The Unquiet: A Thriller

Book Description

But that is the nature of revenge. It escalates. It cannot be controlled. One hurt invites another, on and on until the original injury is all but forgotten in the chaos of what follows.

John Connolly's originality and talent for storytelling have quickly made him one of today's preeminent thriller writers. Now, in The Unquiet, private detective Charlie Parker returns to untangle a horrifying story of betrayal, unclean desires, and murder -- a story of never-ending evil whose conclusion is not yet written.

Daniel Clay, a once-respected psychiatrist, has gone missing. His daughter insists that he killed himself after allegations surfaced that he had betrayed his patients to foul and evil men -- but when a killer obsessed with uncovering the truth behind his own daughter's disappearance comes seeking revenge, long-forgotten secrets begin to emerge. Hired by Dr. Clay's daughter to protect her from the predator on the loose, tortured and ingenious private detective Charlie Parker finds himself trapped between those who want the truth to be revealed and those who will go to any length to keep it hidden.

John Connolly masterfully intertwines secret lives and secret sins with the violence that so often lies beneath the surface of the honeycomb world in this gripping page-turner. Fast-paced, hypnotic, and elegantly written, The Unquiet is John Connolly at his chilling best.

Customer Reviews:

Unputdownable.......2007-08-30

I am not normally a fan of detective or thriller books because they often seem like the same old story. I thoroughly enjoyed The Unquiet, however, and found it difficult to put down. Part of my enjoyment may have come from having met the author at a reading several months ago when the book first came out. Some people said that this book could not be understood by readers unfamiliar with the earlier books in the series, but I had no difficulty following the story. Connolly brought all of the characters to life for me. I felt as though I knew these people, and I cared what happened to them. I did not feel that the book was too long, even though it is a large book because Connolly does such a wonderful job of pacing the story. I read all 418 pages, plus the acknowledgements in a matter of a few days because the story was riveting. For those who wonder about The Guesser mentioned in the opening pages, read the final paragraph of the acknowledements. Connolly's dialogue was particularly good. It captured language that was neither too formal, too stiff, or too loose. He used language appropriate for the scene. I enjoyed following the clues, and Connolly's descriptions brought places, people, and times to life. I found the book to be as enchanting as the author himself. By the way, the music mentioned in the book can be also be located.

WOW.......2007-08-11

After "The Black Angel," I wasn't quite as eager for "The Unquiet" as I would have liked to have been. I guess I was worried that it was going to be a little bit of a letdown, as I personally found TBA to be. Turns out, I was worried for no reason. "The Unquiet" introduces its plot and characters, and then steps back and lets everything unfold neatly. It is a bit more of a linear tale than TBA was, and everything seems to jibe more evenly. Almost like the story wrote itself, actually.

Charlie Parker is hired by the daughter of a missing and presumed-dead doctor - apparently an infuriated parent hell-bent on revenge has been stalking her, demanding that she tell him everything she knows about her father's whereabouts. As is always the case, it is not as simple as it all appears, and before long the body count rises and it's up to Parker and his associates Angel and Louis to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Connolly is back on top of things here. The writing is nice and tight, and as always, Parker is a wonderfully flawed protagonist. Sadly, Angel and Louis make the briefest of appearances - which is a shame, because they have always been such a wonderful duo. I would have liked to see more of them here.

Sorry for doubting you, Connolly. I look forward to the next one.

A happy return to form.......2007-08-09

First Sentence: This world is full of broken things: broken hearts and broken promises, broken people.

PI Charlie Parker is hired to protect Rebecca Clay. Her father, Daniel, was once a respected psychiatrist but many years ago, after his career was ruined by information being released about the harm children suffered while in his care, he disappeared. Rebecca is certain Daniel is dead but Merrick, the father of one of the children, is convenience she knows where Daniel is, and he's not going to stop until he find out.

I am so glad Connolly has returned to writing the type of book that made me a fan. His books are definitely not for everyone. The story is still dark, gruesome, at times scary and has a large body count. But it is also atmospheric, lyrical and completely enthralling. Connolly really captures the feeling of Maine, particularly some of the small towns near the Canadian border. Having personally been to Jackson, boy did that ring true. While it may not have been quite up to the level of Connolly's first books in the series, it was a heck of a lot better than the last couple. I hope Connolly stays on this path and am really looking forward to seeing where Charlie's life goes from here.

Pleasant Surprise.......2007-08-09

I am a newcomer to John Connelly. My wife gave me this book just before we left on vacation. I didn't know what to expect. Having just finished a book that was a thriller but very poorly written I wasn't expecting much. After reading the prologue, however, it was clear to me that this guy can write. It is always a pleasant surprise to discover authors that can actually write well because there is so much in the popular domain that is just plain bad. The book starts out with the story of Dave the Guesser and his encounter with Frank Merrick, a splendidly created character who stays true to himself throughout. I can't bring myself to call him a villain or an antagonist, even though he is a killer. The prologue is superbly written and I found myself wanting to read it to my wife. However, she was too busy so I had to savor it myself without sharing. I must say that I did enjoy the first half of the book more than the second half, as the second half got a little dark for me, but on the whole I can say that I am now a Charlie Parker fan and will be hunting out earlier books to learn of his exploits. Well done and well worth reading.

Has Bird lost his mojo?.......2007-08-04

I have read every single one of John Connolly's offerings and in the right order, so you could call me a fan. And THE UNQUIET was one of a very select number of novels new out in 2007 that I had to buy as soon as possible. It's very good, for sure, but I can't convince myself that I enjoyed it as much as one or two of Connolly's earlier works, my personal favourite remaining THE WHITE ROAD. I have to admit though that he seems to have addressed one of my most consistent complaints over the past few years, that being the excessive and often gratuitous levels of violence displayed by all characters past, be they on the right or wrong side of the law. In this latest episode in the life of Charlie `Bird' Parker, you will find yourself deep into the second half before so much as a bullet is fired, and I certainly welcomed this. This relatively mellow tone doesn't last forever of course, because normal service is eventually resumed even if the triggers of Parker and his associates Louis and Angel remain in place from start to finish. This might suggest that there are many lighter moments that give Louis an opportunity to display his super-cool wit, but this isn't the case, as there is little in the way of humour at any time and certainly less than in many of the preceding Parker tales.

By now you will know that the underlying theme of this tale is the sexual abuse of children, and somewhat inevitably Connolly, in his own style, makes it clear that in the pecking order of evil, paedophiles rank below (i.e. worse than) the likes of violent criminals, contract killers and characters who might represent the Devil himself. Few would disagree, I guess, but apart from that classification the reader gains little in the way of insight into what makes such monsters do what they do, indeed in the closing pages Parker raises numerous questions but neither he nor the writer offers much in the way of answers. Furthermore, as all the despicable acts have taken place in years past, the reader is not really caught up in what might otherwise have been the emotional trauma that, in reality, parents and children suffer while it is taking place. Although there were many emotionally troubling moments throughout this tale, they sometimes related more to the supernatural experiences that Parker continues to endure and to the introspective nature of his life and character that the reader gets a closer look at here than in novels past. The bottom line is that while it is at all times interesting it never really raises the heartbeat in quite the same way as Connolly's earlier works succeeded in doing. I couldn't really call it a thriller, at least not my own interpretation of what a real thriller is supposed to do. And curiously, Parker sympathises with his leading opposite number - a professional killer who has spent most of his life in jail and is now on the trail of those responsible for the abduction of his young daughter years earlier. This is a man with a ruthless ability to terminate life but only if, in his own somewhat twisted judgement, the victim is deserving of it.

All I can say about the end was that it was `quiet' and mostly devoid of violence; an anti-climax in a sense. That's not to say that it was an unsatisfying end, but for anyone familiar with the other five Parker escapades, it's safe to say that it's really rather different from any of them. The writer picked a subject that invited the greatest possible sense of hatred for the fictional villains, yet strangely elected to keep the paedophiles in the background while focusing more on those seeking retribution and in doing so possibly instilled a sense of respect for the avenger despite his uncompromisingly evil and murderous past. Personally I found THE TREATMENT by Mo Hayder tackled this issue of child abuse in a darker and more `thrilling' fashion, and succeeded in drawing the reader down to the lowest level of the lows as one should expect in tales of this kind.

Just faintly disappointing, then, but expectations were sky-high and it's possible that the author's recent excursions into non-Parker territory have taken the edge of his writing a little, even if the finished product is his most authentic and well-rounded to date. I liked it a lot, it's an intelligent piece of writing throughout but it didn't thrill me in the way I know Connolly can.

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second reading = me being even more impressed than before
Bizzare
Mr. Connolly does it again
Truly scary!
There is Evil in the World

The Killing Kind
John Connolly
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743453344

Book Description

The body of Grace Peltier, a brilliant Ph.D. candidate, is found in the front seat of her car on a back road in northern Maine. No one wants to believe it was suicide -- not her father, not former U.S. senator Jack Mercier, and not private detective Charlie Parker, who has been hired to investigate the young woman's untimely death.

But when a mass grave is accidentally discovered nearby, revealing the grim truth behind the disappearance of a religious community known as the Aroostook Baptists, Parker realizes that their deaths and the violent passing of Grace Peltier are part of the same mystery, one that has its roots in her family history and in the origins of the shadowy organization known as the Fellowship. Soon Parker is drawn into the dark world of this zealous religious group that has already consumed every person who has dared confront it. When a relic is discovered, one capable of linking the Fellowship to the slaughter of the Aroostook Baptists, Parker is forced into violent conflict with the Fellowship and its enigmatic leader. Haunted by the ghost of a small boy and tormented by the demonic killer known as Mr. Pudd, Parker is forced to fight for his lover, his friends...and his very soul.

"This is a honeycomb world. It hides a hollow heart," writes John Connolly. In The Killing Kind, he has once again created a world of love and hate, of tenderness and violence. Hailed by critics as "one of the best of the genre" (Toronto Sun), his intense, poetic prose and his terrifying clan of characters are sure to thrill even the most discerning suspense reader.

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His two previous novels, Every Dead Thing and Dark Hollow, were international bestsellers. Now the "compulsively readable" (Publishers Weekly) John Connolly confirms his position as one of our leading crime novelists with a story of superb menace and style. The body of Grace Peltier, a brilliant Ph.D. candidate, is found in the front seat of her car on a back road in northern Maine. No one wants to believe it was suicide - not her father, not former U.S. senator Jack Mercier, and not private detective Charlie Parker, who has been hired to investigate the young woman's untimely death. But when a mass grave is accidentally discovered nearby, revealing the grim truth behind the disappearance of a religious community known as the Aroostook Baptists, Parker realizes that their deaths and the violent passing of Grace Peltier are part of the same mystery, one that has its roots in her family history and in the origins of the shadowy organization known as the Fellowship. Soon Parker is drawn into the dark world of this zealous religious group that has already consumed every person who has dared confront it. When a relic is discovered, one capable of linking the Fellowship to the slaughter of the Aroostook Baptists, Parker is forced into violent conflict with the Fellowship and its enigmatic leader. Haunted by the ghost of a small boy and tormented by the demonic killer known as Mr. Pudd, Parker is forced to fight for his lover, his friends...and his very soul. "This is a honeycomb world. It hides a hollow heart," writes John Connolly. In The Killing Kind, he has once again created a world of love and hate, of tenderness and violence. Hailed by critics as "one of the best of the genre" (Toronto Sun), his intense, poetic prose and his terrifying clan of characters are sure to thrill even the most discerning suspense reader. "

Customer Reviews:

second reading = me being even more impressed than before.......2007-06-11

This is the third book in Connolly's Charlie "Bird" Parker series, and it's a great read. So great, in fact, that I literally ran all over town on a stiflingly hot and humid day, trying to find another copy of it (I had given my first copy away a few years ago) so that I could immediately start it after finishing Dark Hollow.

I disagree completely with the reviewers who say it's not as good as the first two. I think it's just as good, and even better in some parts.

It picks up after the events of the second novel in the series, starting the action approximately 2 years after the murder of Parker's first wife and child. In this one, Parker is (as usual) trying to solve multiple mysteries at once. He is trying to find out what happened to Grace Peltier, a young woman who was researching a religious group that mysteriously disappeared into thin air decades earlier. He takes this job on in spite of the fact that his life has finally begun to take on some of the trappings of normalcy. He has been working cases that don't demand he find true justice for victims of violent crime, and as a result, he's pretty stable, very much removed (at least it seems so) from all the horror and blood he previously found himself mired in. He may not like some of the jobs he takes on (he feels a bit slimed by what he's asked to do, but none of it is life-threatening or illegal, and none of it involves finding justice for dead people), but he is relatively clear of horrible dreams and ghostly visitations, and he is trying to start his life over without the haunting memories of his dead wife and child foremost in his mind. Normalcy. He seems to want that more than anything.

Normalcy, at least the kind you and I might experience, is not in the cards for Parker, however. He might resist taking on the cases that bring out who he really is, but ultimately he can not refuse them.

Here, as he tries to build a relationship with Rachel Wolf AND do the job his soul craves for him, he finds himself dealing with Mr. Pudd, whose fascination with spiders is creepy at best and downright horrifying at worst. The violence in this one is particularly difficult to stomach, and at many points throughout the novel, I found myself feeling a tiny bit of the revulsion, soul-sickness, and almost-paralyzing fear that Parker was feeling in the course of his investigation.

As always, Louis and Angel are there to both cover him and provide comic relief at moments of great tension. But this time, for the first time that I can recall, part of the horror involves them directly, and Parker must not only solve the mysteries he finds but also try to save the life of one of these friends. This novel also sets up the tension that drives much of the fourth novel, The White Road, in the series when Parker, confronted with possible damage to his own spirit and sense of morality, makes a decision that creates distance between himself and the people he most trusts to help him stay alive.

While this book is funny throughout (with Parker's wit and the influence of his two "sidekicks" making even the toughest moments opportunities for humor), it is also bleak and almost unrelentingly dark.

All in all, this book is worth more than one read. I know that I like it even more the second time around.

Bizzare.......2006-07-06

I found The Killing Kind an interesting read.I was intriqued, at first,to see where the author was going, but towards the end was looking forward to the book ending.

Mr. Connolly does it again.......2006-03-29

I am slowly making my way through John Connolly's books for the simple reason that I don't want to "run out" before he writes/publishes a new one. So yes I am a fan. This is the third installment in the Charlie Parker series, a retired NYC cop who is now a PI - with a dark history. (Although not necessary I would suggest reading this series in chronological order - recurring characters, references to the past, etc.) Charlie is coaxed out of his self-imposed mundane grind to investigate the suspicious suicide of a graduate student and before you can say Raymond Chandler, Parker finds himself embroiled in the 40 year old mysterious disappearance of a cult-like religious group, Maine politics, a current day quasi-religious group which appears to be somewhat shady and a string of what may be sanctioned killings around the country. He is also being hounded by a pair of psychopaths who get under your skin like fingernails on a chalkboard. And oh yeah - Charlie sees dead people. A quick note on Mr. Connolly's style/prose - the above may sound confused, convoluted, dark, dreary, gruesome and depressing - and trust me this book will give you a few shivers, especially if you don't like bugs and spiders in particular - the good news is that this author has the knack/talent to balance/combine all this with believable characters, focus, great dialogue, and wit. This is an excellent novel which happens to be a "thriller".

Truly scary!.......2006-02-28

It takes a lot to scare me, but this book kept me up at night. I know that sounds cliche, but it's true. I think Mr. Pudd was the most disturbing villian I've read in years. If spiders creep you out, be prepared to have nightmares after reading this one! Great book for horror, thriller, or crime fans. Not for the weak of heart.

There is Evil in the World.......2006-01-10

In the book The Killing Kind, John Connolly does a fantastic job of keeping readers on edge while showing there are things in the world that are not so good. When Grace Peltier found dead, investigator Charlie Parker is hired to find the real cause. While doing his job, he discovers things about an organization called the Fellowship that Grace found out and that the organization does not want to reach the world. The organization's killer, Mr. Pudd, is sent to stop Parker before he can uncover the whole truth about the group. Connolly uses many things to build excitement about the plot. It seems that at every turn Parker is finding bodies of people killed by Pudd. It is a race to the finish line at the end, where Parker meets Pudd for the final time, and he learns what real evil looks like.

The Black Angel: A Thriller (Charlie Parker Mysteries)

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Are All Fallen Angels Damned?
In Need of an Editor
Connolly at his Best
silly!
Worst novel I've ever read

The Black Angel: A Thriller (Charlie Parker Mysteries)
John Connolly
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743487877

Book Description

When a young woman disappears from the streets of New York City, ties of friendship and blood inevitably draw ingenious, tortured detective Charlie Parker into the search. Soon he discovers links to a church of bones in Eastern Europe, a 1944 slaughter at a French monastery, and to the myth of an object known as the Black Angel -- considered by evil men to be beyond priceless. But the Black Angel is not a legend. It is real. It lives. It dreams. And the mystery of its existence may contain the secret of Parker's own origins.

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" To those who have been forsaken, hell has no geography. The Black Angel begins with the disappearance of a young prostitute from one of New York City's seamiest neighborhoods. Like so many tormented souls before her, the girl's mother is inevitably drawn to Charlie Parker's doorstep desperate for redemption and revenge. Despite the danger that his chosen profession imposes on his wife and newborn daughter, Parker knows that the woman and her troubles cannot be ignored. As always, he is driven as much by the evil that simmers in the hidden honeycomb world as he is by the ties of friendship and blood. As Parker gets closer to the girl's captors, he discovers that her disappearance is linked to a church of bones in Eastern Europe, to the slaughter at a French monastery in 1944, and to the myth of an object known as the Black Angel -- an object considered by evil men to be beyond priceless. But the Black Angel is not a legend. It is real. It lives. It dreams. And the mystery of its existence may contain the secret of Parker's own origins. "

Customer Reviews:

Are All Fallen Angels Damned?.......2007-10-03

I thoroughly enjoyed BLACK ANGEL, John Connolly's fifth novel featuring the brooding private investigator Charlie Parker (EVERY DEAD THING, DARK HOLLOW, The KILLING KIND, The WHITE ROAD being the previous four).

BLACK ANGEL begins with Parker helping his friend--and sometime enforcer--Louis to find his missing cousin Alice, a drug addict and prostitute who worked the Bronx's notorious Hunt's Point. Parker and Louis' search for Alice amongst the junkies, hookers and pimps, leads them eventually to the more sophisticated and much more perverse occult circles of secret societies and demon worshippers. A world where Charlie Parker will learn much about himself and what compels him.

For BLACK ANGEL Connolly takes inspiration from a wide variety of religious and occult lore, further blending the genres of detective novel and supernatural thriller, which provides a fresh and enticing spin on familiar themes. Connolly's recently published The UNQUIET continues the Charlie Parker saga.

In Need of an Editor.......2006-10-08

I have read everything Connolly has writen and on the whole it has been very good, particularly the early stuff. This one, however, is sadly in need of a good editor who could have cut it down from around 600 pages to three.
Everything is described in great detail, over two pages devoted to telling us how a minor character became a pimp, (as if we cared), pages of historical data printed in italics, and endless psychobabble of Parker's emotional problems with himself, his family and the world at large.
The writing is good when it sticks to the action, but one part hard boiled detective (where it should have stayed),one part supernatural hokum, one part history and one part romance, equals a total mess.

Connolly at his Best.......2006-08-05

I've been a Fan of Colly's of Charlie Parker detective since EVERY DEAD THING, which showcased Parker's tragic burnout. You FEEL for this poor SOB. He's really been through it all, and the rage he must have inside is nicely filtered out by the author. Never too much at once...always the feeling that this guy is going to lose it one day. Or maybe eat his gun.

All that said, THE BLACK ANGEL is a breathtaking novel. It elevates Connolly's writing to the status of literature of that rare and special kind The Black Angel takes your breath away by the writing and by the premise that Parker is a member of a terribly select chosen few --guys like James Lee Burke and Peter Straub. Writers who can build a straight mystery around the seemingly unnatural.

silly!.......2006-06-16

I've read some silly books in my time, but this one takes the biscuit! It starts off as if it's going to be a "normal" thriller -- which is what lured me into buying it... -- but rapidly descends into the supernatural. I would give away the ending if I could, but it got so ridiculous I couldn't get more than halfway through it...

Worst novel I've ever read.......2006-06-15

I read up to the middle of the book and the story was going nowhere. I simply gave up...

There are much better novels to spend your time with.

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Birders Guide to Maine
If you do any birding in Maine, you need this book.

A Birder's Guide to Maine
Elizabeth Pierson
Manufacturer: Down East Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0892723653

Customer Reviews:

Birders Guide to Maine.......2005-07-20

This book is an excellent guide to birding in Maine. You are given directions to all the great birding sites, plus a list of birds you should see there. I am enjoying the book and have used it on several occasions.

If you do any birding in Maine, you need this book........2000-08-11

This is the best regional bird guide I have ever read. Not only is it indispensable for birders, but its a great guide for anyone who wants to find new places to explore. It is everything you would want in a birding guide.

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Fascinating
very enjoyable read
A WORD ON "OWLS"
Across the Divide
"Born Free", this ain't.

One Man's Owl
Bernd Heinrich
Manufacturer: Princeton Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 069108470X

Book Description

This engaging chronicle of how the author and the great horned owl "Bubo" came to know one another over three summers spent in the Maine woods--and of how Bubo eventually grew into an independent hunter--is now available in an edition that has been abridged and revised so as to be more accessible to the general reader.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating.......2005-06-16

This book details Bernd Heinrich's experiences with an abandoned owl that he chose to raise by hand. Heinrich is a well-known scientist who specializes in animal behavior. Because of his extensive scientific publications and experience with wild animals, he was granted the necessary permits to raise the baby owl that he found in the woods one day. The owl had fallen out of its nest and was buried in a snowbank. When Heinrich first pulled him out, the bird was in very poor condition, but with a bit of care, he was able to nurse him back to health. He was aware however, that in doing so, he would be responsible for meeting all of this infant bird's needs for months or even years to come. In this book, a journal of the owl Bubo's first three years, Heinrich details all that he learned through his association with Bubo.

Heinrich is a patient and gifted observer. He is also a scientist with a long list of questions about owl behavior. He is able to find answers to many of his questions simply by observation, but others require experiments. His experiments always involve authentic behaviors, such as mobbing or catching food, rather than artificially conceived tasks. Some of the experiments can be completed through focused observation, but one described in this book, involving whether mobbing behavior of predators is innate or learned, required the raising of additional birds, a pair of crows.

In this book, Heinrich provides much background material on owls, in addition to all of his observations. This is not just a reference book about owls, however, but also a model record of the vast amount of information that can be learned through the careful observation of just one animal. The book includes an extensive list of references and an index.

very enjoyable read.......2002-12-30

Heinrich has a way of writing that makes a person understand the relations between people and animals. He makes me laugh at some of the interactions. I very much enjoyed this book.

A WORD ON "OWLS".......2002-01-27

BERND HEINRICH IS ONE OF THE BEST AUTHORS IN THE LIFE SCIENCE FIELD. HIS WONDERFULY DISCRIPTIVE NARATIVES ARE REMINISSENT OF KONRAD LORENZ AND GERALD DURREL . ONE MAN'S OWL WILL EDUCATE YOU AND PULL YOUR HEART STRINGS. BUY THIS BOOK!!

Across the Divide.......2001-10-22

I like to think of Bernd Heinrich as a forest sleuth. Nothing delights him more than prowling, or jogging, through miles and miles of his favorite Maine woods identifying and describing such things as the songs of birds, the cocoons of caterpillars, the smells of beetles and the droppings of moose. In this case, his interests lead him to examine the contents of the stomachs of owls - in particular the stomachs of Great Horned Owls. Owls it seems, eat their prey whole, separate the digestable from the indigestable portions in their stomachs, and when all is said and done regurgitate the inedible stuff as "owl pellets." More than you ever wanted to know about owls? That's what I thought too at first, but it gets better - really.

Not long after discovering a nest of Great Horned Owls on his property, a storm destroys part of the nest and one of the chicks falls to the ground. Heinrich, who can never resist an opportunity to study wild things up close, scoops the little fellow up, christens him Bubo and takes him home to raise. What ensues is a delightful, often revealing account of how an owl and a man struggle to cross the divide between species.

That both are determined is obvious. Heinrich puts up with all sorts of destructive and rude behavior from his childish guest. Bubo chews up, eats and regurgitates washcloths, favorite t-shirts and socks. He holds staring matches with the family cat, terrorizes guests, whom he considers competitors for Heindrich's attention, and rearranges Heindrich's eating and sleeping schedule. In return, Heindrich gets to study everything about the owl - from his eyelids and feather patterns to the mechanical workings of the owl's talons and the meanings of his various hoots and hisses. It is an uneasy if affectionate relationship.

However Heinrich, who works as a university professor, must eventually return to his job and Bubo is sent to a wildlife rehabilitation center. There, all attempts at rehabilitation fail and Bubo is pronounced incorrigable. It is also clear that Bubo is miserable. Heinrich, who feels this is a waste of Bubo's life, eventuallly reclaims the bird, takes him back to Maine and spends another summer helping the bird find his adult wings.

This is a revealing and touching story that goes way beyond the scientific study that Heinrich originally planned. As Heinrich himself acknowledges it became a very personal thing, a relationship between one man and one owl. A wonderful read.

"Born Free", this ain't........2000-08-27

This journal of Bernd Heinrich's relationship with a rescued great horned owl named Bubo is engaging, eye-opening and intensely personal. It goes far beyond the usual tales of relationships between wild animals and humans, providing both a record of Heinrich's scientific observations of the interactions of owls and other bird species and an account of how deeply the relationship with the owl impacted the lives of Heinrich and his friends and family. After reading this book, you won't just have a better understanding of the life of owls and birds--you'll feel like you know Heinrich personally.

Birds of Maine Field Guide (Our Nature Field Guides)

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Birds of Maine Field Guide (Our Nature Field Guides)
Stan Tekiela
Manufacturer: Adventure Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1885061463

Product Description

Learn about and identify birds using Stan Tekiela's state-by-state field guides. The full-page, color photos are incomparable and include insets of winter plumage, color morphs and more. Plus, with the easy-to-use format, you don't need to know a bird's name or classification in order to easily find it in the book. Using this field guide is a real pleasure. It's a great way for anyone to learn about the birds in your state.

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Combines a touching story with beautiful, realistic artwork and is highly recommended.

The Late Loon
Dean Bennett
Manufacturer: Down East Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0892727306

Book Description

This is another adventure featuring the canine protagonist Jasper, a beagle who lives in a sporting camp in northern Maine. Jasper, who established his bona fides as an animal with a genuine concern for the welfare of his fellow creatures of the forest, finds a young loon, born too late in the breeding season to fly south with his family. The tension mounts as winter closes in on the pond near John and Reggieâ€™s camp. Finally the ice melts long enough for the young loon to fly away and, we hope, to find his family.

Customer Reviews:

Combines a touching story with beautiful, realistic artwork and is highly recommended........2007-02-04

Based on a true story, The Late Loon is the picturebook story of a young loon that hatched two months late. Normally, loons learn how to catch fish and how to fly during the summer, so they can flock to the temperate seacoast for the winter. But the late loon, younger and weaker than its brethren, has less time to rise to the challenge. A human family watches the loon from afar, and a friendly beagle named Jasper intercedes at key moments in the loon's life, such as barking a warning when a bald eagle is about to attack. Ultimately, though, it is the loon's own responsibility to grow up, tough it through bad weather, and learn how to fly. Written and illustrated by "Foreward" magazine's environmental category award winner Dean Bennett, The Late Loon combines a touching story with beautiful, realistic artwork and is highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

durable and well done in terms of colors

Maine Birds
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

General | Travel | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1583551506

Book Description

Maine Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. Whether you're on a nature hike or in your own backyard, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide. 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:

durable and well done in terms of colors.......2006-12-20

These fold out bird guides are great bec you can spill juice or coffee or soda on them and just wipe them off, and they don't get torn up in purses, backpacks, etc. They also don't take up much space. They aren't really paperbacks -they are laminated fold outs.

Average customer rating:

"Shew Bird Mountain"

Shew Bird Mountain
BRENDA KAY LEDFORD
Manufacturer: Finishing Line Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1599241056

Product Description

A chapbook of poems.

Customer Reviews:

"Shew Bird Mountain".......2006-12-29

The cover of Brenda Kay Ledford's poetry book causes you to open the book and begin reading about the people of Shew Bird Mountain. Her poems recall the past with imaginative quality and universal appeal for anyone who has experienced rural life. Her poems come from the culture of southwestern North Carolina, a vivid description of quiltings, churning butter, preparing foods, blue grass music and the scenic beauty around Shew Bird Mountain. Her childhood memories give her a magnificent treasure chest that she uses most effectively. I will read "Shew Bird Mountain" often to recall a time that is quickly passing away.

Average customer rating:

A Beach for the Birds
Bruce McMillan
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Zoology | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0395640504

Book Description

Bruce McMillan's photoessay examines the coexistence of humans and the Least Tern, a shore bird that has almost become extinct.

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