Life and Death of the Salt Marsh

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A few feet above high tide from Maine to Florida

THEY PRACTICED WHAT THEY PREACHED

Wonderful description of a vanishing paradise

Lots of info on the ecology of the salt marsh ecosystem.

Life and Death of the Salt Marsh
John Teal , and Mildred Teal
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore: From the Bay of Fundy to Cape Hatteras (Peterson Field Guides(R))

ASIN: 0345310276
Release Date: 1983-07-12

Book Description

"At low tide, the wind blowing across Spartina grass sounds like wind of the prairie. When the tide is in, the gentle music of moving water is added to the prairie rustle.... "

One of nature's greatest gifts is the string of salt marshes that edges the East Coast from Newfoundland to Florida -- a ribbon of green growth, part solid land, part scurrying water. Life and Death of the Salt Marsh shows how these marshes are developed, what kinds of life inhabit them, how enormously they have contributed to man, and how ruthlessly man is destroying them.

Customer Reviews:

A few feet above high tide from Maine to Florida.......2002-10-01

The book promotes an awareness of the salt marsh ... from glacial history to the hunting of doughbirds (Eskimo curlews). Though salt marshes don't have high species diversity, the Teal's cover the range from Spartina and Juncus plants (and sawgrass in Florida), to the economically important Blue Crabs, to annoying insects like greenheads and deerfly. From the salt marsh detritus, is the nutrient soup that becomes the basis for the shrimp and mullet we love to eat.

The Teals also offer conservation ideas. When the book was written (1969), DDT was not yet banned. The chapter on mosquito control is enlightening ... and with the occurrence of West Nile Virus, there will be more pressure on mosquito control, so one hopes it is balanced. The history of marsh destruction in Boston is illustrative. The good news is that in the 1950's the rate of coastal wetland loss was about 46,000 acres/year, but today it is around 20-25,000 per year. Unfortunately pressures of coastal development continue. This book helps me feel lucky to live near Florida "Big Bend" with large stretches of Gulf salt marsh from the Ochlockonee River south to St. Petersburg.

THEY PRACTICED WHAT THEY PREACHED.......2001-02-17

Sometime between 1970 and 1975, my family and I spent a week with friends who lived in Falmouth, on Cape Cod. Because one of our friends was a Marine Biologist at Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute and worked with John Teal, one of the authors of this book, we were lucky enough to attend a Fourth of July Celebration at the Teal's farm.

John and Mildred had purchased a colonial era Cape Cod farmhouse and the hundred or so acres that surrounded it. Other than hot and cold running water, electricity and natural gas, and a slightly modernized kitchen (i.e. the stove used gas rather than burning wood), the house looked much as it had when it had been built.

As might be expected, the Teal's Independence Day celebration was ecologically sound and reflected the era in which the farmhouse was built. The children got rides on one of the more tame domesticated goats, the women competed in tossing a rolling pin for distance and accuracy, and the men tried out old fashioned farm implements. The food was prepared from hand gathered and harvested local foods. For instance we had mussel salad made from mussels that I had help gather the day before. There were cranberries from one of the Cape's cranberry bogs, and quahogs and oysters dug up just long enough ago to let them naturally filter out the sand.

The point of all this is that the Teals believed in and acted on the ecological and preservationist principles that they espoused in their book. In LIFE AND DEATH OF THE SALT MARSH, they do a wonderful job of discussing how a salt marsh is formed, how long it takes, and how ecologically fragile it is. They make the point that man can, and does, destroy in a decade or less what it has taken nature centuries to build. Since, as they point out, the salt marshes play an important part in nature's food chain and ultimately in the life cycles of many species, when we damage or destroy these natural habitats, the consequences can be disastrous.

If we all could live a little more like the Teals were living, our children and their children might still have some of nature's bounty left to enjoy in future years.

It is my opinion that this is one of those books that ought to be compulsory reading for every thinking human being.

Wonderful description of a vanishing paradise.......1999-04-15

I often visit salt marshes in my kayak in the Cape May (NJ) area. This book has enhanced my enjoyment by allowing me to more fully understand my experiences in the wetlands. Read the book and get on your kayak!

Lots of info on the ecology of the salt marsh ecosystem........1999-04-09

Life and Death of the Salt Marsh. Teal, John and Mildred. Atlantic Monthly Press, Boston. 1969.

Life and Death of the Salt Marsh is a book that focuses on many aspects of the ecology of the salt marsh. To quote the authors, it is "about the marshes of the East Coast of North America: how they were formed; why they continue to exist; the interplay of plants and animals; and the effect of that influential animal, man." This book does a very thorough job of covering all these topics. It begins with the story of one particular salt marsh, how it formed, what happened to it when colonists first arrived and used it for hay production, and its eventual death after human impact became so great as to prevent marsh recovery. The remainder of the book gives detailed descriptions of the processes and organisms that affect the salt marsh. These include the geology, history of glaciation, plant and animal species, seasons, and topics relating to marsh pollution and conservation. Considering that this book was written in 1969, thirty years ago, it still seems to have good scientific accuracy. The details concerning the geology and species of the marsh probably have not changed much in the past thirty years. The dominant species of the salt marsh are the Spartina grasses. These grasses were often gathered as feed for livestock during early settlement. Many birds make there home in the salt marsh and were often hunted for food. It is interesting to look at this book from a historical perspective, especially the sections on conservation. Preservation of marshes is important for many reasons. The main reason for preservation being that a large variety of species rely on salt marshes during part or all of their life cycle. Many of these species are commercially viable and are (or were when the book was written) important to the East Coast economy. The chapter on pollution control was very interesting because it includes discussion of the use of DDT. Most ecologist today have heard of or read Silent Spring and know about the dangers of DDT. Life and Death of the Salt Marsh was written just before Silent Spring, by Janet Carson, and brings up the many dangers and harmful side effects of DDT. Obvious DDT was an area of concern for many people in fields related to ecology in the late 60's. It is interesting that a recommendation is made to use only minimum levels of DDT is specific areas, instead of a complete discontinuation of its use. The entire book could be related to many aspects of ecology and is thus relevant to anyone interested in the ecology of salt marshes. The first section of the book, the actual story of the life and death of a specific salt marsh, is easy to read and entertaining. It provides an overview of much of the information presented later in greater detail. I would recommend just Part 1 to any one interested in an overview of marshes and the effects of human settlement near or on them. Someone reading just this section would learn a great deal about the ecology of the salt marsh. Later sections are a bit more technical then the first and take longer to read. They do however provide very specific and useful information in a way much more enjoyable then something like a text book. These later sections should be read by anyone planning to do research in or near salt marshes. They could also be used as a reference. For example, someone interested in mosquito control problems in marshes would find it very useful to read that specific chapter. Despite the fact that this book was written 30 years ago I would still recommend it to anyone interested in marshes or other types of wetlands. The information is provided in a clear and fairly interesting manner and could be applied to other areas. At the least it is a good introduction to the many interrelating aspects of an ecosystem and why they should all be considered before destroying or preserving an area.

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Life and Death of The Salt Marsh

Manufacturer: Audubon Book/Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000H0ODFG

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Life & Death of Salt Marsh
John Teal
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 0345270932
Release Date: 1977-03-12

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life and Death of the Salt Marsh
John and Mildred Teal
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (T)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OUJS1I

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LIFE AND DEATH OF THE SALT MARSHES. Drawings by RIchard Fish
John & Mildred Teal. Teal
Manufacturer: Little, Brown & Co.,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7HW0Q

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Life and Death of the Salt Marsh
John Teal
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000OKXRL0

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Life and Death of the Salt Marsh
John & Mildred Teal
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V86PFK

Book Description

Must Sees Washington DC

Customer Reviews:

All in a nut shell.......2007-08-18

compact information, great for planning a short visit to DC., especialy for people with limited time for preparations.

Must have for visiting DC.......2005-04-13

I bought this book to facilitate my recent family trip to DC. While I went to school in DC, it has been a few years since I have visited. I wanted something to bring me current post 9/11.

This book is not as encompassing as others on the market but, it gets the job done. It is concise and to the point. Many main and "off the beaten path" attractions are identified. Although in the dining section, my favorite Georgetown Italian resturant was overlooked. I can forgive that. The book offers great recommendations on places to eat, stay and visit.

If you are going to DC buy this book to carry with you. It will easily fit into a pocket for ease of use.

a Must-Have when visiting DC.......2004-05-24

I am visit the DC area frequently, but I rarely take the time to explore the tourist sights. This book really gave me some great insights on the sights and helped me prioritize what I wanted to see. The restaurant & hotel suggestions were outstanding, I was not once disappointed. The 'musts for kids' section was very useful in helping me plan not-so-boring things for my children to do. Michelin points out activities & attractions for kids that really peaked their interest (and mine too!!)

Book Description

Tomás Rivera's original Spanish-language novel plus a new translation into English by Evangelina Vigil-Piñón. ...y no se lo tragó la tierra won the first national award for Chicano literature in 1970 and has become the standard literary text for Hispanic literature classes throughout the country. It is now an award-winning, motion picture entitled And the Earth Did Not Swaloow Him.

Customer Reviews:

Lack of character.......2007-03-21

Although the book may be poetic and lyrically written, the superfluity of figurative language and abstract narration makes it difficult to extract the true meaning behind its short stories and anecdotes. The lack of definitive characters, names, and personalities make it difficult to tell exactly what is going on and completely renders character development obsolete. The book, although it addresses very real tensions on several factors, fails to drive home the significance of tribulations and common place yet serious issues that the migrant workers deal with because of it's occult language and stream of conscious stylistic writing. If you can read Spanish, the original is far more impactful than the translated version, but still leaves the reader in an unsatisfied state of confusion as to what actually happened. For those of you who do not care for stories without a story, this book is not for you.

A interesting book.......2005-12-13

1A - Laura C.

I really loved to read this book because it help me to understand the difficult times the mexican-americans passed through. While I read this book I identified myself with it. I think the writer of the book did a wonderful job because through this book he let people know how important the challenges in your life are. They help you to become better everyday and inspire other people not to give up. I really enjoyed this book.
"GOOD JOB"

Struggle to Survive.......2005-12-08

This book is about immigrants coming from Mexico to the U.S. and struggling to survive. This book has taught me many things about migrant families. One thing that I learned is that it is not easy to survive in a world were racism exist. One example of racism is that there is hard labor but the bosses rarely care about their workers health. In the first short story "the children can't wait," the boy is just too young and to thirsty to continue on working because he has been working in the fields all day. The sun is the worst enemy a person can have, since it can give you a sunstroke, which is caused by overexposure to sun and heat. The boss wanted the workers to keep on working no matter what. He then noticed that a boy kept on going for water and more water after each couple of minutes. The boss then decided to give the boy a big scare but his plan backfire and instead caused a big problem. I consider this to be one of the saddest short stories. This book includes other short stories about migrant families and their ways of life. For example, large families living in chickens coops, the things children have to give up in order to help their parents in the fields, and the amount of labor that work migrant families have to do for a pathetic low wage of $3.50 a day. Families also are never stable in one place because they have to keep on looking for work every time there is no more work where they are located at the moment. Therefore, I believe that it is not easy being a migrant worker. This book is worth anybody's time to read. I recommend this book to anybody that is interested in learning about some of the hard struggles that migrant families have to endure in order to survive.

Honest Coming of Age Stories........2005-05-17

I took a literature class this semester that focused largely on literature of the Mexican-American experience. "...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him" was one of my favorite books of the semester (though there were a couple that I thought were better), and it was probably my classmates' single favorite. There was certainly a large response from the students, and it was not without reason.

This book consists of several related stories. All of them are about the experience of the poor, migrant farmworker. There is such compassion and humanity in these people as they struggle to survive. The stories depict the cruelty of the life and particularly the way it is inflicted on people. There is also much about the community's ability to come together to help one another survive. Of course, there are also stories that depict the harsh pressure inflicted on relationships by the hardship of these peoples' lives. The stories usually come back to the single character, a young boy coming of age in this suffering community. His plight is particularly emphasized. He has to struggle to quell his hatred of those people who hold his fate in their hands, and he has to struggle with God. The community's faith in God offers them the only hope and meaning they have, but the boy questions a God who seems to be absent in his struggle.

Ultimately, Rivera's work is a compelling read. There are a lot of reasons to read the work. It tells an honest coming of age story, and it depicts the unique pressures of locating identity with such social hardship. There are also so many moving, provocative images in the stories. There is a lot of meaning to be found here.

I'm not a Spanish-speaker, and as such, I can't really vouch for the translation. I've heard a number of people complain about this translation, and I do doubt that it does the original full justice. It's still worth reading though. It seems that reading these stories in whatever form available is better than not reading the book at all.

A Review with a Claim.......2004-04-23

-----Teachers all over America force their students to read many books to help them find self-identity in the awkward years before adulthood. Most students, for example, are forced to read Catcher in the Rye. This book recognizes issues that the white, urban, middle to upper class American youth goes through. Issues like sex, drugs, school, changes and overall life in the city. This book helps much of the youth, including myself, cope with growing up. It doesn't, however, cover the issue of segregation and poverty. These two topics are very common, and have a huge impact on much of the American youth. A book that does cover these topics, however, is one written by Tomas Rivera, entitled, And the Earth Did Not Devour Him. Tomas Rivera creates fictional short stories, from an adolescent's perspective, about real life issues for Mexican-Americans in the early to middle twentieth century. Though the stories are fiction, Rivera articulates truths about the struggles with issues like work, family, religion, poverty and segregation. Rivera has created a book that could greatly serve as a coping tool for youths that struggle with such issues. It should therefore, be brought into American school systems in order to allow students to identify with it as they mature into adults.
-----One of the short stories that pretty much discuss each of the issues including work, family, religion, poverty and segregation is, in fact, the one the book's named after, "And the Earth Did Not Devour Him." It covers not only work related issues like low pay, long hours, hot weather, unreasonable bosses, and young children working, but also poverty, family and religion. This story is about a poor family where almost all members have to help out and work. They all work on a plantation where, during the peak of summer, the sun starts to get to them and they drop like flies due to sunstroke. A young boy is witnessing this and is constantly expressing how he feels. He starts to question God. He wonders why God would do this to his kind, hard working family. He curses God and finally after doing so feels at peace. This story is one of the most powerful stories in the book. It is well written, covering many issues in only a matter of pages. Many children grow up and see their family work so hard without much to show for it. Because of this, many children blame God or question their religion. There is no answer to such frustration but this story can help be a tool to help cope with it. This is just one out of the many stories in this book that is meaningful in some aspect. Each represents a memory in a young boy's life that was important to him, in a good or bad way. Rivera effectively uses the child's memory as a way to jump from story to story. By doing this, the book doesn't get boring and he tackles many different issues.
-----This book definitely takes the role as a deconstruction literary style in the aspect that the stories can be taken more than one way. Readers could use them to cope, as a lesson, or just for entertainment. I, personally, found this book to be very moving, informative and entertaining. I became aware of how fortunate I am not to have to deal with such issues. With the deconstruction literary style in mind, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone of any age, especially a youth that has suffered from work, family, religion, poverty or segregation. Teachers should defiantly bring this book into their curriculum where it can be used to help cope with growing up or to learn about some of the struggles that many oppressed Americans, mostly Mexican Americans, went through and/or still go through.

And the Earth Did Not Devour Him/Y No Se Lo Trago LA Tierra

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And the Earth Did Not Devour Him/Y No Se Lo Trago LA Tierra
Tomas Rivera
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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ASIN: 0613179595

Y No Se Lo Trago LA Tierra and the Earth Did Not Devour Him

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Y No Se Lo Trago LA Tierra and the Earth Did Not Devour Him
Tomas Rivera
Manufacturer: Arte Publico Pr
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0934770727

Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra/And the Earth Did Not Part

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Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra/And the Earth Did Not Part

Manufacturer: Editorial Justa Publications Inc.
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Binding: Paperback
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The Earth Did Not Part / Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra (Signed)

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The Earth Did Not Part / Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra (Signed)
Tomas Rivera
Manufacturer: Quinto Sol
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Binding: Paperback
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La teoría de "La dialéctica de la diferencia" en la novela chicana, de Ramón Saldívar: Un análisis metacrítico del texto (Serie Reflexión)

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La teoría de "La dialéctica de la diferencia" en la novela chicana, de Ramón Saldívar: Un análisis metacrítico del texto (Serie Reflexión)
Justo S. Alarcón
Manufacturer: Editorial Orbis Press
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Binding: Paperback

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Literatura y sociedad en el mundo chicano: Incluye, --y no se lo trago la tierra de Tomas Rivera (Serie Arte y cultura)

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Literatura y sociedad en el mundo chicano: Incluye, --y no se lo trago la tierra de Tomas Rivera (Serie Arte y cultura)
Juan Gutierrez Martinez-Conde
Manufacturer: Ediciones de la Torre
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Binding: Unknown Binding

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Y No Se Lo Trago LA Tierra/and the Earth Did Not Devour Him
Tomas Rivera
Manufacturer: Arte Publico Pr
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Binding: Paperback
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ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF TOMAS RIVERA'S ... Y NO SE LO TRAGO LA TIERRA.(Mexican American author): An article from: World Literature Today

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ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF TOMAS RIVERA'S ... Y NO SE LO TRAGO LA TIERRA.(Mexican American author): An article from: World Literature Today
Rolando Hinojosa-smith
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on January 1, 2001. The length of the article is 2382 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF TOMAS RIVERA'S ... Y NO SE LO TRAGO LA TIERRA.(Mexican American author)
Author: Rolando Hinojosa-smith
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2001
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: 75 Issue: 1 Page: 82

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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Y No Se Lo Trago La Tierra
Tomas Rivera
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

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ASIN: 0613978846

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