Product Description
Some Instructions on Writing and Life
Amazon.com
Think you've got a book inside of you? Anne Lamott isn't afraid to help you let it out. She'll help you find your passion and your voice, beginning from the first really crummy draft to the peculiar letdown of publication. Readers will be reminded of the energizing books of writer Natalie Goldberg and will be seduced by Lamott's witty take on the reality of a writer's life, which has little to do with literary parties and a lot to do with jealousy, writer's block and going for broke with each paragraph. Marvelously wise and best of all, great reading.
Customer Reviews:
smooth, easy to read, and... not so good.......2007-10-13
POSITIVE SIDES;
1. I finished the book at the back of the car, when I was stuck in traffic. That said, with the writer's fluent writing and sincere style, it is really easy to follow the book's ideas.
2. For ex., you'll have a better understanding of not only the process of publishing and its difficulties, but also that of plotting, taking notes, eliminating stress. However, the chapter she talks about getting rid of jelousy isn't helpful at all. In fact, she sometimes makes all those points, quoting films or her experiences with his son, Sam, which don't lead to anywhere.
NEGATIVE SIDES;
1. With all respect to the writer and her career, I must say that I got pretty angry at her when I read that she described bad writing as a Turkish assasin's writing. I think here she has tried to refer to Ottoman Empire which was captured as the ' assasins, murderers' by the other countries in the very old days. Still, it is offensive and not necessary.
2. She keeps mentioning how she has felt like she was going to get cancer or some other diseases throughout those difficult times. This style of her disgusted me. I don't think she is wise enough to give advice on life.
3. When I really began disliking the writer however was when she mentioned animal sacrifice and how she put the newspaper article about the legalisation of small animal sacrifise on the wall, where her cat's bowl stands in the front. Why would a person do that and why would a person write about that and why would a person call that advice?
ON WRITING
... there are much better books. For ex. Story by Robert McKee (It is mainly on screenwriting but it gives great advice on writing in general as well.)
Best of the Bunch.......2007-09-22
Unassuming and astonishing. Of all the books on writing I have read, and I have read a truckload, this one delivers more good advice than any other.
Here's the odd thing, though: when I first tried to read this a few years ago, I didn't get very far. I thought the writer was far too full of herself for her or my good. Then I picked the book up again recently and it blew me away. Maybe a lot of books are like that--you just have to be ready for them.
just what I was looking for.......2007-08-16
This book puts in a nutshell all the answers I as a budding writer was looking for. Take notes as you read and laugh!
A Writer's World.......2007-08-06
What type of book is "Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life" by Anne Lamott? It's one of those rare books that makes you want to start reading it all over again just as soon as you finish. In a word, wonderful. Better than that, "Bird by Bird" has something to teach, or at least some helpful advice about writing, writers, and getting published. It's all there: the anxiety, the yearning, the misplaced thought, the jealously, the longing, the joy. The words here don't really do it justice. However favorable an impression you may have at this moment in time, at this point in the review, know this: The book is so much better than what I can describe, and when you actually sit down and read this book (and you should), you will say to yourself, "I didn't know it would be this good!"
Lamott is the published author of eight books, including her most famous novel "Traveling Mercies." If you've never read any Anne Lamott, join the club, but don't let it stop you from getting this book. "Bird by Bird" is a series of discussions about writing and the writing life that reflect some of what Lamott teaches in her UC-Davis writing classes. And yet, there is so much more. She has infused her lessons with charm and grace, with stories of her family and her teaching, and above all, with her own day-to-day writing life. If you've ever wondered how a real author, a published author, goes about creating the magic, Lamott is ready to let you peak in. She talks about real writing tricks that work. She starts with the basics. She confronts her own inner demons and all those internal voices that tell every author his or her work just isn't good enough, and tells you how to get past them and write anyway.
A little bit about the title, which I know must be making you wonder at this point. "Bird by Bird" refers to a story she tells about her brother and her father (another writer). Her brother was then a 10-year old who hadn't done his report on birds the night before it was due at school (although he'd had 3 months to complete it...sound familiar?). He had worked himself up into a panic, wondering how he could possibly accomplish his monumental task. Finally, Lamott's father sits down beside her brother, puts an arm around his shoulder, and says, "Bird by bird, buddy, just take it bird by bird."
This gem of a book is filled with so many wonderful stories, so much humor and pathos, so many identifiable writer crises that you will be astonished at how effortlessly Lamott has accomplished her goal--helping us become better writers. I've never read a book about writing that was so practical, so humane, so lovingly created. This is the most practical guide to writing I've ever read, yet it's never (no, not once) boring. She never gets bogged down in detail. Her writing never wavers. It's an amazing book on those counts alone. That it has so much to teach as well truly makes it a treaure, a golden egg.
Interesting and Informative.......2007-07-21
I expected this book to be informative and was not disappointed. The fact it was also entertaining was a bonus. The author's empathy for other writers was refreshing, as well. I appreciated the many tips sprinkled throughout and would recommend this book to anyone who likes to write.
Book Description
Something is desperately wrong with most churches today. Many sincere followers of Christ who are passionate for God and his work are unaware of the crucial link between emotional health and spiritual maturity. They present themselves as spiritually mature but are stuck at a level of immaturity that current models of discipleship have not addressed. Discipleship that really transforms a church must integrate emotional health with spiritual maturity. The Emotionally Healthy Church, winner of the Gold Medallion Book Award, offers a strategy for discipleship that accomplishes healthy living and actually changes lives.
Customer Reviews:
The Emotionally Healthy Church.......2007-08-10
Pastor Scazzero has articulated what is a huge need in the Christian church in America. After 25 yrs in ministry, I must agree with him that most pastors bring huge amounts of emotional dysfunction into their pastorates, hence, ultimately hurting their flock. These same pastors, love God and are deeply committed to serving Him, only in many cases their emotional health is in bad shape. I do not agree with every theological point made, but do whole heartedly support the book's principles.
healthy ministers can minister.......2007-05-19
Scazzero does a good job of sharing from his own experience -- which is always more helpful than just quoting others.
"40 Days of Therapy?".......2007-02-08
Well, this book came highly recommended by a fellow pastor, and I approched it with positive anticipation. I am very aware of how the emotional state of our church members effects not only their own personal journey, but how it can even dominate the workings of an entire congregation.
However,I cannot go as far as Rev. Scazzero in seeing the emotional health of the person as the "starting place" of their spiritual health. Indeed, it is by the grace of the Holy Spirit that we may rise above our individual foibles, look beyond our own personal concerns, and remember that we are not the center of everything. I fear there is too much encouragement to dig deeper, ever deeper into what has been really bothering us since childhood without the accountability and good relationship with good counselors.
We will not find salvation by "restoring ourselves" to an excruciatingly described and idealistic state of emotional wonderfulness.
The book is written, I do believe, with the best of intention, and out of heart-felt personal experience. It is unfortunate that many of Rev. Scazzero's suggestions for The Journey may lead to trecherous ground without responsible support.
Respectfully submitted,
Rich Moore
A Must Read for Followers of Christ.......2007-01-23
do yourself a favor and read either this book or Emotionally Healthy Spiritually by the same author
MORE Comprehensive Discipleship.......2007-01-12
Scazzero's book highlights a glaring weakness in Western discipleship... that it is mostly a knowledge based venture. He advocates a more comprehensive approach to deal ALSO with emotional baggage that hinders growth and presents roadblocks that (if gone unexposed) can hinder long-term growth in God's grace. I highly recommend this book.
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
From the creator of the seminal field guide, The Sibley Guide to Birds, comes another indispensable book for bird watchers. This veritable bible to the world of birds is the collaborative effort of 48 expert birders and biologists, who combine scientific accuracy and detail with an easily readable and well-organized format. How does a tiny chickadee survive subzero temperatures? How do flocks of birds synchronize their flights? How can an albatross cross miles of ocean without flapping its wings? Which bird brains are actually intelligent? It's all here in essays giving an overview of avian evolution, biology, and the aerodynamics of flight and in chapters devoted to the 80 bird families of North America, each one detailing taxonomy, habitats, feeding, breeding, vocalizations, migrations, and more. Concerned about declining populations, Sibley also discusses the conservation status of each species and the factors that threaten them. This fascinating source of information is destined to be a well-thumbed companion. -- Lesley Reed
Book Description
“Once in a great while, a natural history book changes the way people look at the world. In 1838, John ames Audubon’s Birds of America was one...In 1934, Roger Tory Peterson produced Field Guide to the Birds...Now comes The Sibley Guide to Birds.”
Thus did The New York Times, in 1999, greet David Allen Sibley’s monumental book, which has quickly been established nationwide as the peerless, standard bird identification guide.
The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior is the new landmark book from David Allen Sibley. Designed to enhance the birding experience and to enrich the popular study of North American birds, the book combines more than 795 of his full-color illustrations with authoritative text by 48 expert birders and biologists. In this new guide Sibley takes us beyond identification, to show us how birds live and what they do.
Introductory essays outline the principles of avian evolution, life cycle, body structure, flight dynamics, and more. The 80 family-by-family chapters describe the amazing range of behavior dictated by birds’ biology and environment. Among the subjects covered and illustrated are:
--molts and plumages
--habitats
--food and foraging
--vocalizations and displays
--courtship and breeding
--rearing of young
--migration and movements
--scientific groupings
--introduced species
--accidental species
--anatomy
--flight patterns
--nests and eggs
--conservation
--global distribution
Accessibly written, superbly designed and organized, and brilliantly illustrated, The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior is an indispensable source of information on the avian life around us.
Customer Reviews:
Another Gem.......2007-07-28
Like all the Sibley books, this is comprehensive and well-written. A necessary and welcomed addition to any birder's library.
An informative book........2007-01-11
This is a useful book about bird behavior written by a true expert. It's a bit like a textbook the way it approaches broad topics and discusses various aspects.
Like any textbook, I suppose, if you go into this book with a specific question and hope for a specific answer, you may not find it. However, if you were trying to write a school report or something you would certainly find lots of useful tidbits of information in the general area of your topic.
I'd say that rather than thinking of this as a reference book, you should think of it as background reading, to be taken in small doses, for the above-and-beyond birding enthusiast.
From the perspective of a non-birder..........2006-08-24
I'm not a birder, though it seems like an interesting hobby. But I just look at the birds at the feeders and birdbath in the back yard and think, "I wonder what that one is?" So, I bought "The Sibley Guide to Birds" (which is outstanding) on the recommendation of a birder friend, and that led me to this book.
On the one hand, it's a long, dense, scientific work. The years of effort and study that went into it is astounding.
On the other hand, it's an extremely entertaining set of answers to all of those "Why do they do that?" questions that come up when you're watching birds. For example, why do bird knees seem to bend backward? Well, they don't; the knee is close to the bird's body, and what seems to be a backward knee is actually the bird's ankle. The birds are in effect walking around on their tip toes.
If hundreds of pages of information like that, coupled with beautiful illustrations and great maps, all wrapped in an easy-to-use organizational scheme sounds interesting and useful, then get this book.
For a non-birder like me, it's probably more information than I really need, but I found it fascinating.
The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior.......2006-08-08
Includes all the information our other guides - Audubon, Peterson's, the other Sibley's Guide -- have left undescribed. Devotes many pages for further study of bird species and sub-species.
Instructive, engrossing, delightful .......2006-05-04
Have you ever wondered how an owl navigates in the dark? Why the whip-poor-will has bristles around its mouth? How the kingfisher teaches its young to dive for fish? How the woodpecker can keep up all that drumming without getting a concussion?
If you have observed a phoebe building a neat cup-shaped nest on a ledge under a roof overhang, or if you have watched a green heron using bait to attract fish, you must have felt an urge to learn more about these creatures. How intelligent are they? Or do they just "follow their instincts"?
This book will answer most of your questions - whether you are an avid bird watcher or a curious novice; and where there are no definite answers, a number of working hypotheses are suggested.
The beautiful water color illustrations by David Sibley show the birds in characteristic postures and hone in on diagnostically important features; and the individual chapters by various authors on bird biology, evolution, classification, behavior, migration, habitats, populations and conservation are illuminating.
Recent DNA studies have shed new light on hybridization and mating systems and have led to some revisions in species and family classification. There is also a very helpful glossary: if you just want to browse, this may be a good place to start. Before you know it, you will be hooked; and every time you open this book you'll come upon new insights that will astonish and delight you.
Book Description
This Audio CD is designed for anyone who wants to learn how to recognize bird songs. It features the sounds of 189 different bird species found in the Midwest and Northeast States.
Each bird song recording is followed by a short description of the sound along with a common mnemonic used to remember it. Many well-known song mnemonics such as "Who cooks for you?" for the Barred Owl and "Poor Sam Peabody" for the White-throated Sparrow are included. Following the song and mnemonic, the source of the sound is revealed. By naming the bird at the end of each track, the listener is allowed to wonder and guess at the nature of the sound. Active listening, similar to what one experiences in the field while searching for an unknown bird song, is a key to engaging the memory process.
One way to use this CD is to enable the "Random Play" or "Shuffle" option on a home CD player, portable stereo, or personal computer. Although it may be frustrating at first, repetition of this "quiz" game will quickly improve recognition skills. Gaining familiarity with these songs will greatly increase any bird watcher's enjoyment and awareness of birds in their natural habitat.
Features:
- 189 bird species found in the Midwest and Northeast states
- Digital bird song recordings made in Wisconsin
- Brief narration after each song includes descriptive, memorable and often funny mnemonics
- Can be used as a field guide to learn and identify songs or as a recognition quiz game
- Easy to use alphabetical track listing of all birds and their mnemonics
- It is a great gift for any birdwatcher, beginner or advanced.
- Total running time: 60 minutes
Customer Reviews:
Very good CD.......2007-08-21
After many years of bird watching I decided it was high time I learned to bird by ear.
I'm pretty familiar with the limited species that show up in my Southern California yard (House Finches, House Sparrows, Mourning Doves and Western Scrub Jays mostly).
I've purchased a few different CD's on birding by ear (including the Stokes CD's), but this is the one I like the best. I keep it in my CD player in the car so I can learn/study the bird songs while going to and from work each day.
I have noticed a slight regional accent in some of the birds that I'm familiar with, but it's not so significant that I don't recognise the House Sparrow or the House Finch when I hear it.
I highly recommend this CD to anyone who is trying to learn to bird by ear.
Great for newbies.......2007-06-07
I've lived on a farm or outside the city for most of my life, but never really bothered to figure out the different bird calls. After listening to this CD a couple of times, my wife and I can now pick out some of the different birds. The more calls we learn, the more fun it is to learn more.
Overly Short Songs Presented at Shotgun Speed.......2007-05-25
While the coverage of songs is thorough, the acoustic quality is not nearly as good as four other bird song CDs that I also recently purchased (Stokes - Eastern Region, Peterson Field Guide sets - Eastern, Songbirds Bible by Proctor, Common Bird Songs by Borror). Moreover, the songs are very short, with minimal repetition or variation. It is nice to have narration that follows the songs, so the listener has a chance to guess what type of bird sings each song. However, given that the songs are so short, and the pauses after the songs and before narration are even shorter, there is no time for an advanced beginner birder such as myself to reflect, or even spit out the answer instantaneously. Furthermore, the next song often starts virtually "on top" of the narration (which is little more than just the name of the bird), making it easy to associate the bird name with the wrong song (ie, the song that follows narration rather than the song that precedes).
excellent for beginning and intermediate birders.......2006-08-01
The alphabetical indexing is excellent for those who have not mastered the taxanomic order as found in most lists and books. The presentation of the song before the identification is useful in honing ones ears. Would like it to be longer than the ~110 species presented.
By far the best bird song training & review guide.......2006-07-10
This is an outstanding CD for learning bird songs. Each song starts with the bird song and then the narrator describes the song and provides a short phrase or description that aids you with identifying it, followed again with the essence of the song. This format allows you to quiz yourself. I bought my first copy two years ago and have bought 5 more to give to friends since then. Everyone has commented that its a great guide. I own several other guides including Birding by Ear and More Birding by Ear and this is by far my favorite.
Average customer rating:
- Absolutely Wonderful
- Life With an Indian Prince
|
Life With an Indian Prince: By Archives of American Falconry
John J. Craighead , and
Frank C., Jr. Craighead
Manufacturer: Hancock House Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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Rich & Famous
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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| Birdwatching
| Outdoors & Nature
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ASIN: 0961983922 |
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely Wonderful.......2005-06-18
The fact that this book is so richly illustrated is amazing. The images were printed, using slides of photos that the Craighead brothers took over 60 years ago, yet they are absolutely beautiful. (a testament to the legitimacy of their involvement with National Geographic)
The experience of reading this book is truly like tagging along on the adventure vacation of a lifetime. You will yearn for time in India, and for time with enthusiastic naturalists.
If you're in need of a cheap vacation... buy this book.
Life With an Indian Prince.......2003-11-01
This is the best book I've ever read! It's the next best thing to time travel. The Craigheads were invited to visit India as the special guest of a Maharaja's brother, with National Geographic footing the bill. They kept daily logs of their, thoughts, experiences, observations and political debates as they traveled to and from India by ship, just before the US entered World War II. The Craigheads were young collage students who were defining the state of the art in wildlife photography. They experience falconry in India a level that is no longer possible, hunt with Cheetah and attend a lavish royal wedding.
Amazon.com
Rosemary and Peter Grant and those assisting them have spend twenty years on Daphne Major, an island in the Galapagos studying natural selection. They recognize each individual bird on the island, when there are four hundred at the time of the author's visit, or when there are over a thousand. They have observed about twenty generations of finches -- continuously.
Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself.
Book Description
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
On a desert island in the heart of the Galapagos archipelago, where Darwin received his first inklings of the theory of evolution, two scientists, Peter and Rosemary Grant, have spent twenty years proving that Darwin did not know the strength of his own theory. For among the finches of Daphne Major, natural selection is neither rare nor slow: it is taking place by the hour, and we can watch.
In this dramatic story of groundbreaking scientific research, Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life itself.
The Beak of the Finch is an elegantly written and compelling masterpiece of theory and explication in the tradition of Stephen Jay Gould.
Customer Reviews:
The Beak of the Finch.......2007-07-16
Brilliant writing and organization shows that evolution can occur in as short a time frame as two years. Never boring. The non-scientist will find this book of our changing world a good read.
Wonderful science and a great narrative.......2007-04-14
"Beak" is perhaps the best popular book on evolution between Darwin and Dawkins.
Thoughtful, educated persons must know certain facts about the physical world. One of those facts is evolution. Evolution happens, it is not "just a theory."
As the author explains through the story of the work of Peter and Rosemary Grant, we can see natural selection operate in real time, season by season, in fish, birds, bacteria, and throughout the natural world. The explanation of evolution may be somewhat more open to debate but you can't participate meaningfully in the debate without being armed with some facts.
Don't bring a knife to an intellectual gunfight. Arm yourselves.
One of the Best Books on Nature.......2007-02-22
I have read much on evolution, and the evolution controversy in (primarily) the United States. This book does a wonderful job of demonstrating how scientists, right now, are recording and observing natural selection in action. Before I read this book I was not aware of how much information we really have about evolution and natural selection occurring in "the wild" on an everday basis. This book provides thorough mathematical evidence and predictive models of how natural selection changes the morphology of Darwin's Finches on the Galapogos Islands. It interleaves that story with a decent primer on evolution and snippets of other, similar research, going on right now too.
For example, it describes some fasicinating experiments conducted showing how quickly natural selection will change the color of Amazonian guppies based solely on the color of the rocks in the pools in which the guppies live, and the frequency of predation. It is amazing. As I read more about evolution, I see that rates of evolution vary widely. Evolution operating slowly (over 1000's or millions of years) is pretty obvious. This book provides a window into the amazing world of "rapid" evolution.
The best part about it is that it is as much a journalistic endeavor as a well-written book. This is NOT a polemic about why evolution is better than other ideas. This book simply reports the facts. If you don't understand evolution or believe it can be true after reading this book, then you aren't really trying to understand.
Finally, this book deserves the awards and accolades. It is well-written, well-researched, and well-organized. I don't give many books five stars, but this one is worth it. I would recommend it for anyone: scientists, kids, and just people interested in learning and fascinated by the world around us.
Excellent quality -- arrived in good time.......2007-02-10
The book is in excellent shape, and it arrived in a timely fashion.
Beyond Darwin.......2007-01-19
If you're only slightly interested in the ways the evolution works, then this is it. But beware to have some knowledge about the basics of evolution before moving on to this book. There's a bit of a steep learning curve when you're not all to familiair with Darwin's brilliant theory. It also gives a nice insight in the way scientists work.
Customer Reviews:
good book.......2007-09-21
It is more "scientific" that Cornel Lab's "Handbook of bird biology". Chapters 16 through 21 are the most iteresting for ecologists and evolutionary biologists. Is is usefull for teaching on higher education level.
Ornithology MUST HAVE text!.......2007-06-05
Wow! I was knocked out when I received this book. I was afraid it would be far too technichal, and geared exclusively for biologists and zoologists. It is actually written for undergraduate level students interested in bird behavior and physiology. I highly recommend this book, but beware! This is not some light reading! It's a very serious text, but very readable and well illustrated. Love it!
ornithology book.......2007-03-09
just as good or better than i had anticipated. quick service too.
a very complete reference........2007-01-20
The book has all kind of general reference you need to understand the topic. This was a gift for my sister who is Biologist.
excellent, but expensive.......2003-02-17
The book is without doubt the best ornithology textbook in existance. While this may be aided by the fact that it is virtually the only one there is out there, it is accurate, comprehensive and user friendly. my main problems are that it is starting to be a little dated, and of course - the price.
Book Description
Providing activities for "Birdie Buzzsaws" and "Avian Einsteins" is a challenging and ongoing task for companion parrot owners. Parrot-Toys and Play Areas covers all aspects of play and encourages owners to "put some fun" into their parrot's life. Whether they choose to purchase or make their own parrot toys or play areas, bird owners will find this book loaded with practical advice, safety tips, and loads of ideas for both toys and play areas. By identifying their parrot's Play Style, an owner can find out what kinds of toys their parrot really likes. The Eleven Parrot Toy Categories then make toy selection fun and easy. In Part 2, play areas become exciting Parrot Adventure Stations with buying guides and building instructions.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book!.......2007-10-04
The toy & play gym directions are easy to understand and thorough. I highly recommend this book!!
Great directions and ideas for all birds........2007-08-26
I absolutely love this book. I made the small gym for my Conure and Quaker. The Conure absolutely adores it. She begs to go play on it. The Quaker is a little more subdued but is warming up to it since I added a container of seeds.
There are a lot of great ideas for toys. They help you identify the kind of bird you have as far as what kind of toys they would be interested in and that is a great help.
Parrot toy and Play areas.......2007-07-30
I've read the entire book, and it has so much helpful information on using simple items found around the house, or that are inexpensive to purchace. I can't wait to make the play stand for my birds.
Parrot Toys.......2007-07-16
I bought this book hoping to get ideas to make toys for my parrot, maybe save some money. The book is informative as far as learning about why parrots need these toys and the like, I was hoping for more pictures of toys and ideas, maybe a website or two on where to find the 'ingredients'.
Parrot-Toys and Play Areas:How to Put Some Fun Into Your Parrot's Life.......2007-06-09
The book is terrific., I would like see some absolute instructions on Parrot Toy Building, however.
Book Description
Listen to birds sing as you've never listened before, as the world-renowned birdsong expert Donald Kroodsma takes you on personal journeys of discovery and intrigue. Read stories of wrens and robins, thrushes and thrashers, warblers and whip-poor-wills, bluebirds and cardinals, and many more bird. Learn how each acquires its songs, how songs vary from bird to bird and place to place, how some birds' singing is especially beautiful or ceaseless or complex, how some do not sing at all, how the often quiet female has the last word, and why. Hear a baby wren and the author's own daughter babble as each learns its local dialect. Listen to the mockingbird by night and by day and count how many different songs he can sing. Marvel at the exquisite harmony in the duet of a wood thrush as he uses his two voice boxes to accompany himself. Feel the extraordinary energy in the songs just before sunrise as dawn's first light sweeps across this singing planet. Hear firsthand the unmistakable evidence that there are not one but two species of marsh wrens and two species of winter wrens in North America. Learn not only to hear but to see birds sing in the form of sonagrams, as these visual images dance across the pages while you listen to the accompanying CD. Using your trained ears and eyes, you can begin your own journeys of discovery. Listen anew to birds in your backyard and beyond, exploring the singing minds of birds as they tell all that they know. Join Kroodsma not only in identifying but in identifying with singing birds, connecting with nature's musicians in a whole new way.
Customer Reviews:
"Not least,for just being there and singing,I thank the birds themselves.".......2007-05-25
With over 1,000 "Bird Books" in my collection;it takes something real special to excite me. This book is such a special book. There are many books,records,tapes CD's and DVD'd that do an excellent job of teaching and describing bird songs so that with some practice you can recognize a large number of birds in the field.
Howerever,much more than showing a few ,typical songs of birds,so that you can recognize them when they call or sing;this book goes far deeper in showing you how to understand and appreciate bird song. There is much more to the song of a Chestnut-sided Warbler than the common "Pleased-pleased-pleased-to-MEETCHA." or the "whip-poor-Will" of the Whip-poor-will than one could ever imagine.In the case of the American Robin the author has found out how to tell one robin from another right in your own backyard. Obviously,it would take many years to learn and understand in detail all the songs of a large number of species as the author has done;but then he has studied birdsong for over 30 years and was recognized as "the reigning authority on the biology of avian vocal behavior"by the American Ornithologist's Union in 2003.
In this book,Kroodsma gives us the benefit of his vast knowledge,and it will certainly become "the book to have" for anyone who wants to give bird song serious study.His writing style is such that a very complicated subject can be understood and helpful;be the reader one who is a relative amateur or an extremely experienced birder.
One could almost start reading at any point in the book;but I would suggest,after the first chapter,turn to page 366,"Bird Sounds on the Compact Disc" and play the CD and follow the description for each track.You might even want to do do this a couple of times.
Another suggestion, once you have purused the book, would be to pick one of the birds the author has gone into detail with,and that are abundant near your home ,such as the American Robin,and really study the songs as the author explains.This can be done simply,as long as you don't try to get into advanced recording.A notepad,pen,seat and a cool drink will suffice.
At first glance this book might overwhelm you ;but don't let it.
I have two wonderful friends,sisters Joan and Gail,who I meet each spring at Point Pelee in Ontario. Joan was given this book by a friend,thought it was "too deep" for her;so she gave it to me. Thanks Joan,I love it.
An Excellent Book.......2007-04-04
I was looking for a book on bird song to give to a friend who is graduating from music school, and I bought the Kroodsma book on the recommendation of other Amazon reviewers, whom I can't thank enough for encouraging me to purchase this book. Having also purchased "Why Birds Sing" and "Birdsong: A Natural History" for my friend, I find that the Kroodsma is by far and away the better book, not only because it contains a cd, but because of the unique writing style that reflects a lifetime interest in and knowledge of the subject matter.
The Singing Life of Birds.......2007-01-10
A scientist's very personal record of the life and song of the great number of birds, including a CD with autor's recordings as well as the recordings of some of his colleagues. The extensive and interesting narrative is supplemented by many analyses of the structure of the bird's song. Author's interest and knowledge of music is reflected in comparing the birds' and human's music "appreciation". The sonagrams are shown in the text as well on the screen in their multifaceted form.
The Singing Life of Birds.......2007-01-10
Excellent service. Prompt shipping. The book is fascinating as is the accompanying CD. Would recommend to anyone with an interest in birds and wildlife.
out of this world!.......2006-07-30
One can only think the amount of knowledge Don has on bird sounds is in a different scale to the rest. But then he finds the way to transmit a good portion of it with simple and very easy to read stories and that becomes even more incredible. A very beautiful book in all senses.
Book Description
A Bird's-Eye View of Life with ADD & ADHD was written expressly for teenagers and children by twelve teens and a young adult who are living with this challenging condition. These young people offer the best kind of advice—advice based upon first-hand experience. This book offers factual information and practical strategies in words and examples that young people can easily understand and put into practice. It also leaves teens and their families with a sense of hope that they too will survive this sometimes overwhelming disorder.
Customer Reviews:
Just what we needed!.......2007-01-15
I ordered this book at the recommendation of the psychologist who tested our daughter for ADD. It is written for older children and teenagers who have ADD or ADHD. My daughter, age 17, found it interesting. It helped her know that she was not the only one with this condition and gave her many tips for coping with life. Although I found much of it redundant, the book helped me see ADD from the perspective of a teenager.
A Must for parents and educators.......2006-08-06
This book is a must for parents of ADHD children as well as educators. As both a parent of an ADHD child and a teacher, I found this book enlightening as well as practical. It is a very easy read, in fact, I read it in two days. It is easy to understand and is written in layman terms not scientific/medical jargon. It explains so many aspects ADHD is language that parents can understand and offers some sensible solutions to everyday problems. This book has become by ADHD bible.
Met All Expectations.......2006-07-15
I bought this book on the advice of my son's psychologist and it was worth every penny. I am also a special ed teacher and will recommend it to every teacher I know.
Best tool for parent with ADD teen.......2006-05-07
this book is the best insight for a parent dealing with the frustrations of a bright teen struggling with ADD issues. The opportunity to read the words of teens who have dealt with the struggle give moral support to parents that there is hope. This is a must buy!
Books:
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
- Bird Song Ear Training Guide: Who Cooks for Poor Sam Peabody? Learn to Recognize the Songs of Birds from the Midwest and Northeast States
- Bird Songs
- Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))
- Birds of Michigan Field Guide, Second Edition
- Braids And Self-distributivity (Progress in Mathematics)
- Catesby's Birds of Colonial America (Fred W Morrison Series in Southern Studies)
- Complex Adaptive Systems: An Introduction to Computational Models of Social Life (Princeton Studies in Complexity)
- Conflict After the Cold War, Updated Edition (2nd Edition)
- Data Analysis: A Bayesian Tutorial (Oxford Science Publications)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Black Beauty, White Heat: A Pictorial History of Classic Jazz, 1920-1950
- A Glimpse of Nothingness: Experiences in an American Zen Community
- The Story of My Typewriter
- The Tricky Part: One Boy's Fall from Trespass into Grace
- Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into National Parks
- An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory
- Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin
- Letters to His Son, 1746-48
- Tolley's Tax Guide: Practical Tax Advice for the Non-expert: 1993-94
- Joseph Wheeler: Uniting the Blue and the Gray
Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within (Shambhala Pocket Classics)
Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith
On Writing
