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The Breakers
by Claudie GallayIn the storm-swept landscapes of Normandy's coastline lies a village that might just be at the ends of the earth. A woman has recently arrived to seek healing for some deep sorrow, and spends her days cataloguing migratory birds. On the day of a battering storm a stranger appears in the bar, arousing her curiosity. He stirs up suspicion in the village, looking for answers to apparently unanswerable questions about his family lost long years ago in an accident at sea. What actually happened? How was it that the lighthouse did not guide them safely to shore? The eccentric inhabitants of this desolate village seem riveted to old hatreds, determined to leave secrets buried. Gradually the bird-watcher succeeds in unravelling a tragedy at the heart of a community in which many are suffering still from the loss of people they have loved. And in the process finds her own peace. The Breakers is an immensely satisfying and evocative mystery of great depth. Claudie Gallay unpeels the emotions of her unforgettable characters with such subtlety that the reader is captivated.
The Breakers
by Claudie GallayIn the storm-swept landscapes of Normandy's coastline lies a village that might just be at the ends of the earth. A woman has recently arrived to seek healing for some deep sorrow, and spends her days cataloguing migratory birds. On the day of a battering storm a stranger appears in the bar, arousing her curiosity. He stirs up suspicion in the village, looking for answers to apparently unanswerable questions about his family lost long years ago in an accident at sea. What actually happened? How was it that the lighthouse did not guide them safely to shore? The eccentric inhabitants of this desolate village seem riveted to old hatreds, determined to leave secrets buried. Gradually the bird-watcher succeeds in unravelling a tragedy at the heart of a community in which many are suffering still from the loss of people they have loved. And in the process finds her own peace. The Breakers is an immensely satisfying and evocative mystery of great depth. Claudie Gallay unpeels the emotions of her unforgettable characters with such subtlety that the reader is captivated.
The Breath of a Whale: The Science and Spirit of Pacific Ocean Giants
by Leigh CalvezFrom the author of The Hidden Lives of Owls, an exploration of the elusive lives of whales in the Pacific Ocean, home to orcas, humpbacks, sperm, blue, and gray whales.Leigh Calvez has spent a dozen years researching, observing, and probing the lives of the giants of the deep. Here, she relates the stories of nature's most remarkable creatures, including the familial orcas in the waters of Washington State and British Columbia; the migratory humpbacks; the ancient, deep-diving blue whales, the largest animals on the planet. The lives of these whales are conveyed through the work of dedicated researchers who have spent decades tracking them along their secretive routes that extend for thousands of miles, gleaning their habits and sounds and distinguishing peculiarities. The author invites the reader onto a small research catamaran maneuvering among 100-foot long blue whales off the coast of California; or to join the task of monitoring patterns of humpback whale movements at the ocean surface: tail throw, flipper slap, fluke up, or blow. To experience whales is breathtaking. To understand their lives deepens our connection with the natural world.
The Brendan Voyage
by Tim SeverinCould an Irish monk in the sixth century really have sailed all the way across the Atlantic in a small open boat, thus beating Columbus to the New World by almost a thousand years? Relying on the medieval text of St. Brendan, award-winning adventure writer Tim Severin painstakingly researched and built a boat identical to the leather curragh that carried Brendan on his epic voyage. He found a centuries-old, family-run tannery to prepare the ox hides in the medieval way; he undertook an exhaustive search for skilled harness makers (the only people who would know how to stitch the three-quarter-inch-thick hides together); he located one of the last pieces of Irish-grown timber tall enough to make the mainmast. But his courage and resourcefulness were truly tested on the open seas, including one heart-pounding episode when he and his crew repaired a dangerous tear in the leather hull by hanging over the side--their heads sometimes submerged under the freezing waves--to restitch the leather. A modern classic in the tradition of Kon-Tiki, The Brendan Voyage seamlessly blends high adventure and historical relevance.
The Brief Life of Flowers
by Fiona StaffordThe beauty of flowers is well known, inspiring creative minds from Botticelli to Beatrix Potter. But they've also played a key part in forming the past, and may shape our future.Roses and thistles have served as symbols of monarchs, dynasties and nations. We wear poppies to remember the First World War, but it was the elderflower that treated its wounded soldiers. A rose might mend a broken heart, and sunflowers may just save our planet. At once enchanting and intriguing, The Brief Life of Flowers reveals how even the most ordinary of flowers have extraordinary stories to tell.
The Brilliant Abyss: Exploring the Majestic Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean, and the Looming Threat That Imperils It
by Helen ScalesA journey into the alien depths of the sea, and into our possible future, from a marine biologist known for &“nature writing at its most engaging&” (Sunday Express). A golden era of deep-sea discovery is underway as revolutionary studies rewrite the very notion of life on Earth and the rules of what is possible. In the process, the abyss is being revealed as perhaps the most amazing part of our planet, its topography even more varied and extreme than its landmass counterpart. Teeming with unsuspected life, an extraordinary, interconnected ecosystem deep below the waves has a huge effect on our daily lives, influencing climate and weather systems, with the potential for much more—good or bad, depending on how it is exploited. Currently, the fantastic creatures that live in the deep—many of them incandescent in a world without light—and its formations capture and trap vast quantities of carbon that would otherwise poison our atmosphere, and novel bacteria as yet undiscovered hold the promise of potent new medicines. Yet the deep also holds huge mineral riches lusted after by nations and corporations; mining them could ultimately devastate the planet, compounded by the deepening impacts of ubiquitous pollutants and rampant overfishing. Eloquently and passionately, the author of Spirals in Time and Eye of the Shoal brings to life the majesty and mystery of an alien realm that nonetheless sustains us, while urgently making clear the price we could pay if it is further disrupted. The Brilliant Abyss is at once a revelation and a clarion call to preserve this vast unseen world.
The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs
by Kate Messner Matthew ForsytheThe Brilliant Deep is the proud recipient of the ALA Notable Children's Books Award, the NSTA-CBC Best STEM Trade Books Award, the Junior Library Guild Selection and the ILA Teacher's Choices. All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person to make a difference in the world, one idea to help us heal the earth. The ongoing conservation efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs—with hammer and glue, and grafts of newly grown coral—are the living legacy of environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation.In telling the story of this sea conservation pioneer and marine life protector, Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe create a stunning tribute to the wonders of nature and the power of human hope—a power even the smallest readers can access in their quest to aid our extraordinary planet. Recommended by experts for children who are reading independently and transitioning to longer books, The Brilliant Deep is perfect for the following reading categories:Books for Kids Ages 5-9Children's Books for Kindergarten – 3rd GradeNonfiction Science Studies EducationSummer Reading
The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs
by Kate Messner Matthew ForsytheThe Brilliant Deep is the proud recipient of the ALA Notable Children's Books Award, the NSTA-CBC Best STEM Trade Books Award, the Junior Library Guild Selection and the ILA Teacher's Choices. All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person to make a difference in the world, one idea to help us heal the earth. The ongoing conservation efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs—with hammer and glue, and grafts of newly grown coral—are the living legacy of environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation.In telling the story of this sea conservation pioneer and marine life protector, Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe create a stunning tribute to the wonders of nature and the power of human hope—a power even the smallest readers can access in their quest to aid our extraordinary planet. Recommended by experts for children who are reading independently and transitioning to longer books, The Brilliant Deep is perfect for the following reading categories:Books for Kids Ages 5-9Children's Books for Kindergarten – 3rd GradeNonfiction Science Studies EducationSummer Reading
The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs
by Kate Messner Matthew ForsytheThe Brilliant Deep is the proud recipient of the ALA Notable Children's Books Award, the NSTA-CBC Best STEM Trade Books Award, the Junior Library Guild Selection and the ILA Teacher's Choices. All it takes is one: one coral gamete to start a colony in the ocean, one person to make a difference in the world, one idea to help us heal the earth. The ongoing conservation efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs—with hammer and glue, and grafts of newly grown coral—are the living legacy of environmental scientist Ken Nedimyer, founder of the Coral Restoration Foundation.In telling the story of this sea conservation pioneer and marine life protector, Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe create a stunning tribute to the wonders of nature and the power of human hope—a power even the smallest readers can access in their quest to aid our extraordinary planet. Recommended by experts for children who are reading independently and transitioning to longer books, The Brilliant Deep is perfect for the following reading categories:Books for Kids Ages 5-9Children's Books for Kindergarten – 3rd GradeNonfiction Science Studies EducationSummer Reading
The British Seas: An Introduction to the Oceanography and Resources of the North-West European Continental Shelf (Routledge Library Editions: Water Resources)
by Jack HardistyOriginally published in 1990 and designed as a student text, The British Seas is a clear introduction to the oceanography and resources of the region. It is unique in providing a detailed review of the resources of the north-west European continental shelf together with a comprehensive description of the environment. Introducing the shelf region as if it were a new country, Jack Hardisty explores first its physical environment and then summarizes the distribution and exploitation of resources from the environment. Part 1 – on the oceanography - covers the shape of the shelf, its geological history and its wave and tidal regimes. Part 2 – on the resources – looks at trade and shipping, and the hydrocarbon, fishing and seabed mining industries. It goes on to discuss wave and tidal power, and to consider the problem of pollution in terms of resource utilization. The industrial technology and the environmental potential of each resource are examined, and the economic and legislative restrictions are analysed.
The Broken Bees' Nest (Makers Make It Work)
by Lydia LukidisTying into the popular Makers Movement, Makers Make it Work is a series of fun easy-to-read stories that focus on problem-solving and hands-on action. With bright, eye-catching art and explanatory sidebars with additional information on the topic, these books show kids how to use their hands, their heads, their creativity, and their problem-solving skills to overcome every challenge facing them. Arun and Keya find the perfect tree for a tree house. Too bad it comes with a battered bees' nest! These bees need a new home—right away! With the Makers Make It Work series, any kid can be a Maker! Each book also includes an activity for young makers to try themselves. (Topic: Beekeeping).
The Broken Promise of Agricultural Progress: An Environmental History (Routledge Environmental Humanities)
by Cameron MuirFood and the global agricultural system has become one of the defining public concerns of the twenty-first century. Ecological disorder and inequity is at the heart of our food system. This thoughtful and confronting book tells the story of how the development of modern agriculture promised ecological and social stability but instead descended into dysfunction. Contributing to knowledge in environmental, cultural and agricultural histories, it explores how people have tried to live in the aftermath of ‘ecological imperialism’. The Broken Promise of Agricultural Progress: An environmental history journeys to the dry inland plains of Australia where European ideas and agricultural technologies clashed with a volatile and taunting country that resisted attempts to subdue and transform it for the supply of global markets. Its wide-ranging narrative puts gritty local detail in its global context to tell the story of how cultural anxieties about civilisation, population, and race, shaped agriculture in the twentieth century. It ranges from isolated experiment farms to nutrition science at the League of Nations, from local landholders to high profile moral crusaders, including an Australian apricot grower who met Franklin D. Roosevelt and almost fed the world. This book will be useful to undergraduates and postgraduates on courses examining international comparisons of nineteenth and twentieth century agriculture, and courses studying colonial development and settler societies. It will also appeal to food concerned general readers.
The Brown Trout-Atlantic Salmon Nexus: Tactics, Fly Patterns, and the Passion for Catching Salmon, Our Most Prized Gamefish
by Supinski MatthewMany fishermen will acknowledge that the brown trout (Salmo trutta) and the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are the world’s most intriguing, beautiful and noble fish. Having evolved nearly fifty million years ago in the Eocene epoch, these two species are close genetic cousins and descendants that can be found in oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams across the entire world. The Brown Trout-Atlantic Salmon Nexus is a complete historical, scientific, artistic, culinary, and practical guide to understanding and appreciating these remarkable fish. Veteran author, guide, and adventurist Matthew Supinski first highlights the evolution and history of the brown trout, from its origins in Europe and the Eastern Hemisphere, to its first North American transplanting in 1883, to its spread across the globe. He then dives into the scientific and angling brilliance of the brown trout/Atlantic salmon lineage praising the two species’ remarkable adaptability and resilience. And finally, chapters on fly-fishing tactics, fly patterns, artistic appreciation, and culinary/foraging opportunities where they are found throughout the world, will give readers all the information they need to catch, admire and appreciate this magnificent piscatorial legacy. With more than 150 stunning photos, The Brown Trout-Atlantic Salmon Salmo Nexus is a must-have for every passionate fisherman, admirer, artist and culinary naturalist connoisseur to enjoy.
The Brumby Wars: The battle for the soul of Australia
by Anthony SharwoodIt's not just a war over horses. It's a battle for the soul of Australia.This is a book about the intense culture war raging around Australia's wild horses, known as brumbies. It pits a vision of the legendary Man from Snowy River and the iconic ANZAC Light Horse against the spectre of ecosystems destroyed by feral pests. The debate involves powerful politicians and media commentators, and stars an animal mythologised in Australian poetry and prose. But in essence, this is about us. The Brumby Wars is about Australians at war with each other over their vision of an ideal Australia.To ecologists and people who ski, walk and fish in the High Country and other areas where the brumbies proliferate, they are a feral menace which must be removed to save delicate alpine landscapes. To the descendants of cattle families and many Australians in urban and regional areas, brumbies are untouchable, a symbol of wildness and freedom.Something has to give. But what? The land or the horses? This war is set to escalate dramatically before we have an answer. Featuring interviews with characters from all sides of the debate, The Brumby Wars is the riveting account of a major national issue and the very human passions it inspires. It is also a journey, a quest to understand what makes us tick in our increasingly polarised country.Praise for Anthony Sharwood's From Snow to Ash'Makes for inspirational reading' West Australian'A distinctive, charming narrative ... a thinking, caring man's trek' Canberra Times'A joyous read with personality in spades ... A book for the adventurer in us all' Australian Geographic
The Brush: Poems
by Eliana Hernández-PachónA wise, visionary debut on ecological and human resistance, perfect for readers of Joy Harjo and Tracy K. Smith, and fans of the earth-body artwork of Ana MendietaThe Brush is an incantatory, fearless exploration of collective trauma – and its horrific relevance in today&’s Colombia, where mass killings continue. Told from the voices Pablo, Ester, and the Brush itself, Hernández-Pachón&’s poem is an astounding response to a traumatic event in recent Colombian history: the massacre in the village of El Salado between February 16 and 21, 2000. Paramilitary forces tortured and killed sixty people, interspersing their devastating violence with music in the town square.Pablo Rodríguez steps thirteen paces out into the night and buries a wooden box. Its contents: a chain, a medallion, a few overexposed photographs, and finally, a deed. He burrows into the ground without knowing quite why, but with the certainty of a heavy change pressing through the air, of fear settling &“like a cat in his throat.&” Meanwhile, his wife Ester – a sharpshooter and keeper of all village secrets – slips into her fifth dream of the night. As Ester tosses and Pablo pats his fresh mound of earth, another character emerges in Eliana Hernández-Pachón&’s vivid and prophetic triptych.The Brush is a tangled grove, a thicket of vines, an orchid pummeled with rain. It is also an extraordinary depiction of ecological resistance, of the natural world that both endures human cruelty and lives on in spite of it.
The Building Season
by Prudy Miller HockA young boy is too little to help his dad work on the house. But he's just the right size to assist the birds in building their nests.
The Bully Breeds
by David HarrisDiscover the real bully dogs and the truth about these often-misunderstood yet ever-popular canines. The whole fraternity of bully breed owners and devotees will revel in this long-overdue celebration of the six bull-and-terrier dogs that are the focus of this Kennel Club Classic edition.
The Bumblebee and the Ram
by Barry RudnerA character-building story humorously presented. A bumblebee who--by laws of physics--should not be able to fly is fixed for flight by Ram, the computer, only to find that he never had to change at all in order to fly.
The Bumper Book of Nature: A User's Guide to the Outdoors
by Stephen MossWhen was the last time you climbed a tree? Picked blackberries? Held a snail race? Made maple syrup candy, an old-fashioned quill pen from a bird feather you found, or a plaster cast of an animal track? If the answer is "can't remember" or quite possibly "never," The Bumper Book of Nature will inspire you to get outdoors and enjoy the very best kind of free entertainment for you and your family. Who wouldn't love to discover a colorful butterfly hibernating in a woodshed for the winter or look at a snowflake under a magnifying lens? In warmer weather, why not explore rock pools by the seaside, pick wild meadow flowers (and then fry up elderflower fritters!), or go on a city safari? Whether you live in the heart of the city, the suburbs, or the deepest countryside,The Bumper Book of Nature will bring out the child in you with its treasure trove of offbeat, playful nature activities arranged by season. With lovely full-color illustrations as well as related trivia, quotes, and bits of poetry, it's a wonderful keepsake as well as a one-of-a-kind field guide.
The Burning
by Richard SnowTo Scott Keegan, a traveling salesman working his way through Minnesota during the hottest summer on record, Hinckley was no different from any other fair-sized lumber town. For Jim Root, aging locomotive engineer on the St. Paul & Duluth, it simply marked the halfway point on an increasingly difficult run. For lovely young Betty Langdon, it was half home, half prison. For ten-year-old Jemmy Stockholm it was a dull place to spend the summer, but the only place he knew. None of them -none of Hinckley's 2,000 people-knew the town was soon to be engulfed in a cataclysm that would forever change their lives. As the temperature continued to rise throughout that summer, a smoky haze hung over the dry forests of Pine County, Minnesota. The underbrush smoldered .. , and slowly the flames spread. Until early one September morning they ignited a raging wildfire. The tragedy of that day unfolds in Richard Snow's gripping new novel. Hundreds would die that afternoon as the fire storm swept through the town. And heroes would be born. Ordinary people would find themselves possessed of extraordinary courage as they fought to escape the inferno. THE BURNING: a novel that blazes with period adventure as it tells the true story of the men and women who battled a terrifying natural disaster.
The Burning Island
by Pamela FriersonWesterners-from early missionaries to explorers to present-day artists, scientists, and tourists-have always found volcanoes fascinating and disturbing. Native Hawaiians, in contrast, revere volcanoes as a source of spiritual energy and see the volcano goddess Pele as part of the natural cycle of a continuously procreative cosmos. Volcanoes hold a special place in our curiosity about nature.The Burning Island is an intimate, multilayered portrait of the Hawaiian volcano region-a land marked by a precarious tension between the harsh reality of constant geologic change, respect for mythological traditions, and the pressures of economic exploitation. Pamela Frierson treks up Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, and Kilauea to explore how volcanoes work, as well as how their powerful and destructive forces reshape land, cultures, and history. Her adventures reveal surprising archeological ruins, threatened rainforest ecosystems, and questionable real estate development of the islands. Now a classic of nature writing, Frierson's narrative sets the stage for a larger exploration of our need to take great care in respecting and preserving nature and tradition while balancing our ever-expanding sense of discovery and use of the land.
The Burning Island
by Pamela FriersonWesterners-from early missionaries to explorers to present-day artists, scientists, and tourists-have always found volcanoes fascinating and disturbing. Native Hawaiians, in contrast, revere volcanoes as a source of spiritual energy and see the volcano goddess Pele as part of the natural cycle of a continuously procreative cosmos. Volcanoes hold a special place in our curiosity about nature.The Burning Island is an intimate, multilayered portrait of the Hawaiian volcano region-a land marked by a precarious tension between the harsh reality of constant geologic change, respect for mythological traditions, and the pressures of economic exploitation. Pamela Frierson treks up Mauna Loa, the world's largest active volcano, and Kilauea to explore how volcanoes work, as well as how their powerful and destructive forces reshape land, cultures, and history. Her adventures reveal surprising archeological ruins, threatened rainforest ecosystems, and questionable real estate development of the islands. Now a classic of nature writing, Frierson's narrative sets the stage for a larger exploration of our need to take great care in respecting and preserving nature and tradition while balancing our ever-expanding sense of discovery and use of the land.
The Burning Question
by Bill Mckibben Duncan Clark Mike Berners-LeeThe Burning Question reveals climate change to be the most fascinating scientific, political and social puzzle in history. It shows that carbon emissions are still accelerating upwards, following an exponential curve that goes back centuries. One reason is that saving energy is like squeezing a balloon: reductions in one place lead to increases elsewhere. Another reason is that clean energy sources don't in themselves slow the rate of fossil fuel extraction.Tackling global warming will mean persuading the world to abandon oil, coal and gas reserves worth many trillions of dollars - at least until we have the means to put carbon back in the ground. The burning question is whether that can be done. What mix of politics, psychology, economics and technology might be required? Are the energy companies massively overvalued, and how will carbon-cuts affect the global economy? Will we wake up to the threat in time? And who can do what to make it all happen?
The Burning Season
by Caroline Starr RoseIn this riveting coming-of-age survival story in verse perfect for fans of Alan Gratz, a fire lookout-in-training must find her courage when a wildfire breaks out on her watch.Twelve-year-old Opal has a secret: she&’s deathly afraid of fire. Still Opal is preparing to become a fourth-generation lookout on Wolf Mountain, deep in the New Mexico wilderness. She, Mom, and Gran live at ten thousand feet in a single room at the top of a fire tower. They are responsible for spotting any hint of smoke before it becomes an uncontrollable blaze. Instead of training for the lonely life of a lookout, Opal wishes she could be starting seventh grade in Silver City, attending real classes with kids her own age and even going to afterschool clubs like FFA. But Wolf Mountain has other ideas. When Mom makes the long trek to town for supplies and Gran goes missing, Opal is the only one to spot a tell-tale spiral of smoke moving up the mountainside. She&’ll have to be braver than she&’s ever been as she heads into the woods, beyond Wolf Ridge&’s old blackened burn scar, to face down a fire on her own. But when a fire is what took her father away, and Opal herself knows the sting of smoke and lick of flames, how can she be brave enough when it really counts?
The Bushcraft Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Wilderness Survival
by James HenryAn extensive guide to hardcore wilderness survival