Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: H.K. Lewis in 1908 in 112 pages; Subjects: History / General; Medical / Chemotherapy; Medical / Immunology; Medical / Pharmacology; ... Read more

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Publisher: New York RebmanSubjects: Blood -- ExaminationNotes: This is an OCR reprint. There may be numerous typos or missing text. There are no illustrations or indexes.When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. You can also preview the book there. ... Read more

Product Description
Offers complete plans for building eight different sheds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outhouse or Sheds?
This book goes step by step to build what u need and desire. The ideas are freash and new and easy to apply. You don't feel alone when u have this book with you. If u can read u can build a shed using this book. A few words of warning. Don't let ur kids get to this book because they will building sheds all over the place it's that simple.Excellent Book ... Read more

Product Description
In the past two centuries, cowbirds have increased in numbers and extended their range across North America, while many of the native songbird species whose nests they parasitize to raise their young have declined. This timely book collects forty essays by most of the principal authorities on the biology and management of cowbirds. The book's goals are to explore the biology of cowbirds, the threats they pose to host species and populations, and the management programs that are being undertaken to minimize these threats. The book is organized into five sections, each with an extended editors' introduction that places the contributions in a broad, up-to-date setting. The sections cover:∑ The changing abundance of cowbirds and the ways in which their numbers can be estimated.∑ Host choice by cowbirds, the negative effects of cowbirds on particular host species, and the daily patterns of cowbird behavior.∑ Behavioral interactions between cowbirds and specific host species.∑ Patterns of cowbird abundance and host use across varying landscapes.∑ Management programs designed to control cowbirds and protect threatened songbirds. ... Read more

Product Description
In no department of Pathology has advance been so fitful and interrupted as in that dealing with blood changes in various forms of disease, though none now offers a field that promises such an abundant return for an equal expenditure of time and labour.
... Read more

Product Description

This is the most complete and authoritative reference book about the birds of North America -- up to date and in field-guide format.

The Birder's Handbook is the first of its kind: a portable library of fascinating information not included in your identification guide. For each of the 646 species of birds that breed in North America, The Birder's Handbook will tell you at a glance:

* Where the bird nests, and which sex(es) build(s) the nest;
* How many eggs the bird lays, what they look like, which patent incubates and for how long, and how the young are cared for;
* Food preferences and foraging habits.

You will also find information about displays and mating, wintering, conservation status, and much more. In addition, The Birder's Handbook contains some 250 short essays covering all aspects of avian natural history.Amazon.com Review
Compact and yet filled with information, this portable encyclopedia of North American bird behavior is a complement to field guides. Learn more about the species you see in the field, and--when in doubt--use this handy reference as another tool for identification. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Info packed!
Although a few years old now this book is full of great information. I borrowed one from a friend and loved it so much I ordered my own. Highly recommended for detailed information on bird habitat and behavior.

A good desk reference
I was given this book as a gift, but I probably would not have bought it for myself.
Although it does have a lot of good information, it is difficult to read, and there are very few bird illustrations, so you need to have other references as well. It is really more of a bird encyclopedia than a field guide, and the author uses a lot of abbreviations and graphical symbols, requiring frequent look-ups in the front of the book to see what is meant by them.

Marshall Faintich, author of "A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Wintergreen"

Great Complementary Guide on Bird Biology
Ok, this is NOT a field guide as the name would suggest.It is a reference book of bird biology.It includes information such as habitat preferences, nesting substrate, clutch size, diet, courtship rituals, which sex sits on the nest, etc.There are also short essays intersperced throughout the guide about various topics of ornithological interest.Not for the passive birder.Useful for researchers and serious birders.

the birder's handbook: a feild guide to the natural history of n. american birds
I was very disappointed with this book, I returned it for a full refund. A book that cost that much should at least have color pictures.
thank you,
Sandy Pittman

The next step
When you are ready to move beyond simple identification of birds, your curiosity piqued by the avians on your feeder or flying over your canoe, this book is the answer. It is a big fat paperback, far too cumbersome for field use, but wonderful in its detail. Why do geese fly in a vee? How does a seagull's wing work? What materials do birds use to line their nests? Owls ears, hatching asynchronicity, communal roosting, head scratching, and promiscuity are a few among the hundreds of topics discussed in this work. There are brief biographies of early ornithologists, discussions of bird names and detailed advice on how a layperson can meaningfully contribute to the study of winged creatures (from the comfort of your feeder-viewing easy chair, if you like). This one's for the serious birder. ... Read more

Product Description

"Here, between the covers of one book, you can find out about the major problems facing the world today, and how to fix them. It all comes sprinkled with the deliciously surprising examples, and wrapped in the alternately gripping and humorous prose, for which Paul and Anne Ehrlich have long been famous. This is a book to savor and from which to learn."-JARED DIAMOND, AUTHOR OF COLLAPSE: HOW SOCIETIES CHOOSE TO FAIL OR SUCCEED AND GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL

"Provocative and eminently readable...this is a direct and levelheaded presentation that should get, and deserves, wide readership."-PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"The Ehrlichs have often been called the ultimate pessimists, but their book is, frankly, heartening. . . . The book is decidedly new and different."-NORMAN MYERS, NATURE

"If you simply want a great book, written by smart, forthright scientists, read One with Nineveh by Paul and Anne Ehrlich." -BOSTON GLOBE

"An urgent warning full of suggestions as to how things could be made better if individuals and businesses and nations cooperated."-THE WASHINGTON POST

"The Ehrlichs manage to be both meticulous and witty as they suggest reforms and remind us that ours is an astoundingly adaptive species capable of making radical change once we're motivated." -BOOKLIST

Named a Notable Book for 2005 by the American Library Association, One with Nineveh is a fresh synthesis of the major issues of our time, now brought up to date with an afterword for the paperback edition. Through lucid explanations, telling anecdotes, and incisive analysis, the book spotlights the three elephants in our global living room-rising consumption, still-growing world population, and unchecked political and economic inequity-that together are increasingly shaping today's politics and humankind's future. One with Nineveh brilliantly puts today's political and environmental debates in a larger context and offers some bold proposals for improving our future prospect.

Customer Reviews (26)

Paul Ralph Ehrlich is a small charlatan
I tried to read online this trash-book, last year, here in Brazil. This trash-book was writen by American charalatan Paul Ralph Ehrlich. This ecologist/eugenist/racist/marxist and charlatan now repeats the same line of fakes, writen in his best-seller andtrash-book "The Population Bomb". He claims that there's crisis in the water, but not even 8% of water is used today by mankind. Today there's three times more soybean per capita than in 1948 and all the world, expect in Islamic countries has low levels of fertility, but the author preaches a doomed future because of the "explosive growing" of the population.
The level of credibility of this trash-book is so zero as the trash-book "The Population Bomb", but this book luckly, won't be a best-seller. Malthusianism is in coma, but Islamism is alive and stronger. Thanks to the work of Malthusianists as the author of this book, more than the half of world's babies are now Islamic babies. If Iranian atomic Ayatollahs are big charlatans, than Paul R. Ehrlich is just a small charlatan.

The fall of modern Nineveh
"One with Nineveh" by Paul and Anne Ehrlich is a book about the present and coming ecological crisis. It's less alarmist than Paul Ehrlich's old classic "The Population Bomb", which obviously underestimated the impact of the green revolution. But then, "One with Nineveh" is a new book, published in 2004.

Still, the picture painted by Paul Ehrlich and his co-author is a sobering one, to say the least. Although the rate of population growth is much lower today than 40 years ago, the world population will still increase by a couple of billions until a peak is reached around 2050. The population of the United States (294 million) will be 350 million in 2025 and 420 million in 2050.

Due to the green revolution, it's technically possible to feed the present day world population (provided that resources are more equitably distributed). But will it be possible to continue doing so in the decades ahead, when the population continues to rise? With water becoming more scarce, the oceans overfished, all potential agricultural land already occupied, and climate change ahead, Paul and Anne Ehrlich are pessimistic. The perspective is one of more resource wars, increased food prices and more environmental destruction.

They do discuss a few possible solutions, however. One is a massive conversion of pesticide-dependent agriculture to organic farming. Another solution might be massive investment in solar power. The authors are surprisingly positive to genetically engineered crops. The Ehrliches further point out that better educational opportunities for women, government care of the elderly and improved access to water and sanitation will tend to slow down population growth. However, the authors also believe that less hand outs to large families might do the trick, and occasionally imply that the Western nations should limit immigration from the poorer countries (a contentious position, to say the least). They then discuss the pros and cons of the Chinese "one child" policy.

"One with Nineveh" contains chapters on pretty much everything dealing with the ecological crisis: overpopulation, overconsumption, the role of technology, globalization and "the American Empire"... Indeed, the book is almost encyclopaedic and frankly made my head spin the first time I read it! I got the gist of it only after a second reading. It also contains many interesting references. That the crisis is severe is shown by the fact that "One with Nineveh" deals with climate change as only one problem among many. My own pet issue, the disappearance of the honeybees, is (curiously) mentioned mostly in passing.

The human predicament is a dire one indeed. On the one hand, the rich nations have an unsustainable level of growth, while being less responsible for overpopulation. (Many European nations have a shrinking population.) On the other hand, the poorer nations can stop overpopulation only by modernization, which in turn might fuel overconsumption. Finding the golden mean in all this won't be easy, especially given the fact that very little is actually being done about any of it by the politicians in charge!

Paul and Anne Ehrlich liken our civilization to the hubris of Nineveh, the "great city" of Assyria which overreached itself and fell. I suppose this makes them Jonah, the ancient prophet who preached to Nineveh and made its people repent their sins.

But will modern Nineveh listen? Or will the Great City fall?

That is the question.

Come Nineveh, Come Tyre; Come "Hell and High Water"
This is an outstandingly wide-ranging intro to every aspect of the subject. If that's what you seek, this is your book. If you feel fairly well-informed about the bad news, perhaps you want instead Joseph Romm's book, "Hell and High Water" (subtitled "Global Warming -- the solution and the politics -- and what we should do").

A scan of Romm's intro and chapter one will let you know what you're in for. While the Ehrlichs' book ends on a downer and resists hopeful prescriptions -- and I respect such pessimism -- "Hell and High Water" springs from the conviction that now is the time to act and that enough renewed minds can spur action that will make a difference, perhaps even leading to more drastic action that will make more of a difference.

But for a truly amazing reference list and research that won't quit -- including scores of sources that are gold mines in themselves -- Ehrlichs' is a trove of solid data.

We're In Deep Doo Doo
Wow. What a ride. This book had me on the edge of my seat. I can see why other reviewers might find fault in this grand overview of ecological,socio-economic and political problems as not offering enough new information or covering too much ground. However, I personaly am thankful for such a comprehesive collection of troubles. "High Noon: Twenty Global Problems and Twenty Years to Solve Them" by J.F. Rischard is another fine book with similar intensity. There seems to be anumber of "oh boy are we in trouble look at what global doom is looming" kinds of books these days. Fact is however, these are scientists and if we can get all excited about new science that can make a quick buck and promises booming new industries, then we ought to also get motivated when scientists tell us we have some problems least we become a society of hypocrits. Many scientists these days are comparing our present era to Europe in the early 1930's, soothing and waiting for a period of consequences. Can humanity be smart and avoid these catastrophies (in this case ecological meltdown as global warming is just one super-disaster in a world of desertification, gross overpopulation, disease, resource wars, militerized gated communities for the wealthy and so on and on) or do we have to learn the hard way and just see who and what other plants and animals are still alive by 2100? Stressful indeed as I haven't even payed $100 yet on my student loan. I try to see books like this as a battle cry. We fought slavery once, we fought fascism once and now we must fight unsustainable, polluting and ..dare I say ignorant social orders. Perhaps that really is the enemy of Nineveh...ignorance, narrow self interests...and....a reluctance to change because of vested interests in the status quo. The unsustainable status quo must go.
Excellent book.

One With Nineveh:More Bad News and Nothing Concrete to do about It
One With Nineveh would be a good read for someone who hasn't heard about global warming or other problems encompassing the planet. The first chapter was interesting...the comparison between the lost civilization of Nineveh with today's world, but there was really no new information that hasn't been talked about since the early 1970's.
The biggest disapointment was that there were no clear suggestions for people to do to live a simpler life, cut back on consumption, and in general quit being a pain in the back to the planet earth.
One very good chapter towards the end talked about economics.....why societies do not have to have growing economies (production increasing every year, consumption increasing every year ect.). That chapter needs to be explored in greater detail by the authors as it was the most compellingidea in the book. ... Read more

Product Description
In this fascinating and abundantly illustrated book, two eminent ecologists explain how the millions of species living on Earth—some microscopic, some obscure, many threatened—not only help keep us alive but also hold possibilities for previously unimagined products, medicines, and even industries. In an Afterword written especially for this edition, the authors consider the impact of two revolutions now taking place: the increasing rate at which we are discovering new species because of new technology available to us and the accelerating rate at which we are losing biological diversity. Also reviewed and summarized are many “new” wild solutions, such as innovative approaches to the discovery of pharmaceuticals, the “lotus effect,” the ever-growing importance of bacteria, molecular biomimetics, ecological restoration, and robotics.

“An easy read, generating a momentum of energy and excitement about the potential of the natural world to solve many of the problems that face us.”—E. J. Milner-Gulland, Nature

“Must-reading for everyone.”—Simon A. Levin, author of Fragile Dominion: Complexity and the Commons

“An engaging book clearly intended to impress upon a lay audience the practical value of
biological diversity. . . . An outstanding work.”—Ecology

“A most stimulating read for all those budding science students from secondary through graduate schools.”—Science Books & Films

•Winner of the 2001 National Outdoor Book Award in the Nature and Environment Category

Andrew Beattie is director of the Commonwealth Key Centre for Biodiversity and Bioresources and Christine Turnbull is research associate, both at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Paul R. Ehrlich is Bing Professor of Population Studies in the department of biological sciences at Stanford University.

Amazon.com Review
If there is an intelligence to the design of nature, an old question hasit, then how could mosquitoes ever have come into being? Andrew Beattie andPaul Ehrlich have an answer: adult mosquitoes are an important source offood for birds, while their larvae are a major part of the diet of manyspecies of fish. Moreover, mosquitoes pollinate some orchid species, andeven their role in the spread of certain diseases appears to have afunction in nature. Though it poses an annoyance and hazard, then, themosquito has its place in the world, a world that is constantlyimpoverished by the destruction of species.

We humans, Beattie and Ehrlich suggest, are only beginning to understand thatecological health depends on the diversity of nature, a diversity thatembraces mosquitoes. By way of illustration, they cite an experiment inwhich scientists created a sealed environment that was meant to approximateconditions in a self-supporting extraterrestrial colony--and that failed,in the end, because the scientists neglected to introduce easily overlookedbut nonetheless critical microorganisms. "We are dependent in the shortterm," they write, "on many more kinds of organisms than it would seem atfirst glance." And, they add, humans directly benefit from the servicesthat millions of species provide, whether appreciated or not. To removethose species, the authors argue, is akin to squandering a carefully built andirreplaceable fortune, "our biological wealth, our biological capital."Their thoughtful essay offers many reasons for curbing this spending spree.--Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Not for the well informed
As mentioned in another review the first edition read like a childrens book. Even more insulting was the cartoonish scribbles used as illustrations. It is honestly not appropriate for anything more than an introduction to the subject for teenagers. In that role it would suit its purpose fairly well, unfortunately that is not the type of book the cover and title suggest.

Brilliant!
This small volume is a compact introduction to biological systems thinking. Profusely illustrated, it brings numerous concepts into clear focus. Excellent science writing for the general reader!

We need more books like this which clearly communicate the beauty and intelligence of the natural world. This is essential information to inform our designs and decisions.

A HUGE disappointment.
The book is really great if you are a six-year-old. The mature readers however, should steer clear of this disaster of an attempt at non-fiction writing. Just goes to show you that two heads are not necessarily better than one. Abundant illustrations (but of no practical use whatsoever) are scattered all over the book, emphasizing the first point I made. I could not get past the first few chapters, and finally decided to put it down when the authors decided to include human beings, on several occasions, into the dietary chain of lions and tigers.
A horrible read. A HUGE disappointment. Big waste of money. Ages 15 and below only.

Educating the general public on the value of natural systems
This book is an attempt to bring to a general readership the idea that solutions to any number of human problems can, and are being, found in the wild.Thus farmers might discover naturally occurring pesticides, perhaps from the leaves of trees; doctors might use antibiotics manufactured by microbes or ants; and engineers, builders and manufacturers might learn how to make the super strong but light weight materials spun out by spiders and worms or secreted by mollusks.

(Or, more realistically, chemical conglomerates, pharmaceutical giants, and construction multinationals might better their bottom line and reduce pollution and the destruction of the environment through the use of ecologically viable solutions.)

The text, written by Australian biologist Andrew Beattie with perhaps more than symbolic assistance from famed population biologist Paul Ehrlich, is unpretentious enough to be accessible to high school students; indeed it seems in some respects, by using a minimum of jargon and technical language, to be aimed at young people.There is an emphasis on the positive aspects of bioremediation and biotechnology rather than sounding any alarm bells about our misuse of the environment.Thus when animals are to be employed as biological monitors of pollution (as the canary is used in the coal mine) the text assures us that rare or endangered species will not be used.Or when pigs are employed (on islands north of Australia) as sentinel animals that might warn of disease traveling south, we are told that they live in pens under "palm trees that rustle in the balmy sea breezes" and that the pigs "snooze or root about in the sand and coconut husks" and are tossed leftovers by passing villagers several times a day "from the family meal or some other delicacy." (p. 160)

The authors follow the introduction with these important words, "The majority of species on Earth have yet to be discovered." (By the way, those who think that the identification of species is like glorified stamp collecting, as I recently read in some book, are very much mistaken.An accounting of life forms, at the very least, will give us a basis for examining change.)Beattie and Ehrlich follow this up with an exploration of how species live in, on, and with one another, laying the groundwork for an understanding of biodiversity and ecology while showing how dependent we are on the smallest creatures for our survival.They recall the failed Biosphere 2 experiment some years ago in Arizona and use a thought experiment on what we might take to the moon to establish and maintain a natural community, thereby demonstrating beyond any doubt just how complex and connected and dependent are all forms of life.They evoke the concept "the natural internet" to illustrate this interconnectedness and to show how natural cycles, food chains, water and nitrogen cycles, etc., work.Particularly interesting was the chapter on garbage and how the myriad creatures of the soil break down waste and return it to use.The remainder of the book suggests ways that humans can work within natural systems to both our advantage and the advantage of the planet as a whole.It is sorely hoped that this message reaches a lot of people, which is obviously the intent of the authors.

The text is enhanced by appealing black and white illustrations of insects, worms, spiders, microbes, fungi and other living things by Christine Turnbull, done in a way that makes the creatures look almost lovable.Turnbull combines a serious attention to detail with the light touch of a cartoonist.Or at least this is my impression.I imagined, for example, that the immobilized ant on the title page with a fungus growing out of its body had an cartoonist's "x" in its eye; but that was merely a misapprehension; there was no "x."Yet the death of this ant eaten from the inside by a fungus seemed almost benign.Perhaps this is a felicitous way of understanding "nature red in tooth and claw."Furthermore, (and I mean this seriously) maybe if people in general saw ecology in something like the rosy way Disney depicted it in Bambi (but without the distortion) we might be the better for it.

Anyway I admire the attempt by the authors to show how the use of natural products and processes are preferable to the use of artificial and man-made ones whenever possible, and for suggesting the incredible range of what is possible.I wish that all high school students and CEOs of multinational corporations would read this book.Or better yet, heads of state (even dictators and ruling theocrats) and elected representatives whose education has been primarily in law, business and the military, should read this book.Maybe we ought to buy an extra copy and send it to our representative in Washington.Couldn't hurt.

Bottom line: the text is a little pollyannaish at times and the material is familiar to those trained in the life sciences, but the message is an important one, and that message is expressed in a vivid and easily assimilated way.The drawings by Turnbull are wonderful.

An Outstanding Argument for Conservation
Wild Solutions is a beautifully written little book containing a well-reasoned, passionate argument for the conservation of all the creatures in the natural world, not just the ones that look cute on T-shirts or postcards.The over riding theme of this book is not that we should save nature because we can make a quick buck off of it; rather, we should save nature because the natural world is one big laboratory, available to humanity free of charge, that not only supports us with a variety of ecosystem services but also continuously shows us new and better ways of living.The message is that species must be conserved because it is impossible to determine which will be vitally important in the future.Humanity tends to judge the worth of a species based on its value to us now without knowing fully or even considering the role the species may play in nature.We really do not know what species will be important in the future.Moreover, we do not know yet to what extent how important the known species are in ecosystem processes.Too often we learn of the organism's role and importance in ecosystems only after it is gone.One important point of the book is that we do not realize or even appreciate the extent to which we are dependent on the natural world.

As the case of Biosphere Two clearly showed the world, placing a value on the importance of a species without knowing its role in ecosystems and food chains, merely based on arrogant and selfish notions of whether or not we derive some value from it is foolhardy.Biosphere Two also showed us that humanity can not do without Nature, but Nature, given its multi-billion year history, can and has done without us.The authors liken the world's creatures to a natural internet that is responsible for the air that we breathe, the water that we drink, and the rich fertile soil that we depend upon for the food that we eat.All of these gifts from Nature, unfortunately, are being tainted, damaged and destroyed by the greedy and selfish actions of humanity.Although many of the example organisms may not be new to some readers, the way in which these organisms interact, and the way in which Humanity has taken advantage of these interactions to enrich our lives gives all a deeper understanding of the importance of these and other organisms.

While some may criticize the call to save the natural world for economic gain, no one can argue with the authors' assertion that the natural world has served and will continue to serve as a basis for the development of new industries.Nor can it be argued that the natural world will become more important as a springboard for the solution to some of mankind's most pressing problems.While I firmly believe that the preservation of species and habitats solely for present or future economic exploitation is both arrogant and shortsighted, it tends to remain the only way to convince the world powers and corporate sultans to tread lightly around environments and habitats.Such a state of affairs is at once both deplorable and depressing, but I am optimistic that sane minds will rise above the current economically inspired rapacious environmental pillage and eventually prevail.

I fully acknowledge that our callous interference in natural evolutionary processes is a foolish gamble, and this book serves as indisputable proof.Many lifetimes of benefits are waiting to be discovered among Nature's bountiful gifts, and this book inspires me to find a few of them. ... Read more

Product Description
For millions of Americans, birdwatching is nothing less than an obsession. For enthusiasts, the excitement of sighting a rare species, the pleasure of watching a bird in flight, and the satisfaction of being able to spot and identify different birds constitute a burning passion that travels with them wherever they go.The Birdwatcher's Handbook provides a marvelous resource for these dedicated hobbyists, offering a compendium of information about European birds that will be a delight to armchair readers and vacationers alike.

In The Birdwatcher's Handbook, authors Paul Ehrlich, David Dobkin, Darryl Wheye, and Stuart Pimm provide in-depth information about British and Northern European birds not found in standard guides. Unlike quick-reference spotter's guides, this volume combines helpful identification aids with thorough descriptions of the birds' behavior and characteristics. Here you can find out where a bird nests, what type of nest it builds, and which partner builds it; how many eggs it lays, what they look like, which parent incubates them, and for how long; how it cares for its young, what it likes to eat, and its foraging habits. This comprehensive volume also provides details about displays, mating, wintering and migration, conservation status, and guides to further reading.For the dedicated birdwatcher on the go (in one of the most popular vacation destinations for Americans), this information will constitute invaluable help for locating and following different birds, and for identifying them by their behavior as well as their appearance. And both bird-loving travelers and homebound enthusiasts will delight in the comprehensive background this book provides on 515 separate species--including 150 short essays on avian natural history.

Bird-watchers form a remarkable group, dedicated to following their passion from the backyard to the most distant places. The Birdwatcher's Handbook provides the information they need for both at-a-glance reference in the field and hours of reading pleasure at home--the perfect companion to a trusted identification guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Nuclear war? So what? Read this book.
I luckily discovered this book while researching the topic of nuclear war for my university studies. The book is compiled by three notable individuals: Paul Ehlrich, Donald Kennedy and the venerable Carl Sagan. Much of the book's material is assembled and built upon the 1983 TTAPS study, which was also coauthored by Sagan and was published in Science. The Cold and the Dark often presents itself dramatically with worst case scenarios. Naysayers will argue that the scenes presented are farcical and unlikely, however the immense amount of information proves otherwise.

The book is at times overwhelming, and it takes a scientific approach on the subject. It disposes to the reader a staggering amount of statistics, graphs, and other data that may be difficult to absorb immediately. I suggest that you keep a pen and paper nearby to take notes while you read. The Cold and the Dark is an essential research tool for anyone studying the effects of nuclear war, and although the book was satisfying and entertaining, be warned: it's not a casual read.

Nuclear Winter
This book is about nuclear winter, and what scientists have determined it will probably be like.Before I say anything else, let me state as clearly as possible that I am not an expert in this topic.Sometimes it isn't always clear, reading Amazon.com reviews, whether the writer is an expert or just someone who read the book.I am in the second of those categories.Let me quickly mention that I have also read Lydia Dotto's "Planet Earth in Jeopardy: Environmental Consequences of Nuclear War," and I found that to be quite helpful as well.I put some more helpful commenst on my Amazon.com review of that book.

This book is one of the scariest things I've ever read.It clued me in on entirely new things over which people should be losing sleep.Did you know that one of the major threats of nuclear war is the threat of strikes on oil refineries?Such strikes can release unbelievably quantities of sun-blocking smog into the air.Did you know that radiation caused directly by nuclear bombs is relatively insignificant, compared to the radiation that would be released if such bombs fell on reactors?Reactors have fuel rods and waste which will remain lethally radioactive for DECADES after the radiation from a nuclear war reached tolerable levels.This book is full of information like this.It is all presented quite accessibly.Also, there is a fantastic question and answer section at the end, which includes back and forth sessions between eminent scientists in related fields.This section alone is worth the price of the book.

Let me point out that the main author listed for this book is only one of many cotributors.Paul Ehrlich has a lot to say here, but it is always made clear when he is writing, or when it's someone else, e.g. Carl Sagan or Lewis Thomas.I make this point here because I wouldn't want anyone to decide against buying this valuable book, because of Ehrlich's old reputation for being an alarmist.In the 1970s, as a member of the "Club of Rome," Ehrlich made some irresponsible statements about the dangers of population growth and energy shortages.Time has shown that he actually wasn't entirely wrong, but his timetables for his predictions were often overly pessimistic.Be that as it may, Stanford University has seen fit to keep him on their faculty, so he can't be seen as wholly out to lunch.

At any rate, this book is certainly worth wrestling with.Ehrlich bends over backwards, to be as conservative and non-alarmist as possible, in his writings here.Carl Sagan, Lewis Thomas, and other contributors take the same approach.Nevertheless, as cool-headed as they are, the underlying horror of their message is unmistakable.Nuclear winter would be an unprecedentedly horrific experience, and there's basically zero chance that anyone reading this would survive it.Please buy this book, get copies for all your friends, and find a way to get involved. ... Read more

Product Description

"We do not question that flesh and bone and leaf litter will decay to dust, that seeds will sprout season after season and find renewed nourishment in the soil, that rivers can flow endlessly without running dry, that we can breathe a lifetime without depleting the air of oxygen.... What humans have not fully appreciated until recently is that these services are the work of nature, performed by the rich diversity of microbes, plants, and animals on the earth." -from The Work of Natur.

The lavish array of organisms known as "biodiversity" is an intricately linked web that makes the earth a uniquely habitable planet. Yet pressures from human activities are destroying biodiversity at an unprecedented rate. How many species can be lost before the ecological systems that nurture life begin to break down.

In The Work of Nature, noted science writer Yvonne Baskin examines the threats posed to humans by the loss of biodiversity. She summarizes and explains key findings from the ecological sciences, highlighting examples from around the world where shifts in species have affected the provision of clean air, pure water, fertile soils, lush landscapes, and stable natural communities.

As Baskin makes clear, biodiversity is much more than number of species-it includes the complexity, richness, and abundance of nature at all levels, from the genes carried by local populations to the layout of communities and ecosystems across the landscape. Ecologists are increasingly aware that mankind's wanton destruction of living organisms-the planet's work force-threatens to erode our basic life support services. With uncommon grace and eloquence, Baskin demonstrates how and why that is so.

Distilling and bringing to life the work of the world's leading ecologists, The Work of Nature is the first book of its kind to clearly explain the practical consequences of declining biodiversity on ecosystem health and function. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Problems But No Solutions
We used this book for an Ecological Processes class during my Zoology master program. The books best point was that it was well written. The content was well researched but was very disturbing. The author covers many grim aspects of how humans have damaged ecosystems. From an ecological perspective I thought this book presented problems but no solutions. It is easy to find problems as there are many other books written on similar subjects but in order to be great scientific literature the authors should try to provide solutions. Overall the book left me with a negative view of human kind and a poor outlook on the future of our planet. I give it three stars because it was written well even if the content was lacking.

The Work of Nature is a great work of literature
One of the greatest deficits in knowledge that most Americans carry has to do with biodiversity.Yvonne Baskin does a great job of pulling together a wide variety of ecological research results to reduce that deficit.Her writing is strong and clear (although it is an exaggeration to compare it to a Stephen King thriller, as is done on the back cover of the book).The Work of Nature is worth reading cover to cover, and then keeping as a useful reference book.Take the message to heart, and spread it widely: it is vital that we do more to save the natural world from human devastation.We depend the "work of nature" for our very lives.

The Work of Nature by Yvonne Baskin
Biodiversity is an important global issue that few people consider in their everyday life. Baskin's book provides a sense of purpose for preserving diversity by identifying important connections in ecosystems and their effects on people. According to the author, not all plants andanimals are created equal.Some plant and animal species provide crucialfunctions in ecosystems processes, while others may serve redundantpurposes.Although redundancy implies that these species are not needed,they may become important if a similar species is eliminated from theecosystem. Species that provide crucial ecosystems functions and do nothave replacements require focused attention in conservation efforts. The Work of Nature identifies many examples of our attempts to manage plantand animal species without considering the ecological side effects.Astriking example is the massacre of small perching birds in China duringthe 1950's to reduce grain losses to them.After eliminating most of thesebirds, major insect outbreaks were reported across the country. Diversityis usually associated with tropical rain forests and other wild areas thatcover only a small part of the world.To her credit, Baskin expands thediscussion to include human dominated systems such as farming. The authordescribes processes such as the decomposition of compost by microbes ineasy to understand language for a general audience.Throughout the book,important and surprising ecological connections are identified thatstimulate interest in preserving biological diversity. ... Read more

Product Description
In this provocative book, the authors look at the interaction between population and food supply and offer a powerful and radical strategy for balancing human numbers with nutritional needs. Their proposals include improving the status of women, reducing racism and religious prejudice, reforming the agricultural system, and shrinking the growing gap between rich and poor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Armageddon
This book succinctly points out that over-population is the real
rattlesnake in the woodshed. Because correcting this will involve
limiting family size, politicians will not only ignore this they will
stubbornly refuse to even talk about it. The alternatives of war
famine and disease are the politically correct ways to control population.
Sad.

"The Population Bomb" Revisited
Paul Ehrlich began his doomsaying quest more than 30 years ago with "The Population Bomb" and, with the benefit of hindsight, covers the same ground again with "The Stork and the Plow".

Ehrlich (this time accompanied by his wife, Anne, and Gretchen Daily) admits that his earlier predictions were off the mark and even makes an attempt to address where those earlier predictions went wrong ... and then promptly repeats the same mistakes.

The anecdotes that show the suffering in sub-Saharan Africa are chilling.Such images cannot touch a feeling heart without making a lasting impression.The reasons for the suffering that the author recounts are right there within the body of the work - political upheval, maldistribution, misuse of agricultural capacity and oppressive poverty linked to all three.These problems, however, are treated as secondary to the tried and true "Population Bomb" nonsense.

As in his earlier work, Ehrlich still hasn't grasped the difference between finite resources and FIXED supply and demand.This is both poor science and poor history.The problem is not (even in the smaller framework of sub-Saharan Africa rather than worldwide) that sufficient food cannot be produced to accommodate population growth.It is those very problems that have been dismissed as secondary that prevent enough food from being produced and/or being made available to the people.

He also fails to note what has happened throughout the rest of the world.As these problems have been overcome by human societies across the globe, human misery has been lessened and birthrates (the supposed problem) have declined without intervention from any external source - which is clearly what is being advocated here.

The trends that Ehrlich discusses are not even accurate.Sub-saharan Africa lags behind the rest of the world in almost every category (per capita caloric intake, income, access to clean water and sewage), but that is because these things are improving at a slower pace than elsewhere, NOT because things are getting worse.And this is despite the political unrest that still rears its head across the continent.

The worst thing about this tome is that it risks concentrating efforts on Ehrlich's pet project rather than the real problems in the region.

This man is the archetype of Social Parasite
When will this guy shut up?Never in the history of the planet has someone taken so much pride in making a fool of himself in public.Erlich needs to be forced to fend for himself in the private sector.He wouldalmost certainly starve to death.

Julian Simon presents great rebutal to Ehrlich's arguments
How many times does the old Malthusian argument have to be defeated.If you have never read a Julian Simon book then please read "The Ultimate Resource II".He has been publicly exposing Ehrlichs falsepredictions for the past 30 years. Malthusian predictions were scary to mewhen I first heard them, I have been interested in population growth andthe limits of the Earth's resousrces since I was in grade school, butJulian Simon thoroughly defeats any arguments for "seriouschanges" to be made.The wealth that humans create when allowed totrade freely is good for the environment.Mass starvations andenvironmental disasters occur when totalitarian governmental regulationdestroy free markets and property rights...

An important reminder to complacent over consumers.
A rising stock market easily distracts me from the realities lived by world neighbors.This book slowly, but inexorably brings the real world into sharper focus.I'm encouraged that someone is brave enough to take onso large an issue as global sustainability.The authors have responsiblyreported their world view as it relates to sustaining the growingpopulation with a precarious food supply / environment.It is a humanview, marked with both optimism and pessimism.At times some points arebelabored, but most are important to make.I forget, too soon,howdestructive my impact is on this limited planet.I recommend this book asa refesher course in population and environmental issues in the modernworld.It motivated me to increase my activities toward a more sustainableuse of the planet's resources. ... Read more