Book Description
Honey Santana—impassioned, willful, possibly bipolar, self-proclaimed “queen of lost causes”—has a scheme to help rid the world of irresponsibility, indifference, and dinnertime sales calls. She’s taking rude, gullible Relentless, Inc., telemarketer Boyd Shreave and his less-than-enthusiastic mistress, Eugenie—the fifteen-minute-famous girlfriend of a tabloid murderer—into the wilderness of Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands for a gentle lesson in civility. What she doesn’t know is that she’s being followed by her Honey-obsessed former employer, Piejack (whose mismatched fingers are proof that sexual harassment in the workplace is a bad idea). And he doesn’t know he’s being followed by Honey’s still-smitten former drug-running ex-husband, Perry, and their wise-and-protective-way-beyond-his-years twelve-year-old-son, Fry. And when they all pull up on Dismal Key, they don’t know they’re intruding on Sammy Tigertail, a half white–half Seminole failed alligator wrestler, trying like hell to be a hermit despite the Florida State coed who’s dying to be his hostage . . .
Will Honey be able to make a mensch of a “greedhead”? Will Fry be able to protect her from Piejack—and herself? Will Sammy achieve his true Seminole self? Will Eugenie ever get to the beach? Will the Everglades survive the wild humans? All the answers are revealed in the delectably outrageous mayhem that propels this novel to its Hiaasen-of-the-highest-order climax.
Customer Reviews:
Nature Girl.......2007-09-27
Ahhh, that perfect sizzle of steak done well I sit down, pick up my fork and knife and am ready to cut into a little slice of heaven, and the phone rings. Fish, or cut bait? Answer the phone, or get chastised for screening my calls? My steak will have to wait. I answer and a friendly, professional voice promises me a fast way to get out of debt, sell me magazines, or a great piece of real estate in Florida. Arrrgh, my steak is now cold and congealing upon my plate.
Telemarketers, I have always fantasized about tracking down one of these telemarketing creeps and turning the tables -- phoning his house every night at dinner, interrupting a nice, hot soak in the tub, or having him pick up the phone with hands covered in oven mitts. The main character in Carl Hiaason's new novel Nature Girl does just that.
Honey, the "Nature Girl" of the title, has just started dinner when-you guessed it-a telemarketer and interrupts her meal. Honey is a nice girl with some problems. She hears two songs in her head at once-like Nine Inch Nails, and Nat King Cole-and has decided that there's a decided lack of courtesy in the world. Old fans and newcomers alike will delight in Hiaason's 11th novel, another entertaining Florida romp.
Honey lures the unsuspecting telemarketer to the "Ten Thousand Islands" area of Florida with the promise of an Everglade inspired "eco-tour" trap, to lecture him on ethics and common decency. As with all of Hiaason's fiction there is a cast of extreme and zany characters. There's a sex-starved fishmonger: a half-breed, blue-eyed Seminole: a private investigator in search of the "footage of a lifetime": a co-ed wanna-be-hostage, and more.
This is classic Hiaason, so if you are an avid reader, you've seen this before. Even so, it's an enjoyable read. There's an eclectic cast of characters, witty dialogue and humorous phrasing. A nice addition is his strong character development of a young adult character. Hiaason has forayed into children's books with Hoot, a winner of a Newberry award, and Flush, and has obviously become comfortable with creating strong children characters. Hiaason's next book is rumored to be another children's book. Perhaps, a sequel to the award winning, Hoot-I have a feeling that he wanted Nature Girl to be that book, but his publisher demanded another adult novel.
Hiaason definetly sticks to the adage "write what you know". His fiction mirrors his concerns as a journalist and a native of Florida. His novels have been classified as "environmental thrillers" and are usually found on the crime fiction shelves in bookshops, though they can just as well be read as mainstream reflections of every day life. If you love Hiassen, you may want to check out Christopher Moore, who has been called "the unhinged Hiaason" and a man that Hiasson calls "the sickest man I know- in the best possible way."
Me? I'll be looking forward to both Hiaason's next novel as well as Christopher Moore's new book which is being published just in time for Valentine's Day, You Suck: a Love Story which is a sequal to Blood Sucking Fiends. Well, I have to vamoose. I hear the phone ringing.....
Author of "Hobo Finds A Home" and editor of "Of A Predatory Heart"
Classic.......2007-08-16
Nature Girl is classic Carl Hiaasen. He takes crazy Florida and gives it a little twist and it's hilarious.
More Thrills and Laughs from Carl Hiassen.......2007-08-05
Rollicking adventure with a cast of thousands (mostly mosquitoes and fire ants); this is delightful entertaining from Carl Hiassen in his typical best, poking fun along the way. Thoroughly enjoyable if you like Carl Hiassen's style. Tightly written, quick paced.
Disappointing.......2007-07-26
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I read Skinny Dip and really enjoyed it. I went back and read more books by Carl Hiaasen as a result. This book just didn't do anything for me. In fact, I can't even get through it. Tried for a second time just recently and still couldn't finish. I think my big problem is that I just don't like many of the characters in the book. I found them rather irritating. With that said, I like Carl Hiaasen's work, as a whole, and will still check out anything new he writes. I'd say, if you want to read Carl Hiaasen, start with something else.
Eclectic and border-line cast of Hiassen.......2007-07-25
Hiaasen is absolutely a fabulous author!! His novel brings together a cast of eclectic and "border-line" personalities into the swamps and keys of Florida with an undertone of environmental responsibility. An "off-her-meds" woman decides to teach a lesson to a telemarketer and his mistress by luring them into a lesson teaching get-away. Her ex-husband is trying to keep an eye on her, as is her 12 year old son. They end up crossing paths with a half-white half-Seminole young man who is hiding from the law due to the death of his first client and his voluntary hostage, a young co-ed looking for adventure and possible romance.
This tale is entertaining and intelligent as always in Hiaasen's approach to his anti-development message. Hiaasen delivers his message in an entertaining intricate story. This is not his best novel but when you are talking Hiaasen they are all good, this is just a little less great than his others.
Book Description
825 classic marine life photographs of 600 common and rare reef fish species. The easy-to-use, quick reference format makes it a snap to identify the myriad of fishes in Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas waters. A must for every serious diver. 6 inch x 9 inch, cloth stitched flexibinding that allows the book to lie flat.
Customer Reviews:
Impressive book........2007-10-05
As book reader and Diver, I just love this book, It gives me all the pictures and characteristics for an accurate evaluation of the creatures I found under water. Great pictures, and outstanding charcterization of fishes.
Fish ID "Bible".......2007-08-31
At one time I was the head of a volunteer organization in WPB, Florida that assisted Palm Beach County with their artifical reef program. Part of the qualification was to get training in a variety of related subjects (like fish identification) sponsored by the Florida Oceanographic Society. This book served as our fish identification "bible." I no longer live in FL, but when I go diving in the Caribbean I stil take this book with me. If you need to (or just want to) know the fish of the Caribbean, buy this book.
Caribbean Fish.......2007-07-20
This is a fabulous resource, and I wish we had bought it before to take with us on our trip to BVI
Wonderful guide!.......2007-07-19
I bought this item for my trip to the Caribbean. I'm a marine biologist by training, and I loved this book because it gave information above and beyond just identification. It also tells you how likely it was that the fish you saw was the one pictured in the book. Then there are lists of all the species in the back, with space for you to record when and where you saw it. I had so much fun combing this book after snorkeling to identify all the organisms I had seen! What a great investment!
Best Fish Book I Have Found.......2007-07-13
This book is a must buy for any diver who has moved beyond the "Oooh look at the pretty fishes" stage. If you want to know what you are looking at, use this book. It is an excellent companion to PADI's AWARE Fish Identification Specialty, and makes it easy to look up fish when you surface.
Book Description
This book is a helpful guide to identifying 500 species of Florida plant life, including rare as well as common wild flowers and characteristic trees, shrubs, vines, and ferns. Each description includes both common and scientific names, a range map, symbols to show the season of bloom, and a useful summary code of nine key plant, leaf, and flower characters, to aid in identification. With rich color photographs and brief, nontechnical notes to accompany each species, this handbook is a valuable reference for tourists, residents, students, and anyone interested in plants in all seasons of the year, from Pensacola to the Keys.
Customer Reviews:
Gorgeous photographs, excellent information, easy to use.......1998-11-24
This book is a very useful guide to a large variety of Florida plants, as well as a superb collection of truly stunning photographs. It can be used for simple visual identification, but its organization by family and its binomial key make it user-friendly for the botanist as well.
Amazon.com
With its colorful coral reefs, excellent birding, and tropical temperatures, Florida remains a popular vacation spot for the ecologically minded. In this concisely detailed volume you'll become acquainted with the state's geologic origins, natural history, and diverse habitats (salt marshes, mangrove swamps, prairies, and woodlands). A field guide assists in the identification of some of the region's wildflowers, trees, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies, mammals, and birds, including the elusive manatee, three species of dolphin, and the rare snail kite. An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with thorough descriptions and visitor information on 50 destinations, is also included. For instance, the section on Everglades National Park includes information on wildlife viewing possibilities, driving directions, and popular touring attractions inside the park (such as Shark Valley, where a 15-mile loop via foot, rental bike, or tram affords close views of alligators, anhingas, and wading birds). Lesser-known areas such as Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and Withlacoochee State Forest are also featured. More than 1,300 color photographs heighten the quality of this handy compilation.
Book Description
Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida belongs in the home of every Florida resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains:
An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;
A complete overview of Florida's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;
An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.
The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.
For everyone who lives or spends time in Florida, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Florida.
Customer Reviews:
Great for Florida.......2007-08-27
I use this in addition to other books (Handbook of Nature Study-Anna Botsford Comstock) For nature Study. Perfect.
Loved It.......2007-08-23
I carry this book along in the car and use it anytime I go camping or to the state park. It is very informative and it contains most all the animals and insects I check for.
Broad but shallow.......2007-05-31
It is typical for guides on everything within a political boundary to lack depth yet be difficult to wade through. But in all, this guide does a good job.
Very comprehensive.......2007-04-02
This book is VERY comprehensive... almost too much so. It's a bit cumbersome to flip through so many pages in the field. It would also be helpful to list how common/rare each creature or plant might be as part of the description.
Mine of information........2007-01-12
Thank you for the above book - it did not disappoint.I found it concise, yet informative enough to provide a mine of informatin about Florida wildlife.
I shall certainly enjoy it.
Book Description
The Art of Shelling is a shell hunting guidebook. It is interesting reading for everyone who loves seashells and the seashore environment. The book explains what shells are and details specifically where and how to find them. The information is presented in an enjoyable and easy-to-read format. After learning about each location, you will feel as though you had actually been there. This completely revised second edition is the authors way of sharing what they have learned during more than fifteen years of intensive seashore travel, beach exploration, and mollusk study.
Customer Reviews:
About "The Art of Shelling".......2007-07-03
This is an excellent book which gives you exact locations of where to
find shells in various areas of the USA. It is written in a way that
most people can understand...it is specific and clear. While at the
New Jersey shore recently, I enjoyed finding out about the shells that
could be found in Gateway National Part at Sandy Hook. The book gives
good directions as to the locations of the shells so I would recommend
it for anyone who likes collecting.
Not the best reference for a collector.......2007-05-13
One of the main issues is the lack of color illustrations or even colored pictures for the shells. Instead the book relies on black and white drawings which are not as helpful to collectors.
The book does not give a true depiction of shells of the eastern coast. Areas includes are Florida, a small bay in North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Cape Cod, and Maine. South Carolina, Georgia and much of North Carolina is left out.
On the other hand this book was very instructive about cleaning and properly caring for shells.
Where in the World are all the Sea Shells?.......2002-04-07
This book will help anybody on the Eastern Seaboard find shelling spots from Maine to Florida. It is especially helpful with local customs and laws.
Superbly written and organized.......2001-02-16
Now in an expanded second edition, Chuck and Debbie Robinson's The Art Of Shelling continues to be the definitive guide to finding shells and other beach collectibles at shelling locations ranging the American coastline from Maine to Florida. This compendium of information about the seashore and seashells has expanded to include new shelling locations, information on additional seashells and sea creatures, more illustrations, and an enhanced travel reference section. Superbly written and organized for the non-specialist general reader, The Art Of Shelling is a perfect guide for the hobbyist and collector, as well as the simple vacationer seeking unique mementos of their seaside visits.
Book Description
There are approximately seven million horses in America. Each year, over seventy thousand are abused, abandoned, and fated to slaughter by callous and irresponsible owners. With a heart as big as a pasture, author Melanie Bowles takes some of these horses into her sanctuary called Proud Spirit. Here, horses that arrive listless and broken find a home where they finally know safety.
The bond between horse and caretaker does not happen overnight. It hangs by a fine thread of trust that the author earns with endless patience and a full commitment to the well-being of the horses in her care. The horses, some of which have suffered severe abuse, astound her time and again with their ability to trust, return the love they are given, and enjoy the companionship of other horses.
You will meet a whole stableful of remarkable horses:
Dusty, a Thoroughbred who recovered from severe injuries to reveal a rambunctious personality and a knack for stealing hats;
Maddy, an old mare, and Dancer, a gallant Appaloosa, both of whom had been isolated for years but whose ecstatic first acquaintance at Proud Spirit was, mysteriously, like the reunion of two soul mates;
Annie, a little sorrel mare who will break your heart with her weary kindness and who found peace and compassion, at last, under an old oak tree in a pasture at Proud Spirit;
Wrangler, a Miniature whose premature separation from his dam turned him into a tiny tormentor. His rowdy innocence helped Marshal, a huge Palomino gelding with neurological trauma, become playful and engaged as he educated Wrangler in horsy manners. Horses of Proud Spirit is an homage to the spirit of these alluring creatures and a moving memoir of lessons learned in compassion, strength, and loss.
Customer Reviews:
. . . knowing this story.......2007-09-21
Melanie and her husband, Jim, are to be commended for all their work with these wonderful, great, grand animals - HORSES! Horse lover all my life, but never worked with them although had one in early teens. Worked summer of '06 on horse slaughter bill which I got involved with while doing research on horse book I am writing - story of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner of 1966 - Kauai King. Have been to rescue farms and send money as I have it to help support. From all the reviews of this book, Melanie, besides being a good woman with a tremendous heart, she must be a good writer also. I am going to order this book, but must admit that it may be a while before I read it. I am sure there will be lots of new stuff I will learn about, but the "stuff" that, at this time, I do not want to know more about, is how man has abused the horse - I, all to sadly, KNOW THIS STORY. I thank Melanie for her courage in writing this book, for herein, (and books like hers), lies any and all hope for better treatment of our wonderful horses - the love and respect they deserve, the rescue when this is not given. Again, to Melanie and Jim and all like them, all those special souls out there in this hard world, who when they hear of an abused or neglected horse (or any animal for that matter) will go and get them, bring them "home" in their arms as if these massive creatures were no more than a kitten and give them safe harbor and peace - THANK YOU! Shelby Staples - Virginia
If you think you love horses.......2007-08-11
If you love horses or even think you love horses, read this book. Sue can break your heart and heal it again on just one page. A great book for kids and adults, just starting with horses. Sue takes readers with her as she grows from rank beginner to one who not only loves horses but learns to understands and appreciates their amazing minds, hearts, and spirits.
Great book for animal lovers.......2007-07-05
I thought this book was really good, especially for people who love horses. The stories in each chapter are very interesting and different from each other, so you don't leave off on a chapter wondering what will happen next.
Great book!.......2007-06-27
I am involved with a horse rescue here in Michigan & bought the book after seeing the tv show about Proud Spirit on PBS. I can identify fully with this book - I was an inexperienced horse person & was thrilled to find out that the author was too when she started, and is from Michigan herself! The book is an easy read & will stir up emotional reactions from any animal lover. I have cried while reading this book several times - please keep in mind that I do horse rescue, so I've witnessed some of these things firsthand. The book is so well written in my opinion that you feel like you're there.
A Special Book by a Special Person.......2007-06-09
The Horses of Proud Spirit is really three stories in one. First, it's Melanie Sue Bowles' story as she tells us about her experiences with some of the first horses who came to live at Proud Spirit. We follow Melanie's progress from pure novice to knowledgeable caregiver, and she tells of her experiences just as if we were sitting on a porch, swapping horse stories with friends who are nonjudgmental because at one time or another in the course of our own learning process, we've been in Melanie's shoes. Melanie becomes our friend on the very first page of The Horses of Proud Spirit, and that's because she has the ability to make us feel her horror and disgust at what humans do to horses, whether out of ignorance or pure malice.
In what I consider the second story within the story, Melanie tells us the tale of each horse, unfolding the sequence of events in her comfortable, down-to-earth manner, even when the events are tragic. We rejoice with her when the outcome is good and weep with her when a horse is lost.
The third story is ours, the reader's, because if we've been insulated from the terrible things humans do to horses, Melanie opens our eyes to reality, so perhaps, if faced with signs of abuse, we will be quicker to take action. For those of us having cared for an abused horse (and hopefully, never as many as Mel and her husband, Jim) we share our understanding of what she goes through with each horse.
Depending upon whether you're new to horses or an old-timer, you'll either learn what's right when it comes to being responsible for the care of a horse, or, like what happened with me, Melanie's story brought back warm comforting memories of horses I've known in my lifetime.
You will enjoy The Horses of Proud Spirit and the way in which Melanie tells her story. You will turn the last page and wish she would tell you more. You will also use up one or more boxes of tissues by the time you close the back cover. And, you will never again take your horses for granted.
Customer Reviews:
Another Florida's Fabulous book.......2007-01-20
This is part of an entire series of books about Florida's flora and fauna. The photographs are excellent. While they are paperbacks, they are oversized and approach coffee table quality. As someone that has lived in Florida for more than 47 years, I can attest that these books do a more than adequate job of capturing the essence of Florida. This book is not all-inclusive since Florida has thousands of insects. It has a limited scope, but still does a great job of highlighting the most interesting and most photogenic insects in Florida. It is not meant to be field guide or biology text. It is more of an overview, but it does it with style. I purchase every book in the series on which I can lay hands. Highly recommended for Floridians and those that are interested in Florida. This book would also interest non-Floridians if they like to know about bugs.
a beautiful coffee table book.......2003-05-30
This book has great photography and discription of various insects, however. this is a large book so you can't take it outdoors to try to identify a certain insect. It is a very good reference book
FABulous book.......2002-10-18
Wonderful photos and quite interesting text...and here I thought this was going to be a hokey little book.
Average customer rating:
- Great book, but 2nd ed. and not the 3rd!
- Awesome guide!
- interesting and educational
- Thankful diver
- A Great Underwater Identification Guide for the Curious!
|
Reef Creature Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas (Reef Set)
Paul Humann , and
Ned DeLoach
Manufacturer: New World Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Marine Life
| Oceans & Seas
| Nature & Ecology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Zoology
| Biological Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Outdoors & Nature
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Zoology
| Biological Sciences
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
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Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas
-
Reef Coral Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas (Reef Set)
-
Reef Fish Behavior: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas
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Snorkeling Guide to Marine Life: Florida Caribbean Bahamas
-
Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific
ASIN: 1878348310 |
Book Description
The book that has been relied on for a decade by scientists, marine biologists, recreational divers and young naturalists. 660 fascinating photographs of crabs, lobsters, shrimps, jellies, sponges, tunicates and more!
Customer Reviews:
Great book, but 2nd ed. and not the 3rd!.......2007-10-05
This is probably the best reef creature ID book out there for Florida, the Carribean and the Bahamas, but buy the third edition instead. Semi-hard cover.
Awesome guide!.......2007-07-19
I bought this item for my trip to the Caribbean. I'm a marine biologist by training, and I loved this book because it gave information above and beyond just identification. It also tells you how likely it was that the critter you saw was the one pictured in the book. Then there are lists of all the species in the back, with space for you to record when and where you saw it. I had so much fun combing this book after snorkeling to identify all the organisms I had seen! What a great investment! I also like this book because it arranges species by their scientific classification. It could have been a bit more thorough, though--i saw plenty of organisms that aren't mentioned in this book at all.
interesting and educational.......2007-05-23
i think its a really good book because it tells you almost every thing you can see in the ocean. I really like it.
Thankful diver.......2007-05-09
This book is a great resource for anyone interested in marine invertebrates from Florida, Caribbean and the Bahamas. It is a especially useful reference for divers because of the great underwater photography depicting the animals as one would while diving. This guide also has information on the taxonomy, popular and scientific names, size and depth, as well as visual id tips, abundance and distribution, habitat and behavior, reaction to divers, and additional information of interest. In some cases, there is information on effect on divers if the species is known to cause a negative effect or potentially dangerous. More than 50 researchers contributed to make the book as accurate as possible. I am a marine biologist, I am very happy with my purchase and highly recommend it.
A Great Underwater Identification Guide for the Curious!.......2005-09-30
I highly recommend this guide, as well as the whole "Reef Series" by Humann & Deloach, for Divers, Snorkelers and anyone who is curious about living things beneath the sea! H & D are highly respected for their ongoing work, identifying, cataloging and photographing underwater critters that many of us may never see! Reef Creatures, along with its companion books in the series are top notch. The authors are comprehensive in their scope, intelligent in their presentation -- they provide us with generous amounts of information to identify and learn about the various creatures, without turning their book into a scientic tome -- AND the photographs are gorgeous!
As a diver, I find the whole collection invaluable, and I usually take this particular book with me on dive trips. I also take along its condensed, waterproof companion in my B.C. pocket, and can make instant identifications underwater! If you are interested in the creatures of the sea, don't hesitate about this book. Humann & Deloach are the leaders in this field, and their books are the best you will ever find for visual identification purposes!
Book Description
A detailed overview of what is presently know about the behavior and ecology of reef fishes inhabiting the waters of Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas. The enjoyable fact-filled text is lavishly illustrated with 475 marine life photos, many capturing spectacular fish behaviors never before documented.
Customer Reviews:
Fish Behavior.......2007-05-27
As a family we enjoy scuba diving. Our last vacation in Honduras we were noticing certain fish "acted" in very specific ways and some making no sense to us at all. We were told about this book and have read it now and things we saw make much more sense now. We will be heading back to Honduras in August and hope to use this new found knowledge regarding fish behavior in helping us capture better pictures.
fantastic.......2007-05-08
so glad i broke down and bought this! after taking all my photos and comparing them to the details in this book, i am 99% sure of my labels! and after doing so, it was amazing how much of the info stuck in my brain!
Reef.......2007-01-21
Perfect condition through Amazon.
This is a very good complement to the reef set, from the same author.
Fascinating window into the lives of reef fishes.......2006-11-19
While on vacation in Florida, I read Reef Fish Behavior by Ned Deloach and Paul Humann. It is a fascinating, well researched book on the behavior of reef residents in the wild, based on many months of observation on dives. There are incredible pictures here showing life and death on the reef.
The writing is well done, and lets readers feel like they are observing along with the authors. Witness, for example, these few sentences taken from the section on Sailfin blennies: "...late one afternoon we saw a Sailfin making a mad dash across the seafloor. The little fellow looked vulnerable and out of place in the open....This was our first observation of what we came to call runners. After several minutes of crazy zigzags, the runner arrived at a hole occupied by a slightly smaller male, and a miniature version of a marine Jurassic Park commenced."
Probably the best book available on this topic........2006-08-01
If you are hesitating due to the price of this book don't. Check out the contents page on the 'look inside' facility above. It is well worth the expense. Excellent photos,( I wonder how many hours underwater they spent observing the behaviour captured in these pics?) highly informative text, an absolute mine of interesting facts and observations about a complex subject. Though specific to the Caribbean and Bahamas it can also be used by divers in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Obviously it does not cover all species and unfortunately misses out on some of my personal favourites Morays, Lionfish, Boxfishes, Porcupinefishes and Puffers but at 360 pages it still covers a lot of ground. Enjoy!
Book Description
The Second Edition of Florida's Birds is a major event for Florida birders, new and old. Each section of the book is updated, and 30 new species are added. Also added are range maps for certain species and color coded guides to months when the bird is present and/or breeding in Florida. Now with color throughout, each bird is illustrated three times: with the text about the bird, in the index listing, and on a plate with similar species for help in identification. Thus, Florida's Birds is now an even better field guide. Unlike the other books available on the birds of Florida, Florida's Birds is also a reference that goes beyond its usefulness in the field. Sections on bird study and bird feeding provide practical advice for enjoying Florida's birds; and sections on bird habitats, threatened and endangered species, exotic species, and bird conservation will assist the reader in understanding the ecological and cultural landscapes that have created one of the world's unique avifaunas.
Customer Reviews:
Great for photographers and casual observers.......2007-08-23
I got this book for the purpose of identifying species while reviewing photographs I've taken. I haven't used it in the field (yet) but it has become an excellent reference guide. There is a lot of information, the decriptions are well-written and the sections about Florida ecology and environments are also helpful. I'm a native Floridian and I found myself frequently learning new things while reading this book. I highly recommend this book.
Looks good so far.......2006-03-27
I got this book to take along on a trip to Florida planned for a couple of months from now, so at this point it's too early to say exactly how helpful it is. However, based upon previous trips to Florida, it seems to be pretty good so far (although there are two birds I've previously seen that I still couldn't find in this guide).
2nd edition updates everything!.......2006-03-19
Florida-bound or resident bird-watchers won't want to be without the second edition of a classic state- specific field guide, FLORIDA'S BIRDS: A FIELD GUIDE AND REFERENCE. This is no reprint edition: each section of FLORIDA'S BIRDS has been updated and thirty new species added, along with range maps for species and color-coded guides to month of presence. Each bird is illustrated not once but three times, text discusses habitats and habits, and sections on bird study and feeding provide in-depth detail. A 'must' handbook for any with Florida roots.
Highly recommended for Florida ornithologists and bird lovers.......2006-01-10
Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, Florida's Birds: A Field Guide And Reference is a wonderful guide for Florida birdwatchers. Every section has been updated, and 30 new species added. A brief introduction and overview leads into the species-by-species listings that include the names, description, habitat, range, life cycle summary, and a color-coded at-a-glance list of the months each species can be found within Florida. Perhaps most captivating of all is illustrator Karl Karalus' full-color renditions of each bird species, in a meticulous and lifelike manner reminiscent of Audubon himself, making Florida's Birds a delight to simply page through. Highly recommended for Florida ornithologists and bird lovers.
Disappointed in information--returned book.......2005-12-14
Eventhough I may not have really saved any money, I did not see any point in keeping this book once I received and reviewed it. I ordered for my son in law who lives on Fl coast and loves to fish coastal waters. He wanted a book to give information about the birds he saw then. I was hoping the size and information in this one would make it good for his purpose. This was not the case, however.
More than half of the book is concerned with ecological and birdwatching information--that is just not what he was looking for. I was disappointed in the size of photographs of the birds, but when so much is given to other aspects not that much room for bird information is left.
The quality of construction seemed good, but the spine is fairly narrow and the book needs to be opened fully to read all the text. It is possible that repeated readings may cause some pages to come loose.
On the hunt again
Books:
- Nature Spirits & Elemental Beings
- North America's Favorite Butterflies: A Pictorial Guide
- Oaks of California
- Practical Handbook of Ground-Water Monitoring
- Priceless : The Vanishing Beauty of A Fragile Planet
- Rain Forests (Magic Tree House Research Guide)
- Renewable and Efficient Electric Power Systems
- Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action
- Shadows in the Forest: Japan and the Politics of Timber in Southeast Asia (Politics, Science, and the Environment)
- Sharing Nature With Children (20th Anniversary Edition, Revised and Expanded)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Rewind
- How to Train Your Cocker Spaniel
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Its All Your Fault: How To Make It As A Hollywood Assistant
- Many Particle Physics
- Lonely Planet Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands
- Tigers in Trouble: Financial Governance, Liberalization and the Crises in East Asia
- Feeling Lost at Work: Understanding the Impact of Corporate Change on Your Life
- The Collaborator: The Trial and Execution of Robert Brasillach
Wild Fire
The Shape Shifter (Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee Novels)
Next
Echo Park (Harry Bosch)
Hundred-Dollar Baby (Spenser)
