Product Description
One fall day, Kate goes with her father, a fish biologist, to the river where he works — a river in the Pacific rain forest — the "salmon forest," as he calls it. Together they watch the sockeye salmon returning to the river to spawn, and witness a bear scooping up a salmon. Next, Kate and her dad run into a Native boy named Brett and his family fishing at a pool in the river. From her adventures, Kate discovers how the forest and the salmon need each other and why the forest is called the salmon forest. David Suzuki and Sarah Ellis’s charming and informative text and Sheena Lott’s watercolors magically evoke the spirit and mystery of the West Coast rain forest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Salmon Forest
Great story and beautifully illustrated with vibrant colors! It tells of the interconnection of all living things. I bought the hardcover edition for my grandkids whose father worked in Alaska at a salmon cannery for several years when he was younger.They will love it as much as they love eating salmon.I enjoyed the glossary in the back of the book and also the recipe that was included.Nice addition to the story.

A relaxed, realistic introduction to vital natural processes
David Suzuki, this generation's John Muir, introduces children to a vital part of life in the Pacific Northwest, the salmon cycle. In the story, a wise father takes his daughter on a fishing trip, telling her that she will become part of the Salmon Story. Patiently allowing her to observe life and ask questions about what she sees, he gently presents many interesting facts without boring readers. The introduction to First Nations ("Indian") customs is especially effective in presenting this way of life as well-adapted to natural cycles. And making the final point: "we're all part of the same story", clearly presents David Suzuki's life work. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is suitable for ages 10 to 12 years. David Suzuki is a prominent environmental activist. Throughout his adult life, he has been the creative force behind numerous television shows on science and the environment. He has used his voice to advocate for the environment and to take to task political leaders whose action and inaction have been part of the problem behind the global warming crisis. ... Read more

Product Description
One day at the beach, Megan and Jamey learn that, although the air is invisible, it is all around us, and it does amazing things. Without air, animals and plants could not live. In the second book of the "Nature All Around" series, readers can learn, through the story and drawings, all about the importance of the air. ... Read more

Product Description
Whether it`s simple maintenance or complete restoration- Clymer is the leader in service manuals Save yourself time and frustration with procedures and techniques the professionals use Comprehensive manuals contain exploded views- drawings- specifications and charts to illustrate each job Feature shortcut repairs and high-performance modifications Photo`s are for reference only. Please read item title carefully. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

service manual
The product was in exaxt condition and the price and shippin were the most reaonable around

Best manual since ever
This probably couldnt have been presented better if there was someone there doing the work for you. It takes you through easy to follow steps. Allround an esenchal peice of litriture. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Mesmerizing....
I wasn't sure what to expect when I spotted this book about trees at the local library. As curious as any future-environmentalist/botanist, I couldn't help but peruse the asthetically-pleasing book cover. The artwork and simple quote on the back cover conveyed this aura of mystery and reverance for it's subject that did not go unnoticed. I sensed that this was going to be far more than a bland book about trees. Intrigued, I borrowed it from the library.

After the assimilation of the very first chapter, I was hooked. I did not have within my capacity the strength to put the book down. Within mere hours, I devoured the entirety of the text, completely unaware that there was a world around me. It was so beautifully-written and in language that did not require a Ph.D in botany. This book opened up a world I never really had ever given much thought to. I can honestly say, that after reading this text, I will never be able perceive trees as these inanimate objects, fixed passively on this Earth.

This book is a must-read for everyone. It brings to light the magnificent power of nature whilst conveying this indescribable humility.

Seriously, read it. This book has definitely earned a place within my personal library.

Bait and switch
Do book ideas come with statutes of limitations?If so, I hope the one on "Tree" expires quickly.What a wonderful idea, to biography the life of a single tree-and how these authors waste it.

In short: only about 10-15 pages of "Tree" are about the tree.The other 165-170 pages are digressions-on astrophysics; on the beauty of Washington's Salish Valley; on a spotty history of botany the authors half-finished and presumably could not expand into a book of its own.This is not a biography but a stream-of-consciousness collection of issues and platforms of which the authors want us aware and trivia they find interesting.Now, a number of digressions could conceivably be worked into the tale-chronicle the tree's development and use the obstacles it encounters as jumping-off points to explore various plant processes; explore the tree's larger environment and introduce its animal neighbors and tenants and the humans who depend on its by-products.This project should be self-structuring.Not for these authors, though.

For example: the authors introduce the tree as a Douglas Fir. That's hyphenated, though-Douglas-fir, as Douglas-firs aren't really firs at all, nor spruces nor pines, and the scientific name, "pseudotsuga menziesii", doesn't help at all, as it's taken from British royal botantist Alexander Menzies, who collected Douglas-fir seedlings and served on "Captain George Vancouver's [ship] Discovery", and John Muir thought that they were "the most majestic spruce I have ever beheld", even though they're not spruce, and man, WHAT were we discussing again?(The seed in the narrative getting planted, actually.We never learn exactly what type of tree a Douglas-fir is after all that, either.)Another example comes a few pages earlier, after what is falsely introduced as a continued discussion of the vital role fire plays in a forest ecosystem.For context's sake, Suzuki and Grady decide to go back to the beginning.No, the VERY beginning-like, the beginning of time itself.So we're walked through the Big Bang and the solar accretion disk and the formation of the Earth and its atmosphere and oh, golly.Some of this relates to the overall subject-the origins of photosynthesis and plant life itself-but most is completely tangental, and the topic of fire is utterly forgotten for a seeming eternity."Tree" also brings in a lot of extraneous, daunting material that'll put off many readers; you don't toss in words like "prokaryote" unless you NEED them.

If the book's ADD didn't make it hard to follow, the authors' refusal to talk on a layman's level would.Complex biological terms are thrown at us one after the other, given only cursory explanations, forgotten, and then reintroduced chapters later.Don't have perfect recall?Too bad for you.No glossary is provided; never have I felt more that one was needed.Particularly in the early going, the authors are writing not for a popular-education book but for a four-credit biology course-minus a textbook's patient explanation or measured pace.Add an unfocused narrative and metric tons of extraneous information, and you have a tome that is often darn near impenetrable.

Many of "Tree"'s problems, in fact, can be traced to a fundamental disrespect for the audience.For one, the authors haven't given us the book for which we paid, playing on genuine curiosity about botany to trick us into financing a self-indulgent lecture.(Ironically, the concepts Suzuki and Grady force-feed us would have been self-evident had the subject matter been properly handled.)For another, they don't care to explain their concepts in clear language-in other words, they don't care whether we understand what they're saying or not.They also assume we're more familiar with the geography of the Pacific Northwest than any non-resident would be.I haven't gotten into the dumb predilection for writing about plant reproduction as if they were novelizing a cheap, if hyperliterate, porno flick.("...[the pollen grain] luxuriates on this pubic patch while the ovule's labia swell around it; slowly the ovule engulfs the grain, which sinks into it like a croquet ball into a soft, silken pillow.")

Why, then, am I giving the book three stars?Well, it spends time with an agreeable subject, and the authors' prose is, IN THE MOMENT, well-constructed and pleasing, plant porn notwithstanding.Robert Bateman's illustrations, monochrome watercolors of nature that mimic old gravures with a mossy richness, are lush and timeless.The cover and presentation are perhaps the most attractive of any book of its year.The authors do pull themselves together for a strong and focused explanation of the mechanics of inbreeding-related deformities and the steps plants take to avoid them, which leads organically into a compelling argument against genetically-engineered crops.(To avoid inbreeding, plants have developed several mechanisms to spread their seed far away; the resultant genetic variety provides resistance against disease, as not all the plants in one area will be vulnerable to a given illness.Engineeredplants, however, are homogenous, so the right illness can take out entire crops.The engineered seeds can still, though, spread themselves far from home-several thousand miles, in extreme cases-where, designed for abundant production, they'll often outcompete their wild counterparts.The population of several areas, not just a few test fields, is left genetically uniform and vulnerable to one lucky disease, and the survival of the species as a whole is that much more tenuous.)With the authors' prose and gentle tone, this book would've been a treat to read under the guidance of a good editor.

"Tree" had the misfortune to be preceded by in my reading queue by a better popular-education book, Dava Sobel's "The Planets".I can recall any number of wonderful facts and stories from that book-but I can recall little from "Tree".The idea deserved far better.

You can't see the tree for the forest
It's a busy living, being a tree.With our puny life spans and lack of attention we tend to miss that fact.Suzuki and Grady have compiled an amazing amount of information into this brief, but thorough examination of a single tree's existence.The story fills in those details we miss and calls our attention to how important it is to learn them.The details are vital to us in countless ways, and being aware of them may hold some clues to our own survival as a species.

The one tree they've chosen, a Douglas-fir, started long ago, in the age of Edward I of England.The authors give an account of how a Douglas-fir is kick-started by a forest fire.That inferno we all dread is the Douglas-fir's cradle.To massive trees seeking the sun, along with many other species, the removal of the forest canopy grants fresh sunlight and nutrients in the ash that would be otherwise unobtainable.Once growth begins, the young tree sprouts roots into the soil and shoots into the air.Encountering a growing tree, we tend to see it as isolated.Grady and Suzuki quickly disabuse us of that mistake.Trees quickly enter relationships - some with others of their own kind, but also with different species.Fungi, in particular, play a vital role in a tree's life almost from the outset.The fungi bring water and nutrients to the tree, gaining sugars that are the product of photosynthesis.This relationship extends the tree's influence over a vast area.There is also chemical communication with other trees - even those of different species - calling for help or offering information about tree predators.

During the tree's mature years, the old associations are strengthened, and new ones established.As the authors impart what the tree is doing now, they also provide the evolutionary processes that make the tree what it is.Cell growth, water pumping [a process still not entirely understood], and the leafing process are all eloquently described.The science should seem compressed or distorted due to the brevity of this volume.Yet, it flows through the narrative with expressive and informative fluency.Both are experienced writers of science and this collaborative effort is a treasure for any reader.

The science described means those who performed it, whether in field observations or through laboratory effort.Another major element of success here is the relation of various researchers' lives.Many are relatively unknown, with Gregory Fedorovich Morozov likely the most significant of the people Grady and Suzuki bring to light.A Russian geographer, Morozov is described as "the founding spirit of modern ecology", a revelation that's likely to shock Sierra Club members.Morozov first pieced together the intricate relationship a forest tree has with the soil, its neighbours and its offspring.Born in 1867, Morozov had a checkered career, highlighted by a relationship with a revolutionary.Even the toppling of the czars didn't cast him in a favourable light, however, and he died in the Crimea at the young age of fifty-three.Had his work been better known in the West, the ecology movement might have enjoyed a significant boost long before it rose in the mid-Twentieth Century.

There isn't sufficient praise to describe this work.With two ranking science writers and Canada's leading wildlife artist embellishing the text, it's wealth of information, combined with a strong emotional sense of what a forest - and its trees - are all about, this book should be listed with other environmental classics.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Wonderful!
I read this book initially because I wanted a primer in how a forest works. This slim, beautifully-written book gave me what I was after, but also much more.

This is one of the best 'popular science' books I've read in ages. It manages to be poetic and profound without being pretentious or New Agey... Instead the authors allow reality (as it's currently perceived by scientists) to reveal its own mind-blowing beauty and power.

This book also explains the process of evolution, the significance of biodiversity and the extent of ecosystem interconnectedness more clearly and eloquently than anything I've read before.

Even though I read a library copy, I've now bought it, since it's one of those books I've just gotta have on the shelf...

How organisms and species cooperate to survive
Like the other reviewers of this book, I found it a delightful, informative, but troubling experience. What struck me most powerfully were the ways in which trees and other plants, including fungi, cooperate with one another in the primeval forest to promote their common welfare. The Douglas fir, for example, does not disperse its seeds widely, as some trees do. Instead, most of them drop to the forest floor near its roots. As they grow, their roots and those of its parent tree grow together, and the parent tree, which is much better at producing nutrients than its offspring, actually feeds its young until they become established. As the seedlings become tall, mature trees, they return the favor by contributing to the overall health of the forest, which is literally joined at the roots. I wish the social Darwinists who think everything in nature and society is individualistic cut-throat competition and survival of the fittest would reflect on this book's description of the forest ecosystem and apply it to human society. ... Read more

Product Description
In this revised and updated edition, David Suzuki and Holly Dressel explore the ways in which human beings have evolved beyond their needs, trampling other species, believing that they can make the Earth work the way they want it to. The book examines how human arrogance — demonstrated by a disregard for the small and microscopic species that constitute the Earth’s engine, and the reckless use of technological inventions like powerful herbicides or genetically engineered crops — is threatening the health of the populace and the safety of the food supply. But this is not simply a doom-and-gloom scenario or alarmist creed. The authors introduce readers to the people who are fighting back, those who are resisting the inexorable advance of the "global economy" juggernaut. From Naked Ape to Superspecies offers strategies for making the right turn at this crossroads and prospering by reshaping the place of humanity in nature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

good to know
Depressing but realistic snapshot of where the human race is, and where we're heading. Handbasket, anyone?

Fascinating and compelling
Great book!I am impressed by how thorough and how interesting it is.It is chock full of information but very well written and easy to read.You don't have to be a scientist or stereotypical environmentalist to find this book interesting and compelling.I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the authors' best-selling book The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature, this visual feast celebrates the forces that unite all living things, in spectacular photographs, beautiful reproductions of artwork, and amazing electron micrographs and satellite photographs. These images — by Galen Rowell, Art Wolfe, and others — lovingly explore dewdrops on a spider web, a field full of wildflowers, vast herds of zebra, rock paintings, Inuit artwork, and much more. The accompanying text presents David Suzuki's inspiring view of the human place on Earth, drawn from his life as a scientist, environmentalist, writer, and thinker. He describes the seven elements — earth, air, fire, water, biodiversity, love, and spirituality — that all human beings need to lead full, rich lives. The exquisite balance of these elements creates and maintains the web of life on Earth. Included are quotations from literary texts and poetry, observations from scientists, retellings of myths, and lines from songs and psalms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Sacred Balance
An excellent visual and literary exposition of Suzuki's original seminal work "The Sacred Balance". Satisfying in itself but also quite suitable as a coffee table book to subtly influence conversations to cover individual opinions on living in harmony with nature.

Photographs from around the world
Collaboratively compiled by geneticist David Suzuki, documentary film maker Amanda McConnell, and photo researcher Maria DeCambra, The Sacred Balance: A Visual Celebration Of Our Place In Nature is an inspirational collection of photographs from around the world, supplemented with wise and thoughtful commentary about human beings and their affinity for the natural world. Captivating images and insightful observations balance one another perfectly in this unique presentation which is especially recommended for students of ecology and the diverse and manifold wonders of the natural world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Interesting study of the "other" Japan
This book is a well written, although sometimes meandering, account of the author's interviews with people in Japan who prove that Japan is not as homogenous as we might think. The only problem with the book is that it attimes strays from the interviews into philosophical musings that aretedious. but the book as a whole is worth while and a must for anyonestudying Japan. ... Read more

Product Description
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” 

So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a teaching as rich as has this famous opening line. In a single stroke, the simple sentence cuts through the pervasive tendency students have of getting so close to Zen as to completely miss what it’s all about. An instant teaching on the first page. And that’s just the beginning.

In the forty years since its original publication, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind has become one of the great modern Zen classics, much beloved, much reread, and much recommended as the best first book to read on Zen. Suzuki Roshi presents the basics—from the details of posture and breathing in zazen to the perception of nonduality—in a way that is not only remarkably clear, but that also resonates with the joy of insight from the first to the last page. It’s a book to come back to time and time again as an inspiration to practice, and it is now available to a new generation of seekers in this fortieth anniversary edition, with a new afterword by Shunryu Suzuki’s biographer, David Chadwick.Amazon.com Review
A respected Zen master in Japan and founder of the SanFrancisco Zen Center, Shunryu Suzuki has blazed a path in AmericanBuddhism like few others. He is the master who climbs down from thepages of the koan books and answers your questions face toface. If not face to face, you can at least find the answers asrecorded in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, a transcription of juicyexcerpts from his lectures. From diverse topics such as transience ofthe world, sudden enlightenment, and the nuts and bolts of meditation,Suzuki always returns to the idea of beginner's mind, a recognitionthat our original nature is our true nature. With beginner's mind, wededicate ourselves to sincere practice, without the thought of gaininganything special. Day to day life becomes our Zen training, and wediscover that "to study Buddhism is to study ourselves." And to knowour true selves is to be enlightened. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Customer Reviews (165)

Zen Practice
I thoroughly enjoy listening to a book that I had read over 20 years ago.I have listened to it several times since it has arrived and find something new every time I listen.Peter Coyote's rendition is perfect for this selection."Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind" truly captures the essence of Zen.Highly recommended!

A Desert Island Book
I am new to Suzuki and his simplicity of discourse on the spirituality of Zen. A remarkable teacher who deserves careful attention when reading. I would take this book with me everywhere as it is so valuable I would not want to take the chance I may lose it.

Introduction to Soto Zen, not Rinzai
This book is, in fact, probably the very best introduction to Zen Buddhism for Americans. It is short, informal, yet well written. Shunryu Suzuki, the author of this book, is not of the same school of Zen as D.T. Suzuki, who wrote many more books and is probably better known. Shunryu was of the Soto school of Zen, while D.T. belonged to the Rinzai school.

To the beginner, the differences might seem small. Both schools practice sitting meditation, called zazen. But Rinzai puts more emphasis on the experience of Satori, which I will not explain here (and is hardly explainable, anyhow). Soto Zen, and Shunryu in this book, emphasizes just sitting and practicing zazen. He does not dwell on Satori, in fact, I don't even think he mentions it.

In any event, I highly recommend this book as an introduction to Zen. Shunryu tells you about real Soto Zen practice -- not history, or theoretical concepts. It can be read in an evening, and can be re-read for years.

You can later proceed to other books on Zen; by D.T. Suzuki, Philip Kapleau, Christmas Humphreys, or others, including John C. H. Wu. Thich Nhat Hanh is very popular too, and has written many books. He is Vietnamese, while both of the Suzukis were Japanese. I believe that Nhat Hanh is of the Soto school, but I could be wrong. Certainly other authors are worthy, but the reader should be careful until you are more familiar with the basics of Zen. (Beware especially of the shallow, even flippant, Zen books which often begin with the words "Zen and the Art of..." They have little value.) Just remember that Zen Buddism has two main schools: Soto and Rinzai. Also, Zen is a special form of Buddhism -- kind of like Quakers being a special form of Christianity -- and is not necessarily representative of Buddishm as a whole.

Zen was heavily influenced by Taoism. So if you really want to go deeper, consider getting a translation of the Tao Te Ching -- I highly recommend the version by Stephen Addiss and Stanley Lombardo, but the translation by John C. H. Wu is good and very popular, plus he is Chinese by birth. Stephen Mitchell's version is very popular and accessible to modern Americans.

Finally, both Shunryu Suzuki and D.T. Suzuki definitely agree on one thing; Zen is understood through practice, not through books or ideas. Zen is not a philosophy. If you really want to understand Zen, then you will need to find a Zendo (meditation center or temple) and a teacher. And meditate!

Meditation On The Inevitable
I did sort of a half-a$$ed zazen practice for quite a while, and this book more than any other, or any teacher I personally knew for that matter, helped me stick with things as much as I did. This is not some kind of formal sutra or even a good introduction to Buddhism. Truthfully, critics who say that Suzuki was just a regular unenlightened Joe teaching a practice that isn't really even Buddhist may have a point; for various historical reasons, the different practices of Daoism, Neo-Confuscianism, and several Buddhist schools have intertwined in East Asia to an almost inseparable mess, and what Suzuki says here seems more like Neo-Confucianism by an old Japanese guy who never claims to be anything special than a Buddhist monk talking about ultimate truth or scriptural authority. Soto Zen in general, while certainly a religion and subject to the same difficulties as other religions, jettisons speculation for the here and now in a way unthinkable in "Western" traditions, and what Suzuki says can be valuable even outside the Soto context. He talks from experience of a lifetime of meditation and has some really deep and abiding things to say, both about the goal of practice (or lack thereof) and what we mean when we talk about certain terms. It gives us hints on how to practice but reminds us that only we ourselves can do it. Nowadays I do Vippasana but I've found that many of his insights still hold true when practicing separate but similar forms of meditation. Some of his general philosophical points don't do much for me; regardless, I appreciate the calm, humanistic, down to earth tone that permeates them all. If you want to read the best beginners' books on Buddhism, I'd start with Walpola and/or Schumann. If you want to read a book that can inspire your practice regardless of your religious orientation, and give you access to some fairly profound insights, this is a really good choice.

The Best
This is the best book I have found on the practice and the mind of Zen. It is easy to read. Each talk is about 2 pages. I have probably read it over 50 times throughout the years and have given many copies away. This is the book to help you practice, not a philosophical or analytical discourse. ... Read more

Product Description
The SUZUKI METHOD of Talent Education is based on Dr. Shinichi Suzuki's view that every child is born with ability, and that man is the son of his environment. According to Dr. Suzuki, a world-renowned violinist and teacher, the greatest joy an adult can know comes from developing a child's potential so he/she can express all that is harmonious and best in human beings. Students are taught using the mother-tongue approach. Suzuki Violin School Materials include: Violin Parts (Vol. 1-10) * Piano Accompaniments (Vol. 1-10) * Cassettes (Vol. 1-3 performed by Shinichi Suzuki, Vol. 4-8 performed by Koji Toyoda) * Compact Discs (Vol. 5-8, performed by Koji Toyoda) * David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes & Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4) * David Nadien Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes and Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4). Suzuki Method Core Materials available for piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, harp, guitar, and recorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent
Suzuki method fails to disappoint me again. The songs advance a little with each book, but just enough to keep it challenging.

Suzuki method is THE method for learning violin
I grew up learning the Suzuki method and believe in it 100%.But, until you are an accomplished violinist (not accomplished at Volume 3), the most benefits will be realized by direction, not by self-teaching.Suzuki method is also a philosophy - look for the book by Suzuki himself explaining this.My violin teacher made all her students' parents read this when we started lessons.

This collection of songs not only is a good collection to learn various techniques on the violin, but I still have fun years later playing them over and over.

Just as fabulous as the previous volumes
Having now progressed to volume 5, I can tell you how wonderful the Suzuki method really is.

Volume 3 is where the difficulty begins to mount. The difficulty is to prepare you for Volume 4, in which new elements are introduced. Practice makes perfect, however, and playing songs instead of pratices helps build tonalization and intonation. The only it does not build, however, is good sight reading. This is not really developed until the 4th volume.

Suzuki method is not designed, however, for self-taught students. In response to another reviewer, the method is designed to help an instructor instruct the student by presenting a collection os pieces that help build the aforementioned items.

Okay but not so great
Decent collection of music but litte variation in theme. Little to no assistance/tips for the student. Okay but not so great. ... Read more

Product Description
Human beings have acquired enormous technological musclepower, and - coupled with our numbers and our soaring consumption - weare now having an impact on the planet that no other species has everhad. We are trying to dominate nature, but we are still part of it.

Foresight has always been a key to our survival and we have neverneeded it more than we do now. As we look ahead to an uncertainfuture, we have to examine some of our most cherished notions, likethe ability of science to give us the power to manage nature, thebenefits and hazards of genetic engineering, the real impact ofinformation explosion, and the need to keep the global economy growingforever.

As you will hear in the programs, despite the sophistication of ourtechnology, we remain biological beings, animals, inextricablyembedded in the natural world. We must redefine progress and find waysto live in balance with each other and nature.

Produced at the state of the art recording studios of the CanadianBroadcasting Corporation.

Approximate Duration 4 Hours ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A Timely Perspective On Humanity in the Biosphere
SUZUKI:

Although David Suzuki was trained to genetically engineer fruit flies to grow arms from their heads, his perspective on science and life is remarkably human.I would go so far as to say that his understanding of humanity and its place in nature is perhaps unequaled among environmental philosophers today. Aside from working as a scientist, Suzuki also spent some 30-some years producing nature documentaries.This gave him the opportunity travel the globe, visit many different cultures and geographic regions, from indigenous tribes to povrety-striken Third World nations.It was through profound cultural education that Suzuki unlearned the mad science he studied as a youth and gained new understand about culture, economics and biodiversity.Nowadays, Suzuki mainly spends his time writing books and articles.He also runs an environmental organization in Canada, where he and his family live, called the David Suzuki Foundation.The website address is: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/

DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK:

In this book Suzuki teams up with writer and researcher Holly Dressel to produce a sort of global guide to the biosphere-a work of scope and detail that will amaze you.They will walk you through ancient arboreal forests and the global economy with the ease of an experienced mountain tracker.They will be introduced you to people and movements that are sure to move.And perhaps most importantly the book will provide you with an important ecological perspective.Filled with stories, anecdotes, interesting facts, and tons of suggestions and references, from books to organizations - "From Naked Ape to Super-Species" is nothing less than a manual for humanity.Simply put, this is one of the most important books I have read.

EXERPT:

"Time is the one ingredient that is absolutely for vital for nature.It is the vast sweep of evolutionary time that has allowed life to flourish and huge changes to occur.In the 4 billion years that life has existed, the sun has increased in intensity by 25 percent, magnetic poles have switched and reversed back, continents have smashed into each other and then pulled apart, ice ages and warm periods have come and gone, and the atmosphere has been transformed from a non-oxygen to a oxygen-rich one.Yet life has persisted, simply because of the immense periods of time it has to make adjustments.

Today, the rate at which we are extracting trees, fish, topsoil and clean water, as well as creating pollutants and greenhouse gases, may match the speed of information technology and the economy, but it is not in synch with the reproductive rates of natural systems.More and more, our sources of information are no longer connected to the natural world and its limits.Politics, civic action and participatory democracy need time too.Democratic groups like PTAs and other voluntary human institutions take time to do their work.

Until we slow down the rate of growth in information and technology and learn to pay attention to the true pace of the non-technological planet, we'll keep making unrealistic demands that can't be fulfilled.At the very least, we need to understand that our accelerated rates of production and use of human-made technical information function at a completely different pace from that of the natural rates of information exchange, like those I experienced in the Brazilian rain forest."

MAIN ISSUES:

General Environment Issuses:from the toxification of our environment to Environmental Justice.

Consumer Issues:How do our shopping habits effect the world aroud us?

The Question of Progress:What does it mean?

Food Issues and Biotechnology:In Canada, America, the world abroad.

Globalization Issues:Impacts at home and abroad

Global Warming and Forest Issues

Non-Violent Direct Actions:some groups and individuals fighting against large international corporations for local sovereignty

Human Rights, Environmental Rights

Timely and thought-provoking
In his new book, From Naked Ape to Superspecies, David Suzuki explores a myriad of topics of profound importance. The environment is his central theme, though there are are chapters on genetic engineering, globalisation,and environmental activisim. Like other authors before him, Suzuki isdeeply concerned about the current nature of the world. Biodiversity isthreatened, cultural diversity is diminisihing with the onslaught ofglobalisation, and our very health and well-being are potentially in dangerfrom genetically-modified (GM)food. Each of these topics is explainedthrough the viewpoint of numerous experts in the various fields, as thebook is based on a radio series which interviewed many people.

For astudent of biological science, the book was real eye-opener as it exposedme to many of the ramifications of broad issues I had previously takenlittle notice of. I knew little of globalisation, now I think I know enoughto be able to form an opinion. Same for GM food. I had not realised thatSuzuki was so green, but he clearly has an active interest in the perhapsnot-so-scientific side of environmentalism. He is a wise man who deservesto receive ample attention.

Overall, I found the book to be highlyinteresting and thought-provoking, and I recommend it to anyone with a morethan a passing interest in the environment and other portentous issues. Ihave no criticisms to make, besides the fact that little written materialseems to be referred to. As a result, the accuracy of some his commentsmust necessarily come under suscipician. This, however, should not detractfrom the overall superior quality of the book.

Reality for Environmental Dummies
I encountered this bookfirst on tape, and have now ordered a copy for my town library,another for a faculty member at Norwich University who chairs a committee that makes an annual Earth Stewardship Prizeaward tostudents/faculty, and one for the Environment bookshelf in my own library. Unfortunately, this is a message that is far too late, but " betterlate than never". Those who think that simply expanding world trade,or consuming as usual, or that technologywill save us from the results ofhuman predation and exploitation of the ecosystem of the planet, or thatthere is no real global warming, or that the world can sustain an unlimitedhuman population are the ones who MUST read this book. Yes, the earth willrecover from what we humans are doing to it , but there won't be any of our(highly endangered) species around to find out what the world will looklike then!

Another anti-business rant from the hard left
Yet another of-the-left anti-free market anti-business rant by a second rate 'scientist' that few people take seriously these days. Suzuki should keep to his last.Still, if you're already persuaded to his viewpoint -- afellow traveller -- this book is a beauty.

If you are here, you are looking in the wrong place...
If you are reading this review and contemplating whether or not to buy this book, consider the fact that it would be hypocritical to buy this book instead of borrowing it from the library. ... Read more

Product Description
More than any other time in history, the 1990s will mark a turning point for human civilization. Gordon and Suzuki warn of the transition to be made if the human race is to arrive safely in the next century. ... Read more

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A call to action: areview of "It's a matter of survival"
The book proclaims that it is a call to action. Its message is simply that we all have to discard old ideas such as "nature is infinite" or that "science and technology will solve our problems". All human societies are enjoined to work together for the good of the planet communally and to chart a new course to save the planet from a certain destruction in fifty years' time.
The earliest chapters paint a stark picture of the life that our children and grandchildren will lead in the year 2040. The pattern of the remainder of the book is to dispose of six sacred truths of traditional thought which are seen to be about the planet's ability to cope with pollution, the problem of human population, the human species' domination of other species, the acceptance of industrialisation as the price of progress, the concept of continuing economic growth and the effects of pollution.
The authors of the book remain optimistic in spite of the horrific picture they have painted and in the last two chapters give a plan of action for preventing global calamity. That is the scenario: numerous books, magazines, radio and television programs provide similar information. I did not note any major new concepts which anyone who is at least half awake has not met many times before. The book is easy to read but in my view in badly written. The journalistic style is irritating with quotations from this or that source placed in snug, uniform word-processed paragraphs that are not fully connected or integrated with each other.
As an example, Chapter 7 introduces Herman Daly by name half a dozen times in different guises. On page 161 he is presented in the following terms: "World Bank senior economist Herman Daly holds a minority view when it comes to economic thinking." On page 169 he is introduced as co-author of "For the Common Good", whist on page 169/170 he is cited as the "maverick economist, Herman Daly". On page 170 again his views are described as "heretical". I have not personally heard of Herman Daly, so I looked in the well referenced section at the rear of the book on notes and sources which cite from Daly's total oeuvre, one article, one conference paper, one radio program and two personal communications. Daly may well have written in more erudite journals than those cited, but the book seems to prefer pseudo-academic respectability to real scholarship.
In other words, don't look to this book to give a balanced set of views on the subject. Comparatively minor authors and thinkers are quoted extensively to bolster their reputation where they express an environmental viewpoint. Those who disagree with this viewpoint get a brief quotation of their views that are demolished as "straw-men" over the next few pages.
Overall, this book is not particularly memorable, or well written and does not break much new ground, but its sincerity and conviction do in the end come through and the authors' worst case scenario is horrific enough to be worth consideration at some point in our crowded school curricula.
Originally written for "ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND INFORATION Volume 11, Number 2 (1992, p. 123"
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Product Description
The SUZUKI METHOD of Talent Education is based on Dr. Shinichi Suzuki's view that every child is born with ability, and that man is the son of his environment. According to Dr. Suzuki, a world-renowned violinist and teacher, the greatest joy an adult can know comes from developing a child's potential so he/she can express all that is harmonious and best in human beings. Students are taught using the mother-tongue approach. Suzuki Violin School Materials include: Violin Parts (Vol. 1-10) * Piano Accompaniments (Vol. 1-10) * Cassettes (Vol. 1-3 performed by Shinichi Suzuki, Vol. 4-8 performed by Koji Toyoda) * Compact Discs (Vol. 5-8, performed by Koji Toyoda) * David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes & Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4) * David Nadien Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes and Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4). Suzuki Method Core Materials available for piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, harp, guitar, and recorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Welcome to Suzuki parenthood!
It's not the book that makes the difference in this set, it's the recording.That said, READ the introductory section! Don't worry about reading the music - even the introduction itself says students are not expected to read music until BOOK FOUR.(If your teacher slips it in earlier, find another teacher.Anything else is not true Suzuki Method.Suzuki Method/Mother Tongue method is an AUDITORY method.) Read the lines, and read between the lines.Remember, Suzuki was oriental - no brow beating here; only much sublety.A point is made once, and you are expected to retain it.Reread every 6 months.

Suzuki saw that music is the one true study of mankind.If you study music thoroughly and completely (!) you will learn about mathematics, art, physics, language, animals, emotions, history, religion, cultures. . . it is music that is the common thread among all peoples of the earth.Music develops sensitivity, expression, self confidence, self discipline, spirituality and all qualities which at their fullest expression turn us from men into Man.

David Cerone performs the Suzuki materials better than any one else.Unlike Suzuki himself, who didn't pick up a violin until he was in his 20s, David learned early and plays that much better than the Suzuki version.He admits he worked harder on these recordings than on any other professional recordings, sweating through perfect performances only to redo and redo and redo trying to create just the right inflection and emotion.He knew that thousands of hopeful young violinists would listen to these songs: working song 50 times a day, polish songs 20 times a day, upcoming song 50 times a day.Day after day after day! And then imitate it.He wanted to give them the best to look up to.He sees children as precious seeds, and gives them only the purest water music for their growth.Don't settle for anything less! ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Damo Suzuki, David C. Johnson, Holger Czukay, Malcolm Mooney, Rebop Kwaku Baah, Irmin Schmidt, Jaki Liebezeit, Michael Karoli, Rosko Gee,. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 37. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Kenji Suzuki Suzuki Kenji, born 16 January 1950, in Japan), universally known as Damo Suzuki (ダモ鈴木), is a singer best known for his membership in the German krautrock group Can. As a teenager, Suzuki spent the late 1960s wandering around Europe, often busking. When Malcolm Mooney left Can after recording their first album Monster Movie, Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit encountered Suzuki singing on a street in Munich, Germany whilst the two were sitting outside at a street café. They invited him to join the group, and he did, performing with them that evening. Suzuki was with Can from 1970 to 1973, recording a number of well-regarded albums such as Tago Mago, Future Days and Ege Bamyasi. Suzuki's first vocal performance with Can was "Don't Turn the Light On, Leave Me Alone" from Soundtracks His freeform, often improvised lyrics, sung in no particular language gelled with Can's rolling, psychedelic sound. Suzuki converted to the Jehovah's Witness faith when he married his German girlfriend, who was also a Jehovah's Witness, after the release of the album Future Days, and retired from music in 1974. He returned to music in 1983, and currently leads what is known as Damo Suzuki's Network - as he tours, he performs live improvisational music with various local musicians (so-called "Sound Carriers" ) from around the world, thus building up a 'network' of musicians with whom he collaborates. As far as more recent recorded material is concerned, Damo is featured on electronic/hip-hop producer Sixtoo's album, "Chewing on Glass and Other Miracle Cures" (Ninja Tune, 2004). Amo...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=932338 ... Read more

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North America's West Coast, once known for its plentiful fish population, increasingly loses fish and biodiversity as years go by, with dramatic declines in species populations and the concentration of remaining stocks into fewer populations. In Dead Reckoning, author Terry Glavin offers an honest and detailed assessment of the state of these fisheries in the context of what's happening elsewhere in the world. After introducing the players in the fisheries crisis--from fishermen to biologists to "average citizens"--Glavin suggests ways the Pacific fishery can be better managed, and offers solutions to ensure its long-term sustainability. ... Read more

Product Description
The SUZUKI METHOD of Talent Education is based on Dr. Shinichi Suzuki's view that every child is born with ability, and that man is the son of his environment. According to Dr. Suzuki, a world-renowned violinist and teacher, the greatest joy an adult can know comes from developing a child's potential so he/she can express all that is harmonious and best in human beings. Students are taught using the mother-tongue approach. Suzuki Violin School Materials include: Violin Parts (Vol. 1-10) * Piano Accompaniments (Vol. 1-10) * Cassettes (Vol. 1-3 performed by Shinichi Suzuki, Vol. 4-8 performed by Koji Toyoda) * Compact Discs (Vol. 5-8, performed by Koji Toyoda) * David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes & Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4) * David Nadien Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes and Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4). Suzuki Method Core Materials available for piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, harp, guitar, and recorder. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Insightful inspiring informative genius in action
This book gathers many very important, inspiring and informative contemplations from activists in various situations and locations, their reflections on their changing levels of knowledge and dedication to the cause and their thoughts on the impact of David Suzuki's career (essentially a gathering of personal recapitulations, definitely not a detailed summary of David Suzuki's career by any means).

There a very good diversity of people and I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it. You'll see yourself here and there and understand how commitment takes hold. This would be a great gift for people of any age (above 8?), as we all have our perspectives, questions, capacities and mindsets. ALL ACTIVISTS NEED TO READ THIS BOOK, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FIND OR CREATE MORE ACTIVISTS AT ANY LEVEL. This book doesn't twist any arms through any outright pressure, it does so by giving you the inside scoop, the real story of critical realizations, which are always personally accomplished.

I grew up watching Nature Of Things and have followed David Suzuki's books, public speaking and various specials for quite a while, through the ups and downs. Living in Alberta lets me see both the upside and ugly side of the battle going on for a clean, sustainable and healthy future on Earth. While we try to shift ourselves off strict dependency on the oil money and the oil economy mechanisms, we most definitely need to avoid nuclear power and are fortunate that the sustainable energy support and energy efficiency awareness in Alberta is growing very rapidly. Green jobs are real and sustainable jobs! But we still have a hard fight to get things done at an adequate pace without backsliding or getting unfairly speed-bumped on many fronts, given the resistance from governments, oil money influencing public policy, and underhanded actions in the field.

I have been consistently educating myself on the nature of this battle and related issues for decades and continue to do so. I started to join the activist effort directly about two years ago and am discovering that to do so requires more than a solid grounding in the information about the subject, it requires success stories and insightful, instructional information about activism and democracy at a personal level; what this book offers in abundance.

Thank our lucky stars that Canada does have a strong tendency to spark activism and that we have many fine examples of Canadian activists in a wide range of capacities and locations. We need much more going forward, and the expert experience from around the world gathered up in this book is of great, immediate value. Our problems are not commonly considered "local" only any more, they are seen within the context of a planet undergoing extreme stress from rapid change heavily influenced by human activity. Man's inhumanity to man and the environment persists at full speed around the globe. Ironically, I don't think we can or should control the speed, since innovation is of prime importance; what we need to is to redirect our activity and to do so, requires each of us to think and reprogram ourselves.

Buy and read and be happy!

See you in a greener, cleaner, safer, healthier, stabler, economical, sustainable culture soon! ... Read more