Flotsam (Caldecott Medal Book)

Book Description

A bright, science minded boy goes to the beach equipped to collect and examine flotsam--anything floating that has been washed ashore. Bottles, lost toys, small objects of every description are among his usual finds. But there's no way he could have prepared for one particular discovery: a barnacle-encrusted underwater camera, with its own secrets to share... and to keep.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely beautiful.......2007-10-10

Beautifully done. Its too complex for my 16 month old right now but I can see her loving it as much as we do in the future. I won't be surprised if it becomes one of her favorite books to read. When that time comes we will have lots of fun making up stories to go with the pictures.

Beautiful Book.......2007-09-27

This book is a wordless story appropriate for children of many ages. The pages are full of beautiful illustrations that actually tell a story without having to use words. It also gives children the opportunity to use their imaginations to some degree because they are not strictly told what happens. In it, a boy finds a camera washed up on shore and develops the film. The pictures reveal underwater fantasies in large, brightly colored images.

Intriguing and beguiling.......2007-09-20

When my wife first saw this in the bookstore, she called out, nearly shouting, "Look at this." One look wouldn't do - couldn't do! The detail and clever storytelling in this book are amazing. This book belongs on the shelf of every illustrated book lover.

Excellent Product & Prompt Delivery.......2007-09-15

This item was exactly as described in the item description. It was in the original packaging and is in excellent condition. I am very satisfied and I highly recommend this seller and product to everyone. This is an excellent book by an excellent author!

No Words!.......2007-08-27

This is a beautiful book. Great pictures. But, no words. My child was very confused when there were no words to read. It does allow you, however, to expand and make up a story. But, I would have liked to know that this book had no words before I bought it!

Average customer rating:

Cheaper than school bookstore
Confusing Text Book With Errors In Reference Section
Biology -- A Guide to the Natural World

Biology: A Guide to the Natural World
David Krogh
Manufacturer: Benjamin Cummings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0131414496

Book Description

Biology: A Guide to the Natural World remains the only book written and illustrated from the ground up for those with little knowledge of biology. The Third Edition retains its best features—rich, full-color art, an accessible writing style, and a full complement of digital resources—while substantially updating the content throughout to emphasize the relevancy of biology to readers' lives. A seven-part organization covers essential parts: atoms, molecules, and cells; energy and its transformation; how life goes on: genetics; life's organizing principle: evolution and the diversity of life; a bounty that feeds us all: plants; what makes the organism tick? animal anatomy and physiology; and the living world as a whole: ecology and behavior. For the promotion of biological literacy—to make individuals aware that they need it to participate in the workforce, make everyday decisions, and make informed choices at the ballot box.

Customer Reviews:

Cheaper than school bookstore.......2007-09-10

This is a required textbook for my intorductory biology class. Well laid out, easy to read. Tone is sometimes too conversational, I have to really pay attention to the facts. I saved nearly twenty dollars buying at amazon rather than at the school bookstore.

Confusing Text Book With Errors In Reference Section.......2005-12-13

There were many formatting errors in this book, such as the glossary columns being switched around-"G" doesn't belong in the middle of the "F" vocab. Some of the page #'s listed in the index were not correct. If you must use this book then you should know that the info can normally be found close to the page listed in the index. The figures/tables were very useful and restated the text in an organized manner, which helped the flow of the writing.

Biology -- A Guide to the Natural World.......2000-09-03

I found this book to much easier to read and understand from all the previous textbooks assigned to biology courses. The graphics and tables and examples are completely explained. The format asks questions and answers them in a simple, easily understandable text -- not like the mumbo jumbo that a person would have to read over and over to finally understand its meaning.

Average customer rating:

great book
Great book
The Lorax
This sad tale is wonderfully creative
Graphic SF Reader

The Lorax (Classic Seuss)
Dr. Seuss , and Theodor Seuss Geisel
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Staff Favorites | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0394823370
Release Date: 1971-08-12

Amazon.com

When Dr. Seuss gets serious, you know it must be important. Published in 1971, and perhaps inspired by the "save our planet" mindset of the 1960s, The Lorax is an ecological warning that still rings true today amidst the dangers of clear-cutting, pollution, and disregard for the earth's environment. In The Lorax, we find what we've come to expect from the illustrious doctor: brilliantly whimsical rhymes, delightfully original creatures, and weirdly undulating illustrations. But here there is also something more--a powerful message that Seuss implores both adults and children to heed.

The now remorseful Once-ler--our faceless, bodiless narrator--tells the story himself. Long ago this enterprising villain chances upon a place filled with wondrous Truffula Trees, Swomee-Swans, Brown Bar-ba- loots, and Humming-Fishes. Bewitched by the beauty of the Truffula Tree tufts, he greedily chops them down to produce and mass-market Thneeds. ("It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat.") As the trees swiftly disappear and the denizens leave for greener pastures, the fuzzy yellow Lorax (who speaks for the trees "for the trees have no tongues") repeatedly warns the Once-ler, but his words of wisdom are for naught. Finally the Lorax extricates himself from the scorched earth (by the seat of his own furry pants), leaving only a rock engraved "UNLESS." Thus, with his own colorful version of a compelling morality play, Dr. Seuss teaches readers not to fool with Mother Nature. But as you might expect from Seuss, all hope is not lost--the Once-ler has saved a single Truffula Tree seed! Our fate now rests in the hands of a caring child, who becomes our last chance for a clean, green future. (Ages 4 to 8)

Book Description

"UNLESS someone like you...cares a whole awful lot...nothing is going to get better...It's not."

Long before saving the earth became a global concern, Dr. Seuss, speaking through his character the Lorax, warned against mindless progress and the danger it posed to the earth's natural beauty.

"The big, colorful pictures and the fun images, word plays and rhymes make this an amusing exposition of the ecology crisis."—School Library Journal. Illus. in full color.

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-10-07

everyone knows how great a book The Lorax is. We got it for our son's fourth birthday. He loves it.

Great book.......2007-10-07

What a great book for a child. In my picky opinion, the beginning is a bit slow, and the ending is a bit abrupt - but still, this is a classic. My child received this book as a gift - now I give it as a gift to other children.

The Lorax.......2007-10-02

An excellent childrens book! A great read for anyone who wants to promote conservation to childern.

This sad tale is wonderfully creative.......2007-09-20

Last week, in my Environmental Studies class, the teacher brought out this book and we had sotry time. Now, that is not normal in a University setting, but it was perfect. We'd read how Easter Island and other such places died out do to the over forestization of their small island. But nothing really gets the point across as well as Dr. Seuss can. We all giggled at first, but as the prose continued we all just listened. I have never seen a childrens book handle such a serious topic so well before. This is a fantastic book to educate youth on being environmentally concious, and I bet they'll remember the message into their adulthood decisions.

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

In amidst all the funny looking groovy trees and fuzzy creatures there is a message. In this case, it is about ecology, use of resources, and the environment.

Or, listen to what the Lorax says when you are chopping stuff down and damaging things to make a quick buck, for he is wise.

The World's Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating

Average customer rating:

The Worlds Healthiest Foods
Awesome!
Love this book
Outstanding Resouce!
FABULOUS

The World's Healthiest Foods, Essential Guide for the Healthiest Way of Eating
George Mateljan
Manufacturer: World's Healthiest Foods
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Healthy | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0976918544

Product Description

George Mateljan's new book takes healthy eating to a whole new level. It presents a unique nutrient-rich approach to the "Healthiest Way of Eating" with 500 Mediterranean-style recipes, most of which take 7 minutes or less to prepare. This book answers the question about what to eat to keep healthy. It focuses on the World's Healthiest Foods, 100 delicious foods that are nutrient-rich, providing the maximum number of nutrients for the least amount of calories. The book is an inspiration not only for those who want to achieve vibrant health and energy but for those who also want a healthier way to lose weight by making the World's Healthiest Foods the foundation of their "Healthiest Way of Eating." The World's Healthiest Foods are among the most flavorful foods in the world - so you can now eat healthier without sacrificing taste! George also explains why it is not any more expensive to eat healthy. The book complements the material on the whfoods.org website with innovative new ways to maximize the nutritional value of the World's Healthiest Foods and minimize preparation time using quick and easy recipes that anyone can make.

Customer Reviews:

The Worlds Healthiest Foods.......2007-10-16

A wonderful reference book for anyon who wants to improve their health through eating the right foods.Not only does this give the why's but is full of great receips and tons of useful information. I use this book everday and keep it on my kitchen table for handy reference. I'm learning new things and improving my health every day.I love this book.

Awesome!.......2007-10-10

This book is a consolidation of all the food evaluations I have read in the past. I had been looking for something like this for awhile. Needless to say, it opened my eyes as to what food I should be eating. Also, it helped me identify what foods I should eat if, say, I wanted to reduce my cholesterol. I'm very happy and would highly recommend this book!

Love this book.......2007-10-03

This is an excellent health and cook book. The recipes are easy and well written. I love being able to look up ingredients and see recipes and healthful tips.

Outstanding Resouce!.......2007-10-03

This book can change how you look at food. Full of great advice on how to choose the freshest items, how to store them, and healthy recipes.

FABULOUS.......2007-09-30

omg, this book is GREAT, like the Bible for Food!
Highly recommend, definitely a book to own and enjoy!
You won't be disappointed!

Average customer rating:

A lovely, adoption-friendly book.
Beautiful Book
Fabulous!
If you could only buy 1 book for your child, this is it!
On the night you were born"

On the Night You Were Born
Nancy Tillman
Manufacturer: Feiwel & Friends
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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ASIN: 0312346069
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

On the Night You Were Born is a beautiful and poignant celebration of the birthand worthof every child. Destined to become an enduring classic.

Customer Reviews:

A lovely, adoption-friendly book........2007-09-15

I first heard this book at the Mother's Day Tea at my daughter's preschool. When I heard the title, my stomach clenched. Because my daughter is adopted, her birth is an event I had no part in. I initially thought that the selection was a little thoughtless.

I should have had more faith in my daughter's wonderful teacher. As "Miss Ro" read the book, I realized that the story was about the birth of a child is a gift to the world of nature (not to her parents and family as most books treat it). I have since given this book to other new children in my world, and consider it one of the loveliest, most magical books I have read. Every child should feel as though her/his birth has impacted the whole world, as this book suggests.

This book is an excellent addition to any pro-adoption collection.

Beautiful Book.......2007-09-11

This book is so beautifully written and the illustrations were fabulous. It is just as much for adults as it is children. Would make a great baby gift.

Fabulous!.......2007-08-23

This is a beautifully written story explaining the special significance of each child...I cried just reading the first page! I originally bought this for my newborn nephew on the recommendation of a friend and upon reading it instantly ordered several more to keep on hand for gifts.

If you could only buy 1 book for your child, this is it!.......2007-08-23

The minute I first read this book, I knew I had to get a copy for each of my children. Certainly, I would have liked to get it when they were infants, but it hadn't been written. And the feelings their entrances into my life were no less miraculous now than at their births, so I ordered a copy for each of my children, now ages 38, 39 and 40.

On the night you were born".......2007-08-23

I gave this to a little one on her 4th birthday and her Dad was the first to read it ... I looked over and he was crying so hard ... it's a beautiful book and also great gift for new babies ...

Average customer rating:

Lovely!
Magical!
Wonderful gift for first time parents!
On The Day You Were Born
Book is AMAZING, CD is so-so

On the Day You Were Born
Debra Frasier
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0152579958

Amazon.com

Inspired by Debra Frasier's enormously popular On the Day You Were Born, this charming photo journal invites families to celebrate the arrival of their loved one into the natural world. A star-spangled blue sky, crossed by a swath of sunshine yellow with gold birds, introduces the reader to "the very first day you arrived." Baby's picture and name go right in the middle of all the cheery yellow. Turn the page: "You were born on the round planet Earth. Was it day, or was it night?" is printed with another space for a picture and a line to write the date and time of birth against the backdrop of more starry sky with that old blue and green globe plopped in the middle and a figure of a child frolicking across the ocean. On another page, the jubilant child dances across a beach: "On the day you were born waves washed the beaches clean for your footprints. How little were your fingers? How tiny were your toes?"

By adding eight photographs and filling in a few details, parents can create a very special journal for their child, rejoicing together in all the natural wonders of the universe. Here is an ideal gift for the new parents with a vibrant connection to nature. --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

In simple words and radiant collages, Debra Frasier celebrates the natural miracles of the earth and extends an exuberant welcome to each member of our human family. Accompanied by a detailed glossary explaining such natural phenomena as gravity, tides, and migration, this is an unforgettable book. “A book filled with reverence for the natural order of the world and the place of the individual in it.”--School Library Journal

Customer Reviews:

Lovely!.......2007-09-05

I got this book because it was on sale and I am so glad that I did. Seeing it now I would definitely pay full price for it.

It is well-made, adorable, and will make a great keepsake to share with our son.

Magical! .......2007-09-03

This is a book I've given as a birthday gift many times - to new arrivals and those celebrating more birthdays as well. The text is simple yet beautiful and the illustrations provide a warm, magical layer of feeling when reading this book. Highly recommended.

Wonderful gift for first time parents!.......2007-08-31

I received this book from a good friend when my baby boy was born (our first). I thought the poetry of birth and the natural world was amazing. And the ending where a circle of loved ones welcomed the new baby whispering "We're so glad you've come," reminded me of all the love our family and friends showed our new baby. I can't read it without tearing up. It's a wonderful reminder that all life is sacred and beautiful.
While the art is tribal, not fluffy, and some of the language is advanced for a developing child, I still love this book. Not every board book should be pastels and one syllable words. But I hope this book will be a keepsake that we can read together and remember what a miracle it was that he was born. I want to foster in him the spirit of this book... that all life is connected and we need to try to live in balance with the environment that sustains our lives.

On The Day You Were Born.......2007-07-27

This is a wonderful book to give to any new child or to the grandparent of a new child. I was given one for our new grandson and immediately bought three to give as gifts. The book is something that can become a family tradition to be read on each child's birthday!

Book is AMAZING, CD is so-so.......2007-05-15

I bought this for my son before he was born, and I read it to him all the time - and never with a dry eye! I always buy it as a baby gift for anyone I know who's having a baby of their own. However, unless you find this set for a good price, I might just get the book. My husband calls the CD "hippie music" and he's right - the music is a little, um, groovy and repetitive. Though if you have a sappy friend, get it - books like this and the Giving Tree always make me cry, and if I can have the CD finish the story for me when I get choked up, so much the better.

Average customer rating:

Good Stories, but Too Disconnected
Inspiring Seedfolks
A Garden of Love
A Book for Building Community
Good reading for children

Seedfolks (Joanna Colter Books)
Paul Fleischman
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

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ASIN: 0064472078
Release Date: 2004-12-14

Amazon.com

Sometimes, even in the middle of ugliness and neglect, a little bit of beauty will bloom. Award-winning writer Paul Fleischman dazzles us with this truth in Seedfolks--a slim novel that bursts with hope. Wasting not a single word, Fleischman unfolds a story of a blighted neighborhood transformed when a young girl plants a few lima beans in an abandoned lot. Slowly, one by one, neighbors are touched and stirred to action as they see tendrils poke through the dirt. Hispanics, Haitians, Koreans, young, and old begin to turn the littered lot into a garden for the whole community. A gift for hearts of all ages, this gentle, timeless story will delight anyone in need of a sprig of inspiration.

Book Description

A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers where no one seems to care. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise: To Curtis, who believes he can win back Lateesha's heart with a harvest of tomatoes; to Virgil's dad, who sees a fortune to be made from growing lettuce; and even to Maricela, sixteen and pregnant, wishing she were dead.

Thirteen very different voices -- old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted, and hopeful -- tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms a neighborhood.

Chosen as a state and citywide read in communities across the country:
Vermont
Racine, WI
Tampa, FL
Newburgh, NY
Boca Raton, FL

Customer Reviews:

Good Stories, but Too Disconnected.......2007-05-31

It all started with one little girl. Kim's father died before she was even born, and she is afraid that he might not know her as he looks down from heaven. So she decides to do something to make him recognize her and to make him proud. He was a farmer back in Vietnam, so she takes a handful of bean seeds to a trash-covered vacant lot near her inner-city apartment and plants them. When he looks down and sees them, he will know she is his daughter.

Someone looks down from a window and is intrigued by this girl who keeps visiting the vacant lot in secret. Upon investigation she sees what is going on and decides to clear a little patch of land for a tiny garden of her own. Others observe and like the idea, and soon the vacant lot is covered with a patchwork of gardens from all sorts of people living nearby. Someone is able to bully the city into moving the trash off of this land. People who usually avoid eye contact at all cost are suddenly meeting neighbors and relating to one another. Through this garden project, a neighborhood of strangers becomes a real community.

I liked the characters in this story. They were all very vivid and their stories were well thought out. I also liked being able to see the different perspectives on this garden, and the different reasons people decided to plant things here.

I didn't like that each person's story was just dropped after it was told. I wanted the author to go back and write what the people were thinking. What did Kim think when her garden idea caught on? Was Sam able to stop the segregation he saw developing in the garden? I wanted some followup to each story.

Inspiring Seedfolks.......2007-04-25

Seedfolks is a book about a vacant city lot in Cleveland, Ohio that is abandoned until one day a Vietnamese girl decides to plant some beans as a way to become connected to her father who died before she was born. It tells the story of 13 different people who come together by this garden. They are all different ages and have different ethnic backgrounds and jobs. Somehow this garden brings them all together and means something different to each of them. The individual stories are interesting and touching.

My favorite part of the book is Gonzolo's Tio Juan story. He came to the U.S. with Gonzolo's mother and brother. Because he didn't speak English and couldn't work he would wonder around all day long with nothing to do and had to be baby sat by Gonzolo who who referred to him as a baby. One day he went off on his own in the neighborhood and came across the garden. The next day he went back and started working in the garden and planting seeds. Back in Guatemala he used to be a farmer and this gave him life again and he went from being a baby back to a man again.

I would recommend that you read Seedfolks. I think you will be touched by the 13 different people who are brought together through this community garden. In Reading Gonzolo's story it made me think about my Mom's parents who are immigrants from Portugal and how they too must of felt like Gonzolo's Tio Juan when they first arrived in the U.S., like they were babies and didn't know anything.

A Garden of Love.......2006-05-11

Seedfolks is a 69 page book, an easy read. Seedfolks is a book that shows that all different races, religions, cultures, and ages can come together to make something nice and beautiful and have meaning. They took a dump-like place and made it into something beautiful.
Some things I liked about this book were, that you can see how the author makes it so everyone of different backgrounds and stuff come together and do something together as one whole. Another thing that I liked about the book was that the author demonstrates how you can except people for who they are. In this story it seems like everyone is the equal and stuff like that. Like for example there was thing young girl who was pregnant and when this book was written it was like a big deal if you were pregnant at an early age but when she went to the garden no one judged her or anything like that. Another good thing about the book is that there is like no anger or anything bad in it, it seems like when everyone goes to the garden all there problems go away and most people go there to relax and just have fun.
Some things I didn't like about the book were that you cant really get to know one character because the character only has like 3 or 4 pages and there is 13 characters in the book so there really isn't one main character. Also in this book there was no plot, climax and there wasn't that big of a problem I mean there was a little one but it really didn't have a lot to do with what was going on in the book. Another bad thing about the book is it wasn't very interesting I'm the type of person who likes to read a book that you cant put down that you get really into but with this book I didn't feel that way. Overall I think Seedfolks was a decent book.

A Book for Building Community.......2006-04-25

This small book (69 pages) contains thirteen vignettes, each written from the point of view of a different person. Although the people begin as strangers from various ethnic backgrounds, they become acquainted as each cultivates a part of a vacant lot. As the lot becomes a place of beauty, individual lives are transformed as well -- and a community is created.

_Seedfolks_ is an excellent tool for building community among people with diverse backgrounds -- perhaps especially among educators, parents, and students.

Good reading for children.......2006-04-25

This is a good book for children who does not understand the meaning of working together. Also, this book was structured very intelligently; so that any reader can follow the same story but from other people point of views. In addition; the way the author painted colorful pictures of the city was very unique.

Average customer rating:

Fairyopolis
not what i expected
A must for fairy lovers!!
A Must for Fairy Lovers
Fairyopolis

Fairyopolis
Cicely Mary Barker
Manufacturer: Warne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

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ASIN: 0723257248

Book Description

Do you believe in fairies? Protected and hidden by a society of Fairy lovers for over 80 years the secret fairy journal of Cicely Mary Barker is available for the first time ever to the public. Learn what really happened during that magical Summer of 1920 when Cicely Mary Barker discovered the secret world of the Flower Fairies.

Customer Reviews:

Fairyopolis.......2007-08-24

It was a great book. The popups are cool. The color pink was great! The ending was fantastic!

not what i expected.......2007-08-24

i actually returned the book. When I received it both i and my husband looked at it and said the same thing that the script writing throughout the book was hard to read. This was a let down especially after reading wizardology, egyptology and dragonology. I would only recommend it for adults who collect books on fairies.

A must for fairy lovers!!.......2007-08-01

My daughter has been wanting this for a while now and I finally was able to get it for her and she absolutely loves it. She is 13 and draws fairies all the time and loves the story and information in this book.

A Must for Fairy Lovers.......2007-07-19

Purchased this as a gift for my 12-year old daughter and she absoultely cherishes this book. It is pretty cool as it contains pockets and pull out throughtout the book that contain neat tibits of info on fairies in a very creative way. Worth the money!!

Fairyopolis.......2007-07-12

The book is beautiful. I purchased this for my 7 year old grand-daughter. She is an excellent reader but has not mastered reading in script. That was the only problem we had. I'm sure she will enjoy the book more as she gets older.

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History

Average customer rating:

NO PICTURES
Erik Larson is Quickly Becoming a Favorite
Book is a Category 4
BEATS READING THE BOOK
Issacc's Storm

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
Erik Larson
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Weather | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0375708278
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Amazon.com

On September 8, 1900, a massive hurricane slammed into Galveston, Texas. A tidal surge of some four feet in as many seconds inundated the city, while the wind destroyed thousands of buildings. By the time the water and winds subsided, entire streets had disappeared and as many as 10,000 were dead--making this the worst natural disaster in America's history.

In Isaac's Storm, Erik Larson blends science and history to tell the story of Galveston, its people, and the hurricane that devastated them. Drawing on hundreds of personal reminiscences of the storm, Larson follows individuals through the fateful day and the storm's aftermath. There's Louisa Rollfing, who begged her husband, August, not to go into town the morning of the storm; the Ursuline Sisters at St. Mary's orphanage who tied their charges to lengths of clothesline to keep them together; Judson Palmer, who huddled in his bathroom with his family and neighbors, hoping to ride out the storm. At the center of it all is Isaac Cline, employee of the nascent Weather Bureau, and his younger brother--and rival weatherman--Joseph. Larson does an excellent job of piecing together Isaac's life and reveals that Isaac was not the quick-thinking hero he claimed to be after the storm ended. The storm itself, however, is the book's true protagonist--and Larson describes its nuances in horrific detail.

At times the prose is a bit too purple, but Larson is engaging and keeps the book's tempo rising in pace with the wind and waves. Overall, Isaac's Storm recaptures at a time when, standing in the first year of the century, Americans felt like they ruled the world--and that even the weather was no real threat to their supremacy. Nature proved them wrong. --Sunny Delaney

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Reading in his signature dispassionate style, narrator Edward Herrmann brings an eerie calm to this powerful chronicle of the deadliest storm ever to hit the United States--a huge and terribly destructive hurricane that struck land near Galveston, Texas in September of 1900. Author Erik Larson re-creates the events leading up to the disaster in astonishing detail, tracing the thoughts and actions of Isaac Cline, a scientist with America's burgeoning U.S. Weather Bureau. Cline's unwavering confidence--"In an age of scientific certainty one could not allow one's judgment to be clouded..."--blinds the meteorologist to the deadly onslaught about to be unleashed. Herrmann's calculated performance reflects the impending doom and dangers inherent to an unquestioned and absolute faith in science. (Running time: 5 hours, 3 cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description

September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged in a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over six thousand people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history--and Isaac Cline found himself the victim of a devestating personal tragedy.

Using Cline's own telegrams, letters, and reports, the testimony of scores of survivors, and our latest understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson builds a chronicle of one man's heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. Riveting, powerful, and unbearably suspenseful, Isaac's Storm is the story of what can happen when human arrogance meets the great uncontrollable force of nature.

Customer Reviews:

NO PICTURES.......2007-09-30

My first thoughts after finishing Isaac's storm was, that for such a big and devastating storm, it didn't seem do it justice. I wanted understanding (why didn't people leave?). I wanted some PICTURES!!.
As luck had it, someone who checked out the book before me had tucked a newspaper clipping pic in the inside flap, of the Bishops Palace and surrounding survivors w/ tons of lumber stacked up against them. THANK YOU whoever you are. I returned the picture to the flap.

Whatever happened to Dr. Samuel O.Young the amateur meteorologist? Sam kept a diary. And it seems was the only proactive person in town, in that he telegraphed his wife and children warning them not to come to Galveston because in his opinion, a big storm was coming.

One reviewer here claims Cline is a hero in Galveston but "Cline gave his official meteorological opinion that the thought of a hurricane ever doing any serious harm to Galveston was "An absurd delusion". Many residents had called for a seawall to protect the city, but Cline's statement helped to prevent its construction."
"Local legend has it that Cline took it upon himself to travel along the beach and other low-lying areas warning people personally of the storm's approach. This is based on Cline's own reports and has been called into question in recent years.
Cline did issue a hurricane warning without permission from the Bureau's central office in Washington, D.C. but by that point the city was already under water. I don't recall reading that Cline actually told anyone to get off the island..

I enjoyed the book but minus one star for lack of pictures.

I hear that John Edward Weems' book 'A Weekend in September' is also recommended reading on the 1900 storm.

Erik Larson is Quickly Becoming a Favorite.......2007-09-10

"Isaac's Storm" is a fictionalized telling of a real-time tragedy. It tells the story of the hurricane that devastated Galveston and provides impressive details on the history and science of meteorology. For the story-telling aspect of the novel, Mr. Larson uses Isaac Cline, Galveston's weather observer at the time.

Erik Larson's committment to research and detail is impeccable. I wish he had been my history teacher in high school!

Book is a Category 4.......2007-09-10

I enjoyed the book. It reminded me of a hurricane, starting slow but building as it went along.

BEATS READING THE BOOK.......2007-09-05

THIS DEFINATELY BEATS READING THE BOOK, BUT TAKE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE ABRIDGED VERSION!!!

Issacc's Storm.......2007-07-23

Again, another book by a great author, Erik Larson. I couldn't put it down, but then again I live in Florida and Hurricanes are of special interest to me. I'm not sure if you didn't live in a hurricane area, example Alaska, that this book would strike you the way it did me.

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Average customer rating:

river of doubt
A Gripping Tale of Men of Character
Awesome
They Don't Make Presidents Like this Anymore...
Real-life adventure

The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
Candice Millard
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Presidents & Heads of State | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Expeditions & Discoveries | World | History | Subjects | Books

Rain Forests | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0385507968
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Book Description

At once an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait, The River of Doubt is the true story of Theodore Roosevelt’s harrowing exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth.

The River of Doubt—it is a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. Indians armed with poison-tipped arrows haunt its shadows; piranhas glide through its waters; boulder-strewn rapids turn the river into a roiling cauldron.

After his humiliating election defeat in 1912, Roosevelt set his sights on the most punishing physical challenge he could find, the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. Together with his son Kermit and Brazil’s most famous explorer, Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon, Roosevelt accomplished a feat so great that many at the time refused to believe it. In the process, he changed the map of the western hemisphere forever.

Along the way, Roosevelt and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Three men died, and Roosevelt was brought to the brink of suicide. The River of Doubt brings alive these extraordinary events in a powerful nonfiction narrative thriller that happens to feature one of the most famous Americans who ever lived.
From the soaring beauty of the Amazon rain forest to the darkest night of Theodore Roosevelt’s life, here is Candice Millard’s dazzling debut.

Customer Reviews:

river of doubt.......2007-10-06

This book was great, if you like adventure, exploration, or teddy roosevelt this is the book for you.
not boaring at all this book is awsome

A Gripping Tale of Men of Character.......2007-09-21

Oh, for a President who had even one tenth of the character and integrity of the Teddy Roosevelt portrayed in this book. This is a real-life version of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, but the central figure never loses his sense of dedication and honor. Although there is plenty of suspense, even horror, in the story, I found it to be ultimately quite inspiring.

Awesome.......2007-09-20

This book went into so much detail about TR's expedition in Brazil that is hardly mentioned in other books on his life. And what a story it is! I heartily recommend it to anyone.

They Don't Make Presidents Like this Anymore..........2007-09-20

And that's not a statement of partisan politics, but it does say a lot about leadership. Volumes have been written about Theodore Roosevelt, the soldier, the statesman, the adventurer, and the president, but if there is a single book that captures the vitality, the determination, and the indomitable spirit of this great American, it is "The River of Doubt." Former National Geographic writer and editor Candice Miller pulls no punches and leaves no stone unturned in spinning this vibrant and suspense-packed tale of risk and discovery cutting through the heart of the Amazonian jungle on an uncharted Brazilian river. Miller brings the Amazon to life in all its bloody glory, an unfathomably dangerous place where even the frogs are deadly, where schools of piranhas can turn an ox - or a man - to a skeleton in minutes, a place where, despite caymans and poison dart-wielding natives, it is the insects - insects of all types and descriptions - that pose the greatest risk.

This is an epic journey facing not only the challenges of a wild river cascading over rapids and waterfalls through an impenetrable jungle, but also treachery and even murder. Roosevelt and expedition co-lead Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon, an officer of the Brazilian military and renowned Amazon explorer, find themselves surprisingly ill-equipped for their voyage through one of the planets most inhospitable regions, and ironically are soon near starvation in a green hell that while teaming with life, food is stubbornly unattainable. Meanwhile, it is a poignant tale of the bond between father and son, as Roosevelt and second son Kermit alternately sacrifice and suffer for each other while proudly denying emotion. This is one of those stories that, after weeks of terror, when Roosevelt and the tattered remains of his party emerge feverish from malaria and near starvation, you'll ask, "why haven't I heard about this before now."

Were this fiction, it would strain the bounds of credibility. But that this is the story of a former President of the United States is truly staggering. A remarkable achievement, "The River of Doubt" is a must read, illuminating a fascinating slice of world history in the twilight of the age of exploration while providing an intimate peak into the unparalleled character of Theodore Roosevelt. Bully!

Real-life adventure.......2007-09-20

River of Doubt is a cominbation of very interesting history and great adventure. This is the first book I have read about TR and as a result I plan to read more. Candice Millard does an outstanding job of presenting a grand adventure, while at the same time, letting you into the personal and interesting lives of the explorers. Ms. Millard has renewed my interest in historical books.

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