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Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource
by Mauq De VilliersOverview of past, present, and potential future problems endangering the world's water supply. Index and Notes not included.
Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894
by Daniel James BrownOn September 1, 1894 two forest fires converged on the town of Hinckley, Minnesota, trapping over two thousand people. Daniel James Brown recounts the events surrounding the fire in Under a Flaming Sky, the most gripping and comprehensive chronicle of how the dramatic story unfolded. Whereas Oregon's famous "Biscuit" fire in 2002 took more than a week to burn its first 350,000 acres, the Hinckley fire did the same amount of damage in only five hours. The fire created its own weather, including hurricane-strength winds, bubbles of plasma-like glowing gas, and 200-foot-tall flames. In some instances, "fire whirls," or tornadoes of fire, danced out from the main body of the fire, knocking down buildings and carrying flaming debris high into the sky. Temperatures reached 1,600 degrees Fahrenheit-the melting point of steel. As the fire surrounded the town, two railroads became the only means of escape. Both trains ran the gauntlet of fire. One train caught on fire from one end to the other. A heroic young African-American porter ran up and down the length of the train, reassuring the passengers even as the flames tore at their clothes. On the other train, the engineer refused to back out of town until the last possible minute of escape. In all, more than four hundred people died, leading to a revolution in forestry management practices and the birth of federal agencies that monitor and fight wildfires today.
Contested Nature: Promoting International Biodiversity and Social Justice in the Twenty-First Century
by Patrick C. West Crystal L. Fortwangler Peter R. Wilshusen Steven R. BrechinThis book contends that effective biological conservation and social justice must go hand in hand.
Forbidden Archeology
by Michael A. Cremo Richard L. ThompsonThe hidden history of the human race, a remarkably complete review of the scientific evidence concerning human origins.
To School Through The Fields
by Alice TaylorThrough the fields and in the cottages round about is where we view Alice Taylor's childhood in County Cork, Ireland. This gentle, witty memoir is told to the rhythms of nature and farm life as it cycles through the years. Reading it is like taking a vacation and better than any field trip you took to a farm. When the family slaughters a couple of hogs, all of the neighbours help and they all share in the meat. You'll see how it is processed from carcass to plate. You'll discover why Alice loves her quirky neighbours but isn't as fond of nuns. Sweating and happy, farmhands and children alike harvest the hay with the aid of a tumbling paddy, a huge comb like contraption made of wood. They wash off the sweat, hayseeds and insects in an icy refreshing stream. Then there's cold tea and apple cake to fortify them for another round of work. Alice's mother notices the best in everyone and oversees the daily recitation of the rosary. Her father is comforted more by the richness of life in his crops and farm animals. The children play freely outside not missing or needing toys. There are tragedies like the death of Alice's little brother, but most of Alice's memories of a time that is now lost to us, brim with joy humor and love.
Jaywalking with the Irish
by David MonaganFrom the book: For David Monagan, born in Connecticut to a staunch Irish-American family, a lifelong interest in Ireland was perhaps inescapable. David studied literature at Dublin's Trinity College in 1973 and '74, and he became captivated by the country. After enjoying many visits in the intervening years, in 2000 David and his family relocated from the U.S. to Cork, Republic of Ireland. David has written for numerous publications, including the Irish Times, Sunday Independent, and Irish Examiner, and in his wide travels has developed a keen eye for things baffling and marvelous, such as he finds everywhere around him in modern-day Ireland.
The Planets
by Dava SobelA rich exploration of our solar system--what we know, what we wonder, what we believe.
Bizzy Bones and the Lost Quilt
by Jacqueline Briggs MartinNo parent or babysitter should be without a copy of this charming story, which is enhanced by the inclusion of picture descriptions. "Bizzy Bones's quilt is special. It goes everywhere with him and gives him good dreams every night - until it disappears. Uncle Ezra does his best to console Bizzy, but the heart-broken little mouse knows that nothing can take the place of the lost quilt. Every young child who has experienced the loss of a treasure will understand how Bizzy feels, and will rejoice with him as three new friends, expert finders and fixers, help bring the third Bizzy Bones story to its joyful conclusion." (from the book)
Wish for a Fish
by Harriet Ziefert"I cast my line ..." but what does he catch? An umbrella! A charming story for young readers.
After the Ice: A Global Human History 20,000-5000 BC
by Steven MithenArchaeology says present day humans have been on the planet for eighty thousand years. The first writing has been dated to 3,500 BC. This is what humanity may have been during from 20,000 to 5,000 BC, during the period of global warming which followed the last great ice age. The author uses archaeology to talk about humans at various times during this period of time and at various places on the planet. This book is about what life may have been like day to day over a fifteen thousand year period before we learned to write and live in cities.
Useful Girl
by Marcus StevensAfter her mother's sudden death, Erin Douglass is virtually alone in the world. When she witnesses the exhumation of a Cheyenne girl along the side of a dirt road, life in her Montana town indelibly changes. The girl's remains, gently wrapped in a faded army coat, with silver thimbles on her right hand, are more than a hundred years old. Though her father makes every attempt to keep the discovery quiet, Erin is haunted by questions: how did this young girl end up here, in the middle of nowhere, with no marker and all alone? Who was she?
The Living Great Lakes: Searching for the Heart of the Inland Seas
by Jerry DennisIn an effort to deepen his understanding of the Great Lakes, the author sails on a yacht from the upper reaches of Lake Michigan, through the lakes and the Erie Canal, down the Hudson and up the Atlantic coast to Maine. Along the way he encounters life-threatening squalls, meets a gallery of colorful characters, and reflects upon the past and future of the inland seas. In a series of asides he describes shipwrecks, historic battles, and ecological challenges.
The First Day of Winter
by Denise FlemingA snowman comes alive as the child building it adds pieces during the first ten days of winter.
Who Cares? I Do
by Munro LeafWho cares if people leave trash on the sidewalk, parks, roads or anywhere? Author Munro Leaf tells why we should all care.
The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology and the Scientific Revolution
by Carolyn MerchantHow the scientific revolution sanctioned the exploitation of nature, commercial expansion, and the subjugation of women.
Let's Call Him Lau-wiliwili-humuhumu-nukunuku-nukunuku-âpua'a-'oi'oi
by Tim MyersFrom the book: When a proud triggerfish, swimming "joyfully and boyfully" and a proud butterflyfish, swimming "whirlfully and girlfully," marry and have a fish child, an argument erupts over what to name the child. The happy resolution will appeal to parents and children alike-and speaks particularly to families in which the parents are from different ethnic groups.
Earth Rising: American Environmentalism In The 21St Century
by Philip ShabecoffA general history of environmentalism in the United States.
Minus 148 Degrees: First Winter Ascent of Mt. McKinley
by Art DavidsonArt Davidson recounts the exciting adventures of the first winter ascent of Mt. McKinley in Alaska.
Narcotics: Nature's Dangerous Gifts
by Norman TaylorInformation on marijuana, opium, morphine, heroin, coca, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, ololiuqui, peyotl (mescaline), pituri, fly agaric, caapi, kava, betel, coffee, chocolate and tea.
Hershey's Easy Baking
by Hershey Foods CorporationThese easy recipes will delight dessert lovers. Butterscotch, chocolate, white chocolate, and all sorts of combinations make this a book no cook should be without. Blondies, chocolate-cherry bars, giant chocolate chip cookies, macaroons ... mmmm!!!
The Long Emergency
by James Howard KunstlerKunstler discusses the implications of peak oil, where oil production will eventually start to decrease as most of the easily-accessible oil has been used already. He gives some historical background and then discusses various proposed alternatives to oil and natural gas for providing transportation and electricity. He is skeptical that anything will be able to replace the abundant supply of energy that has been supplied by oil, with the possible exception of nuclear energy for electricity, and believes that the age of globalization will come to an end with declining standards of living. He discusses what he sees as the implications for different parts of the country and the world, each having their unique situations.
Kicked, Bittten, and Scratched: Life and Lessons at the World's Premier School for Exotic Animal Trainers
by Amy SutherlandWalking cougars on leashes, teaching a mandrill to get an injection, working with elephants, and teaching rats to run up mazes are some of the things students in the Exotic Animal Training and Management program do at Moore Park College. Follow the "first year" students as they learn and grow to develop confidence in handling animals and improve their ways of managing each other. Good read for anyone interested in any type of animal training.
Wild Animals of the Southwest
by George Corey FranklinA collection of short stories about some wild animals that can be found in the southwestern United States. Each takes a unique look at a different animal.
Zorra
by George Corey FranklinZorra a small red fox grows up in the Colorado Rockies and befriends a dog. This story tells their adventures as they grow up together and survive all the wild animals of the mountains