs to Kane, a.k.a Glenn! GOD BLESS YOU EDDIE GUERRERO AND RIP! WE LOVE YOU!
Pleasant Surprise..........2005-10-19
I must admit I wasn't too keen on this book, at first. I thought it was going to be some fluffy coffee table book with loads of pictures and absolutely no substance whatsoever.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
This book gives its audience of wrestling fans a glimpse at some of their favorite performers' lives outside the ring and a lot of what's revealed is oft-surprising and always insightful. I've been a fan for more than twenty years and even I was somewhat shocked at some of what I read. An excellent read as far as coffee table books go.
The pictures are well done and appropriate and the actual content of the book is very enjoyable. I whole-heartedly recommend this selection to wrestling fans everywhere.
glimpses of the lives of the wrestlers.......2004-05-12
"Unscripted" is a coffee table style book from World Wrestling Entertainment. It focuses on the WWE Superstars and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the Superstars and their lives. The book is broken up into three sections, each with the focus on a different aspect of the Superstars' life. In each section, a Superstar gets a two page spread that has photography and something written by the Superstar about his or her life (or career).
I wouldn't say that "Unscripted" is in depth, by any means, but it does gives us descriptions of the lives of the wrestlers that we would not ordinarily have. For example, Chris Jericho writes about how he does not have an ego about what he does because when he gets home his wife still makes him take out the garbage. The Undertaker wrote about how he had almost played professional basketball and how he decided to turn to the ring. Kurt Angle wrote about wrestling in the Olympics with a broken neck and why he did it. Each wrestler gives a little glimpse into their lives, what they do, and why. We really just get a glimpse of the wrestling world through the eyes of the wrestlers. As a fan of the WWE product, I found this to be interesting (if less in depth than, say, Mick Foley's autobiography). This is a coffee table book, however, so there are many pictures and not too much text. This is one you can pick up, look at a two page spread, and then put down again to peruse at your leisure.
Book Description
A Season in The Big House is an anatomy of a season in college football at a school with a tradition so rich no one season could spoil it. With perspectives from fans, the head coach, and a writer who's written thoughtfully and intimately about the program for four decades, this book offers an unparalleled view of Michigan football.
Product Description
Improvisation is recognized internationally as an exciting tool to jumpstart learning. In this practical book, teachers will discover how to use improv throughout the K 8 curriculum to boost creativity and to develop a class into a finely tuned learning ensemble. Readers will learn how to use this revolutionary tool to teach literacy, math, social studies, and science...and have fun doing it!
Average customer rating:
- Woman find courage from adversity
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A Life Unscripted
Mary Inez Ramirez
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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ASIN: 0595329683 |
Book Description
This is the life story of a remarkable woman who has not only learned lifeÂ's difficult lessons, but understands that life is sweeter because of them. Whereas others may harbor despair over lifeÂ's challenges, Mary Inez writes about these difficulties in a way that inspires the reader and leaves powerful feelings about life. She honestly shares lifeÂ's crises and shows how, through faith, any circumstance in life can be worthwhile.
Download Description
This is the life story of a remarkable woman who has not only learned life
Customer Reviews:
Woman find courage from adversity.......2005-02-17
I so appreciate Mary's willingness to share her personal story with others. Other people would have been angry with the difficulties that Mary has had to overcome. She shows how faith and family can heal wounds and an broken heart. I felt so inspired by her personal journey.
Average customer rating:
- Must read for teens and their parents
- Need a Gift for a Teen Girl? Better than a T-Shirt or a New Scent
- Great for Teens and Young Adults
- Good book!
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My Life Unscripted: Who's Writing Your Life?
Tricia Goyer
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Teens
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ASIN: 1400310520 |
Book Description
Using the metaphor of screenwriting,
My Life, Unscripted explores relationships in every teenage girl's life-with herself, her friends and enemies, her parents, guys, and with God.
Real-life scripts, screenwriting terms, and timely topics, make this an interesting read for teen girls as they delve into their own inner struggles and outward relationships. They'll also learn the importance of "scripting" their own responses BEFORE challenging life-situations arise so they are able to think about, pray about, and consider how to face these situations before the scene begins. By contrasting real-life with TV or movies, teens will understand they don't have to get caught up in the drama.
Customer Reviews:
Must read for teens and their parents.......2007-10-09
My Life Unscripted by Tricia Goyer is a fun, powerful devotional for teens. Tricia shares scenes from her life written in movie script format interspersed with movie-making terms, Bible verses, hard questions to make the reader look deeper at their own lives, and other teens' responses to those questions. She faces the mistakes she made as a teen head-on without flinching and offers alternatives and opportunities for discussion. Drinking, sex, cheating, friends, the hard things that teens face: she's got it covered. Without offering trite or pat advice, she encourages teens to find answers for themselves and write their own script for their life rather than follow someone else's (other than God's) or just drift along without thinking decisions through. As the mother of two teens, it opened my eyes to some discussions I need to have with my kids and reminded me how hard it is to survive high school without sacrificing something of yourself. While reading this, I asked my 14-year old daughter to describe herself (as Tricia did online and then published the teens' responses), and I ended up listening for several minutes as Molly defined herself in ways I never would have imagined. She knows herself far better than I did at that age, and listening to her helped me understand her far better. There's room for teens to record their answers to questions, as well as discussion questions at the back for use in groups. This is a great book for teens, their parents, and youth groups.
Need a Gift for a Teen Girl? Better than a T-Shirt or a New Scent.......2007-10-05
Tricia Goyer has used her many writing strengths to pull together possible life saving information for a whole new generation of teenagers. Tricia, like a lot of us, carries around a past, one she'd like others to avoid. Armed with that desire, she is an outspoken advocate of thinking before you act and learning from the mistakes of others.
Wise instruction is delivered by Tricia who shares parts of her own teen life in screenplay format. Included in the book are areas for teens to journal and honest instruction and help from clusters of Bible verses throughout. In addition, Tricia has interviewed teens around the country asking them about struggles and issues. Organized in sound or information bites that is My Space/Facebook/Blog reader easy to read.
If you have a young woman in your life, I'd suggest that the purchase of My Life Unscripted instead of a cute T-shirt, or a new bottle of perfume might be a very helpful, welcome and wise choice.
Great for Teens and Young Adults.......2007-09-21
I wish I'd read this book about 20 years ago. It's so hard being a Christian young person in today's society, being bombarded with peer pressure, media pressure, even parental pressure. This book will help those in their teens and early twenties figure out how to deal with the bad influences and actually take control of their lives and live them according to God's plan.
My Life, Unscripted gives practical tips on how to mold your thinking, and ultimately your actions, in the direction you want to go. She gives lots of Bible verses about how to live wisely in a crooked and (very) depraved generation. This book will help you steer around the dangers and mistakes that are so prevalent in the teen years.
I highly recommend this book to all youth workers, teens, and young adults. It is packed with real-life scenarios, as well as activities, that will get teens to think about their own thought patterns and the possibility that they might be headed for trouble. It will show them how to plan ahead for situations that may arise in which they will need to make a well-thought-out decision. It's all about making wise choices and decisions. In the back of the book, youth leaders will find discussion questions perfect for small groups.
This book is a real God-send.
Good book! .......2007-09-18
My life, unscripted...... when I got this book in the mail, I was curious about the title, but after curling up with this book before it was time for my blog tour, I was not disappointed. I love Tricia's writing! Her fictional characters are someone you may meet on the street or read about in a history book, and no different with this book.
Whether you are a teenage girl or not you will probably find yourself in one of the scripts on these pages.
Tricia uses the format of a TV or movie script to tell stories and then discusses each scenario with you using bible passages, notes from other girls and straight talk from the author herself. This book is a great guide to teaching girls how to have a plan of attack before temptation or hardship comes. Some of the stories, sad to say, have come from her own past, but she uses them as an example so we can learn from them.
It is a great book to give to a family member that you know is in the normal teen life and will be face with all the temptations that go along with that.
Average customer rating:
- A Kids Review
- One of the best books I've read in a long time.
- Exciting Sequel to 'Focus on This'
- I liked this book a lot...
- Really fun...
|
Unscripted (Real Deal)
Amy Kaye
Manufacturer: Smooch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Humorous
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Similar Items:
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The Real Deal: Focus on This! (Real Deal)
ASIN: 0843953152 |
Customer Reviews:
A Kids Review.......2005-09-26
I am a big fan of broadway, so the minute i saw this book, i was like...I GOTTA READ IT. Maybe i put my hope up 2 high but this book was seriously BORING! I read to page 60 and the only reason I even read that far was because my teacher made us read a book during class. Sure it might have been written nicely and all but it was boring. Claire made a huge deal about her director Sam, who was being a little harsh and all, but this is show-biz it isn't easy. So she started crying screamed at him that he was an 'a**hole' just because he was a little harsh, and the author made it seem like Claire's life has just ended or something. I would definitley say...don't waste your time on this book.
One of the best books I've read in a long time........2004-05-28
I've never read the first book in this series, but that really didn't matter. This book is so well written that I caught on in the first chapter. THE REAL DEAL: UNSCRIPTED is about a girl named Claire Marangello who is on a reality TV show, meaning she is being filmed 24/7. Not only that, she's also the star in a Broadway musical called Twentynothings. Her way hot co-star Jeb, who just so happens to be a very famous celebrity, takes an interest in her. The book is basicly about how she mantained (sp?) her relationship with Jeb and her half-sister Tina, who she didn't know existed until a few weeks earlier.
This book totally deserved the 5 star rating I gave it, which says a lot. Read this book and enjoy it, you'll be ever thankful you bought it or borrowed it. Happy reading!
Exciting Sequel to 'Focus on This'.......2004-04-14
The last time we caught up with 17-year-old, high school junior, Claire Marangello, she was fighting of the reality-TV show that she thought was ruining her life at the time, but ended up making it pretty fun. Well, that reality-TV show has now gotten 18-year-old Claire her big break: her own version of the reality-TV show, and a starring role in a Broadway musical, with Jeb, a way cute co-star who really likes Claire. Plus, she's just found out that she has a half sister who she didn't know about. Everything is going perfectly, until it all flips. Suddenly Claire doesn't know whether this is perfect, or an absolute nightmare. Claire is unsure whether she can trust Jeb, and his celebrity centered world, her half sister seems to be parting ways with her before they even start to make a connection, the director of the Broadway show seems to hate her, and the dance steps are way harder to learn than they ever looked. Claire's slowly realizing that being a Broadway star isn't all singing and smiles, and that real life has enough crazy happenings to last you a lifetime.
I was ecstatic to see that Amy Kaye had written THE REAL DEAL: UNSCRIPTED, as THE REAL DEAL: FOCUS ON THIS was my favorite book in the Smooch series, due, in large part, to crazy Claire. I am happy to report that THE REAL DEAL: UNSCRIPTED is just as fabulous as it's predecessor, if not more. Claire is just as determined to write wrongs, and sort out her life for the better. While many new characters were introduced in this installment of THE REAL DEAL series, I was happy to see that the characters from the last book, Pete, Baxter, and Fiona made appearances in this book as well, as I would hate to see them disappear from the series, since they were so funny. Fans of Amy Kaye's previous work, will adore this book, as will all fans of the teen fiction genre, and reality TV.
Erika Sorocco
I liked this book a lot..........2004-04-13
I didn't know that THE REAL DEAL: UNSCRIPTED was a sequel...they didn't have the first book at the bookstore I went to. I thought it sounded interesting, so I picked it up.
Claire believes that the only place she belongs is onstage. So when she gets the chance to perform on Broadway AND be on a reality TV show at the same time, she's pretty excited. She's going to be starring in the musical "Twentynothings" and they reality TV-crew is going to follow her and film her during workouts, rehearsals, etc. Claire gets to move into an apartment in New York with her sister Tina (who she just found out about a few months before). The whole book follows Claire through everything that a normal teenager that suddenly finds herself on Broadway and TV at the same time would go through. It's sooooo funny!
This book is really funny, and I highly recommend it to anyone. The only thing I would say is read the first book before you get this, because a few spots are a little confusing otherwise. THE REAL DEAL: UNSCRIPTED is hilarious and easy to read.
Overall grade - B+
Really fun..........2004-03-30
When last we left Claire Marangello, she had endured excruciating months of being the unwilling star of the latest reality show; the day to day travails of an ordinary high school. She more than survived it; she became a star. On the impetus of that, she was offered her own show. The producers would send her to Broadway to star in a hot show opposite one of the hottest guys in a boy band, Jeb. She would be living with her recently discovered long lost half sister, Tina. Their sisterly bonding would also be covered in the docudrama.
Claire is nervous and excited, but it looks to all come crashing down when the director, Seth, proves to be a loud, opinionated, impossible jerk. Being followed by Fritz the cameraman, finding out her straightlaced dad had a wild side, and coping with a yappy mutt named Clyde, Tina's pet, are enough to drive Claire to more than one hissy fit. Fortunately, Jeb is there to save the day. Their on stage romance starts to turn real, but Claire has issues and a jealous supporting actress.
(...)If all the good reality television ever does is to have inspired this series, then it will be worth the airtime. Serious at times and fun most others, this book should contain a warning, you will fall down laughing. The more serious romantic moments are fizzy and sweet. While the rule generally runs that a sequel falls short of the first one, this sequel surpasses book one. Readers will have the added pleasure of getting sneak peak at Katie Macalister's next book at the end. (...)
Book Description
This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2007. The length of the article is 557 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: Unscripted: segments from the NewsHour with Jim Lehner.(Interview)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
World Literature Today (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 81
Issue: 3
Page: 8(2)
Article Type: Interview
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2465 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: Unscripted: segments from The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.(Interview)(Broadcast transcript)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
World Literature Today (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 81
Issue: 5
Page: 8(4)
Article Type: Broadcast transcript, Interview
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This book explores the influence of Helmuth von Moltke, Germany's Chief of the General Staff between 1906 and 1914. Based largely on previously-unknown primary sources, it shows that Moltke's influence on the Kaiser and on Germany's political decision-making to have been decisive, helping to foster an increasingly confrontational mood. The book also takes issue with the common perception of Moltke as a reluctant military leader, concluding that he was both bellicose and ambitious and played a crucial role in the outbreak of the First World War.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Historian, published by Thomson Gale on June 22, 2003. The length of the article is 561 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: Helmuth von Moltke and the Origins of the First World War.(Book Review)
Author: Joseph B., Jr. Neville
Publication:
The Historian (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2003
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 65
Issue: 4
Page: 1049(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Combining history, autobiography, and ethnography, Georges Woke Up Laughing provides a portrait of the Haitian experience of migration to the United States that illuminates the phenomenon of long-distance nationalism, the voicelessness of certain citizens, and the impotency of government in an increasingly globalized world. By presenting lively ruminations on his life as a Haitian immigrant, Georges Eugene Fouron—along with Nina Glick Schiller, whose own family history stems from Poland and Russia—captures the daily struggles for survival that bind together those who emigrate and those who stay behind.
According to a long-standing myth, once emigrants leave their homelands—particularly if they emigrate to the United States—they sever old nationalistic ties, assimilate, and happily live the American dream. In fact, many migrants remain intimately and integrally tied to their ancestral homeland, sometimes even after they become legal citizens of another country. In Georges Woke Up Laughing the authors reveal the realities and dilemmas that underlie the efforts of long-distance nationalists to redefine citizenship, race, nationality, and political loyalty. Through discussions of the history and economics that link the United States with countries around the world, Glick Schiller and Fouron highlight the forces that shape emigrants’ experiences of government and citizenship and create a transborder citizenry. Arguing that governments of many countries today have almost no power to implement policies that will assist their citizens, the authors provide insights into the ongoing sociological, anthropological, and political effects of globalization.
Georges Woke up Laughing will entertain and inform those who are concerned about the rights of people and the power of their governments within the globalizing economy.
“In my dream I was young and in Haiti with my friends, laughing, joking, and having a wonderful time. I was walking down the main street of my hometown of Aux Cayes. The sun was shining, the streets were clean, and the port was bustling with ships. At first I was laughing because of the feeling of happiness that stayed with me, even after I woke up. I tried to explain my wonderful dream to my wife, Rolande. Then I laughed again but this time not from joy. I had been dreaming of a Haiti that never was.”—from Georges Woke Up Laughing
Customer Reviews:
Who am I ... an imigrant struggles with identity.......2006-07-07
This is the best professor ever and his class was so interesting. The course, as well as the book talks about his battle with identity as a transnational citizen in a world filled with identities it is somethings hard to find your place. Graduating from Columbia (after moving to the U.S.) and teaching at stony brook university George is look upon as a changed man.. he if not hatian because he has moved to the U.S. but in the U.S. he is not american enough for the americans, where then does on fit when they battle with their own identity and ask themselves who am I ? This was the dilemma which caused him to write this book.
Ethnographic Dialogue.......2002-08-08
In this excellent book, Nina Glick Schiller and Georges Eugene Fouron tackle the question of national identity, transmigration, and the effect that this has had on Haitians. The authors chose to write the text as a dialogue between two separate and distinct voices: the first is a voice of the social scientist, attempting a theoretical understanding of social and political aspects of transmigration; the second voice is the personal, intimate one, encompassing the thoughts and emotions of Haitians. The theoretical points made are underscored by real-life narratives, which add depth to the scholarship. I believe this approach is a successful way of creating a "dialogue" between the authors and the subjects (especially in cases such as this, where Georges fits into both categories).
I especially appreciated Schiller's diasporic perspective as a Jew. Her insights to the experiences and differences between Jewish Diaspora and African-Caribbean Diaspora are illuminating.
Average customer rating:
- this book was very enriching and enlightening, spiritual
|
An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests
T. C. Whitmore
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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A Neotropical Companion
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The Ecology of Fishes on Coral Reefs
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Entangled Edens: Visions of the Amazon
-
A Guide to the Birds of Panama
-
A Field Guide to the Families and Genera of Woody Plants of North west South America : (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) : With Supplementary Notes)
ASIN: 019850148X |
Book Description
This new edition of Whitmore's classic introduction to tropical rain forests has been comprehensively revised and updated, reflecting the changes which have taken place since it was first published in 1990. The sections on human impact have been extended to include a new global assessment of deforestation as well as details of new research on biodiversity and conservation. Discussion of the future of the rain forests and priorities for action is incorporated. The book remains unique in linking rain forest biology and ecology with silviculture, and with concerns over sustainable resource utilization and the future of the tropical rain forests. It includes sections on the diverse animal and plant life forms which are found in the rain forest, and the interconnections between them. Nutrient cycles and forest dynamics are fully explained, with new data on ecophysiology and forest microclimates. The geologic and climatic history of rain forests, and the wide-spread canopy disturbances now understood to have occurred in the past, are explored. Accessibly written, and illustrated throughout with line-drawings and photographs, this is a must for biology and geography students, and anyone else who seeks to know more about the nature and importance of the world's tropical rain forests.
Customer Reviews:
this book was very enriching and enlightening, spiritual.......1999-03-10
It was a book that helped me gain knowledge but it also made me want to go out and explore it, it was fabulous Icould hardly put it down and it helped a lot with my research paper. Thanks
Customer Reviews:
First rate, fascinating, and engaging natural history book on neotropical birds.......2007-04-16
One might guess by the title of Steven Hilty's book _Birds of Tropical America_ that he has written an informative though dry field guide, one that lists a number of birds of Central and South America but is not really a book to sit down and read. In fact, Hilty has written an engaging and extremely interesting natural history work covering many aspects of neotropical bird behavior, breeding, and evolution and is one of the finest popular science books I have read in a while.
The book is organized into twenty different chapters, several illustrated with black and white drawings by artist Mimi Hoppe Wolf, and includes an extensive bibliography. Roughly half of the chapters deal with aspects of neotropical avian behavior and physiology that are applicable to most if not all of the region's birds, while the remainder deals with specific types of birds, such as antbirds, hummingbirds, and vultures. The focus is largely on birds of rainforests but Hilty also discusses birds of mountains, grasslands, and in one interesting chapter, islands of the Amazon River.
The first few chapters tackle common questions asked about tropical American birds, questions Hilty has encountered over his years as not only a researcher but as a leader of birding tours in Central and South America. For instance, why are so many tropical rainforest birds so spottily distributed when there appears to be many hundreds of square miles of suitable habitat? Hitly wrote that distribution patchiness is a basic structural component of tropical rainforests; in an area that might contain up to 500 bird species, a particular acre or so of forest will only contain 100 to 200 species. One answer to this question is the existence of microhabitats, areas perhaps not obvious to naturalists recently arrived from temperate latitudes, but quite obvious to the local fauna. Some birds are found only along the edges of tree fall openings, while others that live in the canopy avoid areas where the canopy is discontinuous with tree fall openings. Birds might be rare because of their place on the food chain (harpy eagles occur generally at low densities though might be widespread throughout neotropical rainforests), of the lower population densities of tropical birds (the populations of the most common Peruvian rainforests birds are one-tenth that of those in temperate forests), the secretive nature of many understory rainforest birds (making them appear rare), and the large territories of birds (when compared to temperate species). A later chapter adds additional information; Hilty noted the work of Jurgen Haffer, who proposed that during the Pleistocene epoch the rainforests of South America at times contracted into isolated units he called refugia and that this repeated forest breakup increased speciation and helped produce many often small and localized ranges of birds in South America. Another theory, proposed by among others biologist Angelo Capparella, noted the importance of the major rivers of the Amazon Basin, which fragment the ranges of many widespread species and can act as barriers to gene flow; in a later chapter, Hilty noted how big a barrier the river can be, at one spot in Colombia, nearly 2,000 miles from the mouth of the Amazon River, the river banks are nearly five miles apart, a huge barrier to many tropical species that scarcely like crossing even forest trails.
Interestingly, many tropical birds migrate. No, not the famous temperate-to-tropics-and-back-again migrations, but migrations within the tropics, often quiet migrations that only involve some species and an aspect of the neotropics that took researchers many years to discover. These are short-distance migrations, perhaps a few miles or a few hundred miles. The quetzal and the bellbird for instance are fruit-eaters that breed in mountain cloud forests during the drier months of the year, but migrate downslope during the rainy season in search of drier conditions and more fruit. Even lowland forest species migrate to seek concentrations of fruiting trees, while others migrate to take advantage of the short-lived and unpredictable seed crops of bamboo, or in areas south of the Amazon Basin, are fire-followers, seeking out recently burned grasslands for breeding.
In a chapter on why there are so many more species in the tropics than in temperate areas Hilty noted the many niches unique to the tropics, for example antbirds, follow the swarms of raiding army ants, which flush small prey for them to eat, while other birds follow monkeys or the large peccary herds for the same reason (the latter of which are followed by the nimble, roadrunner-like ground-cuckoos).
Hilty discussed hummingbirds in two chapters, noting not only the many different hummingbird niches (some are nectar thieves, poking holes on the outside of flowers to get nectar, not aiding the plant in pollination one bit, others are territorial, while still others forage over large areas) but that they even have different niches at different altitudes (wing length and body weight have a huge influence in the type of flight and behavior a hummingbird is capable of and as higher altitudes have less dense air and produce less lift, some species have different ecological niches at different altitudes).
A number of chapters focused or dealt with breeding behavior. One interesting discussion analyzed why males might cluster together in lek assemblages when they are so extremely competitive. The "hotspot" theory of Jack Bradbury argued that leks form in areas where females forage widely for food and the males have a good opportunity to catch the attention of these wide-ranging females, while the "hotshot" theory of Bruce Beeler and Mercedes Foster argues that the success of a few dominant males attracts the attention of less successful males, who bide their time and try to move up the hierarchy.
Other interesting topics include the flycatchers (part of a group of birds called suboscines) which have been among the few animal groups to colonize northwards with the appearance of the Panamanian landbridge and the influence of environment on song (different terrains affect song propagation in different ways).
Essential for the curious tropical naturalist.......2005-12-05
Steve Hilty does a wonderful job of translating the results of published scientific papers into the language of the curious layman without compromising the fidelity of the original research. With a strong academic background, coupled with many years of field experience and a formidable talent for communication, he successfully transmits the joy of the natural historian and the excitement of the pioneering ornithologist.
The book consists of twenty essays on the ecology, behavioural ecology, biogeography and evolution of Neotropical birds, each based on three or four seminal scientific papers. The topics covered include flocking behaviour, species diversity, intra-tropical migration, seasonality, song, hummingbird foraging ecology, seed dispersal and much more. Many of the topics arose as answers to the questions posed to the author by fellow travellers, so they address a host of the main questions the curious naturalist will ask. The examples and original research come from all parts of the New World tropics making this book of direct relevance to those travelling anywhere in Latin America. Specific sites mentioned range from La Selva in northeastern Costa Rica to Manu in Amazonian Peru, and from Panama's Barro Colorado Island to the Oilbird Cave in eastern Venezuela. Species like the Yellow-rumped Cacique and Oilbird and key Neotropical groups like the Vultures, Hummingbirds, Antbirds, Tyrant Flycatchers, Manakins and Cotingas are treated in detail.
In sum, a great introduction to the biology and natural history of American tropical birds for those who are new to the region and a fascinating companion for tropical veterans. Whether your interest is birding, natural history or simply enriching your tropical travels, this book should be on your shelves - or, better still, in your backpack.
Recommended for tropical birders.......2001-02-21
It is a shame that this book is out of print, because as more birders discover the wealth and happy confusion of birding in the tropics this book would find a ready audience. Birders who take their first trips to Central or South America step into an alien world, where the rules of the temperate zone do not apply.
Hilty's essays draw upon many years as a birding tour guide, kind of a "frequently asked questions" collection. He discusses answers to questions such as: Why do birds in the tropics migrate? Why are tropical birds often so colorful yet so hard to see? Why are tropical mixed flocks so large and varied (up to 50 or more species in a single foraging flock), and how can so many birds forage together? In the course of the essays, Hilty also provides a great deal of insight into tropical ecology. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the tropics in general, and tropical birding in particular.
Book Description
This book is organized around the three parts of the biosphere: land, water, and air. Each section contains descriptions of the environmental problems associated with that part of the biosphere. In the section on the atmosphere, for instance, such problems as acid rain and the greenhouse effect are discussed. Immediately following each problem or "challenge" are suggested ways that individuals can help solve or alleviate them. This book has been written to provide the reader with some easy and practical ways to protect the Earth and to help understand why the task is so important.
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Riches of the Rain Forest: An Introduction to the Trees and Fruits of the Indonesian and Malaysian Rain Forests
W. Veevers-Carter
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0195889894 |
Book Description
Even to a botanist, the rain forests of the tropics consist of a bewildering variety of plants and plant forms, most of them woody and tall and therefore bearing their flowers and fruits discretely out of sight in the dense, high canopy. Animal and bird life is arboreal, heard but not often
seen, while the insects, fungi and bacteria at work are specialized studies in themselves. In this eminently readable book, the author brings together an interesting collection of vignettes on plant and animal life in the rain forests of Malaysia and Indonesia -- the richest in numbers of species in
the world. Each plant chosen exemplifies some aspect of the wonderful web of rain forest life. Evolving and proliferating through millions of years, the complex interrelationships of a rain forest can be admired -- or destroyed -- by human beings, but never replaced. The author cogently illustrates
the basic principles of rain forest ecology, which in its intricate complexity makes of any rain forest a wonder of the natural world, and uses examples throughout to develop a passionate plea for conservation. The book is elegantly illustrated with color plates drawn by Mohamed Anwar of the Bogor
Herbarium and line drawings by the author herself.
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