Hoot

Amazon.com

Roy Eberhardt is the new kid--again. This time around it's Trace Middle School in humid Coconut Grove, Florida. But it's still the same old routine: table by himself at lunch, no real friends, and thick-headed bullies like Dana Matherson pushing him around. But if it wasn't for Dana Matherson mashing his face against the school bus window that one day, he might never have seen the tow-headed running boy. And if he had never seen the running boy, he might never have met tall, tough, bully-beating Beatrice. And if he had never met Beatrice, he might never have discovered the burrowing owls living in the lot on the corner of East Oriole Avenue. And if he had never discovered the owls, he probably would have missed out on the adventure of a lifetime. Apparently, bullies do serve a greater purpose in the scope of the universe. Because if it wasn't for Dana Matherson...

In his first novel for a younger audience, Carl Hiaasen (Basket Case, etc.) plunges readers right into the middle of an ecological mystery, made up of endangered miniature owls, the Mother Paula's All-American Pancake House scheduled to be built over their burrows, and the owls' unlikely allies--three middle school kids determined to beat the screwed-up adult system. Hiaasen's tongue is firmly in cheek as he successfully cuts his slapstick sense of humor down to kid-size. Sure to be a hoot, er, hit with middle school mystery fans. (Ages 10 to 15) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Unfortunately, Roy’s first acquaintance in Florida is Dana Matherson, a well-known bully. Then again, if Dana hadn’t been sinking his thumbs into Roy’s temples and mashing his face against the school-bus window, Roy might never have spotted the running boy. And the running boy is intriguing: he was running away from the school bus, carried no books, and–here’s the odd part–wore no shoes. Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy’s trail. The chase introduces him to potty-trained alligators, a fake-fart champion, some burrowing owls, a renegade eco-avenger, and several extremely poisonous snakes with unnaturally sparkling tails.
Roy has most definitely arrived in Carl Hiaasen’s Florida.

From the Hardcover edition.

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2003 Newbery Honor Winner!

Unfortunately, Roy's first acquaintance in Florida is Dana Matherson, a well-known bully. Then again, if Dana hadn't been sinking his thumbs into Roy's temples and mashing his face against the school-bus window, Roy might never have spotted the running boy. And the running boy is intriguing: he was running away from the school bus, carried no books, and -- here's the odd part -- wore no shoes.

Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy's trail. The chase introduces him to potty-trained alligators, a fake-fart champion, some burrowing owls, a renegade eco-avenger, and several extremely poisonous snakes with unnaturally sparkling tails.

Roy has most definitely arrived in Carl Hiaasen's Florida.

WINNER OF THE 2002 Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) CHOICES AWARD!

Customer Reviews:

Owls Rock!.......2007-07-23

I loved this book! It was about kids saving endangered owls and I love wildlife and nature. The characters were interesting and funny; sometimes sarcastic, except for Roy. The plot was interesting and well-developed. I learned a little bit about Florida which I did not know before. This book made me want to visit Florida and it made me want to save endangered animals. It made me realize that kids can save endangered animals and make a difference in the world. I highly recommend this book; I think most kids would love this book.

so far.......2007-07-14

I've read three books this summer. My grandmother is paying me a dollar for every book I read so I'm not bragging. The first two weren't like work at all, but this one almost is. I thought it would be more adventerous. That's the kind of book I really like. For everybody who likes more adventer, adventuer / \ excitment, I think they should read The Misadventures of Maude March, and if they are a boy, they will like The Voyage of the Frog.

An Inspiring Book.......2007-06-04

I have recently read the book Hoot by Carl Hiaasen. Have you ever felt left out, or have you felt like your not where you're supposed to be? This is how Roy Eberhardt, a teenage boy from Montana, feels after moving to Florida. Roy investigates a mystery of the boy running with no shoes on, while he tries to save an owl species. Will life in Florida be looking up for Roy?
The theme or lesson of this book I think was to not let things get in your way. Hoot was very inspiring and it makes you want to help animals in your community. Also, you can literally feel yourself as if you were a character in the setting. I'd advise you to read Hoot because I know you'll love it.

A great book but I liked the Tommytown series better.......2007-06-01

I thought this was a great book, but not as good as the Tommytown series. In Tommytown the boys 11 -14 and the girl, Karen 14 years old acted more like their age and the scenes where funny and exciting. But both writers are super! Take a look at Tommytown and The Boys From Tommytown , (I actually did it. I inserted the titles) Anyway you won't be sorry.

give a Hoot about this book:0.......2007-05-22

I thought that this book by Carl Hiaasen was great! This was a very inspirational book about a boy named Roy who moves to Coconut Cove, Florida. He faces many problems like a bully named Dana Matherson, and he meets a girl Beatrice, and her mal treated step- brother. Together the kids try to save mini owls who were going to get hurt, or killed by a building company that was building a new Mother Paula's Pancake House. I would reccomend this book to any one, but especially animal lovers. It is a great novel just like Carl Hiaasens other novels.

Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird

Average customer rating:

Pigeons - love them or hate them! A good book to help you decide.
I loved this book!
An Underappreciated Bird Gets Appreciation
PIGEONS
Who would have thought?

Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird
Andrew D. Blechman
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0802118348

Book Description

In the tradition of Robert Sullivan’s best-selling Rats comes a whimsical and intimate look into the fascinating world of pigeons and the people they collect. Pigeons have been worshipped as fertility goddesses and used as crucial communicators in war by every major historical superpower from ancient Egypt to the United States, saving thousands of lives. Yet, without just cause, they are reviled today as “rats of the sky.” How did we come to misunderstand one of mankind’s most helpful and steadfast companions? Author Andrew D. Blechman traveled across the United States and Europe to meet with pigeon fanciers and pigeon haters in a quest to chronicle the pigeon’s transformation from beloved friend to feathered outlaw. Pigeons captures a Brooklyn man’s quest to win the Main Event (the pigeon world’s equivalent of the Kentucky Derby), as well as a pigeon shoot where entrants pay $150 to shoot live pigeons. Blechman tracks down Mike Tyson, the nation’s most famous pigeon lover, and he sheds light on a radical “pro-pigeon underground” in New York City. In Pigeons, Blechman tells for the first time the remarkable story behind this seemingly unremarkable bird.

Customer Reviews:

Pigeons - love them or hate them! A good book to help you decide........2007-09-10

The book deals mainly with pigeons and their relationship to humans.
The author interviews both pigeon lovers and haters, those that see them as food, those that choose to shoot them for sport. The author briefly takes us into the life of pigeon activists and advocates as well as those paid to exterminate them from urban areas. Relatively no new information is given as to pigeon habits or habitat but I did learn the pigeons' color variations are unique to them and due largely to breeders who bred them for certain create new color patterns. All in all an entertaining read.

I loved this book!.......2007-02-21

Andrew Blechman has painted such a fascinating picture of pigeons as well as the people and their passions.
I loved it and highly recommend it. As well as being very entertained, I learned alot about these amazing and beautiful flying creatures. You'll never look at pigeons the same way again.

An Underappreciated Bird Gets Appreciation.......2007-02-08

What is the difference between a dove and a pigeon? Probably you have some warm and peaceful feelings toward the former, and possibly you agree with Woody Allen's definition (in _Stardust Memories_) of the latter as "rats with wings". There isn't really much difference, though: "Pigeon" is merely a French translation of "dove". Pigeons deserve all the respect that doves get (and are even being renamed "rock doves" by some ornithologists), according to Andrew D. Blechman, who has written the surprising and entertaining summary _Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird_ (Grove Press). After all, pigeons have been domesticated since ancient Egypt, and they served in both World Wars. They are athletes, winning prizes of millions of dollars. They taste good. They like us; they are very easy to domesticate, and if you hold one in your hands, it will not peck, fight, or bite. Blechman's book won't convert those in the diehard "rats with wings" camp, but even they are going to have to admit that there is lots more to feel about these common birds than just disgust.

First of all, the birds are darned good fliers, "a feathered rocket built for speed and endurance". A pigeon can reach a peak velocity mere seconds after launch, and maintain it; one was recorded flying at 110 miles per hour for several hours. The speed and ability to fly account for the bird's attraction as racing animals, and they are trained like fighters. It is a serious enough sport that some races require the pigeons to be tested for steroids and other doping. The enthusiasts, almost always men, are often obsessive, manifesting a "neglect for all things deemed tangential to winning, such as maintaining the semblance of a normal family life." The birds have a capacity for returning home that has yet to be fully explained. They use direction finding by the Sun's position, but also magnetic fields, infrasound, visual cues, and smells. Blechman tours a squab farm, and returns to the boss's office, where he takes a small bite of freshly roasted squab. "I feel a bit queasy, but... it _is_ tasty." He thereupon gives us a recipe for pigeon pot pie. Good racing, good shooting, good eating - these birds ought to be well loved, but they are disliked enough in some quarters that people will pay to be rid of them. Shooting and poisoning don't really work, and poisoning gets other birds as well. Safer, and less of a PR problem, are spikes and netting. The best method of all is to keep the pigeons from getting access to food, whether it be trash or deliberately set out for them.

Blechman is an engaging and funny writer, who is obviously delighted to have learned so much about a subject the rest of us do not yet appreciate in his degree. He traveled all over the US and Europe to see different birds, and especially to hang out with many eccentric people who have latched onto one specific facet of this multifaceted bird - racing, showing, farming, and more. The book's subtitle refers to pigeons revered and pigeons reviled; anyone who reads this enjoyable tour of how humans and pigeons interact may not wind up revering them, but will certainly think of the birds in a more appreciative way.

PIGEONS.......2007-02-04

Andrew Blechman's book is a great read. It is highly informative about pigeons(!) but not at all pedantic. The people he writes about are as central as the pigeons and come to life on the page with his caring descriptions and narratives. I thoroughly enjoyed entering their world. Its a book that lingers in your mind and conversations.

Who would have thought?.......2007-02-02

Who would have thought that a book about pigeons could be so thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining, and educational? Andrew Blechman has succeeded in writing the quintessential non-fiction book, one that reads more like a classic novel than a text book. Blechman's story-telling presentation, attention to detail, and penchant for illustrating fact through story, immediately draws the reader in and keeps them there until the very last page. Brilliant!

In the Belly of the Green Bird: The Triumph of the Martyrs in Iraq

Average customer rating:

Disappointing, Shallow
Further reading
Misses the mark
Mixed bag
Need info on Iraq? Ask Rosen.

In the Belly of the Green Bird: The Triumph of the Martyrs in Iraq
Nir Rosen
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Iran | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Iraq | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743277031

Book Description

Nir Rosen has been hailed by The New York Review of Books as the reporter who managed to get inside Fallujah "at a time when it was a death trap for Western reporters," and as one of the few Western reporters able to report the truth from Iraq. Still in his twenties, a freelancer who has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, and Harper's Magazine, Rosen speaks Iraqi-accented Arabic and has managed to report from some of the country's most dangerous locales. Even The Weekly Standard notes that "he probably has more sources in the insurgency than any other American reporter."

Rosen knows better than anyone how much the Americans are hated, and how deeply the Sunni Iraqis hate the Shias and vice versa. He has listened to the insurgents, and he knows that they will never rest until the Americans are gone. Too many Sunnis and Shias are willing to use violence for Iraq to ever have peace. The overthrow of Saddam has proved to be nothing less than a triumph for the martyrs who use violence at every turn.

Ever since the fall of Saddam's regime Rosen has been in and out of Iraq, from north to south, listening to Friday sermons in mosques, breaking bread with dangerous men, interviewing political henchmen, joining Shia pilgrims, and listening to ordinary Iraqis who face American soldiers on raids in the Sunni triangle. He has had to plead for his life at times, and he has received more than one death threat. He has been pres-ent when bombs were detonated, and he has sat in meetings of insurgent leaders as they made policy decisions about territory they controlled. He has heard the double messages of Iraqi leaders -- the careful English messages for Western ears and the unvarnished hostility in Arabic -- and he has interviewed politicians and imams and seen how the insurgents and gang leaders create militias, private courts, prisons, security services, and more.

In the Belly of the Green Bird is a searing report, unlike any other book about the American experience in Iraq. Almost everything covered in the Western media has been at least one or two steps removed from the minds and acts of the people who will determine the future of Iraq. Some of them are peaceful, some are violent. Some of them hate one another with the intensity of ancient enemies. The depth of discord between Sunnis and Shias is difficult to fathom without listening to them. Their anti-Americanism is much more recent, but not much less intense. The divisions within this cobbled-together country, much like those within Yugoslavia after Tito, are simply too intense to contain.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing, Shallow.......2007-06-30

I was excited to read this book. I thought Rosen's movement outside of the Green Zone might have generated valuable insight into both Iraqi and resistance culture. Unfortunately, I found the book analytically shallow, skimming the public surface of the society without penetrating into the substance beneath it. He overwhelms the reader with details of his experience in Iraq, and emphasizes that his knowledge of the language and the culture aided his understanding, but these details are only compensation for his inability to actually explain much about the things he is describing.

As examples, I will use two themes that dominate Rosen's book: anti-Semitism and the rhetoric of religious leaders. Rosen is repeatedly pointing out Iraqis' tendency to blame the circumstances of the Middle East, and particularly the occupation of Iraq, on conspiring Jews, as well as the frequent use of the term as an insult. He does not, however, attempt any explanation for this phenomenon outside of brief references to the Israeli occupation of Palestine. How do Iraqis perceive of Jewish-ness? What explains their belief in the conspiracy? These questions are not addressed. Instead, he is content to simply quote a number of anti-Semitic slurs.

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the book is the incessant quoting of speeches in mosques without providing any interpretive tools for understanding the rhetoric. Rosen spent a lot of time - the overwhelming majority of the book - listening to sermons and talking to religious leaders. While Rosen does a good job of indicating when a leader might be speaking to militants, he does absolutely nothing to contextualize the language, attitude or culture of political Islam. How do "ordinary" Iraqis interpret these sermons? What do the words mean to them? How does this language - shocking in a Western vocabulary of "tolerance" - actually shape itself within Iraqi society? The people of Iraq - the recipients of these statements - are rendered nearly invisible, leaving a crucial gap in the lifespan of this rhetoric. Rhetoric is, after all, only as meaningful as its interpretation. Rosen simply translates the statements and sermons, leading the reader to the conclusion that they - and their attending masses - are predominately irrational, bloodthirsty and violent.

In failing to engage in a more thorough analysis of these two themes, Rosen mystifies them, erasing all but the most superficial conditions from which they emerged and in which they have purpose (or "reason"). Anti-Semitism and vitriolic rhetoric, then, risk being "naturalized", perceived as conditions that are somehow "natural" or intrinsic to Arabic culture. This is not explicit in the book. I believe Rosen's desire to portray the Iraqi people was genuine. Unfortunately, somewhere along the line there was a failure. Rosen was not capable of gathering any real insight or he was not capable of putting it into his book. Either way, "In the Belly of the Green Bird" is a disappointment.

Further reading.......2006-12-10

The other reviewers have done a great job acclaiming this great piece of journalism. To get an idea of his substance and style check out the most recent account of his time in Iraq: "Anatomy of a Civil War: Iraq's Descent into Chaos," published in the Boston Review and read In the Belly of the Green Bird for an in depth alternative to the Iraq Study Group's imperialist apologetics.

For a complemetary perspective, Patrick Cockburn's articles from Iraq have been indispensable in charting the country's descent into civil war. His most recent, "Iraq Nears the 'Saigon Moment,'" can be read on the CounterPunch Web site. His most recent book is "The Occupation: War and Resistance in Iraq", and is also available from amazon.

I've found both of them completely consistent with the firsthand news, analysis, and opinions about contemporary Iraqi society found at the Electronic Iraq Web site.

Misses the mark.......2006-12-06

While I am immpressed with Mr.Rosen's desire to risk his life to get the real deal, I am unimpressed with the data he gathered, how he wrote it, and the analysis he provided.

This book fails on two accounts. It neither provides breakthrough journalism on the Iraqi insurgency, nor does it read well as an "Adventure-Travel-Writing".

Mr.Rosen does gather decent data which isn't forthcoming from most Western News sources; Namely the face behind the resistance. Unfortunatly, it appears Mr.Rosen's tour of Iraq only gave him a superficial understanding of the situation. Or maybe he wasn't able to articulate it well; Because in the end, I didn't gain much knowledge about the resistance. Just opinions, and a chronology of events.

The second disappointment, was casting the book as a travelogue, but missing the key elements of such a work. I could see that Mr.Rosen kept trying to work up his exploits, but his writing style, and pointless explanations/history of every person he met, threw me off.

Most of his interviews were colored with his own views. Sometimes presenting his views as facts.

Overall, I'd say this book has some useful information if you are seriously researching the subject. For general readers, I would steer clear. A better replacement would be Z.Chehab's "Inside the Resistance" or "Night Draws Near" By A.Shadid.

Mixed bag.......2006-10-11

The highlight of this book is, far and away, the inside-Iraq perspective it provides. Rosen was constantly out and about (often and great personal risk) and met with all kinds of people in Iraq -Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, in the governemnt, in the resistance and just ordinary people.

That's the heart of the book, and it's very, very good. We have enough books about the goigns-on inside the Green Zone (which were never particularly ilustrative of the reality of >95% of Iraq) and about the perspective of US soldiers there. This book brings a new, different and very valuable perspective.

The main downsides are an appaling lack of editing (particularly in Chapter 6, about Zarquawi), and a tremendous pro-Arab/anti-Kurd bias.

The latter is probably the largest shortcoming; it's quite clear that it comes from his perception of Kurds as being non-religious and disdainful of Arabs. In his portrayal, Kurd leaders come across as being rabidly anti-Islamic and anti-Arab, and that obviously does not sit well with Rosen (who is both).

He's entitled to whatever view he wants to hold, but his tut-tutting over how Kurds drink whisky, dont go to the mosque much and describe Islam is "the religion of the arabs" that was forced on them through invasion comes across as profoundly petty.

It comes across in all kinds of ways - he primly describes how he refused to have a drink with a Kurdish leader, tells us how another one who's doing the first translations of Zen Buddist texts into Kurdish is "a real fascist" who should entitle his book "Zen and the Art of Ethnic Cleansing" because he's in favour of the return of Kurdish families to their homes in Kirkuk, where they were expeled from by Saddam's "Arabization" campaigns of the 1990's.

This puts an extra-large question mark on his judgement regarding other matters. However, the rest of the books was good enough that it still merits 2-3 stars.

Need info on Iraq? Ask Rosen........2006-10-04

Nir Rosen is lucky to be alive. Travelling through Iraq during a very dangerous time, Rosen risked his life every day. He also got some great firsthand information.

Rosen's book really shows what disarray the country of Iraq is in. It also shows how much most Iraqis dislike Americans. And it is not a hidden, secret hatred, either. To read firsthand accounts of speeches, prayers, and calls to action is mind blowing. Rosen shows us an Iraq that we otherwise couldn't have known existed.

Rosen points out the difference between the Iraqi resistance, that just want the Americans out of Iraq, and the jihadis, that are looking for a final holy war between Muslims and... pretty much anyone who's not Muslim. All this violence adds up to a hard time for any Westerner in Iraq. It even makes it dangerous for Iraqis to walk the street as hundreds are killed each week in car bombings and shootings.

The Iraq Rosen portrays in this book is very different than the Iraq that you hear about on the news. We might hear about occasional bombings, but I don't think we realize how bad the situation is over there. I don't know what the solution is, and Rosen doesn't offer one; he objectively displays the information he gathered. But this information seems to point towards an inevitable civil war.

Anyone that is interested in reading about what life in Iraq was like between April 2003 and the elections in January 2005 should pick this book up. The afterword goes into late 2005, and gives you an idea of more recent developments. I didn't have any knowledge of Iraq going into this book and now I want to know more. This is the kind of news that we should be given on a day-to-day basis. Rosen covers the good and the bad in equal parts, and really shows us the opinions of different sects of Iraqis. This only serves to highlight how different they truly are, and how those differences could be leading Iraq to a Civil War.

Average customer rating:

GREAT GREAT!!
ADORABLE
Coco charms again
Reason to celebrate

Coco All Year Round
Sloane Tanen
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1582347093
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Book Description

From January to July, St. Patrick’s Day to Christmas, in sunshine or in rain, Sloane Tanen’s adorable chick Coco is ready to take readers through an entire year full of fun. There’s a winter ice skating party, a ssssneaky April Fool’s Day prank, a summer road trip, even a Thanksgiving dinner that’s fit for all birds of a feather. Imaginative details within the colorful photographs and quirky stanzas follow a course through the entire calendar year—making this a perfect introduction to the seasons, holidays, and months for young children.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT GREAT!!.......2007-06-02

Once again, Sloane Tanen has created a great early childhood book that will become a child's favorite. I love this book and all the Sloane Tanen books!
Every home with very young children should have this book...it is wonderful!

ADORABLE.......2007-04-05

When we read Coco All Year Round to my 9 month old, he goes APE. The pictures are so colorful and chock full of imagery and the text is short, sweet and, as usual for Tanen, clever. Coco covers everything from stepping in poop to vegetarianism. We love it at our house.

Coco charms again.......2006-10-09

Small children and the adults who read to them must both delight in Coco. This chic avian ingenue engages both wide-eyed pre-schoolers and their sophisticated elders. Who could resist Coco in her Halloween frog costume?

Reason to celebrate.......2006-08-23

Here's another total charmer from Tanen. I read "Coco All Year Round" to my 10-month old son and he seemed to really enjoy the pictures. And I love the clever captions and quirky characters. I'm a big fan of Tanen's chicken books and highly recommend this newest one (and all the others) for the young and the young-at-heart.

Average customer rating:

Violence is real, and literature reflects life in this case.
A Terribly Beautiful Fiction
Brutal and Brilliant.
A Hoax, but does that matter?
A Tour de Torture

The Painted Bird (Kosinski, Jerzy)
Jerzy Kosinski
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 080213422X

Amazon.com

Many writers have portrayed the cruelty people inflict upon each other in the name of war or ideology or garden-variety hate, but few books will surpass Kosinski's first novel, The Painted Bird, for the sheer creepiness in its savagery. The story follows an abandoned young boy who wanders alone through the frozen bogs and broken towns of Eastern Europe during and after World War II, trying to survive. His experiences and actions occur at and beyond the limits of what might be called humanity, but Kosinski never averts his eyes, nor allows us to.

Book Description

Originally published in 1965, The Painted Bird established Jerzy Kosinski as a major literary figure. Kosinski's story follows a dark-haired, olive-skinned boy, abandoned by his parents during World War II, as he wanders alone from one village to another, sometimes hounded and tortured, only rarely sheltered and cared for. Through the juxtaposition of adolescence and the most brutal of adult experiences, Kosinski sums up a Bosch-like world of harrowing excess where senseless violence and untempered hatred are the norm. Through sparse prose and vivid imagery, Kosinski's novel is a story of mythic proportion, even more relevant to today's society than it was upon its original publication.

Customer Reviews:

Violence is real, and literature reflects life in this case........2007-10-10

I have taken the time to read several reviews of this book. Some people seem to "get" it and others seem to think it's nothing more than some excuse to write "perversion" (how many classics were called perversions during the era in which they were written, I wonder? The answer; more than I care to count. )

Face it people. Life is violent. War is NOT pretty, nor are the effects of it. I do not much care if Kosinksi made up every scene in the book from his imagination and/or studies of the effects of war, or if he did live some of it. This sort of horror happens EVERY DAY in the real world to those caught in a country ravaged by violence. Don't believe me? Watch the world news. Go do some research. Even if he did "make this up" he didn't "make it up". I give the guy props (in his grave or not) for having the BALLS to write the gritty, nasty details of the horror that is war which many people are too cowardly to admit is -reality-. So much for the noblity of the struggles of war, eh? This is how it goes down for the little folks. This is what it does to people. These are the depths that humanity WILL and have lowered themselves to for survival's sake and for the base, cruel nature that lurks within humanity. It's not pretty. It's not nice. It's not "fun" to read but it should at least change your view on the world around you and how it is, has been, and probably always will be violence hidden under a golden, glittering surface created by the media and less gutsy authors into making you think everything is for a noble cause.

A Terribly Beautiful Fiction.......2007-09-03

Jerzy Kosinski's The Painted Bird is, as other reviewers have noted, an unrelenting meditation on violence as it is filtered through the strange, superstitious world of Eastern European Peasant society. Although the time frame deals specifically with the years between 1939-45, the setting seems ancient (as opposed to merely backward) and often mythic. Thus, what some see as an uninterrupted string of grotesque brutalities is, in actuality, a fictionalized world that posseses greater dimensions. The unnamed "hero" of the novel--a dark-haired adolescent boy who may be a Gyspy or a Jew--emerges as a young everyman trying to find his way in a world that does not accept or understand difference. In classic bildungsroman formula, his adventures not only place him in the way of physical danger; they enable him to formulate his slowly-evolving theories of God and existence.

Two of the main charges against the book (at least in the reviews here) are as follows: 1) The events did not really happen to the novelist and are a product of an imaginative--and perverse--mind; 2) The author sought help with style and organization from other people and then affixed his name alone to the title.

With regards to the first charge, Koskinski himself explains in the book's afterword (published 10 years after the first edition) that the events are invented. He explains quite clearly that he wished to create a novel. It was through the fictive experience that he felt he commuunicate the truths orf the holocaust more humanely. That aside, the events recorded are a synthesis of observation, study, and personal experience.

With regards to the second charge, plenty of authors (especially ones struggling, like Kosinski, to write in a foreign language) have sought the expertise of editors, etc...

Most of the animosity towards the book seems, in fact, misdirected rage towards the unrelenting violence in the book. The writing succeeds, however, because, as Anais Nin has astutely noted: "It surpasses most of the books in which experience of terror and physical cruelty are told because by the great beauty of its style, it lifts the entire epxerience to philosophic, mythological realms of knowledge."

Brutal and Brilliant........2007-08-18

I have just revisited this book, having read it first as a teenager and was astounded once again by its potency, both as a story, and as a terrifying inditement of human nature. In view of increasing world conflict in the post world war era, this book is more relevant than ever.

A Hoax, but does that matter?.......2007-04-30

From the "cut-rate Elie Wiesel", Kosinski's own description of himself. Does it matter that this is a hoax manufactured from whole cloth? Apparently not. Feeds existing prejudices and so is welcomed as a revelation. Here's to Mr. Holocaust, Jr., the Sr. title having been appropriated by that lachrymose pseudo-saint Mr. Weisel.

History is replete with examples of man's inhumanity to man. Claims of this book being "semi-autobiographical" have been shown to be entirely false. Kosinski is just another of the feeders-at-the-trough of the Holocaust Industry.

The truth is quite horrible enough. Why then the hoaxes like the book at hand and "Fragments"?

See The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering, New Edition for a critical and honest evaluation of the duplicity embodied by this and similar books seeking to exploit for personal financial and political advantage. Those who think this book is within the bounds of decency may wish to seek out that now out-of-print other hoax "Fragments".

A Tour de Torture.......2007-03-29

I read Kosinski's masterpiece on the recommendation of someone who was reviewing Beah's "A Long Way Gone"--remarkable similarities between the two though one is fiction and the other memoir, one takes place in Europe WWII and the other a civil war in Sierra Leone. In this particular edition (1976), Kosinski added a fine afterward which is a must read. Though fiction, this work is fact-based. Also, though Kosinski never names the country of his setting, one can guess it must be Poland. Apparently, the Polish government recognized it also since they banned the book in that country, citing it as a serious insult to the humanity of the Polish peasant society. After reading the afterward and the story, I can only conclude if the shoe fits...

Still, there were a few things I thought to be unrealistic. Kosinski's ten-year-old protagonist is made to undergo some unspeakable tortures, tortures that would have reduced an ordinary kid to a psychological bowl of mush. Yet somehow this kid always pulls through, packing up his comet only at the last minute and heading into the Polish hinterland to rough it until he can hook up with his next tormentor. It got so bad that I began to look for parallels with Dante's Inferno. It seemed that each new torture was worse than the last, designed to atone for some imaginary sin that this innocent boy had committed. Dante borrowed from Greek mythology to formulate his keepers of hell--I wonder where Kosinski drafted his?

The damage to the boy only became apparent at war's end when he was placed in an orphanage. There he found himself in a community of similar victims his own age. The war was over, the peasants were safely locked outside the city, yet the cruelty went on, and on, and on. The gang-rape scene of the teacher was particularly poignant. Somehow the protagonist regained his humanity--at least I believe that was what Kosinski signaled his reader when the boy regained his faculty--though I never was sure how. Maybe his message was that immersed in evil a good child can be made to mimic evil--if for no other reason than survival--but when that need becomes obsolete, eventually his true nature will reemerge.

--Ejner Fulsang, author of "A Knavish Piece of Work" Aarhus Publishing 2006

Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide

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Great service
New Forshaw
Classic reference
Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide by Joseph M. Forshaw
Excellent Color Guide to Parrots

Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide
Joseph M. Forshaw
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691092516

Book Description

From the macaws of South America to the cockatoos of Australia, parrots are among the most recognizable, and endangered, birds on earth. But until now, no easy-to-use guide existed for the identification of all species and subspecies of these colorful creatures.

Enter Parrots of the World, the most comprehensive handbook for distinguishing some 350 species of parrots from across the globe. Lavishly illustrated, with more than 120 color plates and additional illustrations, the book covers parrots in homes, zoos, and in the wild, providing detailed descriptions of their key identifying features.

By allowing readers to easily narrow their search to specific geographic areas, the book will prove especially useful to those interested in parrots of a particular locale. Descriptive distribution maps show the geographic location of the different species, and an entire section is devoted to ecological and behavioral information relevant to identification. In addition, the guide differentiates Old World and New World species and points out significant sex or age differences in plumage coloration.

Parrots of the World will provide enormous help to those engaged in gathering important field data and monitoring international trade, two initiatives that are of critical importance to the conservation of parrots worldwide.

Clear, complete, and colorful, this is one guidebook that no museum, research institution, zoo, or bird enthusiast will want to be without.

Key Features:

Easy-to-use, geographic guide
Treats some 350 species
Color distribution maps for all species
Lavishly illustrated, with more than 120 color plates and additional illustrations
Includes ecological and behavioral information

Customer Reviews:

Great service.......2007-08-28

Book as described and would be more than happy to order again as service was great.

New Forshaw.......2007-04-11

A gorgeous book. More usable than the previous edition: physically smaller (still a coffee-table book, but lighter & smaller - binding should hold up now), much more up to date, no more hunting for pictures. Downsides: text refers to color plates but color plates don't refer back to text, and a short bibliography ( <100 cites. It does cite the previous edition and Juniper & Parr, each with over 700 cites, but you'd need those to track references). Compared to Juniper & Parr's Parrots: A Guide to Parrots of the World, it's cheaper, more recent and better for phylogeny; but has less information about each species and doesn't cite references for each species. The larger size allows an elegant layout but makes it a poor field guide.

Classic reference.......2007-02-12

This is a classic reference book and is an unmissable volume in any bird lover's library. The colour plates are beautiful, and it provides substantial information. All in all a lovely book to have!

Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide by Joseph M. Forshaw.......2007-01-04

The Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide by Joseph M. Forshaw is an excellant book that shows beautiful color pictures of the Parrots, tells where the Parrots are from with a colored map of the area they are originally from in the wild. Also the book tells in detail the color and size of the Parrots. I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in recognizing the different Parrots.

Excellent Color Guide to Parrots.......2006-11-11

This book has great pictures from several angles of the species covered. It is not extremely thorough, so if you are interested in one species in particular, I would recommend getting a book specifically on that species. Otherwise, it's an excellent reference to have around.

Sharks of the World (Princeton Field Guides)

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Shark Lover's
Complete and Intriguing
AT LAST, AT LAST, AT LAST!!!
A must for shark workers and enthusiasts

Sharks of the World (Princeton Field Guides)
Leonard Compagno , Marc Dando , and Sarah Fowler
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691120722

Book Description

Everyone's heard of the Great Whites. But most people know little of the hundreds of other types of sharks that inhabit the world's oceans. Written by two of the world's leading authorities and superbly illustrated by wildlife artist Marc Dando, this is the first comprehensive field guide to all 440-plus shark species. Color plates illustrate all species, and detailed accounts include diagnostic line drawings and a distribution map for each species. Introductory chapters treat physiology, behavior, reproduction, ecology, diet, and sharks' interrelationships with humans.

More than 125 original full-color illustrations for fast and accurate identification of each shark family
Over 500 additional drawings illustrating physical features from different angles
Clear identification information for each species with details of size, habitat, behavior, and biology
Quick ID guide helpful for differentiating similar species
Geographic distribution maps for each species
For professional and amateur shark enthusiasts

Customer Reviews:

Shark Lover's.......2007-01-12

If you know anyone interested in sharks, this is the book. The only ID book needed for the hobbiest or seasoned researcher. A must have for any well stocked nature or marine library.

Complete and Intriguing.......2006-05-30

Growing up around brothers and cousins who fish and swimming in the mighty Atlantic, sharks have been a whisper in my life that may get lost in being at the shore. I have been in the water with sharks, caught sharks, discovered dead sharks washed up on the shore, and played the role of amateur ichthyologist (sp?) when a shark was brought in over four feet long.

This book is not for everyone, it is a scientific almanac or encyclopedia of species of sharks that one has never heard of. But it does fill in the great mysteries about those sharks one does encounter, and expands one's curiousity to the other infamous fish in the waters. I held this book in my hand trying to determine if a still flopping shark of 48" was a bull shark or a sandbar shark... the book succeeded where wisened fishermen failed. It would be welcome in the hands of the curious, the fisherman, or the student.

AT LAST, AT LAST, AT LAST!!!.......2005-11-18

It's finally here -- THE DEFINITIVE and COMPLETELY (yes, very literally) EXHAUSTIVE shark guide. I've just picked up my copy and it still feels like a dream. As a serious shark enthusiast, this is the book that I have always dreamed about but has never existed, until now. If you're a shark enthusiast, it would be a tragedy not to acquire this book. Here's why:

(1) There are lavish full color illustrations of every single species of shark known today -- 404 described species and 49 as-yet-undescribed species on 64 plates, each species in oblique view (not the usual profile shot), giving invaluable information on its shape in 3 dimensions. In addition to the most popular species (such as the great white or the blacktip reef shark), the least well known are also included in this book, such as Deania quadrispinosum or Etmopterus pusillus, or new species, such as Isistius labialis or Somniosus antarcticus. There are 3 plates of 18 species of angel sharks (Squatinidae)! All 5 species of Oxynotus are included! Nine species of saw shark (Pristiophoridae)!

(2) All breath-takingly accurate illustrations are by the same artist, ensuring consistent style. Mark Dando is among the most accomplished of shark artists; his attention to detail is truly astounding. As a discriminating and accomplished fellow natural history artist, I know what I'm talking about. Having said that, please understand that the illustrations chosen for the cover, while wonderfully accurate, are not representative of the exquisite skill demonstrated in his illustrations of more colorful species, such as the ornate wobbegong (Orectolobus ornatus). Therefore, at the risk of sinking in the mire of cliche, I nevertheless urge you not to judge this book by its cover!

(3) The work is truly exhaustive, not only in the number of species depicted. Where there is sufficient variation within a species, additional color illustrations depict sexual dimorphism, juvenile forms and races. All species are presented to scale with each other and a scale bar is provided for easy size comparisons.

(4) For those with a taste for the traditional practice of depicting sharks in profile line drawings, the illustrator satisfies in the textual portion of the book. Again, every single species is beautifully presented in a fine ink line drawing from the side (or from the top in angel sharks and saw sharks). With every species is included a detailed range map, and for most species the teeth are also illustrated. For many, the ventral view of the head is also presented.

(5) The text reads like a field guide, providing detailed notes on the measurements, distinguishing features, distribution, habitat, behavior, biology and status of each species, written by leading authorities on sharks. It even includes a checklist at the end so that shark watchers can record their sightings in the field.

I am completely confident that no shark enthusiast will be disappointed in this book. Seriously folks, the editorial review provided by the publisher for this book underestimates its worth. It's truly a gem and will probably remain the definitive reference and the ultimate field guide for a long, long time.

A must for shark workers and enthusiasts.......2005-05-06

If you don't know anything about Leonard Compagno, you should know that he is a very thorough archivist. It was he who cataloged all of the known shark species for the FAO Species Catalog, presumably the basis for this book. The book begins with a small introductory section on sharks (evolution, anatomy, physiology, ecology, etc.) and a key to the families. This is followed by wonderfully drawn color plates of each shark. The individual descriptions of the sharks include a line drawing with notable characters, examples of upper and lower teeth (more if heterodontic), distributions and a short blurb that includes habitat, size, behavior and biology, descriptions and IUCN status. Included are relatively new species and all of the deep-water forms. I cannot imagine needing another guide, at least for the next ten years. New species aren't exactly rolling in. I would recommend, however, a hardback copy for field workers, as paperbacks don't last very long with heavy usage. Also, keep in mind that other elasmobranchs are not included. I have not seen Compagno's much cheaper Collins Guide (only available in hardback), but I do know that this Princeton Guide is worth the money.

The Human Web: A Bird's-Eye View of World History

Average customer rating:

I needed this book for class, but I am enjoying it .
The history of soil erosion
What bird's eye?
A major work for general readers
Great Overall View of History

The Human Web: A Bird's-Eye View of World History
Robert McNeill , and William H. McNeill
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393925684

Book Description

An original vision of world history that reveals the larger patterns of human cooperation and conflict from the earliest times.

Why did the first civilizations emerge when and where they did? How did Islam become a unifying force in the world of its birth? What enabled the West to project its goods and power around the world from the fifteenth century on? Why was agriculture invented seven times and the Internet just once?

In a spirited contribution to the quickening discussion of world-historical questions such as these, J. R. and William H. McNeill explore the webs that have drawn humans together in patterns of interaction and exchange, cooperation and competition, since the beginning. Whether small or large, loose or dense, these webs have provided the medium for the movement of ideas, goods, power, and money within and across cultures, societies, and nations. Avoiding any determinism, environmental or cultural, the McNeills give us a synthesizing picture of the big patterns of world history in a rich, open-ended, concise account. Maps, 25 b/w illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

I needed this book for class, but I am enjoying it ........2007-09-28

I purchased the book because it was assigned for my world history class. I expected it to be dry and straightforward. However that is has not been the case so far. I have read about five chapters and the book postulates interesting and fun theories about human development.

The history of soil erosion.......2006-07-21

By the 1990s, U.S miners moved about 4 billion tons of rock per year, and the world figures was about five times that. "All this mining corroded the lithosphere with a warren of underground shafts and chambers, and after the appearance of the requisite earth-moving machinery, pockmarked the earth's surface with thousands of huge open pits, mainly in the United States, Russia, Germany, and Australia.

Pulse One: Eroded soil ends up in reservoirs and lakes, affecting aquatic life. It silts up shorelines, harbors, and river channels, requiring dredging. The first pulse came when agriculture in the Middle East, India, and China emerged from the river valleys and spread over former forest lands. This occurred slowly, say between 2000 B.C to 1000 AD, as states, economies, and population grew- and as iron tools made clearing forest easier. Where ever existing vegetation was cut or burned to make way for crops or animals, faster erosion resulted. China's loess plateau typifies the first pulse. Some 40 million people live in an area the size of France; it is one of the worlds most eroded landscapes; soil consist of windborne deposits from Mongolia; before cultivation forests cover most of the loess plateau; by 1990 soil erosion carries off 2.2 billion tons of topsoil a year; the soil in the Dahe gave it the name "Yellow river".

Pulse Two: The second global surge in soil erosion came with the frontier expansion of Europe and the integration of world agricultural markets. The pulse began with the European conquest and the Euro-African settlements; thickly settle mountainous regions of the Andes and Central America's agricultural terraces fell apart and soil erosion spurred; cultivators would leave fields bare and hoofed animals loosened up more soil; European settlers had the power to move populations into marginal lands, such as steep lands where the soil was unstable; the lands came under the plow; in Rhodesia, Africa, white farms introduced plows and commercial agriculture plant wheat, tobacco, coffee, and other crops; the create a spate of erosion in Kenya and Rhodesia; people huddle in smaller area and made it more tempting to farm unstable soils; soil erosion accelerated promoting tree cutting; more incentive for cash crop increase pressure to produce; cattle and soil husbandry caused over grazing problems; Canals, railroads, steamships, and telegraphs knitted the world markets together making sense to plow up North America praire, run tens of thousands of sheep over lower slopes of New Zealand Southern Alps in order to sale to burgeoning urban populations far away. Plain development had its affects: dust storms in Saskatchewan darkened the skiess as 3 to 4 million hectares of prairie land was completely destroyed.

Third pulse. The third pulse gathered in the 1950s. Populations experienced an unprecedented level of health and survival. "Demographic growth, often together with state policies and land tenure patterns, spurred land hunger and land clearing, even on steep and marginal lands. Lowland peasants migrated to highland regions, mountain peasants invaded rainforests, and still others colonized semiarid lands. Once, ingrained agronomic knowledge and familiar animals and technology often proved inappropriate to new settings." "Technology changes in agriculture, specifically the adoption of heavy machinery, led to soil compaction after 1930, and especially after 1950, as tractor grew in size. " Soil compaction inhibit plant growth. Industrial pollution and heavy use of nitrogen fertilizers after 1960 led to soil acidification, especially in Europe. By 1990 soil irrigation had salinization 7% of the world's land.

Soil degradation now effects one third of the world's land surface; a quarter of the earths cultivate land area; about 2 billion hectacres; 430 million hectacres are irreversible destroyed; in China, 1978 erosion forced the abandonment of 31 percent of the arable land; the US loses 1.7 billion tons to erosion each year; a cost of $150 per person.

What bird's eye?.......2004-06-28

I love ambitious books, and today's world needs big perspectives. But this book is rooted more in current American values than in historical facts.
To give just a few examples: where else could the authors have found the wisdom that the first gardeners were women? or that farming could only take off after private property became the norm? The book is full of assumptions, and sometimes at the expense of the facts. Stating that Napoleon unified the French in the 1800-1810s, when France had been a centralized kingdom and European superpower for six centuries, is like saying that GWBush is the uniter of the Americans. To prove a point about exchanges speeding up, the book says that it in 1650, it would take a Dutch ship a year to go from Java to Amsterdam. But a famous dutch ship's journal relates of Bontekoe's adventurous journey there around 1620. Although plagued by tropical storms, losing his mast, losing his way, losing time to help other ships and the brandy on board catching on fire setting off a gunpowder explosion, he did Europe to Java in 10 months and came back in 9.
So I love the scope of this book but reading it is very disappointing. Jared Diamond or Marvin Harris are in a completely different league, culturally as well as scientifically.

A major work for general readers.......2003-12-13

W.H. McNeill has written several of the top 20 works for specialists and general audience on general history. This work is a breathtaking overview of world history seen in the context of environment.

People who rightly were thrilled by Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" should go on and enjoy this rare treat: lucid and easy to understand, based on a wealth of erudition connected with plain sense, a new vision.

Young readers might get ideas about a change of courses. As a university professor I immediately took this book up as reading matter for my students - mostly engineers and lawyers at present.

Great Overall View of History.......2003-06-13

The Human Web is an excellent summary of human history. It is indeed a bird's eye view in that it looks at the broad overall sweep of human affairs and doesn't bog down in unnecessary detail. The major theme is the construction and expansion of human webs, or interconnections that tie cultures and civilizations together ever more tightly. If space voyagers ever arrived on Earth (and could read a human language) this book would be one of the first things I hope we hand them to help them understand us.

Handbook of the Birds of the World: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails (Handbook of the Birds of the World)

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Handbook of the Birds of the World: Cotingas to Pipits and Wagtails (Handbook of the Birds of the World)

Manufacturer: Lynx Edicions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 8487334695

Product Description

Overall Very Good condition. Ships the next day. Satisfaction guaranteed. 12/15 TB

The Conference of Birds (Penguin Classics)

Average customer rating:

In the context of today's headlines. . . .
Wisdom of the Sufis - for any faith.
Transcendent translation
A wonderful guide to self-realization
A miraculous translation of a mystical masterpiece

The Conference of Birds (Penguin Classics)
Farid al-Din Attar , and Afkham Darbandi
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140444343

Amazon.com

Like Rumi and Hafiz, the name Attar conjures up images of passionate attraction to the divine. Attar was a Persian Sufi of the 12th century and his masterpiece is The Conference of the Birds, an epic allegory of the seeker's journey to God. When all the birds of the world convene and determine that they lack a king, one bird steps forward and offers to lead them to a great and mighty monarch. Initially excited, each bird falters in turn, whereupon the leader admonishes them with well-targeted parables. These pithy tales are the delight of this 4,500-line poem, translated deftly into rhymed couplets. What is your excuse for not seeking God? Your life is fine already? You prefer material pleasure? You are holy enough? You have pride, lack courage, or are burdened with responsibility? Attar has an answer to encourage you on the path to the promised land. And when you get there, the king may not be what you'd expect, but you must make the journey to see. --Brian Bruya

Book Description

An Abridged Version of Farid Ud Atta's "Mantiq Ut Tayar" (reprint 1924, 19 x 12.3 x 1 cm)

Customer Reviews:

In the context of today's headlines. . . ........2006-12-24

. . . . it is instructive and corrective to have a glimpse of
what was: a lyrical, medeivalist tradition that saw the denial
of the self as a path to union with the infinite.

Just as it's important to be aware of the gently lascivious
Omar Khayyam as an antidote to today's puritanism, it's also
worthwhile to remember Farid ud-Din Attar a cosmopolitan skeptic
whose tolerance of human frailty is in service of lofty
spiritual aims.
The Conference of the Birds is an allegory of the search for
the divine. The hoopoe who was the messenger of King Solomon
serves as the Cicero on the quest. The allegory is told in
short snippets, stories of doubt, fear and faith. One can imagine
each of them forming miniature tales and sermons.

Long, spiritual allegories can make pretty tough reading,
but the episodic nature of Conference makes it a book to
be enjoyed in snippets. Keep it at the bedside or wherever
you enjoy a literary nibble.

It's interesting to note that worldly, human Attar came to a
bad end. He was accused of heresy, his goods were plundered
and he was forced into exile. Can we hope for a better outcome
this time?

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the forthcoming novel bang BANG from Kunati Books.ISBN 9781601640005

Wisdom of the Sufis - for any faith........2006-12-06

The writings of the Sufis are, without a doubt, some of the most beautiful and challenging spiritual works in existence. Rumi's works are currently undergoing something of a renaissance in the Western world but the name of Farid Ud-Din Attar is not as well known. This is unfortunate, since The Conference of the Birds provides, in my opinion, a much better insight into Sufi philosophy than the bits and pieces of Rumi floating about the New Age universe.

Attar's beautiful descpriptions, exqisite metaphors and delightful parables describe the stages on the soul's journey to union with God. An extended metaphor for the soul, the birds gather and travel through various valleys to reach the Simorgh - a state of ectstatic oneness with deity. The Hoopoe acts as the guide and provides answers to the bird's questions and doubts about the journey - usually with short illustrative tales. These tales are each tiny drops of gold, the longest being only a few hundred lines. The overarching theme is the denial of the self to gain ultimate bliss. This is no intellectual exercise and much of the advice given is shocking and revolutionary. In the extended tale of Sheik Sam'an, the Sheik leaves his faith and becomes a Christian for the love of a woman who ultimately spurns him. His apostasy and depravity astound his followers who swiftly abandon him. A Sufi teacher chastises them for their lack of faith and eventually they return to his side. Sam'an then reconverts and his love is converted too. The message would seem to be that to find God it may be necessary to abandon conventional notions of behaviour and faith and plunge forward with wild abandon, losing the self. Some of the stories may shock our sensibilities, and no doubt had the same effect on Attar's medieval audiences. A kind of counter-culture attitude is displayed in the book, with tales of romantic love between men and other "un-Islamic" behaviours challenging accepted norms.

As to the book itself, the translation is done in "heroic couplets" which according to the introduction, best suits the style of the arabic original. It at first seems a little stilted but soon lends a beauty of its own to the work. A fairly substantial introduction helps put the book in context and describes what is known of Attar's life and times. A biographical index is included which provides details on the many characters - often historical - who people the pages of the poem. This book is a beautiful little gem, filled with a lot of wisdom. It is definitely worth the read for members of any faith, even those who aren't practicing Sufis.

Transcendent translation.......2006-11-05

I can't compare this poem to the original Farsi as I don't read that language, but this translation is amazingly readable. The reader gets enough notes and extra information to understand a bit of the context, but it never interferes with immersing oneself in this allegory of the journey toward union with the divine beloved. The individual birds on this journey come to life for the reader and the 13th century narrative literally takes off!

A wonderful guide to self-realization.......2006-06-14

This book is a masterpiece on spirituality, self-search, self-identity and self-realization. It provides an unparallel and wonderful guide for reaching to oneself and God. The wonderful philosophy of Attar has the potential to change the world from greed, violence and chaos to self-discipline, love and peace. The book has the capacity to transform the mindsets of fidels and infidels alike to become the master of one's own persona. The book is a must read for anyone interested to know oneself and the world.

A miraculous translation of a mystical masterpiece.......2005-11-23

Dick Davis's translation is more than extraordinary -- it is truly a miracle to see the beauty, eloquence and flow of this masterpiece richly rendered into the English language with rhyme and meter. A must in the collection of any sincere seeker of the Creator.

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