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- You might not sleep well at night
- Hang on for the ride!
- Cabinet of Curiosities
- The fourth one I've read...
- The horrors of a search for anti-aging secrets.
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The Cabinet of Curiosities (Pendergast, Book 3
Douglas Preston , and
Lincoln Child
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
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Binding: Hardcover
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The Relic (Pendergast, Book 1)
ASIN: 0446530220 |
Book Description
In an ancient tunnel underneath New York City a charnel house isdiscovered.Inside are thirty-six bodies all murdered and mutilatedmore than a century ago.While FBI agent Pendergast investigates theold crimes, identical killings start to terrorize the city.Thenightmare has begun. Again.
Download Description
THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, like The Relic, takes place in and around New York's Museum of Natural History. FBI agent Pendergast, journalist Bill Smithback, and archaeologist Nora Kelly return in this harrowing thriller.The story begins with the gruesome discovery in downtown Manhattan of an underground charnel house containing the bones of dozens of murder victims. Research reveals that a serial killer was at work in New York's notorious Five Points neighborhood in the 1880s. But when a newspaper story on the old murders appears to spark a new series of horrifyingly similar killings, panic overtakes New York City, and far too many clues seem to lead to the conclusion that the original murderer may still be alive.
Customer Reviews:
You might not sleep well at night.......2007-09-16
A doctor turned serial killer on the loose in New York City, vivid descriptions of human dissection while the victim is still alive and conscious, a diabolical prescription for prolonging human life - not the sort of stuff I usually read. But this book was a gift, and so I began reading, thinking that after a few pages I'd set the book down for good. But I found myself being sucked into the dusty basement archives of the New York Museum of History where the mystery begins some 130 years prior, being sucked in and glued to the spot. The Cabinet of Curiosities is a very explicitly told tale, rich in texture, mood, and historical fact, with bizarre characters, some of whom readily fit the bill as whodunit suspects. So I read on, read about the terrible plight of a teenage girl in the nineteenth century, imprisoned by the mad doctor. Knowing she would soon die, she writes a note in her own blood and conceals it in the lining of her dress. 130 years later, the note comes to light when a gruesome charnel pit containing 36 bodies is unearthed revealing the heinous crime. Despite the ghastly subject matter, I could not put this damn book down. Authors Preston and Child are very skilled at their craft, conjuring up detailed imagery of the Cabinets, the dusty archives, the icy cold of the killer's laboratories. They keep the pace and tension going throughout. When all is said and done though, a few of the players of this large cast exit without giving the reader total satisfaction. The throwaway lines summing up the ridiculously stupid Captain Custer, for example, did not quite do it for me. Still, if you're looking for a well written page turner, this is definitely worth reading. Review by David Marsh, Sea Chest Books
Hang on for the ride!.......2007-09-14
After reading the first three pages of "The Cabinet of Curiosities", I rushed to the library and checked out every Preston/Child book there was. A week later, my family was sulking, the house was a wreck and I missed several events I was supposed to attend, but I'd finished all eight books. I still think it was a week well spent.
Not one book disappoints and each can stand alone. The plot twists are unpredictable even to this jaded reader, and for more than a few pages in more than a few books, the hair deliciously stood up on the back of my neck--a very rare experience for me.
These books have elements I always hope for but rarely find in contemporary fiction. They're smart! Bits of arcane trivia, hints of the supernatural, a cast of colorful and likeable characters, dark foreshadowings of evil to come and sometime FBI agent Aloysius Pendergast, who knows things no one else does--no, no, REALLY no one else does. Trust me when I say Aloysius Pendergast is worthy of comparison with Sherlock Holmes and Lord Peter Wimsey. While reminiscent of both, he's much more. The reader finds out...no, I'm sorry, you'll just have to read it yourself.
"The Cabinet of Curiosities" is THE perfect thriller, but every one of the Pendergast novels is great; each is very different from the others. Just don't start reading until you have time to finish--I'll be catching up on chores for weeks, though the family seems to have gotten over it.
Cabinet of Curiosities.......2007-08-24
Book arrived in excellent condition...I have not read the volume yet but am listening to an abridged version on tape and it's unusual, entertaining and very imaginative.
The fourth one I've read..........2007-06-25
Cabinet of Curiosities was the fourth book I've read by Preston and Child, and I'm reading my fifth one right now (Riptide). These guys know how to write gut-wrenching, stomach turning thrillers! FBI agent Pendergast, a great though unbelievably talented character, is back, although police detective D'Agosta is not in this one. As in the other books, Pendergast always escapes from hopeless situations, but that's no spoiler, since Preston and Child surely wouldn't kill off their best character.
For sheer suspense, I rate these authors on a par with Nelson DeMille. Cabinet of Curiosities can be pretty gruesome at times, and if you live alone, it's probably not the best choice for reading on a dark, stormy night unless you like being scared out of your wits.
If you've read other books by Preston and Child, Cabinet of Curiosities is as good or better than any of them. If you haven't read any of their books, I recommend starting with Relic and going through them in order so you can see the various characters introduced.
The horrors of a search for anti-aging secrets........2007-05-07
While preparing land for a development, the skeletons of children long dead are brought to light--buried within the walls of the foundation. The solution to the crimes involves the staff of the Museum of Natural History and a man's search for long life. Each chapter is a cliff hanger--it is impossible to put down once you begin! Look for its prequels as well.
Book Description
New York City's American Museum of Natural History is a national treasure, attracting four million visitors annually. Its dioramas-a dazzling mixture of nature, science, and art-have inspired young and old alike, and are world-renowned examples of the unique diorama craft: art in the service of science. Now, in the only book of its kind, readers get an insider's view of these "windows on nature," witnessing their creation step by meticulous step.
More than forty of the museum's finest dioramas are featured here, depicting the fauna and flora of myriad ecological environments. Stephen Quinn, a diorama artist at the museum, introduces the explorers, naturalists, painters, sculptors, taxidermists, and conservationists behind these three-dimensional marvels, and explains how their collaborations make the displays so lifelike. This enchanting book is the perfect gift for nature lovers, art enthusiasts, and museum goers everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
Monuments to Wilderness.......2007-09-16
There is nowhere beneath a roof, anywhere on earth, that means more to me than the great diorama halls of The American Museum of Natural History. It is stunning (and, really, rather sad) that it has taken this long for a popular book to be written about these magnificent works of art and science, but at least it has been done well. (It is also gratifying to see the book getting such good--and well deserved--reviews here.)
For many millions of people habitat dioramas have been their first taste of the beauty, calm, and nobility of wild creatures and wild places. More people are familiar with nature documentaries these days, and since I love good documentaries too I can't really complain about that. Nonetheless there are some things that habitat dioramas, when done well, can convey that the flickering image, even on an IMAX screen, just can't. No medium portrays the spacious calm of wild country, and the simple dignity of wild animals, better than dioramas. It's also important to remember the valuable record dioramas can provide: many of the dioramas in this book are of places no longer wild.
Stephen Quinn's credentials for writing this book are probably as good as anyone alive. He started as an artist for the museum and has been an important force in helping keep the medium alive through the dark years of the 60s to 80s, when across the U.S. it was frequently neglected, if not despised, by curators though not, blessedly, by the general public. Things are at least somewhat better now, and Mr. Quinn is now project manager for exhibitions at the museum. He has done a fine job with this book. The text is engaging and informative and the photos are big and beautiful.
I do have a few quibbles. He sometimes uses the word "captured" for animals collected (read killed) for the dioramas. I'm sympathetic with why he felt he had to do that, given what he's trying to do with the book and given the cultural forces with which he must contend. The moral issues behind hunting and museum collection are complex and beyond what a book like this could be expected to cover. Nonetheless, animals are never "captured" for taxidermy.
I should hasten to add that animals do not need to be killed specifically for taxidermy. Many if not most animals mounted for museums in the last few decades died in zoos, were hit by automobile traffic, etc. That generally was not a realistic option at the time these dioramas were created.
My other reservation is deeper, but harder to articulate, and I don't have a real solution to it. I also know that a lot of readers will be unsympathetic with it. I'm not completely comfortable with "behind the scenes" stuff in anything other than technical manuals, trade magazines, etc. The people who made these dioramas were of course just people but had high ideals (ideals that Mr. Quinn without question shares) and they wanted the dioramas to be about their _subjects_. His behind the scenes writing will engage people more with the medium and is interesting in itself, no argument. But how much does it really help to have people thinking "I wonder if that rock in Diorama Z is the one that employees used to go to make out behind on their lunch hour."?
I don't know the answer, and so I can't really fault the author. I also recognize that many of the reviewers here loved that aspect of the book. My hope, and I'm sure it's the author's as well, is that it will all stay in perspective. Let's hope that's right. It would be very sad to see dioramas become the subject of the kind of psychologizing and trivializing that permeates the world of "fine" art.
That said, this is a beautiful and well-written book about a noble, if often neglected, realm of art and natural history. If you've read through a long review like this one about a book on this subject, I promise you won't regret owning it.
Beautiful........2007-05-12
Stephen Christopher Quinn, Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History (Abrams, 2006)
Dioramas are amazing things. Looking at them may not make it seem so, but that, more than anything, is testament to the artistry practiced by the men and women who construct them. Windows on Nature goes behind the scenes of the construction of the dioramas at the Museum of Natural History in New York City.
This is a coffee-table book, so there are a large number of excellent pictures of the dioramas themselves accompanying the text on how they were created. Both are as fantastic as they are fascinating. If you're a fan, this is a must-have. ****
great nature book.......2007-01-16
This was a gift for my mother who visited this museum years ago. It brought back great memories we had when we went. The book was very well done.
unbeatable and unique book on the Museum.......2006-07-26
I am not a scientist nor museum professional, simply a museumgoer. This book is a clear and attractive presentation about the dioramas that have helped define this wonderful museum for decades. Anyone who has ever visited the American Museum of Natural History will be captivated by the behind-the-scenes perspective presented. Understanding this background adds depth to our appreciation of the habitats. Quinn must have dug up old diaries, records and I wonder if he even listened in on some conversations as well because he offers little known factoids which are fascinating to read about and which enhance our experience as a museumgoer. I highly recommend this volume to anyone who has visited the museum. For those who have not visited, the book provides a wonderful view of what you've been missing!
What a Gem!.......2006-06-04
I found this treasure at my local bookstore (could have got it cheaper here!), looked it over, walked away, came back and looked again, walked away again, but couldn't find anything else I wanted as badly. It is an elegant masterpiece. I happen to thrill at anything remotely connected to taxidermy, but this book will also interest those who like nature, museums, or art.
This book is specifically about the dioramas of one museum, but in telling how they were constructed - taxidermy, foreground, and background painting - it is enlightening to anyone who loves natural history museums in general. There are color photos of the dioramas today, and black-and-whites of the artists working on various stages of their development decades ago. The step-by-step pictures of how a huge elephant mount is put together are nothing short of fascinating. Then, in addition, there are behind the scenes stories about how each diorama came together, and some hair-raising tales of specimen collecting in Africa.
If I have a complaint, it is this: the author has written the text as if only addressing fellow New Yorkers, assuming his readers have already been to this museum and seen these dioramas in person. "Think back to your memories of visits to the grand diorama galleries of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City." I can't help but feel a bit excluded, having never been there, although I am perfectly able to appreciate the exhibits based on the museums I have had the pleasure to visit. Perhaps he underestimated the broader appeal this book would have, but at any rate he unknowingly sparks a desire in the rest of us to try to get there someday!
Book Description
This is the first guide yet produced to the amphibians and reptiles of New York State, a large and heavily populated state that hosts a surprisingly diverse and interesting community of amphibians and reptiles. This much needed guide to the identification, distribution, natural history and conservation of the amphibians and reptiles of New York State fill a long-empty niche. The book is the first comprehensive presentation of the distributional data gathered for the New York State Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project. With more than 60,000 records compiled from 1990-1999, this extraordinary and up-to-date database provides a rich foundation for the book. This volume provides detailed narratives on the 69 species native to New York State. With a heavy emphasis on conservation biology, the book also includes chapters on threats, legal protections, habitat conservation guidelines, and conservation case studies. Also included are 67 distribution maps and 62 pages of color photographs contributed by more than 30 photographers. As a field guide or a desk reference, The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State is indispensable for anyone interested in the vertebrate animals of the Northeast, as well as students, field researchers and natural resource professionals.
Customer Reviews:
Finally .......2007-04-02
This Book is long overdue for those of us who had to consult with the online herp atlas everytime we needed to find out if a species had been recorded in a certain county. This book is set up and flows very nicely with excellent pictures and species accounts, habitat descriptions, counties of occurance, and so on. I have been very impressed already with this book and how much easier it will make things when I need New York based data for site evaluations and habitat assessment. This book is very informative and well written and my hats off to the authors for compiling all of the data used and keeping it readible. This book is an invaluable resource and is cheap enough to keep it accessible to everyone. A must have for anyone in NY that is interested in herps, some of the information is also valid for surrounding states.
Book Description
Under the teeming metropolis that is present-day New York City lie the buried remains of long-lost worlds. The remnants of nineteenth-century New York reveal much about its inhabitants and neighborhoods, from fashionable Washington Square to the notorious Five Points. Underneath there are traces of the Dutch and English colonists who arrived in the area in the seventeenth century, as well as of the Africans they enslaved. And beneath all these layers is the land that Native Americans occupied for hundreds of generations from their first arrival eleven thousand years ago. Now two distinguished archaeologists draw on the results of more than a century of excavations to relate the interconnected stories of these different peoples who shared and shaped the land that makes up the modern city. In treating New York's five boroughs as one enormous archaeological site, Anne-Marie Cantwell and Diana diZerega Wall weave Native American, colonial, and post-colonial history into an absorbing, panoramic narrative. They also describe the work of the archaeologists who uncovered this evidence--nineteenth-century pioneers, concerned citizens, and today's professionals. In the process, Cantwell and Wall raise provocative questions about the nature of cities, urbanization, the colonial experience, Indian life, the family, and the use of space. Engagingly written and abundantly illustrated, Unearthing Gotham offers a fresh perspective on the richness of the American legacy.
Customer Reviews:
Good Book for Urban Arch/Anth lovers.......2006-02-26
This book was good but I must admit it was extremely repetitive and very over written. Facts that could've taken 1 sentence to reveal took pages. More like a long essay then a book. But still very good.
Mighty Insights from Little Potshards Grow.......2005-03-29
"Unearthing Gotham" is the story of historical archaeology in the city of New York. Historical archaelogy is the archaeological study of eras that might also have written documentation - so what can digging around in old privies tell us that the paper trail does not?
Cantwell and Wall prove the answer is "an almost infinite amount." From a painstaking analysis of shards of pottery found in various privies, for example, we learn how the world changes for women when New York became too big to walk (they no longer lived above the shop, so to speak). In landfill in lower Manhattan, the charred ghost of a ship that sunk in the harbor in the 17th-century tells us something about trade back then. Most touchingly, the discovery and excavation of the old African Burial Grounds tells us something about the lives of the enslaved (did you know that over 20% of the residents of colonial Manhattan were enslaved? I didn't; I learned it from this book).
The book is extremely well-designed, liberally illustrated with photos of digs, but also old maps and engravings. If you have lived or walked New York, it will inspire you to look at the city in a new way - the ground you tred on still bears the marks of centuries past.
By the way, the authors have also brought out a book of walking tours based on their discoveries - next time I'm in town I'm tucking it under my arm and having a good look around at the vestiges of the 17th-19th centuries presented here.
Unearthing a masterwork.......2003-09-11
As a long-time student of and writer about old New York, this book held so many surprises for me that I felt like a college freshman again. For so many years I had read about the Native Americans who occupied this city, but the illustrations, maps and photos that accompany this complex narrative give it new, more vivid life for me. The experiences of the Dutch, African-Americans and British that followed are given a face, so to speak, by the detailed, but lively, narration. The graphics, especially of the extreme southern tip of Manhattan, are generous, clear, and highly educational for newcomers to and veterans of this history. (By the way, as a Brooklynite, I want to kiss the authors for covering all five boroughs, and not just focusing on Manhattan, as do most histories of NYC.) This is a book that can be enjoyed on so many levels. It is a great introduction to a relatively--and undeservedly--obscure subject.
A Marvelous Book.......2002-07-19
This is the very best book one could have if he is interested in the early history of New York City and the area immediately surrounding it. The coverage of Native Americans is especially strong, fascinating from beginning to end. The authors know their subject thoroughly, write beautifully, and have given us an exciting, scholarly work that will be a classic for some time to come.
New York's underground history.......2002-03-01
New York, like no other city in the world, is a city of spectacular heights and many books have been written about the buildings that rise to the skies. How many people, however, think about what lies beneath the vast weight of edifices and human life that exists above the ground? In this compelling and instructive book, Anne-Marie Cantwell and Diana diZerega Wall have a given us a lesson not only about the artifacts and remains that have lain dormant for centuries but also in the history that surrounds their burial and ultimate exposure.
In a time-line fashion (11,000 years before present to today) the authors reconstruct a picture of what life might have been like during these times. Lest one think the unearthings are limited to Manhattan, they are not. All five boroughs are represented. There were moments during the reading of this book that I wanted the authors to spend more time recounting the actual excavations to which they refer, but in the end their historical perspective is the link that saves the day. Without it, their offerings would be no more than a field trip.
My future trips around the city will be made with a new awareness as I ask myself, "I wonder what lies beneath....". It is a question we all can ask.
Customer Reviews:
Good book for school projects.......2005-11-21
I desperatly needed to find info on Tourmaline and this book gave me all the info i needed to write my paper
An Unbeatable Reference Source for Gems and Minerals!.......2001-04-17
This oversized "coffee table" style book, contains some of the most impressive gem and mineral photography in print. The photos were taken by Erica and Harold Van Pelt who are the most revered gemological photographers in the world. In addition, the text is well organized and flawlessly researched. Gems and Crystals really captures the magic responsible for mankind's obsession with gem minerals. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a passion for gems.
Book Description
Anyone who has fallen under the spell of the hummingbird will treasure this lovable true story of a young ruby-throated hummingbird who becomes part of someone's household and life.
57 full-color photographs; 10 black-and-white drawings.
Customer Reviews:
A Humming Bird in My House: The Story of Squeak.......2007-09-30
We were given this book that is filled with wonderful close up observations about one hummingbird. The author shares how she learned so much when a hummingbird over stayed his summer visit and how she helped "Squeak" until the following spring. The book was very enjoyable. We are hummingbird lovers and feed them.
Enjoyable and heartwarming........2007-08-04
A heart warming story and a great read. If you enjoy birds or wildlife you will like reading this book. The quick thinking and commitment by the author
saved this little hummers life.
THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL JOURNEY.......2007-06-19
which the talented and admirable writer, Arnette Heidcamp, leads the reader through - namely, the first months of a Hummingbird's life, from the beginning of winter to the advent of spring.
Ms. Heidcamp has amazing expertise in both bird and plant life, and what one appreciates also is her great love of them both. One wants to thank her for this lovely book and for the precious photographs which accompany it.
Throughout the book, the reader gets to know Squeak more and more, to understand the habits and traits of this darling hummingbird, and to realize what an intelligence it has. Ms. Heidcamp is dedicated and devoted and, yes, the ending is sad. I have to admit I shed a tear or two as a reader saying goodby. I can only imagine what an emotional time Ms. Heidcamp had to go through, after fostering this hummingbird so carefully and intimately, when the time came to set Squeak free.
I have alredy got several of Ms. Heidcamp's other books lined up to read, and even signed up with Random House to get an e-mail notice when she has a new book published.
I can't praise this wonderful literary and photographic pursuit highly enough. Reading this book was a true joy!
Absolutely beautiful photography and lovely story.......2007-02-24
Very beautiful photography and a touching story of how the author was able to create a relationship with a very tiny and fragile creature who otherwise would not have survived the winter.
Well worth buying.......2006-11-05
If you have any interest in hummingbirds at all, you should read this book. It is a quick read, heart-warming, heart-breaking, packed full of beautiful photos and tons of information about hummingbird behavior.
Book Description
The perfect book for a rainy day, but also for an art lessen, a lazy afternoon, or a quiet classroom. Accompanied by a CD of original and evocative piano music, this is a book meant to be enjoyed by all people, connecting us through music and art and transcending language and cultural barriers. Readers, "lookers" and listeners of all ages will love this slice of a rainy day.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful & Moving.......2006-12-24
My daughter received this book as a gift on her first birthday. The illustrations are beautiful, but because she is so young, and we want to preserve the book, we mostly listen to the music with her. My wife holds my daughter and dances around the room to the sweet and happy melodies. When she sets her down my daughter makes the sign for "more more more"! Once the music begins, she laughs and reaches up, wanting to start all over again.
The music is not overly "classical", nor is it annoyingly childish. It is just wonderfully simple and can be enjoyed by anyone at any time.
this is an exciting and beautiful book.......2006-02-19
absolute gem!!! wordless story told in pictures and original musical score- everyone should enjoy this book
I loved this children's book..........2003-10-20
... so much so that I chose to review it. It is an atypical "counting" book... one in which a certain object, in this case -- umbrellas, is added to each page. But the twist is that a CD comes with this book. The CD has various cuts of original piano music. Each cut wonderfully reflects the setting of the given page. On one page, as the umbrellas cross over a bridge, you can hear the plink-plink of the raindrops on the water below. On another page, you can hear an approaching train as the pianist speeds up his delivery of original music. The artwork is beautiful, with a subdued rainy palette used for backgrounds. Only the umbrellas themselves are vibrantly depicted. It's only at the end of the book in which we actually get a glimpse of the people (children) carrying the umbrellas, and even on that page, one only sees their legs. My two sons enjoyed trying to guess who might be carrying the umbrellas and where they might be going. My 9-year-old said, "Wouldn't it be funny if they turned out to be monsters!" Monsters notwithstanding, the audio-visual combination makes for a wonderful experience just before dropping off to sleep.
Musical eloquence through illustration.......2003-06-15
A very pleasant book. Great to use on a rainy day with the music. The illustrations give a sense of constant motion and are complemented by the fast tempo music. The pictures have a strong correlation between shape, size, and environment, with everything seeming very deliberate. A great medium and angle to depict the journey to school. All the different umbrellas seem to have their own characteristics and throughout the book you are left to wonder who is under the umbrella and where are they going. Beautifully illustrated!! Should be read with the music.
Fabulous Experience.......2003-03-07
My daughters (3 and 5) received the book from their Aunt. The first night we popped the CD in and slowly turned the pages...I watched their eyes as we went page by page and saw smiles come and go throughout the book. The fact that there are no words makes us slow down, mingle music with imagination and every now and then we make up our own words - sprinkled here and there among the raindrops - to take the story in new directions whenever we choose.
Now...the CD player in the car brings the pictures back to the girls as we travel down to Rhode Island to visit family. Fabulous choice - thanks Aunt Betty and Uncle Duck.
Customer Reviews:
Just for Kids.......2006-06-26
I felt the story was pretty mundane and written for the 10 to 14 yr old audience. The pictures were mostly all drawings. The story was rather repetitious memories of people who actually lived and recorded their memories of the storm......but how much can you say about a snow storm that isn't repeated over and over again. Young people might find the book interesting, but I thought it was pretty dry. My 15 year old thought it was just OK.
Blizzard! A Great Read!.......2004-07-22
Jim Murphy has written a fascinating and captivating account of the storm that hit the northern east coast of the United States in March, 1888. At the end of one of the mildest winters in the East, two storms coming from different directions combined to create an unexpected storm, with high winds and freezing snow that devastated the northeast. The story focuses mostly on the effects of the storm in New York City, where all public transportation came to a standstill, and the storm virtually shut down the city. The snow was so deep and the winds so strong that the trains were actually buried in the snow, trapping the passengers inside. Most businesses were closed down because people could not get to their jobs. Those who did venture outside risked their lives in the freezing temperatures. The storm lasted for two days, and an estimated 800 people died in New York City alone.
This is a well-written, and interesting book. Authentic photographs are included, which enchance the narrative. Jim Murphy is an outstanding writer of Young Adult nonfiction. The events of the "great blizzard" come to life in this book.
The Great Blizzard.......2004-05-25
Do you think non-fiction books can't be good? Well your wrong. Blizzard is a really good non-fiction book. It is about the blizzard of 1888. The storm caught most people by surprise because it was unusually warm on March 10, 1888. There was a storm system coming from the North and one coming from the South. The one in the North went along the Canadian border then started to swooped down. The one coming from the South went along the Gulf of Mexico,and then went South some then started to go North. People were in panic. They lost alot of people March 11, 1888. For example, people looking for the subway would get lost and not be able to be found. If they were found they had already died of freezing, being burried, or starving. Two little boys heading out to find their grandmas house got lost then were found not long after burried but still alive. And another example is two tugboats crashed into each other. Most of the people in that accident lived but some died. This is a good book for all age levels.
An insightful, lively account of another "perfect" storm........2000-12-27
Acclaimed historian Murphy shows how a devastating 1888 blizzard not only shut down our northeastern states for days, but radically altered the way Americans live; its repercussions are being felt even today. He illustrates how political corruption, ineptitude, and contemporary social attitudes exacerbated the storm's fallout. Using carefully chosen excerpts from survivors' personal accounts, he also gives us a vivid feel for what life was like then for immigrants, women moving into the workplace, and others who had to struggle to survive everyday. He employs an interesting mix of graphics to further illustrate his story. Junior high school students who believe history is boring may think differently after reading this; it should also appeal to readers interested in natural disasters, and in social histories. Here's another winner from the author whose "The Great Fire" brought Chicago's infamous conflagration so brilliantly to life.
Customer Reviews:
Engrossing story, don't miss it........2005-04-23
I read this book when it was first published and I have carried it around in my head ever since. My copy has "gone missing" and now intend to repurchase and read it again. I will always recall Anne's adventures warmly. Her statement about using the wind as a dryer has stuck with me. She is a remarkble woman.
Captivating!.......2005-04-22
Her first - WOODSWOMAN - just captivated me from the first page to the last. Then, every other book in the series - WOODSWOMAN II, WOODSWOMAN III - was like watching a movie. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. WOODSWOMAN IV is the most exciting yet - her walk across Black Bear Lake in February through three inches of ice water over one foot of snow is riveting. The chapters about her German shepherd, Chekika, who was quadriplegic for two years, show the deep love the author has for her dogs. When James Herriot published his books, I didn't think anyone could come close to his writing. But, Anne has. I love her books as much as his!
On the Road with the WOODSWOMAN.......2005-02-18
WOODSWOMAN IV - Book Four of the Woodswoman's Adventures.
Anne LaBastille ISBN 0-9632846-3-0
Strong and independent, Anne LaBastille has chosen to live very simply as an ecologist and an Adirondack wilderness guide. She loves the solitude of the mountain lakes and woodlands. Fortunately for us she shares her vision once again in this fourth book of the WOODSWOMAN series. She seeks solitude and revels in everyday miracles of nature. She lives a contemplative, traditional life in an increasingly technological world. In this book she shares vignettes of life in her log cabin next to the Adirondack wilderness; a frugal, yankee approach to publishing; a "Deliverance-like" adventure in Appalachia and much more. Her style is conversational and easy. Delve into a chapter and into the book's 50 photos and you are there, alongside her. It is a fast and delightful read.
I really didn't want this book to end.
Ellie Horwitz
Concord, MA
A sensitive, intelligent, and compelling book.......2003-10-02
I have to admit up front: I'm an Anne LaBastille fan. Ever since I read her gripping book, Woodswoman, I've been hooked. As an avid conservationist and author, I've even had the privelege of meeting her and having dinner with her at her cabin on her beloved Black Bear Lake. Sitting around a crackling fire, drinking wine, we talked about book publishing, writing, and the acid rain that has devastated lakes like hers in the northeastern United States.
This book, while tamer than Woodswoman is a sensitive, intelligent, and compelling tale of five years in Anne's life in the Adirondacks. Those who, like me, read her books will be rewarded many times over. Those who haven't yet had the opportunity to explore her world will likely find this book a delight. No matter what the topic -- her self-publishing ventures, a hummingbird that landed on her hand to seek refuge from an overzealous suitor, the death of her beloved dog Chekika or her wild adventures in America's South -- Anne's skilled story telling will keep you entranced. You'll smile, you'll laugh, you'll shiver in fear, and you'll cry as you read this wonderful book. You'll no doubt want to go back to the beginning to pick up a copy of Woodswoman.
Enthralling!.......2003-06-21
Anne LaBastille has penned another riveting read recounting her adventures as an independent woman residing in the wilderness and as a wildlife biologist striving to protect the natural world. She shares her forays in the complex world of self-publishing which adds a new dimension to this already accomplished visionary. Quite frankly, LaBastille is my favorite writer - her life is fascinating and I marvel at her commitment and ability to convey the emotional pain of losing her beloved pet-companions. Her talented writing style allows the reader to experience the fear of death she faced when confronted by out-of-control, gun-wielding thugs while camping in a public wilderness park. WOODSWOMAN IV is a page-turner that chronicles the changes in "Woodswoman's" life - and society.
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Book Description
The Albany Pine Bush is a protected, remnant pine barrens community located between the cites of Albany and Schenectady, New York. A visit to the Pine Bush Preserve, home to an impressive and globally rare assemblage of plants and animals, is unlike any other urban experience in North America. This volume is a comprehensive guide that documents one of the most endangered landscapes in the Northeast.
This book is a field guide to trees, shrubs, wildflowers, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Human exploitation, land use, and conservation are reviewed, and major problems in protection and ecological management are also addressed. It includes color photographs, brief diagnostic descriptions, and biological notes on 121 notable Pine Bush species. The seven appendices list modern scientific names of hundreds of Pine Bush mosses, liverworts, vascular plants, insects, and vertebrate animals.
The bibliography provides complete and accurate citations to over 200 relevant books and articles published over a period of two centuries, providing access to the growing body of scientific and popular literature. A removable 16 1/2 X 21 inch trail map illustrates the topographic relief of the Pine Bush Preserve and surrounding area, and it locates trails and trailhead access points in relation to area roads.
This volume will appeal to a wide audience, including amateur naturalists, concerned citizens, students, scientists, land managers, developers, and journalists.
Books:
- THE CELLULAR SLIME MOLDS
- The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex
- The Ecology of a Tropical Forest: Seasonal Rhythms and Long-Term Changes
- The Gentle Subversive: Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, and the Rise of the Environmental Movement (New Narratives in American History)
- The History and Geography of Human Genes
- The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey
- The Light-Green Society: Ecology and Technological Modernity in France, 1960-2000
- The Little Penguin
- The Molecular Biology of Chloroplasts and Mitochondria in (Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration)
- The New Encyclopedia of Mammals
Books Index
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