Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place

Amazon.com

The only constants in nature are change and death. Terry Tempest Williams, a naturalist and writer from northern Utah, has seen her share of both. The pages of Refuge resound with the deaths of her mother and grandmother and other women from cancer, the result of the American government's ongoing nuclear-weapons tests in the nearby Nevada desert. You won't find the episode in the standard history textbooks; the Feds wouldn't admit to conducting the tests until women and men in Utah, Nevada, and northwestern Arizona took the matter to court in the mid-1980s, and by then thousands of Americans had fallen victim to official technology. Parallel to her account of this devastation, Williams describes changes in bird life at the sanctuaries dotting the shores of the Great Salt Lake as water levels rose during the unusually wet early 1980s and threatened the nesting grounds of dozens of species. In this world of shattered eggs and drowned shorebirds, Williams reckons with the meaning of life, alternating despair and joy.

Book Description

In the spring of 1983 Terry Tempest Williams learned that her mother was dying of cancer. That same season, The Great Salt Lake began to rise to record heights, threatening the herons, owls, and snowy egrets that Williams, a poet and naturalist, had come to gauge her life by. One event was nature at its most random, the other a by-product of rogue technology: Terry's mother, and Terry herself, had been exposed to the fallout of atomic bomb tests in the 1950s. As it interweaves these narratives of dying and accommodation, Refuge transforms tragedy into a document of renewal and spiritual grace, resulting in a work that has become a classic.

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing Unnatural About It; It's Sacred.......2006-10-28

The first time I went to Utah, I read Edward Abbey's "Desert Solitaire" and loved it. This time, at a bookstore in Moab, I picked up Williams' "Red" for a contemporary view of the ecological issues around this gorgeous desert landscape, which is unlike any place I have been. Although I liked "Red," people told me "Refuge" was even better.

This is a very special book. I'm no birdwatcher, but it made me want to be. I'm no scientist, but I wished I were. I'm no Mormon, but it gave me respect for a religion I have never been able to fathom. Terry Tempest Williams has profound insights into the natural world. Her observations of the Great Salt Lake and the many migratory birds that visit it are as moving as her account of the death by cancer of her mother and grandmothers. Not surprisingly, they taught Williams awe of birds and sunsets and their own bodies. All of them are brave and spiritual women, and we would be wise to learn from them.

I think what I most admire about Williams as a writer is her emotional courage. Time and time again, she strikes out where more conventional writers would hesitate. She finds redeeming passages from the Book of Mormon. She follows her mother through her long and circuitous spiritual journey with cancer. She follows her grandmother as she moves into Eastern thought and modern physics. She dips respectfully into ancient Indian and Mexican culture. She walks in the desert at some peril to her well-being. She speaks of the intimacy of her marriage and about her decision not to bear children.

Yet his is not a book "about" the desert or cancer or birds or Mormonism, but about life and how it can be richly observed, experienced. shared and redeemed. It's one brave woman's answer to "Desert Solitaire."

This verse unlocks the heart........2006-10-16

Terry Tempest Williams is a national treasure. Her unvarnished verse carries one deep into the mystery of the Earth and sends us helplessly into the depths of our own hearts. The landscape of wildness breaths a spectacular wisdom under the watchful eyes of this keen observer of wind, rock, desert, sky, sage, along with the birds who soar and dance and play in a benediction to non-sentient life.

When I need to recapture my own mortality along with my own humility, I always return to the verse of this elder of silence and truth. Williams stands alone in the power to convey both outer and inner wildness. Her verse is poetic and healing. One does not read these words but are instead initiated into the heart beat of wild nature. Savor its beauty as you might a calming sunset or a wind swept sea shore calling you ever deeper into your own soul.

Read everything she writes and find peace deep within.

If you have been affected by cancer it is worth reading!!!.......2006-06-26

I loved and hated this book. It is beatifully written. I found the author frustrating at times. Some parts got a little long winded about the birds. It takes you on a emotional rollercoaster but the pay off of finishing this book is worth it. Any one who has been affected by cancer will find this book very inciteful to the process of going through treatment and also the death process. Terry Tempest gives the most authentic and honest account of what life is like living through cancer I have every read. She put into words thought and feelings I could never express fully.
The research of the history of the Great Salt Lake was very fun to read about. I have lived in Utah all my life, but I have never been to the Lake I now am very curious to see it and the bird refuge. I think I will find the trip much more interesting now than if I had gone before reading this book.

Suprising turn of events.......2006-03-02

Terry Tempest Williams is a naturalist living in Utah who has the history of cancer in her family. Cancer in this novel is paralleled with the flooding of the neighboring Great Salt Lake. Overall this book goes to show that cancer goes deeper than the person who it is diagnosed to. I would suggest this book on limited circumstances: One-if you can get past the strong feminine presence and domination of this novel. Two-do not read the last 60 or so pages. I approved of this book up until that point. If the book ended at that point, leaving out the harassment of the government it would be ten times better. To anyone who is in the process of reading Refuge, you won't want to read past around page 230. Enough said.
My rating(first 230 or so pages): 7.5/10
My rating(after page 230 or so) 2.5/10

Disappointed.......2006-02-03

Although I found the passages about Ms. Williams relationships with her mother and grandmother and their struggles with cancer to be well-written and moving, I am surprised that she and many other reviewers imply that the cancers were the consequences of nuclear testing. I think of myself as an environmentalist, and I believe that such testing is likely to have been harmful to human health; however, the striking family history of breast and ovarian cancer in this case strongly suggests that there is a genetic disorder (mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene) that was responsible for the cancer in these women. I was living in Salt Lake City during the spring of 1983, and the flooding was indeed dramatic, but I was bored by the rather repetitious descriptions of the refuge and the birds.

Hawks and Owls of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America

Average customer rating:

Not only for beginners.
Excellent Guide for the Beginner
A Welcome Addition to a Crowded Field

Hawks and Owls of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
Chris G. Earley
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
Sparrows and Finches of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
Waterfowl of Eastern North America
Hawks from Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors In Flight
A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors

ASIN: 1552978478

Book Description

Birds of prey can be particularly difficult to track for a variety of reasons: - Nocturnal behavior - Remote habitats - Migratory patterns - Swift flight speeds

Hawks and Owls depicts both the subtle differences and rich diversity among these awe-inspiring birds. With crisp, clean photographs and precise identification notes, this guide makes quick and accurate classifications easier.

The families of birds includes:

New world vultures
Osprey, kites, eagles, hawks and allies
Caracara and falcons
Barn and bay owls
Typical owls

The information on each species is concisely organized and includes the differences between male and female, seasonal and immature plumage, morphs and distinctive markings. Color pictures and range maps accompany the text. The 180 photographs from award-winning photographers show these birds in their natural environments through the seasons. Comparison pages group similar-looking birds on a single page for quick reference.

Hawks and Owls is a sturdy, pocket-sized field guide that will be indispensable to naturalists, students and birders at all levels of experience, from Florida to Ontario.

Customer Reviews:

Not only for beginners........2005-09-18

The excellent quality of this field guide matches others by Chris Earley. Being able to study the large, clear, color closeups of these species will enhance your identification skills. Seasonal range maps, special notations, calls and sounds made, plus additional comparison charts in the back make this another must have. It's lightweight, easy to carry and worth adding to your collection of field guides!

Excellent Guide for the Beginner.......2005-03-15

Birds of prey are regarded with particular fascination by many birders, but their identification presents a number of problems that can daunt the beginner. Hawks & Owls of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America, therefore, is an excellent introductory guide.

Each species has between two to four pages devotes to it. The majority of this space consists of photographs, depicting the species in flight and perched; save for a few, the photographs are crisp and clear. Aside from the brief introductory note and the more brief "nature notes," text is devoted to pointing out key features of the given species. Size, characteristics while perched and in flight, differences between males, females and juveniles, flight traits, and distinguishing calls are dealt with for each species, while relevant information concerning morphs and second year plummage, etc. is included when applicable.

Overall, I'm very impressed by this guide and highly recommend it to the beginning birder.

A Welcome Addition to a Crowded Field.......2004-07-09

A lingering perk: Some publishers still have my name listed as editor of the NAFA Hawk Chalk. Evidently Firefly Books is one, and I'm thankful for that. Some very good natural history and reference titles are available from this company, and they recently sent me one for review.

Chris G. Earley (the Canadian biologist who produced similar regional guides to sparrows & finches, and warblers; both titles with Firefly) makes an excellent addition to the growing list of photographic guides to North American raptors. There are some heavy hitters in this field already (e.g., Clark and Wheeler's 1995 guide and subsequent editions), which raise the bar for any newcomers. But Earley's concise volume is well constructed and worth adding to any falconer or birder's library.

Earley presents the raptors (diurnals first, then the owls) in their basic taxonomic groups or genera. He opens with a brief discussion of the guide's conventions (size comparisons, the standard icons he uses for quick reference, etc.) and good, basic advice for hawk watchers (to wit: watch the hawk first, as long as you can, then look it up). He completes his introduction with diagrams of avian anatomy as they relate to field identification, adding notes on common "hawk look-alikes" and a chart for best raptor viewing by season and species.

The following species accounts are brief, each covering two to four pages with large, well-composed color photos illustrating. A short note on natural history is typically accompanied by viewing and ID tips (some include literary quotes), and capped with the book's standardized set of icons and field notes. The author's selection of images is especially helpful, with color morphs and age-appropriate plumages displayed in easy-to-compare views. It is noteworthy that unlike some of the less qualified sources of raptor photo ID (especially those on the Web), the Cooper's hawks shown herein are actually Cooper's hawks; the Sharp-shins actually Sharp-shins. One particularly fine image (by Brian Wheeler) shows an adult male and female Cooper's standing together and dramatically captures their size dimorphism.

Customer Reviews:

Very useful book.......2007-03-12

Again, the pictures in the book are easy enough to use for my 3 year old. The information contained in the book is useful. We enjoy using this book and look forward to the spring and summer when we can travel further than our backyard.

Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America

Average customer rating:

Basic information about each species is provided

Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
Chris Earley
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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Sparrows and Finches of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
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The Shorebird Guide

ASIN: 1552977099

Book Description

Thanks to their distinctive colors and lively calls, warblers are a favorite among birders. However sightings can be rare due to the warbler's migratory nature, feeding habits, and sometime-endangered status.

Warblers is a handy reference for watching these fast-moving and elusive birds. It explains why warblers are difficult to spot and what you can do to see more of them. It accurately identifies 42 species found in the Great Lakes region and eastern North America. By focusing on this one family within a defined geographical area, the book's format is compact yet packed with information.

Photographing these highly spirited birds is never easy. Birders will appreciate the crisp, clean images of the warblers in their natural environment. Comparison pages group similar-looking birds on a single spread for quick reference. Each species is presented in accurate, full color to ensure precise identification. Species are presented in taxonomic order to show how one relates to the next. The information is concisely organized and includes:

Common names
Biological classification
Distinctive markings
Seasonal plumage changes
Song description
Behavioral habits

Customer Reviews:

Basic information about each species is provided.......2003-08-09

Knowledgeably and accessibly written by Chris G. Earley (an interpretive naturalist who regularly teaches bird identification workshops), Warblers Of The Great Lakes Region & Eastern North America is a superbly organized and presented ornithology field guide which packed from cover to cover with brilliant color photographs of various warblers, including separate photographs to show seasonal, gender, and juvenile versus adult variations in species plumage. Basic information about each species is provided with a strong slant toward concerning how to identify and distinguish it from similar species. Simply put, Warblers Of The Great Lakes Region & Eastern North America is a "must-have" for those birdwatchers with a special interest in tracking, sighting, and recognizing Upper Midwest and Eastern North American warblers.

Sparrows and Finches of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America

Average customer rating:

A great book for beginning birders

Sparrows and Finches of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
Chris Earley
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
Hawks and Owls of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America
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ASIN: 1552977072

Book Description

Sparrows and Finches offers birders information on this rich variety of species right in their own backyard. It's hard to keep all those little brown birds apart. This handy, bring-along guidebook is designed to help beginner and advanced birders to identify accurately over 48 types of sparrows, finches, and their look-alikes.

Sparrows and Finches focuses only on these two families within a defined geographical location: the Great Lakes and eastern North America. As result, it offers comprehensive coverage in a small, convenient format.

The book is heavily illustrated with 220 full-color photographs taken by award-winning photographers that show these birds in their natural habitats. Comparison pages group similar-looking birds on a single spread for quick reference. Concise and accurate information on each bird includes:

Common name
Biological classification
Song description
Identifying features
Seasonal changes to plumage color

Sparrows and Finches will prove indispensable to naturalists, students, and birders at all levels of experience. A special section entitled What Can I Do to Help the Sparrows offers simple ways to attract sparrows and finches to your own backyard. This is an engaging and friendly guide that reveals the rich diversity among a seemingly common family of birds so often taken for granted.

Customer Reviews:

A great book for beginning birders.......2004-04-29

For the beginning birder, the identification of Sparrows (in particular) and Finches can be a trying experience due to their similarity in appearance. This guide attempts to simplify the process for those in the eastern region of North America. Naturally, for the beginner, reems of scientific information is out of the question; what is need is key information and clear, detailed photographs in order to gain familiarity. And that's what this guide provides. There's no two ways about it, this is an excellent resource for the beginning birder.

Birding in Central & Western New York : Best Trails & Water Routes for Finding Birds

Average customer rating:

With tips on where to go to find specific species of birds

Birding in Central & Western New York : Best Trails & Water Routes for Finding Birds
Norman E. Wolfe
Manufacturer: Footprint Press (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Birds | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America (Peterson Field Guides(R))

ASIN: 1930480008

Book Description

This guide shows when, where and how to find and enjoy birds that migrate through Central and Western New York as well as ones that take up year-round residence. There are maps and directions for travel on foot, by canoe or kayak, by bicycle and even a few where you don't have to leave your car.

In this guide, you will learn:
• Why Central & Western NY is a prime birdwatching area
• Where to go to find specific species of birds
• When is the best time to look for certain species
• Simple keys to bird identification
• History of bird development and how it affects where you're likely to find them today
• How to have fun outdoors with minimal environmental impact
• Recommendations for selecting binoculars
• Tips on photographing, video recording, and sound recording birds for added enjoyment
• How to keep a personal birding log

Birdwatching is a year-round activity that can be enjoyed by everyone. Join the flock with

Birding in Central and Western New York.

Customer Reviews:

With tips on where to go to find specific species of birds.......2003-09-18

Compiled and expertly written by dedicated ornithologist Norman E. Wolfe, Birding In Central And Western New York offers bird lovers an excellent and diverse variety of trails and water routes for seeing birds in the New York area. Maps, detailed instructions and landmarks, tips on where to go to find specific species of birds, basic keys for bird identification, and more make Birding In Central And Western New York a first-rate and confidently recommended guide for New York area bird watching enthusiasts.

Great Birding in the Great Lakes: A Guide to the 50 Best Birdwatching Sites in the Great Lakes States

Average customer rating:

Great Birding in the Great Lakes: A Guide to the 50 Best Birdwatching Sites in the Great Lakes States
Tom Powers
Manufacturer: Walloon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Birds | Field Guides | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This first-of-a-kind guide to birdwatching in the Midwest leads birdwatchers from the heart of urban Chicago in April to the edge of Lake Superior in the dead of winter; from the cemetery where James Thurber is buried to a remote wildlife refuge that owes its existence to the invention of linoleum. In addition to a sparkling narrativv that recounts the author's adventures the book includes the following information for each site: best locations to find bird within each site, best times to visit, highlights of what you can expect to see, a bird checklist, and concise travel directions. Coverage includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and southwest Ontario.

Great Lakes Birds (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)

Average customer rating:

Its Helpful, but there's a better guide available

Great Lakes Birds (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
James Kavanagh
Manufacturer: Waterford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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Great Lakes Trees & Wildflowers
Michigan Wildlife: An Introduction to Familiar Species (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)
The Night Sky: An Introduction to Prominent Stars and Constellations (Pocket Naturalist - Waterford Press)

ASIN: 1583550925

Book Description

Great Lakes Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. When visiting anywhere in the Great Lakes area, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide that reviews familiar species found in nearshore habitats throughout the region. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map highlighting prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability.

Customer Reviews:

Its Helpful, but there's a better guide available.......2006-05-04

These Pocket Naturalist field cards are a great help in identification of birds; however, they have a significant drawback: there is usually only one illustration provided for each species and its the male. In many species, the male and female are fairly different, so if you happen to be looking at a female Goldfinch, you will likely not be able to identify it as such because the Guide only shows the male (he's bright yellow, she's dullish yellow-green and much more nondescript).

I like the Pocket Naturalist for its small size and very little weight. Perfect for tucking in my knapsack while hiking or boating. HOWEVER, instead of purchasing the Pocket Naturalist guide, I would recommend that you check out the Peterson's FlashGuides series. Peterson's provides male and female illustrations and makes identification much easier with greater liklihood of success. There are several different versions of the FlashGuides for birds based on region, just like these Pocket Naturalist guides. Peterson's costs a little more, weighs a little more and folds out larger than the Pocket Naturalist (a drawback as its kind of hard to handle in the wind), but it is the better of the two products.

Average customer rating:

The Bird Life of Great Salt Lake
William H. Behle
Manufacturer: UU
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NSP8HO

The bird life of Great Salt Lake;: The life history, ecology and population trends of the California gulls, white pelicans, double-crested cormorants and ... of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

Average customer rating:

The bird life of Great Salt Lake;: The life history, ecology and population trends of the California gulls, white pelicans, double-crested cormorants and ... of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
William Harroun Behle
Manufacturer: University of Utah Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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