Taggerung (Redwall, Book 14)

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Brian Jacques's 14th fantasy in the popular Redwall series exceeds expectations in this suspenseful tale of good versus evil where the nefarious vermin seek to destroy the peace-loving mice, moles, shrews, and otters of Redwall Abbey. The villainous Sawney Rath clan of rats, weasels, foxes, and ferrets believe Deyna, an otter born of the community at Redwall, is their Taggerung, a great warrior destined to lead them. Members of the Sawney Rath clan kidnap Deyna from his home as a young otter, but to no avail. As Deyna grows, he embarks upon a search for his true family at Redwall.

As ever, the master storyteller's language lends his swashbuckling adventures a mysterious and magical quality, as well as a hint of the Old World as the characters address each other with thees and thous. Hearkening back to medieval times, Jacques presents a tale of courageous warriors and grotesque evildoers alike, each group journeying toward conflicting ends. Danger, fear, action, heroism--Taggerung is an intense page-turner with startling plot twists that will keep readers on their toes. (Ages 9 to 15) --Yvonne Schindler

Book Description

Years ago, the vermin clan of Sawney Rath kidnapped one of Redwall's own-a baby otter, destined to become their "Taggerung," a warrior hero of ancient legend. But as young Tagg grows, he rebels against his destiny. The young otter journeys in search of his birthplace, a member of Sawney's clan always near, out to destroy the deserter. With the feisty mouse Nimbalo, Tagg fends off the avenging vermin, but can he find his way back to the Redwall family from whom he was separated so long ago? Here is all of the excitement and adventure a Redwall fan could wish for!

Customer Reviews:

A great installment in the redwall series.......2007-09-06

A stunning novel, once again by Brian Jacques. He never fails to capture me as a reader. My favorite books have been by Jacques. I started off with the roots of this extensive series and read "Redwall", and as I was pleased with the results, I continued and read "Martin the Warrior". However, "Taggerung" is by far my favorite. The characters are really quite interesting. By far my favorite being Nimbalo the Slayer, a fierce mouse warrior who is brave beyond belief, as he faces numerous enemies that are many times his size. And to boot, Nimbalo has quite the ego.

And as usual, Jacques describes the environments explored throughout the story with the utmost precision. Every nook and cranny, every twig and pebble, not even the slightest detail goes unnoticed.

And the plot was also quite well written. Each book published by Jacques comes with a new and fresh storyline. The only reason I made this 4/5 and not 5/5 was because I thought the plot seemed slighty, ever so slighty, resembling of some of the previous books, with all that talk of a mighty soldier foretold in a prophecy and all.

A great installment in the redwall series.......2007-09-06

A stunning novel, once again by Brian Jacques. He never fails to capture me as a reader. My favorite books have been by Jacques. I started off with the roots of this extensive series and read "redwall", and as I was pleased with the results, I continued and read "Martin the Warrior". However, "Taggerung" is by far my favorite. The characters are really quite interesting. By far my favorite being Nimbalo the Slayer, a fierce mouse warrior who is brave beyond belief, as he faces numerous enemies that are many times his size. And to boot, Nimbalo has quite the ego.

And as usual, Jacques describes the environments explored throughout the story with the utmost precision. Every nook and cranny, every twig and pebble, not even the slightest detail goes unnoticed.

And the plot was also quite well written. Each book published by Jacques comes with a new and fresh storyline. The only reason I made this 4/5 and not 5/5 was because I thought the plot seems slighty, ever so slighty, resembliing of some of the previous books, with all that talk of a mighty soldier foretold in a prophecy and all.

A great installment in the redwall series.......2007-09-06

A stunning novel, once again by Brian Jacques. He never fails to capture me as a reader. My favorite books have been by Jacques. I started off with the roots of this exyensive series and read "redwall", and as I was pleased with the results, I continued and read "Martin the Warrior". However, "Taggerung" is by far my favorite. The characters are really quite interesting. By far my favorite being Nimbalo the Slayer, a fierce mouse warrior who is brave beyond belief, as he faces numerous enemies that are many times his size. And to boot, Nimbalo has quite the ego.

And as usual, Jacques describes the environments explored throughout the story with the utmost precision. Every nook and cranny, every twig and pebble, not even the slightest detail goes unnoticed.

And the plot was also quite well written. Each book published by Jacques comes with a new and fresh storyline. The only reason I made this 4/5 and not 5/5 was because I thought the plot seems slighty, ever so slighty, resembliing of some of the previous books, with all that talk of a mighty soldier foretold in a prophecy and all.

The Daring Adventure.......2007-02-17

It begins with a new born otter named Deyna who went with his dad to a river. While that was going on, evil vermin were using omens to find the Taggerung (the Taggerung is an extremely strong animal that is supposed to be almost invincible) and they found out that it was baby otter so they kidnapped him and killed his dad. Years later he left the vermin and his (fake) father was killed by a jealous stoat. Tagg (Taggerung) later found someone and became his friend named Nimbalo the Slayer. Tagg has a dream one night about his dad and the rest of his family which are at Redwall Abbey so he started his quest toward Redwall.
Tagg is kind and generous despite being raised by evil vermin. Tagg is also very patient and honest. I think this book is wonderful because it shows bravery, skill, intelligence and there are many feasts (at Redwall Abbey). This book is a great contribution to literature not to mention there are about fifteen other books Brian Jacques has written.

A Tip 'O the Hat to Mr. Brian Jacques.......2006-10-20

At just three days old, Deyna's father was slain, and he was taken from his family by the Juskarath clan. The Juskarath believed Deyna to be the prophesied "Taggerung," the uber-elite warrior/ruler of all the Juska clans, even though he was an otter born of Redwall Abbey. After fifteen seasons of rigorous training reminiscent of the Spartans, Deyna realized that he wasn't cut out to be a savage killing machine like the rest of his clan. He broke free of them, and ran off to find his true family. But leaving a Juska clan wasn't that easy. Deyna soon found himself being hunted by his archrival, Gruven, and his vicious fellow clanbeasts. He ran for days across the countryside and through the forestlands, and finally met a creature that he grew to call friend. The creature was a harvest mouse by the name of Nimbalo, who himself had a mysterious and painful past. Deyna and Nimbalo traveled to the mountains in hopes of losing Gruven and his band of vermin and instead found an old shrew named Ruskem, who sheltered the two for a night. During the night, Deyna awoke to find Nimbalo yelling in his sleep, reliving the day he left his father's farm. It seemed that Nimbalo's father had beat him, and that's why he packed up and left. The pair left when morning came, and continued on through the mountains, only to find Gruven's gang yet again. Gruven caused a rockslide that killed several hundred pigmy shrews, even though they were meant to kill Deyna. Nimbalo and Deyna helped the shrews to bury their dead, and then continued on to find a hedgehog named Robald trapped in a mudball. The big otter freed Robald, and followed him back to his home. Robald was due to visit his Great-Aunt Lollery, who lived along the riverbank, so the pair accompanied him as sort of bodyguards. Unfortunately for Robald, he had chosen to visit at the same time as his rowdy country cousins, the Dillypins. Deyna ended up making an enemy out of the leader Dillypin, Jurkin, shortly after arrival. He and Jurkin settled their disagreement with a round of spiketussling, a hedgehog form of wrestling. Jurkin accepted Deyna as an equal, and offered to ferry them down the river towards Redwall Abbey. The Dillypin raft soon came upon the watermeadows, a favorite place of the Dillypin children. Nimbalo went off on his own, and Deyna took a long time finding him. But he was finally found, in his father's farmhouse, standing over his father's corpse. Nimbalo said that he was already slain when he arrived, with a mortal wound that could only have been caused by his father's own axe. A little sadder, the pair returned to the raft and set sail again, to stop at the edge of Mossflower Wood. Jurkin accompanied them a little ways in, but had to return to the raft. Deyna and Nimbalo kept on through Mossflower, and eventually came upon Redwall Abbey, where they were promptly mistaken for vermin and taken captive. It so happened that the Abbey was currently under siege by Gruven's lot, and they wanted the Abbey to hand over the Taggerung. Deyna desperately pleaded to be set free to kill the vermin, and the abbeybeasts complied. Deyna grabbed the sword of Martin the Warrior in his mad dash outside to get to the vermin. Swinging the big sword, he charged straight into the cluster of vermin, taking three arrows to the chest, and slew every last one of them. Deyna finally ended his killing spree several miles down the road, and was found by Redwall's Skipper of Otters. Skipper took him back to Redwall, where his mother Filorn and his sister Mhera saw their long lost son and brother for the first time in sixteen seasons. Filorn suggested that Deyna be taken to Rukky Garge, the otter healer, to heal him, of course, but to also remove all the tattoos covering his face. The process took a good week, but when Rukky had finished, he was even better than new. With renewed strength, Deyna and Skipper returned to Redwall. Filorn and Mhera raced out of the front gates to meet Deyna, who ran equally as fast to meet them, and all three collapsed in a joyful heap on the path.

Taggerung by Brian Jacques is a marvelous epic of one otter's journey home. This book is stunningly lifelike, even though the characters are talking animals.

All of Brian Jacques' eighteen Redwall novels have kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story. The books are chock full of verisimilar creatures that truly cause you to feel sad if they die or become mortally wounded. Mr. Jacques has a certain knack for captivating readers of all times and ages with his entertaining narratives of delectable foods, such as turnip 'n' tater 'n' beetroot pie, and the most exotic beverages, like the delightful strawberry fizz.

The Redwall books have been my ultimate favorite book series since I first picked up the very first book, Redwall. Ever since, I have encouraged my friends and family to read them, but they just brush them aside because of "talking animals." Although the animals talk, these books are certainly not fit for very young children to read. The battle descriptions are quite graphic, and some references to alcohol brewed in the Abbey could be deemed inappropriate.

Out of all the Redwall books, Taggerung is my all-time favorite, because of the organization of the clans. The book follows the Redwall tradition of mindbending puzzles and nonsensical rhymes, and also has vagrant healers and bloodthirsty clan leaders. I suppose that's what keeps me hooked, but I'm honestly unable to completely explain why I love it so much. I know that's kind of a pitiful explanation, but it's the honest truth.

Anyhow, Taggerung is a novel well worth the read, even if you're a newcomer to the series. It is, in my opinion, Brian Jacques' absolute best work, hands down.

-C. Edwards

Seals, Sea Lions and Sea Otters (Alaska Geographic)

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Seals, Sea Lions and Sea Otters (Alaska Geographic)

Manufacturer: Alaska Geographic Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Prince William Sound (Alaska Geographic)

ASIN: 1566610524

Book Description

Alaska Geographic is an award-winning series that presents the people, places, and wonders of Alaska to the world. Over the past 30 years, Alaska Geographic has earned its reputation as the publication for those who love Alaska. The series boasts more than 100 books to date, featuring communities from Barrow to Ketchikan, animals from bears to dinosaurs, history from the Russian explorers to today, and natural phenomena from the aurora to glaciers. Written by leading experts in their fields, these books are illustrated throughout with world-class photography and include colorful maps for reference.

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hard-core redwallers ( like me ) will like this.
You otter know otters!

Otters (The Tribes of Redwall)
Brian Jacques
Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0399239618

Book Description

Getting to know the tribes of Redwall is essential to any avid Redwall Abbey fan. In this, the second guide in the series, readers can learn about and celebrate the hidden worlds of the otter clan.

Just like the popular Tribes of Redwall: Badgers, this packet will feature a detailed 16-page booklet with history, puzzles, and a quiz about these favorite Redwall creatures. There is also a stunning full-color pull-out poster featuring the otter heroes and heroines featured in the booklet.

Complete with an introduction from Brian Jacques himself, Tribes of Redwall is a must for any Redwall enthusiast!

Illustrated by Jonathan Walker.

Customer Reviews:

hard-core redwallers ( like me ) will like this........2007-07-16

It is a informative book that i enjoyed but the real PRIZE IS THE POSTER!

P.S. do not get this book unless you have read most of the redwall series because you will ruin some of the surprises.

You otter know otters!.......2003-06-07

In this short booklet, one will get to know all the who's who and what's where of the otter tribes of Mossflower country! The beautiful poster that accompanies the booklet has full-color illustrations of all the most important otters in the Redwall saga. Inside the booklet, short histories of the otter VIPs, along with explainations of what a "holt" is, and why "hullabaloos" are so important to the otters, will make you an otter expert!
Oh, and the recipe for "shrimp and hootroot" soup is well worth the price!!

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A boy , his book & a pod of sea otters in a sea of stars
Calm, tranquil, transformative
A dreamy bedtime story
visually beautiful, poetically haunting...
precious but repetative

A Lot of Otters (Picture Puffins)

Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0698118634
Release Date: 2000-08-28

Book Description

Mother Moon is looking for her child. As she calls for him, her tears turn into stars that fall into the sea and are rescued, along with her little one, by a lot of otters. These playful animals cavort and rollick in the starlight until Mother Moon looks down and sees them--and her child, safe and sound. Barbara Helen Berger's poetic words and luminous illustrations are beautifully fused in this dreamlike tale that is just perfect for bedtime.

"Toddlers are sure to delight in the mischievous antics of all those whiskery otters."--School Library Journal starred review

Customer Reviews:

A boy , his book & a pod of sea otters in a sea of stars.......2004-12-28

This beautifully illustrated book starts out from the moment you open the book when on the first page you see a little boy ( toddler age) dressed for bed in his soft red pajamas. He's carrying his red star book as he goes to find that perfect spot to look at his book. The next page is the title page and on the page next to it is the little boy has found the spot he was looking for ... a big brown box near the on the seashore. Unknown to the young child is that his Ma-ma Mother Moon is looking for him. While searching for a more comfortable position to look at his book, the young boy accidentally drops his book into the ocean and right in front of a sea otter who was just happening to be passing by.

I don't want to tell you the whole story, except that it is absolutely beautiful and equally illustrated! To me the pages are different enough and the otters looks so soft and friendly I want to reach out to touch & scratch their bellys!

If your child is a girl, I think you could easily say it's a girl with very short hair. What I also love is that the Moon Mother and her son are of Asian decent, which could easily be where other reviewers think the folk lore or stories come from the Chinese story of the Moon maiden & and the cold red which is a very lucky color as well! I'd give this book 10 stars if I could, and would have loved to have seen more books from Barbara Helen Berger. It's sad to say that she lost her battle with Cancer but now she is among the stars, Moon Mother and her baby Moonlet!

Calm, tranquil, transformative.......2002-08-08

Barbara Helen Berger's "A Lot Of Otters" is lovely. We begin seeing, on an open ocean, a little boy in soft red pajamas, floating about in a box! He's has something, which he drops, and soon otters begin to swim around and gather up what he's dropped and what the Moon herself is dropping as well (I can't give away more detail or it will take away some of the fun of the book for you).

The illustrations are soft, sumptuous, and absolutely glowing--Berger has somehow managed to make each page look almost as though it's lit from behind. The toddler is rendered realistically, and the otters are shown sleek and lithe as they would be in real life--but everything has a moonglow cast to it, and that makes this book's pictures utterly and completely enchanting. A wonderful bedtime story, especially on a moonlit night!

A dreamy bedtime story.......2001-11-08

It's bedtime & Mother Moon calls for her child. Below, a little boy in his pjs with a book under his arms, finds a box to snuggle into & dream of floating on the sea with a lot of otters.

A much-loved book in our rural library, with pictures every mother & child can relate to, this tender & lyrical read takes you out into the otters' world of water & charm & comedy.

A lovely, whimsical book, a soothing, joyous bedtime story.

visually beautiful, poetically haunting..........2001-07-20

If you like visually beautiful stories, then you'd be hard-pressed to top the work of Barbara Helen Berger. The otters come to life on the pages of this book...frolicking, reading, rolling, and tasting stars.

Besides its stunning visuals, "A Lot of Otters" is also filled with haunting, almost singing prose; one example:

"A lot of otters saw the stars fall. They dove down into the dark, down into the deep."

Mrs. Berger is one of the best at what she does--she is a true myth-making aritist. It is hard to walk away from one of her stories without being somehow enriched. I recommend "A Lot of Otters" most highly.

precious but repetative.......2000-11-15

I would give this book five stars for the story, which is an adorable story about a little baby, who's mother is the moon, that gets lost and finds himself floating on the ocean surrounded by otters. It is a very gentle story, and the illustrations are filled with light and magic. The only critisism that I have is that page by page the illustrations are very similar. My two year old daughter doesn't always have the patience to get to the end of the book, although she is mesmerized by the first few pages. The overall review is good though. The story ends with the mother moon finding her child and the image of thier embrace is so cozy and warm. I would give a rating of four and a half and I would be surprised if you and your child didn't love this book.

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Young at heart!
I like it!

Sea Otters
G. R. Vanblaricom
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 089658562X

Book Description

Sea otters are one of the most charismatic marine mammals. Capable of living their entire lives free of contact with land, they eat, sleep, and give birth at sea. Hunted relentlessly for centuries, these appealing creatures were brought back from the brink of extinction in the twentieth century: an achievement that is being championed as one of the great success stories in marine conservation. Glenn VanBlaricom traces the turbulent history of the species and discusses their fascinating behavior. World-class photographers capture the spirit of this most lovable animal.

Customer Reviews:

Young at heart!.......2007-05-14

I got this book for my sister's 35th birthday and she loved it! She is a big fan of sea otters and this book has great photos.

I like it!.......2006-01-09

Ideal for people who like sea otters, or for people who need to obtain information regarding sea otters.

Otters: Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation (Oxford Biology)

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Otters: Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation (Oxford Biology)
Hans Kruuk
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0198565879

Book Description

Otters are highly charismatic and popular animals of very considerable concern to conservationists worldwide. Written by the pre-eminent authority in the field, this book builds on the reputation of the author's landmark monograph of the European otter, Wild Otters (OUP, 1995). Furthermore,
its broader scope to include all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and elsewhere leads to a deeper synthesis that greatly expands the book's overall relevance and potential readership.

Aimed at naturalists, scientists and conservationists, its personal style and generously illustrated text will appeal to amateurs and professionals alike. It emphasizes recent research and conservation management initiatives for all 13 species of otter worldwide, incorporates recent molecular
research on taxonomy and population genetics, and discusses the wider implications of otter studies for ecology and conservation biology.

As well as enchanting direct observations of the animals, there is guidance about how and where to watch and study them. From otters in the British and American lakes and rivers, to sea otters in the Pacific Ocean, giant otters in the Amazon and other species in Africa and Asia, this book provides
an engaging approach to their fascinating existence, to the science needed to understand it, and to the very real threats to their survival.

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Awesome Otters By:Brittany
Very Informative

Sea Otters (Crabapples)
Bobbie Kalman
Manufacturer: Crabtree Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865057346

Book Description

Sea Otters explains all aspects of the lives of these popular clowns, from habitats and homes to hunting and its playful personality. The serious issues of pollution and captivity are also addressed.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Otters By:Brittany.......2006-03-08

Brittany Pfeifer 3/6/06
ELA
The book Sea Otters is written by Bobbie Kalman. This book is at a fourth grade reading level. Through this book I learned a great deal about sea otters.
In my point of view the setting is in the water outside. The book Sea Otters is an excellent book. This book is an excellent book especially if you are learning about them. I would rate this book 4 Stars out of 5 stars.
My opinion is that this book is awesome. Why? Because it tells you all about them. It also tells you how they live. Sea Otters compared to Bound for Oregon is better.
This book was so good I would want the author to include more facts about sea otters. Why? Because it takes seconds to read and you could get 100 % all the time. It also needs to be more challenging in the words and the vocabulary.
This book Sea Otters is a good book. I hope you have time to stop and read this book Please read this book. Even if you are not a fan of non-fiction you might like this book.

Very Informative.......2000-09-15

This book gives some good information about sea otters; how they might have evolved, where they live, what they eat, how various parts of their bodies function, how the "pups" are raised, the effects of oil spills and fishing nets on otter populations, human efforts to help them survive, and more. There are also quite a few adorable color photos, and a few color drawings. Recommended.

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Little Joe Otter

Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000F0GPPO

Death Before Dinner: An Otter Tail County Mystery (Otter Tail County Mysteries)

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Death before Dinner
Just West of Lake Wobegon

Death Before Dinner: An Otter Tail County Mystery (Otter Tail County Mysteries)
Gerald Anderson
Manufacturer: MIDNIGHT INK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0738708747

Customer Reviews:

Death before Dinner.......2007-06-27

I loved reading this book. I grew up in Fergus Falls and it was so much fun reading about places I knew. Actually, I got this book right before I want to Fergus Falls for a visit and I was seeing the sights. I would sit down and read a few pages and what do you know, they were talking about things I had just seen. It was a great mystery, where everyone had a reason to want the the President dead.

Just West of Lake Wobegon.......2007-04-30

Do you like Garrison Keillor? Do you like Agatha Christie? Do you like lutefisk? Well, I hate lutefisk, but I loved Palmer Knutson and "Death Before Dinner." If Morse and Maigret and Sam Spade were all a little younger, they could tag along and watch Knutson move deftly through the quirky Scandinavian sub-culture portrayed by Anderson with warmth and wit, and, incidentally, an authenticity which outstrips "Fargo."

Ring of Bright Water (Classic, Nature, Penguin)

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Other Books
Ring of Bright Water
Why Otters Don't Make Good Pets
Otterly fantastic
A Book that Will Become Part of the Dream of Your Heart

Ring of Bright Water (Classic, Nature, Penguin)
Gavin Maxwell
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Scotland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0140249729

Customer Reviews:

Other Books.......2007-09-03

There aren't too many otter books around, and this one is pretty serious. The story of a man's love for and relationship with the furry little swimmers.

He looks after and befriends them, and the book is an interesting and occasionally moving account of his life as affected by these entertaining animals.

Ring of Bright Water.......2007-03-17

I absolutely fell in love with Mij the Otter but how in the world can the writer say this is entertainment for children when the loveable otter gets killed by being hit over the head with a shovel!! I have never seen this movie until just recently and I sobbed for hours!! I just did not see any point in having him die.

Why Otters Don't Make Good Pets.......2006-10-26

The reason I don't recommend this book, despite the nice writing and decriptions of the Western Highlands, is for one dark fact: a number of wild otters died for Maxwell's selfish pursuit of having a wild animal as a pet. This is not the story of a man who raises abandoned wild otters cubs in the Western Highlands and releases them but the story of a man who takes otters from the wild in Iraq and Africa and tries to raise them in Scotland. What this story also tells us is that, if you are of a privillaged class, you can have any wild animal you want as your pet. Today this is illegal "pet" trading and it is responsible for pushing certain species to the edge of extinction. I know that at the time this practice was not looked down upon as it is today and certain other nature writers (Durrell, Heinrich) engage in the same practice but with a more educated populus it should be clear: wild animals are not pets and they should stay wild!

Otterly fantastic.......2004-11-02

I read this book when I was a child, and I really enjoyed it. I've seen the movie version several times since, and just recently decided to re-read the book. I was not disappointed. It starts off kind of rocky, but once the otters enter Maxwell's life, it's pure magic. He's an incredibly good writer with the ability to make you "see" everything he describes.

Staci Layne Wilson

A Book that Will Become Part of the Dream of Your Heart.......2004-05-13

Forever after you read A Ring of Bright Water, the beauty, wonder, and humor of this book will gently surface with a ring of bright ripples in the waters of you mind. I am never able to remember this book without simultaneously wanting to laugh and to cry-and always with a sense of awed wonder. This is the true story of Gavin's befriending of otters (or perhaps we should say of the otters' decision to befriend Gavin.) In one scene, on the first night Gavin has one of the otters in his home, the otter carefully watches Gavin get into bed and pull the covers to his chin. The otter then crawls in beside Gavin, lies on its back, and pulls the covers to its own chin. Other scenes describe Gavin's losing efforts to make certain parts of his cottage off limits to otters. Gavin never for the rest of his life produced prose that so translucently coveys the beauty of the waters around his cottage, or the sense of his own evolving life and emotions. Reading this book is giving a gift to yourself. It is one a dozen that I always look for used to give to friends.

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