The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors, Second Edition

Book Description

Now with full-color topographic maps and featuring the latest on electronic navigation, The Essential Wilderness Navigator is the clearest and most up-to-date route-finding primer available. Providing readers with exercises for developing a directional ‘sixth sense,’ tips on mastering the art of map- and compass-reading, and comprehensive updates on a range of technological advances, this perennially popular guide is more indispensable than ever.

Customer Reviews:

The Essential Wilderness Navigator.......2007-10-09

The relaxed, conversational pace of this book may appeal to some readers. It strikes me otherwise, and feels wordy, and in places little more than fluff. If the writing were tighter, the details would stand out better. Those details are there and worth getting. It is a good introduction in that sense. For some readers this may be enough. If you are inclined to read more than one book on any subject you're interested in, then this may be helpful as one of the first books on navigation you might read. But it is unlikely it'd be your last.

Very informitive.......2007-08-19

Great book. Read it before I went on a backpacking trip to Colorado. It taught me a lot about map reading, how to use a compass, and also how to be more aware of my surroundings. I would suggest this book to anyone who backpacks or does day trips.

Good Book.......2007-05-13

This is a excellent book if you do not have a knowledge of the wilderness. I would recommend it highly

Difficult to get lost with this one..........2005-09-05

An excellent book for those starting out on orienteering. Very good conversational wording. Doesn't use too much jargon. The practical exercises are easily understood. The combination of the written word and neat diagrams and pictures make the information easily digestable.

Excellent Map and Compass Instruction Book.......2004-12-04

You want to learn how to use a map and compass? For hiking or backpacking, especially remote wilderness? This is the best comprehensive book I've found on the subject, bar none. Reasons:

1. It gets to the point quickly in teaching you map & compass fundamentals. No fluff, no wasted time on esoteric principles of magnetism or the rules of orienteering competitions (a fine sport, but one bearing little resemblance to actual wilderness navigation with its special large-scale magnetic-north maps and simplified compasses etc.) Instead, this book concentrates on one objective: accurate land navigation in a wilderness environment.

2. It teaches realistic methods, and does not emphasize the unrealistic ones (one glaring example: penciling a lot of inaccurate magnetic declination lines all over your map the night before your trip (because the author used the method once for an adventure race with a special large-scale map and thinks it's cool) instead of just buying a compass with adjustable declination or pasting a pointer indicating a true bearing on your compass baseplate! Hey, sitting atop a windblown mountain is no place to attempt to draw magnetic lines of declination with a three-inch compass baseplate when you walk off your pre-marked map or have to use a friend's copy!

3. It has large, clear, easy-to-follow illustrations. Believe me, this is a rarity in most map/compass books.

4. It teaches BOTH compass dead reckoning (compass only) AND terrain association (map priority) navigation principles and shows the advantages and weaknesses of each in a given situation. Some orienteering-biased books would have you believe the compass is only good for aligning a map to magnetic north!

5. It has nice large pages and lies flat while you refer to various sections and practice using your map & compass in the field. Don't laugh. Remember, you will learn land navigation by practicing outdoors what you're reading. One session of trying to refer to the tiny pocket paperback pages and dingy photos of competing books will make you a believer in a large-paged instruction book with clear illustrations.

6. It covers more advanced map/compass skills (resection, finding position from a baseline and landmark, etc.) as well as beginner exercises, and does so in the same clear, practical way without excessive verbiage or attempts to be clever. One competing book spent 3 entire pages on how to use a 1902 compass design!

7. It warns you of the great inaccuracies of some improvised 'navigational' methods (like telling directions from a wristwatch and the sun) while still giving you useful information on finding direction from Polaris and other methods that do work well enough for emergency navigation.

8. While it has the mandatory chapter on GPS and the development of computer-generated waypoints, it does not attempt to be a 'all-method navigation' book. Such a book does not exist. Either the GPS material will be inadequate (because no general GPS book can cover each model of GPS and their widely varying operational characteristics in different outdoor environments) or the map/compass material is too abbreviated. Learn to use a map & compass before all else - this book makes it simple.

Little Horse on His Own (Early Chapter Books (Henry Holt & Company))

Average customer rating:

Great Book
cute little story
Adorable New Children's Book

Little Horse on His Own (Early Chapter Books (Henry Holt & Company))
Betsy Byars
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Little Horse
The Wild Little Horse
Horses and Ponies (Kingfisher Riding Club)
Snow Ponies
Teeny Tiny Ernest (Ernest series)

ASIN: 0805073523
Release Date: 2004-08-12

Book Description

Little Horse had never known the sky to be so black, the air so still. He heard the big horses whinny again. Little Horse's fear grew. The adventures of Little Horse continue as he makes his way back to the valley of little horses and his mother The storm sets Little Horse free from the fence holding him captive, free to do what he has wanted to do since the day the river carried him around its bend and away from his home-find his way back to the valley of the little horses and his mother. But where should he turn, and how will he ever return home alive with all of the obstacles facing him? Travel with Little Horse as he struggles against unfriendly horses, a malicious bird, a pouncing cat, a smoky fire, and more to find his way home.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-07-28

This is a great book for beginner chapter readers. IT is also good for children with Visual problems for the words are large enough and the Book has enough space between sentences which is a bonus.

cute little story.......2005-02-25

Little Horse is enjoying the day as he grazes in the field near his home. All of a sudden a storm comes up. He is swept down the river and he finds himself all alone. He faces all sorts of obstacles such as a fire and a dangerous bird! Will he ever find his way back home? Read Little Horse on His Own to find out.
I liked this book because it was easy to read. Kids who are just staring to read chapter books will enjoy this horse story.
Yes, I would definitely recommend this book to children of all ages. Especially those who have a great interest in horses. They will enjoy getting to know the main character of Little Horse.

Adorable New Children's Book.......2004-08-25

Little Horse is happily enjoying his time grazing in the field, when a storm, complete with dark black clouds, and torrential rains sets him free from his holding. This, in turn, allows him to do what he was wanted to do since the river carried him away from his true home, find the valley of horses and his beloved Mother. However, Little Horse soon finds that his journey is to be far more dangerous than he could have ever expected, for the outside world holds many new obstacles that he must overcome, in order to find himself safe at home with his family. From smoky fires, to vicious birds, Little Horse must find his way around anything the enters his path.

Betsy Byars has created an enjoyable new book for young readers. Little Horse is a fun character, whom children will easily sympathize with, as his moods change from lonely to happy, and from sad to mad. The obstacles he encounters on his way back to the Valley are enjoyable, and will have readers rooting for Little Horse to complete his journey and be reunited with his Mother in the end. Overall this is a wonderful new read in the world of children's fiction, that will be cherished by all, whether you're a horse lover or not.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Average customer rating:

Logan says
Great read for young and old
A reader from North Carolina
Good read
Canyon Winter

Canyon Winter
Walt Morey
Manufacturer: Rebound by Sagebrush
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Gentle Ben (Puffin Modern Classics)
Kavik the Wolf Dog
Scrub Dog of Alaska (Walter Morey Adventure Library)
Hero
Death Walk (The Walt Morey Adventure Library)

ASIN: 0613125487

Customer Reviews:

Logan says.......2007-03-13

Canyon Winter

Canyon Winter is a book written by Walt Morey. The main part of the story takes place in the mountains.
Lucky To Survive

It's a story about a boy who was involved in a plane crash which the pilot saved him in. The pilot died, but a boy named Peter survived. He met an old man named Omar Picket who helped Peter stay alive with food and shelter. In Peters search to find his way home, Omar ends up saving him from dangers in the wilderness. Omar also taught Peter survival skills. Peter and Omar became best friends. One of them lives, and one of them dies. You better read the book to find out.
You Better Be Ready

I liked this book because new things kept popping up. Each page was full of excitement and adventure. Wild animals attacked Peter, and Omar saved his life. Their friendship grew stronger every day .I loved this book because every time they turned a corner there was another adventure for them to experience.
Will To Live

No mater how many obstacles he ran into, Peter always focused on his goal to return to his family.
Thumbs Up

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read exciting books and wilderness books with animals.

Great read for young and old.......2006-05-04

I remember reading this book in the early 80s, and loved it. I bought a copy at the time and saved it and now love to read it to my own son.

It is filled with a lot of good lessons for children, lessons about the sanctitiy of all life and about the reciprocal relationship between man, wildlife and the environment. It is a story that thoughfully illustrates how man is part of nature, as opposed to man being above nature.

A reader from North Carolina.......2003-10-10

Peter was a teenager that crashed in a wilderness. He didn't know what to do or what to expect. He learns many lessons about life from a man named Omar. He saves something that is important. Read the book to find out what it is and how he does it.

Good read.......2003-10-06

This book is about a teenager named Pete is stranded in a mountain area after his small plane crashes and kills his pilot. Pete then must make it on his own. Or, that is what the reader is thinking. Yet Pete soon finds a cabin, and also finds the cabins cranky old owner, Omar. This is when the book really begins to excell. The relationship between Omar and Pete strenghens over time, and soon they are getting along well. Omar tells Pete of his desire to fight a logging company who wants to destroy the beautiful area in which Omar lives. This book is not like Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, in that the struggle for survival is not the heart of it. The book is about the coming of age of Pete and his turning from a boy to a young man.

Canyon Winter.......2002-05-03

I this this is a wonderful book. It teaches respect, bravery, honesty, perseverance, trust, and protecting what you love, like a virgin forest from loggers. I think that everyone should read this book. I would be more helpful, though, if you lowered the price. I had a little trouble buying it. I hope everyone else who read this review will buy the book from you. CANYON WINTER!!!

Average customer rating:

On the Far Side of the Mountain
LEARNING TO LET GO
Great Book
on the far side of the mountain
OTFSOTM Review

On the Far Side of the Mountain
Jean Craighead George
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Frightful's Mountain
My Side of the Mountain (Puffin Modern Classics)
Frightful's Daughter
The Julie Trilogy (Julie of the Wolves)
My Side of the Mountain

ASIN: 0141312416

Amazon.com

Life in the wilderness has just become a lot thornier for young Sam Gribley. For the last two years he's been living in a hollowed-out tree in the Catskill Mountains, hunting and gathering his food supply and befriending the critters in his "neighborhood." Sam's peaceful existence is abruptly shattered when an environmental conservation officer confiscates his peregrine falcon, Frightful. To make matters worse, Sam's sister Alice, who has been living with him for the past year, has disappeared. This double blow quickly puts Sam on the trail to the far side of his mountain, pursuing a multifaceted mystery that, ultimately, will force him to make the biggest decision of his life.

Thirty years after the publication of her Newbery Honor Book, My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George rewarded her many fans with an exciting sequel. This remarkable author of over 80 books and recipient of more than 20 literary awards (including the Newbery Medal for Julie of the Wolves) is a passionate advocate for the environment. Her knack for naturalist writing that crackles with life will have readers of all ages chomping at the bit for the third novel in her trilogy, Frightful's Mountain. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Two years ago, Sam ran away from New York City to live in the Catskill Mountains. Now his younger sister Alice has joined him and is quietly living in a tree house of her own nearby. Their peaceful life is shattered when a conservation officer confiscates Sam's falcon, Frightful, and Alice suddenly vanishes. Sam leaves his home to search for Alice, hoping to find Frightful, too. But the trail to the far side of the mountain may lead Sam into great danger.

"Surpasses the original in style and substance . . . This story [is] a jewel."
-Booklist

"George has outdone herself here."
-Kirkus Reviews

Customer Reviews:

On the Far Side of the Mountain.......2007-10-10

Very good book, especially for young adults. Many lessons along with adventures. Not quite as good as My Side of the Mountain (by the same author), but pretty close. Well worth reading.

LEARNING TO LET GO.......2007-09-23

This sequel to MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN takes up the story of Sam Gribley, living a wilderness existence by personal choice, two years later. Only he has been joined--to his amazement and displeasure--by his younger sister, Alice, who exhibits the family's pioneer spirit. As the book
opens Sam is devastated by the arrival of heartless Leon Longbridge, the local Conservation Officer, who confiscates Sam's beloved peregrine falcon, Frightful, for breeding in captivity.

Much of the story consists of Sam's tracking his independent sister who has taken it into her head to go off with her pet pig, Crystal. Demonstrating her woodland skills she plays their private game of "On The Track" with him, by leaving tantalizing clues re her destination. Sam enlists the aid of an older friend named Bando--a married man living in a rustic cabin nearby. The guys track girl and pig to distant wilderness areas. The story is enhanced by many pen and ink sketches and diagrams of woodland survival and colonial inventions, which make this book something of a reference manual for outdoorsmen.

The plot picks up amazing speed in the last chapters: Alice proves
a fearless and loyal sister to grieving Sam, while he must face the most difficult decision in his young life. Both siblings exhibit true character development in this YA book which makes use of diary entries as well as typical narrative to relate the story. Connecticut author Jean Craighead George presents a strong case for the preservation of endangered species, but can mankind both protect and responsibly enjoy these glorious birds of prey? Read the book to learn Sam's compromise.

Great Book.......2007-01-12

On The Far Side of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George is an amazing book and has all of the right ingredients for a suspenseful survival novel. The main character, Sam Gribley, has run away from home and been living in the Catskill mountains for a year or so now. It is amazing how he uses nature to make things for every day living. His main food provider, a falcon named Frightful, has been taken away for legal issues. Without his falcon Sam is left to fend for himself.

To find out what happens, read this great book that will keep you wanting to read more.

I highly recommend this book for all ages, it is a classic!

on the far side of the mountain.......2006-05-31

It was a good book for boys who like the wilderness. Some of the parts were vary boring. I picked this book because it was a medium length.

OTFSOTM Review.......2006-05-30

On the Far Side of the Mountain is about Sam Gribley, who lives on the Catskill Mountains. He eventually is also burdened with his sister living there, and must leave the safety of the mountain to save her with his friend Bando.

This book has some action and adventure, but not enough for my taste. I didn't appeal to that or the characters. It was basically about outdoor survival, which is much better done in other books, like Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.

I would recommend reading other, more exciting books, like Hatchet,instead of this one.

Alaska's Wolf Man: The 1915-55 Wilderness Adventures of Frank Glaser

Average customer rating:

A must have for all outdoors and Alaska fans
An Alaskan Hero
Alaska's Wolf Man
If There Were 6 Stars - This Would Be It !
Alaska !!!

Alaska's Wolf Man: The 1915-55 Wilderness Adventures of Frank Glaser
Jim Rearden
Manufacturer: Pictorial Histories Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

On Patrol: True Adventures of an Alaska Game Warden
Shadows on the Koyukuk: An Alaskan Native's Life Along the River
Arctic Homestead: The True Story of One Family's Survival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds
Cache Lake Country: Life in the North Woods
Wild Men, Wild Alaska: Finding What Lies Beyond the Limits

ASIN: 1575100479

Customer Reviews:

A must have for all outdoors and Alaska fans.......2007-08-26

A phenomenal book for all outdoors people and Alaska fans. The text flows very naturally. There is a lot of information on Alaskan nature and history.

An Alaskan Hero.......2007-08-09

Frank Glaser's story is a real, first hand look at Alaska in the early days. If you love Alaska and the wilderness, this is the book for you. Frank goes into the back-country and his adventures never cease as he traps, hunts, builds, explores and generally just checks things out. It amazes me that he is always so at ease, even in the most difficult of situations. He is the kind of guy you would just love to tag along with (if you could keep up with him!) His stories and accounts bring Alaska to life at a time when few tourists ventured into the back country. Jim Rearden has done a great job in compiling Frank's stories and amazing life. This book has given me a much greater appreciation of a great state...Wonderful Alaska! I doubt if anyone has ever experienced it like Frank Glaser.

Alaska's Wolf Man.......2007-08-08

Excellent read ! I read mostly African based books, but put onto this from a friend now living in Juneau; thanks Scott! This is the "Capstick" adventures for Alaska !

If There Were 6 Stars - This Would Be It !.......2007-05-22

I read these type books on a regular basis & this one is head & shoulders above the rest. Captivating, interesting, & very informative. Well written & a true treasure. This should be included in the required reading for wolf relocation advocates & "Naturalists". Glasser has no axe to grind, simply tells of his adventures & experiences. I assure you, it is time & money well spent !

Alaska !!!.......2007-03-08

Adventure at its' best. Jim Rearden puts you right in all the action.

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

Average customer rating:

Captivating Read
Where was his editor?
Apparently I am in the minority
Great book for insight into the psychology of survival
The Human Spirit

Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why
Laurence Gonzales
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Instructional | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Survival Skills | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Essays | Miscellaneous | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive
Survivor Personality
SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea
Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Complete Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival
Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills & Wilderness Survival

Accessories:

Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite

ASIN: 0393052761

Book Description

The author delves into the science, psychology, and art of wilderness survival. His analysis is riveting, his conclusions startling.

After her plane crashes, a seventeen-year-old girl spends eleven days walking through the Peruvian jungle. Against all odds, with no food, shelter, or equipment, she gets out. A better-equipped group of adult survivors of the same crash sits down and dies. What makes the difference?

Examining such stories of miraculous endurance and tragic death—how people get into trouble and how they get out again (or not)—Deep Survival takes us from the tops of snowy mountains and the depths of oceans to the workings of the brain that control our behavior. Through close analysis of case studies, Laurence Gonzales describes the essence of a survivor and offers twelve "Rules of Survival." In the end, he finds, it's what's in your heart, not what's in your pack, that separates the living from the dead. Fascinating for any reader, and absolutely essential for anyone who takes a hike in the woods, this book will change the way we understand ourselves and the great outdoors.

Customer Reviews:

Captivating Read.......2007-10-06

This book is a captivating read. Once you start reading it you won't want to put it down. This is a must read for anyone venturing off of their couch and beyond the bounds of their metropolitan life style. Lawrence Gonzales provides real life examples of the human plight in our world where nature is king.

Where was his editor?.......2007-09-17

There is the potential for a great book hidden in this one. Unfortunately the authors ego hamstrings his own ability to bring it to fruition. A good editor coulda/shoulda done it for him. 60% of the book is the author's attempt to review the latest neuro- and other science explaining how our brains work when under extreme stress. 20% of the book is devoted to the completely superfluous stories of his own brushes with danger and palling around with famous buddies like Lyle Lovett and Lyle's Dad. That leaves 20% of book left for the meat - the real stories of real people in extreme situations. The science is interesting, but his attempts to synthesize wildly diverse fields is rambling, repetitious and often just boring.

Apparently I am in the minority.......2007-09-10

I thought this book was VERY poorly written and primarily a pontification of the author"s very boring, "oh and then I survived again aren't I amazing and wonderful, this little humble miracle that I am" *accomplishments*. Personal perspective is certainly valid, but not to the degree that he took it. I would have prefered to have heard other people's stories. I am a RN, EMT, trained as a wilderness first responder,climber, skier, trekker,runner, horsewoman, former river guide and I do not underestimate the value of his information and the importance of sharing it, but his style of writing and his boasting just turned me off. I say borrow it from the library, don't waste your money by buying it.

Great book for insight into the psychology of survival.......2007-08-28

I found this well written, informative and very enjoyable to read. If you are studying wilderness survival skills then consider this as the flip-side of your training. Studying the psychological aspects of survival is as important as the physical skills. This is a very good book.

The Human Spirit.......2007-08-22

There are a number of reasons why you should read this book. It is well written and engaging. It gives you an insight into the human spirit. And, the descriptive tales of survival when people are stranded in conditions that seem beyond hope are extraordinary.

Average customer rating:

A Boy Book that Girls will like, too, maybe
In the wild...
Alabama Moon
Everyone That Reads "Alabama Moon" Loves It!!!
Alabama Moon

Alabama Moon
Watt Key
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Bullies | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Rules (Newbery Honor Book)
Hattie Big Sky
The Higher Power of Lucky
Black Duck
The Green Glass Sea

ASIN: 0374301840
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Book Description

I could trap my own food and make my own clothes. I could find my way by the stars and make fire in the rain. Pap said he even figured I could whip somebody three times my size. He wasn’t worried about me.

For as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the forest in a shelter with his father. They keep to themselves, their only contact with other human beings an occasional trip to the nearest general store. When Moon’s father dies, Moon follows his father’s last instructions: to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves. But Moon is soon caught and entangled in a world he doesn’t know or understand, apparent property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. As the spirited and resourceful Moon encounters constables, jails, institutions, lawyers, true friends, and true enemies, he adapts his wilderness survival skills and learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home there.

In this compelling, action-packed book, Watt Key gives us the thrilling coming-of-age story of the unique and extremely appealing Moon.

Customer Reviews:

A Boy Book that Girls will like, too, maybe.......2007-10-17

My 11 year-old is a reluctant reader, but every now and then a book comes along that keeps his interest even when it is not "reading time". This is one of those books. Moon Blake is a compelling character, having grown up in the woods with his reclusive father. And his story is captivating. He just wants to be left alone to go to Alaska, but he's picked up and taken to a boys home instead. I love how the story evolves, how you see Moon change his ideas of the world, and how he deals with the abusive constable who won't leave him alone.

A terrific book you won't be able to put down.

In the wild..........2007-06-28

This book tells the journey of Moon Blake, who have always lived with his father. But when his father died, he must find a way to escape the outside civilziation and find his home. This novel has an exciting plot, wonderful research, and is a great read. By reading this book, one could also learn the meaning of friendship.

Alabama Moon.......2007-03-26

Alabama Moon by Watt Key is an exciting adventure story especially for boys - the dialog is crisp and revealing and the main character Moon is very well drawn, In a great opening sentence, "just before pap died, he told me that I'd be fine as long as I never depended on anybody but myself, the author quickly captures the reader's interest. Moon who is only ten has been raised to be a survivalist by his dad. He knows how to make a shelter, hunt and forage for food, and sew his own clothing from animal hides. As his dad is dying, he tells Moon that he needs to get to Alaska and join other survivalists. His father is delusional enough that he believes Moon can travel from Alabama to Alaska on his own without money or knowledge of a world beyond his forest home. He also does not account for the fact that Moon distressingly and immediately experiences loneliness for the first time, "loneliness was something I'd have to wait on to pass, like pap said it would".
In writing that is both descriptive and poignant, Key includes a lot of survivalist detail that in no way slows the pace of the story while at the same time it makes subsequent events all the more dramatic and realistic. When Moon is finally captured and incarcerated in a home for abandoned boys, Moon discovers some new truths like companionship can be enjoyable, new foods can be delicious and plentiful, and that soft beds and warm rooms can be very comfortable; nevertheless Moon can escape the home and return confidently to the forest to take care of himself - something two friends who escaped with him can't do. I could go on and on but this book is special and all readers should have the opportunity to experience the delights of this story for themselves.

Everyone That Reads "Alabama Moon" Loves It!!!.......2007-01-19

One of the best read in awhile. Adults and Children enjoy this book so much it is hard to put down. All of us in our household have read it and believe it will become a Movie. If you enjoyed Forest Gump you will enjoy Alabama Moon. The book gets better the further you get into the story. Well written and an especially exceptional story for a first novel. I believe this short novel will become a classic.

Alabama Moon.......2006-12-21

This is a great book written by Watt Key about a young boy named Moon Blake. He is living is with his father in a small house in the Alabama wilderness. Moon and his father are hiding from the government. But then his father dies and suddenly Moon is alone. Before his dad dies he tells Moon to head for Alaska, which he does, but he meets two other boys and they stay with him in the wild. I don't think I should tell you any more or you won't need to read the book. Thanks for reading

The Eye of the Elephant: An Epic Adventure in the African Wilderness

Average customer rating:

"By telling the truth...they incur a measure of personal and professional risk;
Wonders of the Wild
A riveting, disturbing story of war with poachers
EXCELLENT ADVENTURE!
Do not miss this wonderful book!

The Eye of the Elephant: An Epic Adventure in the African Wilderness
Mark James Owens , and Cordelia Dykes Owens
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Animal Rights | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Wildlife | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Cry of the Kalahari
Secrets of the Savanna: Twenty-three Years in the African Wilderness Unraveling the Mysteries of Elephants and People
Dangerous Beauty - Life and Death in Africa: True Stories From a Safari Guide
Elephant Memories: Thirteen Years in the Life of an Elephant Family
African Nights: True Stories from the Author of I Dreamed of Africa

ASIN: 0395680905

Book Description

Expelled from Botswana for writing Cry of the Kalahari, the Owenses set off across Africa. They settled in Zambia, where they soon found their peace shattered by the gunfire of elephant poachers. This is the story of the couple's battle to save the elephants and their own lives.

Customer Reviews:

"By telling the truth...they incur a measure of personal and professional risk;.......2007-09-04

"...by not telling it, we all risk much, much more."-The Owenses

Poaching is a big problem in Africa. There are laws against it, but the villagers are very poor, the people are hungry and in many, many countries of Africa, the governments are either corrupt or are unstable. This story takes place in northeastern Zambia near Tanzania. The story begins with the Owenses returning to Botswana to continue their research into predator-prey relationships. They find some of their familiar, furry, thin friends in the desert wilderness only to almost immediately be apprehended by the authorities and get kicked out of the country because their research conflicts with the government's plans to develop cattle ranches in the Kalahari desert. They wander aimlessly through the African skies and wind up in Zambia where they soon have a new mission to stop elephant poaching which has nearly decimated the elephant population there.

I love how both Mark and Delia write. Their descriptions of Africa sometimes remind me of Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa. I've read all their books now and they really are very hard to put down. Their work in Zambia takes a toll on their health as it did in Botswana, but in slightly different ways. In the Kalahari, they were in no man's land and went for many months without seeing people. In Zambia, there are small villages nearer to them where they can restock their very meager supplies. The toll on their bodies this time around though is intense because in declaring their mission to stop poaching, they trigger a violent response from the poachers armed with their Kalashnikovs (AK-47's). Mark gets so upset when he sees animals senselessly slaughtered whether they be hundreds of thousands of wildebeest in Botswana or elephants in Zambia. There's a lot to be found in their books about animal behavior and social organization. With elephants, the females stay in their natal clans and males migrate out to mate and congregate. The poaching, however, takes a toll on their social structure since the elephants with the largest tusks are the sexually mature animals and many orphaned elephants roam the wilderness alone without a group to call their own.

The Owens' take to task educating the villagers and teaching them new industries, new methods of agriculture so that they are more subsistent. It takes a decade to finally begin to make an impact on transforming their society and removing the incentives to poach. There are several attempts on their lives, but you'll have quite the time in Mark's bush piloting, air force policing of Zambia's Luangwa National Park.

Wonders of the Wild.......2006-11-04

This book is laden with fascinating information on African Wildlife and how to survive as human and animal in harsh conditions. Excellent read.

A riveting, disturbing story of war with poachers.......2005-06-01

Wildlife researchers and conservationists Delia and Mark Owens have spent much of their lives since 1974 in the African bush, first in the Kalahari Desert from which came their best seller "Cry of the Kalahari" and then in the North Luangwa Valley in Zambia, the setting of this 1992 book.

The Owens' passion leads them to risk their lives routinely. In searching for a suitable camp in North Luangwa they set out in an ancient truck with no radio and inadequate gear. After a grueling trek that would have sent sane mortals packing for home they separate so Mark can fly his Cessna to a site that "would make Cessna's insurance company shudder" while Delia makes the two-day trip alone with the old truck and a trailer over trackless hilly, bushy, gully-filled flood-plain terrain. Tracking animals they are constantly walking smack into a startled lion or buffalo or cornered elephant.

But the real danger comes from people. "The Eye of the Elephant," while filled with wildlife anecdotes and tidbits of information about elephants and lions, is really about the poaching war the Owens conducted on behalf of the besieged North Luangwa elephants.

The poachers are villagers, many armed with AK47s, backed by the local government and assisted by the corrupt and underequipped local game guards. The Owens' weapons are education, cottage industry projects financed by the Owens Foundation for Wildlife Conservation and the Cessna.

The battle starts genially with children exclaiming over magazine pictures and their parents joining sewing circles and carpentry workshops. But it quickly escalates until Mark drives Delia from him with his obsession for highly dangerous and only modestly effective night flights, and the poachers organize an assassination squad to rid themselves of the Owens once and for all.

The book is organized in alternating first-person chapters between Delia and Mark. The tone is brutally honest, touching when one admits to mistakes which endanger the other, disturbing when their frank discussion of anti-poaching tactics veers from the politically correct. The Owens' care more for the animals and the landscape than the people. But since the people are there, their needs must be faced. Their singlemindedness will outrage some, but their strong personalities and sheer stamina will awe almost everyone.

York County Coast Star

EXCELLENT ADVENTURE!.......2004-06-26

I wish these authors would write more books about their adventures in Africa. Truly riveting page-turners!

Do not miss this wonderful book!.......2002-08-19

The Eye of the Elephant is a wonderful, adventurous journey into the heart and soul of Africa seen through Mark and Delia's eyes. From the very first page you are caught up in their heroic quests to protect the animals they are there to observe. In spite of the unbelievable odds against them, they persevered and put the safety and security of the highly endangered animals FIRST. The elephants in the Luanga Valley are very fortunate to have had Mark and Delia watch over them and be their heroes. I have loved Africa and the African elephant my entire life and I am so grateful for these two selfless, dedicated people who have become the protectors of our most precious wildlife. This is one of my most treasured African stories.

Shouting at the Sky: Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild

Average customer rating:

Shouting at the Sky
Interesting but lacked depth
Brilliant & Insightful
A Proud Aspen Graduate
Steaming Like A Pile Of Dung In The Wilderness!

Shouting at the Sky: Troubled Teens and the Promise of the Wild
Gary Ferguson
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Psychotherapy, TA & NLP | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Teenagers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

Survival Skills | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Parenting Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

What It Takes To Pull Me Through: Why Teenagers Get in Trouble and How Four of Them Got Out
Toughlove
Teens in Turmoil: A Path to Change for Parents, Adolescents, and Their Families
Augusta, Gone: A True Story
Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager: 7 Steps to Reestablish Authority and Reclaim Love

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers
Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0312200080

Book Description

Nature as few have imagined it: Utah, a windswept desert thick with spring, the flash of primrose, treeless hills, canyons shining in the sun. And in the distance, all but lost in these great sweeps of rock and sky, a group of teenagers, fresh out of suburban America, are struggling desperately to build new lives-beyond crack and crystal mete, beyond sadness, beyond a pain that has brought many to the brink of self-destruction.In Shouting at the Sky, award-winning writer Gary Ferguson is once again bound for the back-country, this time to spend a season in one of the country's most remarkable programs for troubled teens. Here you'll share in the daily triumphs and heartaches of an unforgettable group of kids. Witness their shock at the wilderness, outrageous with its bluster and open spaces, its lack of bathrooms and cooked meals, its absence of television, malls and old friends. Huddle with them on moonlit nights around a juniper fire. Sit for an afternoon on a canyon rim in the middle of nowhere and listen to their stories and poems: tales of anorexia and amphetamines, of depression and workaholic parents, of the grating fear that will not let them be.Shouting at the Sky is a story resplendent with glimpses into power of the human spirit and the healing that is possible when the beauty and challenges of the wild are linked to it. But along these trails can also be found issues of striking gravity: insights into how young lives can go terribly wrong and, in the end, how many of our fondest hopes for tomorrow and teetering on the brink, waiting for us to find the will, the courage to build more genuine connections to our children. "I can't imagine being broken down without a wild place to fall apart in," Ferguson writes. So this is also a very personal account of his participation as an observer, leader, and storyteller in the rites of passage these teenagers undergo in the Utah desert. It is a story of individuals, counselors and participants alike, grown-ups and youths, sharing the struggle to find themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Shouting at the Sky.......2007-04-06

For parents who are thinking about sending their teen to a wilderness camp, this book is a must. Not only did it convince me that it was the right program for our son, it truly answered most of my questions and eased some of my anxiety. Gary Ferguson was able to illustrate this experience not only through his eyes, but the eyes of each of the teens he spent eight weeks with. Each day the teens seemed to make a new discovery about themselves, sometimes positive, sometimes, not so positive, but in the end, it was evident that all the teens benefited. I can see how the lessons the teens learned in the wild would help them the rest of their lives. Highly recommend it.

Interesting but lacked depth.......2006-06-26

With a daughter in a program similar to the one depicted in the book I read it with great interest. It did give me a lot of information about why these programs are successful, and what my daughter might be doing daily in the program. However it did lack depth and continuity. The style of writing is also not to my particular liking, although others may enjoy this flowery style.

Brilliant & Insightful.......2005-06-09

You don't have to be a parent, an outdoor educator, therapist or teacher to enjoy this book. An interest in the state of youth today and the healing powers of the natural world are enough. Gary's simple, elegant and insightful prose captures the essence of what so many teens' lives are like today. And his keen understanding and appreciation of the natural world make this book worth reading. Read it. You'll love it.

A Proud Aspen Graduate.......2004-10-15

It pains me to read these reviews seeing how disappointed some people were with this book. Not only was I sent to Aspen when I was only 14, but to be honest the experience has changed my life indefinitely. Not only is the author accurate, but by reading the book, I was able to reconnect to the wilderness. I only hope that one day I will have the ability to go back and work at Aspen and help troubling youth, like the staff there helped me.

Steaming Like A Pile Of Dung In The Wilderness!.......2004-07-27

Good God this was a pathetic book. Poorly written, droll and extremely boring I hope I never encounter anything else by this so-called writer. IMHO one of the top ten worst books I have ever read.

The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship, Tragedy, and Survival in the Alaskan Wilderness

Average customer rating:

Not all that great a bear tale but....
A book to consider.
A Beautiful Book
Beautiful book worth reading.
Elegant writing reveals love of wilderness

The Blue Bear: A True Story of Friendship, Tragedy, and Survival in the Alaskan Wilderness
Lynn Schooler
Manufacturer: Ecco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Travel Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Grizzly Bear Family Book, The (The Animal Family Series)
Hoshino's Alaska
Grizzly
Arctic Homestead: The True Story of One Family's Survival and Courage in the Alaskan Wilds
The Blue Bear : A True Story of Friendship and Discovery in the Alaskan Wild

ASIN: 0066210852
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Amazon.com

"People step into the [Alaskan] landscape and vanish without a trace," writes wildlife guide Lynn Schooler in this ode to the wild beauty of the Alaskan coast, an unusual friendship, and a mysterious bear with fur the color of "burnished metal." Schooler spent a decade searching for the elusive blue (or glacier) bear with Michio Hoshino, Japan's preeminent wildlife photographer. Hoshino was a gentle genius who would sit still for hours, his face swelling from mosquito bites, for the perfect photograph, and who had the same patience and consideration for a bruised heart like Schooler's. Schooler had lost all ability to trust, scarred first by the scorn of classmates for his twisted body and finally by the brutal murder of the woman he loved. But as a guide--both for wildlife photographers and for readers of this evocative and gracefully composed memoir--Schooler richly reveals the place that sustains him. He makes remarkable connections between whales and the complex workings of old-growth forests, between glaciers dropping 100-foot columns of ice into waiting fjords, and the breathing of the planet. Ultimately, though, it is Hoshino's death by a bear that finally enables Schooler to make peace with humanity and death. A quiet, profound gem. --Lesley Reed

Book Description

With a body twisted by adolescent scoliosis and memories of the brutal death of a woman he loved, Lynn Schooler kept the world at arm's length, drifting through the wilds of Alaska as a commercial fisherman, outdoorsman, and wilderness guide. In 1990 Schooler met Japanese photographer Michio Hoshino and began a profound friendship forged by a love of adventure and cemented by their mutual obsession with finding the elusive glacier bear, an exceedingly rare creature, seldom seen and shrouded in legend. But it was only after Hoshino's tragic death from a bear attack that Schooler succeeded in photographing the animal -- and only then that he Was able to complete his journey and find new meaning in his own life.

Set amid the wild archipelagoes, glittering fjords, and dense primordial forests of Alaska's Glacier Coast, The Blue Bear is an unforgettable book that shines with purity and passion.

Customer Reviews:

Not all that great a bear tale but...........2007-04-02

The theme of this is really the author's life, both past and now as a small boat captain in Alaska's dramatically beautiful south coast. If you are passionate about bear stories this is not that great. Toting the Japanese film crew got old and his own entry into photography was tedious. Taken in total with the cultural history, the sea, forests, wildlife, and glaciers, and the author's own qwest it is worthwhile, but certainly not epic.

A book to consider........2006-11-11

A slightly slow start, but please persevere, as this book has so much to offer. Set in Alaska, with glorious descriptions of this environment provided by Lynn during the search for the elusive blue bear. However, I believe the real story lies in Lynns life experience, his battle for a normal childhood, his relationship with his father, his yearning for true love, the pain of loss, and his almost self imposed exile in this heaven on earth.

A Beautiful Book.......2004-12-10

The Blue Bear is a fantastic read! If you are at all interested in Alaska, nature, wildlife or friendship I am certain you will love this book.

Beautiful book worth reading........2004-05-14

My only regret is that the book wasn't longer. Every page is full of descriptive prose and fascinating narrative. You will feel like you're there with the author, either on the boat, hiking in the wilderness, or examining the joys and sorrows of friendships gained and lost.
What a well-written book!

Elegant writing reveals love of wilderness.......2004-03-11

Elegiac is the perfect word to describe both the cadence and direction of this book: somber, straightforward, yet filled with joy. We come to know both men -- the author and the late Michio Hoshino -- through dialogue and description that is utterly natural, yet weighted with meaning. Pivotal scenes are described so elegantly that you want to read them again and again to extract every nuance of mood. Small vignettes speak volumes, such as the visit of the two men to a village where hundreds of native women and children died by starvation due to a US government relocation program. Or the choice of the author to pilot the boat away from Hobart because he could not bear the sight of the ravaged hillsides.
The author's lightness of touch is captivating especially because it is paired with such a deep knowledge and love of the flora, fauna and weather of the region. Reading Blue Bear, you become effortlessly acquainted with the Alaskan coast, as though it is indeed home, and come to mourn its slow, relentless destruction. I look forward to Lynn Schooler's next book.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books