An Invitation to Environmental Sociology (Sociology for a New Century Series)

Book Description

Environmental sociology is the study of community in the largest sense. When there are problems in the environment, there are problems in society-it is people who create environmental problems and people who must resolve them.

Author Michael Mayerfeld Bell uses a lively, personal writing style to take readers on a series of field trips through the vast landscape of environmental sociology. The Second Edition of An Invitation to Environmental Sociology analyzes the relevance of social theory with a social, community perspective for resolving the practical issues of our environmental problems.

The author explores three elements of environmental sociology-the material, the ideal, and the practical. In order to unite these three topics, the book examines the interplay of material and ideal factors through the central concept of "ecological dialogue." The book also looks at the connection between the local and the global, the role of social inequality in environmental conflicts, and the power of the metaphor of community for understanding these social and ecological dynamics.

Key Features

The book balances a social action emphasis with an analytical and theoretical approach to encourage studentsâ€™ development of critical thinking on environmental sociology.

A new chapter titled "Body and Health" includes case examples such as the 1984 Bhopal disaster in India and mercury pollution in Ontario.

A new chapter titled "The Rationality of Risk" discusses risk in the context of everyday life with examples such as mad cow disease and genetically modified organisms and reflects on whether there are greater risks in society today than in the past.

An Invitation to Environmental Sociology is designed as a core textbook for undergraduate students taking courses in environmental sociology. The book is also an excellent supplementary text for courses in social problems, introductory sociology, introduction to environmental issues, and environmental ethics.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended.......2007-10-17

I highly recommend this book as an introduction to environmental sociology. My students say they like Bell's writing style, as it is accessible and he makes confusing concepts easy to understand. I like the way he places individual choices and decisions in a social context so that students can see the influences of social structures (the built environment, our time constraints and our need for social status) on the choices and decisions of individuals. In the 2004 edition, there is also a section on environmental justice, an important topic which is rarely covered adequately in environmental sociology textbooks.

Thoughtful, Innovative, Compelling, Empassioned.......2002-12-25

Michael Bell in this book takes an entirely new approach to introducing students to the field of environmental sociology. Yes there are other texts out there, and certainly they do a better job of reviewing all the research and thought that has gone before them. Some are much more encyclopedic, and end up reading like Sears Catalogues. However for its readablility and humanist treatment of this subject, Bell's stands alone.
Bell's humanities background shows in his wide-ranging examples from Asian, Classical and Enlightenment thinking, which shows readers how the questions currently being chewed on by environmental sociologists (such as what is "natural," why our culture and economic system drive us to destroy the environment) are truly age-old. This also makes the book extremely interesting for faculty and other readers, as well as students.
However what I like the best about this book is how beautifully and thoughtfully written it is. Bell's major points are carefully developed, and build upon each other beautifully. He speaks of his own life-choices, and he takes stands on issues. To me these make this book more compelling than text-book that seek to be catalogues of all the issues. Those have a place too, but students first need to care about the issues and the field, and feel as if something can be done about our pressing environmental problems.
I believe the other reviewer may be an outlier: Hundreds of my students over the past four years have given this book the thumbs up (and they certainly gave other books the thumbs down). Judge this book yourself, it is worth it.

Run screaming from this book.......2002-11-24

I had to buy this book for a class which could be summarized as "evironmental sociology". Of course, we had reading assignments from this for class discussion. That's fine, but in this book Bell manages to produce an unreadable dialogue that jumps between narritive and dry facts like a leapfrog on speed.

It may be a decent read for a casual reader who is actually interested in the subject matter and is not under any pressure to recite facts. However, the purpose of work such as this is to introduce the basic facts and ideas, but Bell loses the concepts in a labyrinth of words that leave you contemplating: "uh, what did I just read?"

Avoid this at all costs. I'm no expert on the subject, but there MUST be something better than this.

Average customer rating:
An Invitation to Environmental Thinking

Manufacturer: Sage Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0761947167

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Contributions to a monograph of the genus Helianthus
Elba Emanuel Watson
Manufacturer: s.n.]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000876Z5O

Book Description

In the third installment of the Tomorrow saga, the anything-to-survive existence of Ellie and her friends has sharpened their senses and emboldened their plans. They aren't merely on the defensive anymore; they're also striking back. Their strategy? Attack the enemy not just on land, but also on water. If they have any hope of sabotaging the formidable container ship at Cobbler's Bay, then stealth is a must, but so, too, is one very big explosion. And if they fail, they may face a whole new kind of terror -- imprisonment.

Customer Reviews:

A Killer book for "A Killing Frost".......2005-05-11

This was a great story for teens that would inspire them to read it. The story is called "A Killing Frost" which is the third part of the Tomorrow series. It is the sequel to "Tomorrow When the War Began" and "The Dead of Night." The story is by John Marsden who is one of Australia's best known writers for young adults and has received a lot of criticism around the world. This book should teach teens how great it is to overcome huge amounts of odds.
Now how John Marsden includes foreshadowing, he makes you wait to the end for the main point so he keeps you reading till the end. Basically it starts out with a teenage girl named Ellie and her friends coming back from a camping trip. By now after 6 months an invading army has came attacking Australia. Ellie and her friends are shocked and disgusted. The bands of teenagers decide to make their own little guerilla style army to fight back against the invading armies. The young Guerilla fighter's main goal is to destroy the port at Cobler's bay, which is one of the main harbors supplying the invading army. Ellie and her violent friends continue to outsmart the enemy, which causes them to defeat the army little by little. Everything is going good for the young violent fighters as they continue to steal supplies but then it happens.
The story takes a bad turn when the teenagers are captured and are taken to a Maximum security prison. After being certain that they would be sentenced to death, many of the teens start to get down on themselves and hoped this would have never have happened. Then good prevails or I should say sort of because war is not a good thing so something bad happens to Ellie and the young Guerilla fighters. Now it's your job to read the book and see what happens to them.
This book was great to read in my opinion except for the Australian slang. Yes if your Australian you might understand this but if you are American then you wouldn't understand it. Even with the slang dictionary it is still tough to understand what it says because you could mess up with what the text means. Otherwise this was a good book for young adults to read.

Strongest in the series.......2003-07-30

"A Killing Frost" is easily the strongest literary piece of Marsden's Tomorrow series. This third piece of the puzzle is emotional and extravagant and the resolution readers seek in literature is finally found.

The series builds up to the content of this book. The story climaxes on different levels several times. The complex plot is easy to grasp and carries the reader along. One can be caught in Ellie's emotional struggles and relationships one moment and find himself fighting along physically the next. Marsden continues to use his words to describe fear and courage in a realistic and amazing manner.

The thing that makes "The Killing Frost" stand above the other books in the series is that it can easily be viewed as a part of the series, but also manages to stand as a whole by itself. There is a complete story told in one book. It benefits readers who are unfamiliar with the series by concentrating on details of the present as well as informing the reader of the charachters' past experiences. For those who are familiar with the series, such attention to past events will bring back the memories and emotions of the previous two books.

A good book for young adults.......2003-05-18

Tom Braden, in his book Eight Is Enough, suggests that the worst thing you can do if you have good books you want your children to read is to put these books on a shelf and then suggest to your children that they read them. Rather, what you're supposed to do is forbid the reading of the books or put them on the highest shelf and then say to your children that the books are very private and you hope they will not read them.

I'm not sure this is a comment on the waywardeness of children as much as it's a comment on the wisdom of children in wanting to preserve the element of discovery that's part of finding a really good book. In any case, I came across John Marsden's "invaded Australia" series by accident.

I'd picked up a copy of A Killing Frost, the cover caught me, and I found I was reading the third book in a series. This book is still the one in the series I would choose as best. I find this is often the case: that I like to discover I'm entering a series in the middle and that the book I enter a series with turns out to be what I would choose as best. This was certainly the case with C. J. Cherryh's Invader and Nevernever by Will Shetterly.

With his "invaded Australia" series, I think Mr. Marsden meant to quit after three books but then sacrificed excellence to a demand for more. Like Sherwood Smith with Crown Duel. What a wonderful book that could have been. It pays to know when to quit.

John Marsden's "invaded Australia" series is way to old and violent and explicit for you.

I forbid your reading of these book.

Absolutely not.

Don't read them...

A Thrilling Frost.......2003-02-05

A Thrilling Frost

By the time a reader has gotten to this addition in the series it is most likely they have been captivated by the first two novels in the series, Tomorrow when the War Began and The Dead of Night and have also become used to the Aussie slang terms. The Author John Marsden immediately gives the impression that this is merely another Adventure story. But the characters are all involve in a love life of their own, which at times, evolves into much more intimate scenes.
These teenagers living in the Australian town of Wirrawee are just an average group of kids each with their own flaws such as everyone else in the world. The first of this group is Ellie the main character who tends to be very bossy and likes to be in control of the way things go. Robyn is all about winning but is also very timid. Lee is a musician whom Ellie has become infatuated with. Fi is a timid, elegant person but shows signs of extreme bravery when trouble plagues she and her friends. Corrie is Ellie's absolute best friend and Kevin is her boyfriend. This group is out camping in the "bush" (an Australian word for uncleared wilderness) while the city of Wirrawee is celebrating Commemoration Day. But when they return they find friends and relatives gone and their homes ransacked or destroyed by a foreign invading country. Because the group was off camping in the wilderness region known as "Hell" they were not captured. Deciding that they needed to try and save their families, they stay in this unknown camp spot where only a rumored "ex-murderer" has ever been. Homer is the final member of the original group. Known as a class clown, he begins to change dramatically because of the invasion into a more tactful and wise person. As they establish themselves there they begin to win small battles against the enemy leading up to the third book in the five book series, A Killing Frost. As the story begins there is a short recap of the events in the second book such as Chris, one of their own whom earlier on was found in his own house hiding but taken in by the group. He began to drink heavily and soon, got himself killed in a car crash. Ellie's best friend Corrie has been shot in the back and horribly wounded forcing Kevin to bring her into the enemies' hospital. Their numbers now diminishing, their chances of winning the war for their country have slimmed drastically. The group has now decided to hit the enemy where it will hurt the most...
As the story develops, Ellie must overcome obstacles thrown in her face and overcome the doubts of her own mind. With the help of her friends, she realizes they are the countries last hope for freedom. This is a thrilling tale of self realization and adventure. Although some phrases in the book are overused like "We were going into Hell" referring to the campsite but also trying too get across the point that this place was miserable. But a Killing Frost fully lives up to its reputation from the first two novels and surely will compel anyone to read the final two novels in the series.

Great Thriller, Like No Other.......2001-12-13

This book is one of my favorite books that I've read. It is the last book of a series, and after reading this one I plan on reading the others. The story was about a girl named Ellie and her friends who try to help their country when it goes into war, they try to attack the enemy without getting caught. Every time they get close to getting caught, I would get Goosebumps!

The author filled the books with tons of great, vivid details. " To come to Cobbler's Bay during wartime and find ugly growths all over it and great monstrous ships sitting in its innocent water, like big metal leeches, made me both angry and unhappy." (Page 83) I had no trouble picturing everything in my head.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read thrilling and capturing books. When you start reading it, you never want to put it down. The characters that the author created were very realistic with their own personalities that make them sound even more real. I gave this book 5 stars!

Average customer rating:

A good beginning to a new series

A Great New PI in the Tradition of Spenser and Archer

Great Read!

A Great First Novel

Almost 5 stars

A Killing Frost
Michael A. Black
Manufacturer: Five Star Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1410401316

Customer Reviews:

A good beginning to a new series.......2006-05-07

Ron Shade is a Chicago-based PI in the vein of Robert B. Parker's Spenser. However, he is not a clone in any stretch of the imagination.

Since this is one of Shade's first fiction books, it is expected for there to be a few hiccups along the way. However, Black's effort was well-done with less problems than many established authors have exhibited.

The plot involves the disappearance of an illegal alien. Shade is hired to find him. Along the way, his car is stolen and he finds romance and romantic difficulties.

Like a Spenser novel, it is not the suspense of finding out whodunnit that keeps the reader turning pages. Rather, it is the interest in finding out how the hero will stick it to the bad guys.

Solid read. I give this one a B and I'll be looking for the sequels.

A Great New PI in the Tradition of Spenser and Archer.......2005-02-21

Author Michael Black has created a PI (Ron Shade) for the current times and set his PI in the Windy City, Chicago. That is fitting, since the author also has been a cop in Chicago for a number of years, and obviously, Chicago has some "mean streets" down which PI Ron Shade can prowl.

As a female reader who enjoys PI novels, I can't help but think that Black has created a PI that's macho--Shade is a competitive kickboxer--and one that also has a kind of gentle soul. For example, in Shade's love scenes with girl friend Maria, he is sensitve with a slow hand, so to speak.

Black's writing is spare and moves the story along quietly and efficiently. The reader doesn't have to wade through lengthy exposition. I could see a bit of Parker's Spenser in Ron Shade. For example, Spenser works out at a gym with a buddy who owns it, and Shade works out, too, and has a buddy in Chappie, the gym owner and his manager. There's also a bit of Macdonald's Lew Archer in Shade in that both have loner/melancholy qualities about them.

But Shade is distinctive.

I finished the book in one sitting, and when I closed it, I had the sense that I'd gotten in on the ground floor with this debut novel of Black's. I have no doubt that his PI character will evolve in upcoming novels and give readers many hours of enjoyment.

And I'm looking forward to the next one.

Great Read!.......2003-12-16

I enjoyed this novel. It was a fast and fun read and I am looking forward to more by him. I think he is going to get better and better. Bring on the next book!

A Great First Novel.......2003-08-19

"A Killing Frost" is a fun read. If you don't want anything to heavy and are into the Robert B. Parker style of gumshoe, you will definitely enjoy Michael Blacks' introdcution to Ron Shade, detective and martial artist.

The story, like all good detective novels, is written in the first person. Ron Shade is a former SWAT team member and martial artist, currently attempting to win the world heavyweight kickboxing title. The story is simple and fairly straight forward (Really just a missing person case) and therefore highly believable. Black's understanding of police procedure and his in depth knowledge of the feelings that a fighter has while he trains are very entertaining. There is a nice romance underlying the main story that keeps the reader caring about the characters. Also, the descriptions of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs are right on the nut.

This book was definitely worth the money spent. Hopefully we haven't seen the last of Michael Black.

Almost 5 stars.......2003-01-22

Black is a confident writer with a take charge attitude. He doesn't waste too many pages setting up his characters, explaining their relationships to each other or any subtle clues on when or where the mystery will occur. Instead he gives us a character who is original yet funny but has had his share of bad luck. Ron grew up in Chicago and had a rough childhood. An older cop took him under his wing and convinced to serve in the army. Upon his return he joined the men in blue in protecting the rough streets of Chicago while on duty one day something goes wrong and he is no longer a cop. The author hasn't fully told this story but his friends are sympathetic to him as he begins a career as a private detective. While all this is going on, he is also working out for a fight in the ring where boxing and kick boxing is combined into an event. His current case is for an old friend who is trying to locate a missing fiancee. As Ron works the case, he learns that Carlos uncovered a dirty secret for the company he was employed. Black uses an old plot of a company doing deceitful things and hiding under dummy corporation to fly under the radar of the government. The originality comes from the way Black uses action to propel the plot to the end. I figured
out early on what the secret was but by that time I wanted to see how Ron would figure it all out. And Ron works hard to apprehend the persons in the company he rubs the investigator on the case the wrong way and ends up solving the case his way. If you like Myron ( Harlan Coben ) or Elvis ( Robert Crais) or even Patrick ( Dennis Lehane) give this new author a chance. He will be a master storyteller like Connelly soon.

Average customer rating:

"Killer Frost" is a "killer read"!
The book was great
Horror for the 21st Century
A page turner
Revolting.

Killing Frost
Dan L. Blake
Manufacturer: Press Tige Pub Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

It must be a horrible way to die -- being eaten alive. How long can a person remain conscious while having fist-sized pieces of flesh torn off, five minutes..one minute? Raymond Frost's financee' could tell you, but she's dead. Collin could tell you, but..yeah, he's dead too (and all he wanted was to get in his girlfriend's pants). A lot of people are dead in Farmington, Indiana -- all dismebowled and half-eaten..then there is Raymond who could tell you but he is running on all fours...Great horror book, order now!

Customer Reviews:

"Killer Frost" is a "killer read"!.......2000-08-12

A great fun read! Non-stop reading! Talk about "Sympathy For The Devil",I had "Sympathy For The Werewolf!Great!

The book was great.......2000-08-12

I really enjoyed reading this book I thought the author really researched the backgound of the book very well.

Horror for the 21st Century.......2000-08-03

I found the book to be exciting and very thought provoking. It definately put another spin on the mystic world of the werewolf. This book breaths new life into the horror genre and gives the werewolf more of a sense of identity. It's great to find an author with such an imagination and an attention for details. The characters were well developed and the details of the background information (scenery, buildings, history) indicate to me the author truly researched his topic. I look forward to more of his work.

A page turner.......2000-07-20

I loved it. I couldn't put it down. It would make a great movie.

Revolting........1999-04-29

The plot was sickening. I felt nothing for the protagonist except disgust (And I felt "nothing" for the secondary characters). "Is this a joke?", I kept asking myself. Bringing out a book such as this takes publishing to a new low.

Average customer rating:

The Killing Frost
Thomas Hayden
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0312070101

Killing Frost: A Garth Ryland Mystery (Riggs, John R., Garth Ryland Mystery.)

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Well - I enjoyed it!

Killing Frost: A Garth Ryland Mystery (Riggs, John R., Garth Ryland Mystery.)
John R. Riggs
Manufacturer: Barricade Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Well - I enjoyed it!.......2007-08-20

There is always something about a hero, who doesn't quite make hero status that warms my heart. And a mystery set in a small, stable community where everyone has known everyone for their whole life, always sets my imagination on fire.

The mystery is rational. The resolution sound. And yet, somehow humbling.

Average customer rating:

Awesome sci-fi
Clunky
Gary Stu to the rescue
entertaining space opera

The Killing Frost
Scott Gamboe
Manufacturer: Medallion Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1932815988

Book Description

There is an uneasy peace between the United Systems Coalition and the Bromidian Empire. But it is constantly strained by the actions of a group of renegade Bromidians who call themselves Rising Sun, and an elite Coalition military group known as the Avengers has been fighting a covert war against them for years.Captain Arano Lakeland leads one of the teams. His motivation, vengeance. Revenge against the Rising Suns invasion of his homeworld and the subsequent slaughter of his family. His actions, however, in his relentless quest to see the Bromidian empire brought to its knees, have won him the enmity of Grand High Councilor Balor Tient, a corrupt man holding one of the most powerful positions in the Coalition.To further complicate matters, Aranos efforts to prove a connection between Rising Sun and the Bromidian government are being hampered by both a traitor in the Coalition bureaucracy, and the Coalitions desire for peace at any price. And now it is a race against time as Arano and his companions try to survive long enough to solve a series of brutal murders, expose the traitor in their midst, and unite various factions with the Coalition. And if he fails?Cataclysmic war that will engulf the entire galaxy.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome sci-fi.......2007-08-03

I found this to be an extremely enjoyable read. Characters are well developed and travel through an infinitely interesting universe. The story is very entertaining and unfolds in a fast pace that keeps you reading. Hope there's a sequel.

Clunky.......2007-06-27

Interesting ideas, terrible execution. Plot points are so obvious you can forecast twists chapters in advance. Any time the good guys are getting beat you can count on a new weapon or sudden break in the case to save the day. WAAAAYY to long for a freshman effort.

Gary Stu to the rescue.......2007-03-19

A tedious combination of a police procedural and "special forces to the rescue" space opera. The characters are wooden, the pacing is leaden, and Captain Exposition makes way too many appearances. The hero with his super reflexes and "danger sense" is an obvious Gary Stu - a male Mary Sue stand-in for the author.

There's plenty of good space opera out there. Don't waste your time with this one.

entertaining space opera.......2006-09-10

In 2212 the cold war hostilities between the United Systems Coalition and the Bromidian Empire seem one incident away from a major confrontation. One particular nasty insurgent group the Rising Sun constantly brings the war to the USC though the Bromidians deny any connection to these guerillas. To counter the Rising Sun, the USC formed military units, Avengers. One such unit Avenger Team 5 is headed by Padian Captain Arano Lakeland, who seeks the annihilation of these killers as they violently massacred his family years ago.

Arano and his crew are unraveling a plot engineered by a traitor high up in the USC leadership. He takes actions that many people will applaud while others feel cross the line of humanity. Especially critical of Arano is powerful Grand High Councilor Balor Tient, who swears that the captain is no better than the enemy with his disregard for protocol. Balor has his right hand man Cono Vishturn accompany Arano allegedly to study his tactics. What makes his work even more difficult for Arano is the fact he is falling in love with his human Squad B Captain Alyna Marquat, but the mission comes first as failure means a galaxy at war with his side losing their superiority due to sedition.

Though the good guys and bad guys are obvious from the start, THE KILLING FROST is an entertaining space opera. Arano makes the tale as a warrior whose credo is carved in the blood of his family that no enemy is left behind alive so that they can try to kill you again. The story line is action-packed as war means death; something Arano understands when he kills the adversaries from long distance. Though a conspiracy simplifies the internal USC conflict, fans of military science fiction will appreciate the exploits of this no-nonsense hero and his loyal troops and hope this book is the first in a series because it is totally enthralling.

Harriet Klausner

Frost killing and hardiness of plants: A critical review

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Frost killing and hardiness of plants: A critical review
J Levitt
Manufacturer: Burgess Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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A KILLING FROST
SYLVIA WILKINSON
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BKDU9M

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Killing Frost
Sylvia wilkinson
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0671820206

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Killing Frost
Michael A Black
Manufacturer: THORNDIKE PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SN60OO

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