Product Description

When a dangerous flash flood comes to Snapfinger on the day of Florentine's funeral, Comfort learns again that life is full of surprises, good and bad, and that, ultimately, it's just good to be alive. This warm, witty novel, told in Comfort's voice (and a mix of letters, recipes, articles, and helpful hints), celebrates the joys of family, of prune bread, of freshly sharpened pencils, and of "each little bird that sings." The fairly constant philosophizing about life and death, the unusual character names (Tidings, Comfort, Joy), and the narrator's oft-precocious voice may fray a nerve or two, but readers will find more than enough humor and good old-fashioned storytelling here to make up for it. (Ages 8 to 12) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

tearjerker
The main character of this story is Comfort Snowberger, a ten year old whose family owns Snowberger Funeral Home in Snapfinger, Missississippi. Comfort experiences deaths in the family and goes through rough times with friends. As sad as the book was I was surprised that there were bits and pieces of comic relief. The book deals with death and gives the readers the understanding that death is a part of life and learning to appreciate life. Families and friends show their love by coming together and being there for family/friends at times like these. Growing up I've had deaths in the family but they were never close relationships. It wasn't till recently that I lost a close friend which made the book a little tougher for me to read. As morbid as the book was there was comic relief and I would recommend this book to someone who has lost a loved one. I think kids could relate to this book and could possibly help them if they are having a hard time coping after losing a loved one.

Wonderful Book About Life (and Death)
I wasn't familiar with this book or Ms. Wiles when it was announced at our last book club meeting, but I came home and immediately started researching it. It has won numerous awards (far too many to mention in this post) including : 2005 National Book Award finalist, Booksense Top-Ten Pick, Borders Bookstores "Original Voice", Junior Library Guild selection, and Golden Kite Honor Book. Needless to say, I was very excited to read this book and possibly discover a new-to-me author!

When I sat down to read this book, I started with the author's acknowledgments section. I was a little surprised by the first sentence, "...one death followed another in my family and I came to understand the meaning of friendship and the power of love." I appreciated the author's honestly about how she came to write this novel; and I just had a feeling that EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS was going to be a very special read for me. Unlike the author, I haven't had much experience at all with the loss of loved ones. (I know you are all scratching your heads because I'm 40 years old!) I still have three of my four grandparents, and it's only been the past few years where I've really lost anyone special. When it comes to death, I probably have the emotional maturity of a middle grade child so this book did appeal to me. I found that this novel touched me deeply and resonated with me on so many levels -- it truly is a wonderful story.

As many of you know, I love coming-of-age stories; and I don't think I will ever tire of good ones. EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS was a beautiful story of a young girl who does a lot of growing up in a very short time. Even though Comfort's family runs a funeral home and she has been to 247 funerals, she find that death is very different when it strikes one of your loved ones. Throughout the course of this book, Comfort faces many surprises as well as tragedies; and she discovers that she has what it takes inside of her to face them all. She learns so many valuable lessons in this book including how to handle loss, how to forgive others, and how to forgive herself. She also learns the very important lesson that different people handle grief in different ways.

I absolutely adored Comfort and her family! EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS is told through the eyes of the 10 year old Comfort. She is a wonderful narrator for this story. Not only is she brutally honest (which is so refreshing,) but she is also very funny! I loved her newspaper articles where she wrote "Life Notices" not "Death Notices;" and I thought her writings on funeral etiquette were hilarious. I really appreciated how the author did incorporate a lot of humor into this story because it kept the book from being a downer. Ms. Wiles was able to keep it light at times, and she did a wonderful job of presenting difficult topics to young readers.

This book definitely affected me deeply and I even found myself tearing up a few times as I read it. While parts of the book were very, very sad, I also cried at how absolutely beautiful some things were in this story. As Comfort began realizing things about herself and others, her self-less actions were so touching. I know how hard it can be to forgive and let go of anger. I also appreciated all of the little things about life that Comfort's Great-uncle spouted such as: "It's not how you die that makes the important impression, Comfort; it's how you live;" and "Think of disappoint as a happy little surprise, Comfort... There's always something good to come out of disappointment, Comfort. You'll see." And I especially liked this one, "Open you arms to life! Let it strut into your hear in all its messy glory." There were just so many examples of words and actions in this novel that showed the reader how truly special life is!

I'm going to be honest and tell you that my daughter didn't want to read this book after I told her that it was about dying. She hasn't had to handle the death of a loved one (or even a pet) and she hasn't even attended a funeral yet. I think dying isn't something that she wants to think about yet (of course, who does?) I explained to her that she definitely needs to read EACH LITTLE BIRD SINGS because it's a very good book (for a lot of reasons.) This novel does deal with death and funerals, but it's really about life! I highly recommend it to middle grade readers (and adults too!)

I am very anxious to hear what all of the young girls and their mothers think about this book. I admit that I am a little concerned about how my daughter and her friends will react to it. I have a feeling that some of the kids might not understand a lot of the positive messages that I took away from this novel. That's why I'm so looking forward to the discussion! I was so relieved to find that there is a discussion guide of sorts available for EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS because I think I'm going to need some assistance to talk about this book with kids!

Sweet, southern story
Sweet, southern story of life and death and the way we learn to handle both. It's a favorite of my 5th and 6th grade reading classes. My adult book club laughed and cried their way through it, also.

Have yet to receive product ordered over a month ago
I have yet to receive this product bought over a month ago and i doubt that I ever will. Do not buy from this seller.

Each little Bird That Sings (My favorite book!!!!!)
Each Little Bird That Sings

Each Little Bird That sings is a great book for kids in fifth grade all the way up to high school. The setting can get confusing at times so you have to pay attention to it because if you don't you will get confused. Each Little Bird sings is about this little girl named Comfort, her house is a funeral home so at the beginning of the book talks a lot about that. She has a best friend named Declaration their always together. She has a dog-named Dismay she really likes that dog. Once you keep reading the book seems like its real you star to feel everything that's going in the book and the characters are feeling!In the middle of the book it stars to get REALY sad because she starts loosing all the important people to her. One day there was a really bad storm moving in and she was walking with her dog somewhere they went running to the highest rock that there was. But while they were running she looses her dog she doesn't even noticed until she gets to the top of the mountain and she stars to yell for her dog she hears her barking so she goes out in the deep water just to look for her dog. But she find something devastating out!! I don't want to ruin the ending so I will just let you find out on your own.
... Read more

Product Description
Why is a cardinal red or a bluebird blue? Why do some birds have plumage that is intensely colored—is it pigment, light, gender, robust health, or some combination of all four? What roles do disease, climate, and wear and tear play in this process? What does feather display signal about sexual attraction and social status? How has color camouflage evolved?

These are just a few of the fascinating questions explored here in the first non-academic work on coloration and plumage, and their key role in avian life. More than 200 gorgeous photographs highlight the explanations of the essentials: what color is, ornithologically speaking; how it is produced and measured; how birds use color to attract mates and deter competitors; how birds perceive color; and how coloration varies across species by sex, season, and age.

Geoff Hill guides his readers along an engaging but authoritative narrative illustrated with vivid photographs and fact-packed captions. A book conceived in the same spirit as National Geographic’s more traditional bird guides, it’s sure to appeal to serious ornithologists, recreational bird watchers, and natural history buffs alike. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect for any general lending library strong on wildlife exploration
Bird Coloration offers an analysis of how birds are colored: why some have plumage, what roles diseases and climate play, and how feathers display signals. This is the first non-academic exploration and pairs over 200 gorgeous photos with an easy exploration of bird coloration perfect for any general lending library strong on wildlife exploration.

Wow.Well written, very wide range of fascinating topics, and stunningphotography
If you have an interest in either birding or color or photograhy or art or biology or genetics or animal behavior or natural history or if you are just a curious person by nature, then there is something for you in this book. While the underlying theme is bird coloration, Geoffrey Hill covers a nice space around this topic with a style that is easy to read and continuously fascinating. As I read I kept saying "wow", and "realy?!??" and "so *that's* how they figured that out".The photography is phenominal and there are beautiful color pictures on almost evey page.The printing is exceptional - colorful and tac sharp.Almost all of the pictures have rich, descriptive captions.For example, on page 118 there is a hillarious picture of an Egyptian Vulture where the second sentence of the description reads "To get the careotenoids needed for facial coloration, these vultures eat the gut contents of dead sheep."The face even looks like something from the gut of a dead sheep.

The author covers color vision in birds and compares it to human vision (birds see many more colors than humans), the genetics of color, structures that create color, pigments, behaviours influenced by color, even color beyond the birds themselves - the White-winged Fairy-wrens in Australia brings a blue flower during courtship.For a different use of color, the Variable Pitohue of New Guinea is colorful to warn preditors - it has the same poison in its skin and feathers as dart frogs.

The author explains the history of how scientists came to know many of the things they know about bird behaviour and bird coloring, which adds to the already fascinating content.

I can't think of any negatives to the book.

... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Hurray for Bird!
We own Grumpy Bird and adore it - such a unique voice, so witty and surprising. We picked up this one at the library and enjoyed it very much- it was nice to catch up with Bird and co.That being said, it's not quite as good as the first one.I'm sure my kids (2 and 4) will check it out again, but unless it comes out in paperback, we won't purchase this one.

Recommended to us by our librarian
Our librarian recommended Boo Hoo Bird when she saw we were checking out Grumpy Bird.My two year old daughter was immediately smitten with the storyline and characters.Although Grumpy Bird is very good as well, she clearly prefers this one.She could relate to the story's premise and found the empathetic gestures of birds friends comical.Hopefully, there is another Bird book in the making!

Huge hit with 2 yr olds!
This book is one of my two-year old's favorites and we've given it as a gift to several other toddlers that love it too.Grumpy Bird is also worth owning.

Great Sequel!
My 21 month old loves Grumpy Bird and absolutely loves this one too. Both books are a must for your bookshelf! The first few times reading it, we couldn't get past the page where tBeaver offers him a cookie because my daughter would head for the kitchen wanting a cookie. Talk about the power of suggestion! LOL!

My son loves this book!
My son absolutley loves this book. We read it quiet often. He loves how all the animal friends help eachother and the silly twist at the end! ... Read more

Product Description
1
Stray birds of summer come to my window to sing and fly away.
And yellow leaves of autumn, which have no songs, flutter and fall there with a sigh,
2
O troote of little vagrants of the world, leave your footprints in my words.
3
The world puts off its mask of vast-ness to its lover.
It becomes small as one song, as one kiss of the eternal
£ 1 B

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.

Forgotten Books' Classic Reprint Series utilizes the latest technology to regenerate facsimiles of historically important writings. Careful attention has been made to accurately preserve the original format of each page whilst digitally enhancing the difficult to read text. Read books online for free at http://www.forgottenbooks.org ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Window to Tagore
STRAY BIRDS comprises three hundred twenty six short verses or aphorisms by Tagore, the Indian Poet Laureate, whose love of nature and simplicity as well as his regal command of poetic words is crystalized by this precious volume of poetry. Tagore won Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 with Gitanjali (Song Offerings) and this book, published in 1916, and translated by the poet into English himself offers new readers a quick window to peek into the greatness of the Tagore literary temple. Tagore spiritualizes nature into the experiences of human existence:

Find your beauty, my heart, from the world's movement,
like the boat that has the grace of the wind and the water (255)

The Stray Birds of summer that took flight from Tagore's window a century ago, have flown into my heart to sing and to stay.

Of all his English works, this is a must have
To those unfamiliar with Tagore, he was an Indian polymath who was the first Asian to ever win a Nobel Prize for Literature. His works are culturally and religiously driven, but contain the common sense and moral aptitude that you would expect from Aesop.
To those familiar with Tagore, I highly recommend this one. The prose is almost similar to simple quotes; each "poem" is no longer than 2 or 3 sentences. However, the imagery employed gives the reader a full sense of the wonders that he is describing. You can read the whole book in one sitting, or multiple sittings since there is no plot to follow. This makes it a great reader for avid or casual readers.

just like the music, picture, idea, how to love and live mix
good books always let you enjoy all your life. who do not want a beautiful around you? even sometimes the spirit of the book could make you defence the difficult situation of the life and refresh you when feel very tire and disappointed for what happened in your life. I just like it and will read it again and again to rich myself. thank you for reading my writing and hope this world become better and better with the help of good books, good poems like what Tagore did here. ... Read more

Product Description
Discover how to create a backyard bird sanctuary with the expert guidance of the National Audubon Society.Your backyard will come alive by applying these feeding and gardening techniques.Includes a photographic guide to the birds of North America, as well as the trees and plants that attract them.The ultimate resource for anyone interested in creating a bird-friendly habitat. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

My New Hobby
I just became disabled after a lenghty period of being unemployed.
I've always enjoyed Nature, so I thought that I'd put up a few Birdfeeders in my backyard. I was suprised to see so many types a birds and other Wildlife that came by to visit my feeders.
I wanted to take it a step further and see how many kind of birds I could identify.
I went to your website and did a search for some books on the subject. I found "The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders and Bird Gardens."
This is a great book for someone who is just starting out in this hobby. Full of information, easy to understand. It helped me Identify 13 different kinds of birds that visit my backyard.
I recommend this book foe anyone who wants a little more enjoyment out of Bird Watching.

bird behavior as well as appearance
This book was special in that it offers observations of life and behavior as well s appearance.

For Beginners to Experienced
I definitely recommend this book for beginners.It's well written, organized and user friendly plus it's full of interesting information and pictures.

The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher: Birdfeeders & Gardens Book
Have been looking for a good bird indentification book for some time. This book helped alot. Good book.

great addition
bought two of these books ,sent one to a family member and kept one ,makes a great addition to my collection . ... Read more

Product Description
"The Burgess Bird Book for Children," by renowned naturalist and author of children's books on wildlife Thornton W. Burgess, successfully blends information and entertainment. "Peter Rabbit," the main character in "The Burgess Bird Book for Children," goesaround to the various habitats discovering different birds. Peter Rabbit wants especially to know where the nest is, and how many young they have. "Jenny Wren," a gossipy Miss Know-it-All, is also a main character. Thornton Burgess characterizes Jenny Wren as a bit "snooty," a fact that will help children remember that good identifier to wrens is their upturned tails. Learn all about birds' physical appearance, eating patterns, nesting habits, migration patterns, songs and call in this colorful and fascinating book. The intermingling of story and fact, as presented in this classic, is enough to keep children interested while helping them learn much about the birds. In addition to the tales of Peter Rabbit and Jenny Wren, "The Burgess Bird Book for Children" includes fascinating stories about Redwing the Blackbird, Melody the Wood Thrush, Spooky the Screech Owl, Creaker the Purple Grackle, Downy the Woodpecker, and other feathered friends. This newly illustrated edition of "The Burgess Bird Book for Children" includes nearly sixty beautiful four-color pictures of the birds. A few of the pictures are devoted to other characters in the book, such as Peter the Rabbit and Chatterer the Red Squirrel, but the vast majority are good-sized photos of the feathered friends described in "The Burgess Bird Book for Children." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Even my boys like this book
My boys, age 8 & 9 and daughter 6, request stories from this book every day. They don't even realize they are learning about when different kinds of birds arrive, what their markings are, nesting and eating habits, etc... It's a well-written book that lends itself to read-alouds. I also have a colorful bird field guide that I made accessible. My boys were so interested, they decided to look up the birds mentioned in the stories so they can see the color illustrations as I read a chapter from the Burgess Book. Not only are they learning to use a field guide, but they are totally engrossed in the stories as well. It's an interesting and creative way to introduce young children to ornithology nature studies. I'm glad I bought it.

A lot of nice pictures, although they are black and white
This book has a lot of nice pictures inside. Although they are black and white, they come through nicely in the print and you can tell that the illustrator took a lot of time selecting them and illustrating the book. The stories are really interesting too.

A great way to learn about birds--with updated pictures too!
As a high school biology teacher for many years, I always assigned my students to positively identify 50 birds each Spring. It was an effort for some, but a number of my former students are now avid bird watchers in their own right! I wish I had known about this the Burgess Bird Book for Children at that time. I only stumbled upon this book last year, and found it chock full of fascinating information about the birds. The new pictures really bring it to life, also--even if this is a black and white edition. I highly recommend this fascinating book to anyone interested in learning more about the birds at their feeder, or teaching their children about the birds.

An excellent book for home schoolers, with beautiful black and white pics throughout
This is a wonderful book for home schoolers, and the new pictures, though in black and white, really illustrate it well. The layout was clean, very readable, and nice. This book has given new interest to my backyard bird feeder, with it's wonderful stories about the birds. The stories appeal to the imagination, and have inspired myself and my children with a renewed interest in identifying the birds that are right in our own backyard.

buyer beware!
The "search inside" feature of this ad shows gorgeous, color photographs of the birds; HOWEVER, the actual book's photos are in black and white! Admittingly, the photos here are more accurate than Dover's older version's drawings, but you will still need to refer to another source for color photos/drawings. If you already own an older copy, don't bother with this one! If you are buying for the first time, you will appreciate the large, clear photos, but know that they are all in black and white.
Spacing of the text is another problem I have with this publisher's version. The lines of text are too close together for easy reading. Dover's version is easier on the eyes. ... Read more

Product Description
R to L (Japanese Style). He loves her blood, but does her love her?!

There is a world of myth and magic that intersects ours, and only a special few can see it. Misao Harada is one such person, and she wants nothing to do with magical realms. She just wants to have a normal high school life and maybe get a boyfriend. But she is the bride of demon prophecy, and her blood grants incredible powers, her flesh immortality. Now the demon realm is fighting over the right to her hand...or her life!

Misao thinks she's come to terms with being the bride of prophecy and dating a tengu lord, but is she ready to bear her handsome demon an heir?! Kyo's grandfather is impatient to secure the power of the prophecy and the line of succession, and he doesn't care which of his grandsons fathers Misao's baby. If Kyo doesn't act fast, he'll lose Misao and the leadership of the clan. But despite his desire for Misao, Kyo is hesitant to consummate their relationship, for that will bring about catastrophe... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Black Bird review
This manga is amazing! If you have already had the pleasure of reading the volumes before then this will be no dissapointment to you!

Black Bird
Fast delivery and in excellent care. I love this manga, it was a good delivery and book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (29)

Birds of Peru
It would be nearly impossible to produce a book of the birds of Peru but Princeton seems to have managed it without creating an encyclopedia. Being a novice I do find the categoration a bit difficult. I also notice that the areas indicated are a bit confined and many of these birds can be seen well outside of the designated areas. I recommend it as the only true field guide to birds indigenous to Peru.

May 2010 NEW UPDATED VERSION IN PAPERBACK
The new updated paperback version of this book arrived recently and I have had a chance to look it over in preparation for a trip to Manu this summer. Yes, there are three new plates with 25 new birds, but other than this, it does not appear that too many other updates (some much needed) have been made. I did notice changes on several of the range maps and one plate adds an additional hummingbird illustration (to these authors a subspecies, though Clements and others consider it a full species). My original hardcover copy is full of notes re: subspecies, reclassifications, etc. and it looks like most of these notes will have to be transferred to the new paperback, something I was hoping to avoid.

That said, if you are going birding in Peru this book is an absolute must. And it is great to have it in a slightly lighter (though not as much lighter as you would think) paperback edition.I give the original effort of the authors five stars. I am giving the revised paperback edition four stars because I had hoped that more updates would have been made. Any field guide to a country like Peru is a monumental undertaking, not in the least because the situation is constantly in flux. I have already read about the discovery of a new barbet species that is not in this updated edition!

UPDATE TO MY REVIEW:
I had a chance to do a little more work with this book over the weekend and I did find a number of taxonomic updates/splits for an additional nine species have been made, making the book fairly essential even to those serious birders who already have the first edition. Page 42: Yellow Billed and Andean Teal; page 252: Black Tailed and Ecuadorian Trogan, also Violacious and Gartered Trogan; page 364: Peruvian Warbling Antbird and Yellow Browed Warbling Antbird; page 370: Spot Winged, Brownish Headed and Humaita Antbirds; page: 604: Yellow Breasted, Vilcabamba and Black Faced Brush Finches, also Slaty and Cuzco Brush Finches.

There may also be additional updates that I haven't found yet, therefore I am changing my rating to give this new updated edition five stars. I have to assume that if the authors did not make certain other updates, that they are not currently recognizing those splits.

Too heavy for the field
Disappointed in the weight of this book.Hoping to divide it into 2 parts for carrying in the field, but plates and text are back-to-back throughout.

Birds of Peru
I believe this is the best field guide for the birds of Peru currently on the market. All information is together; illustrations are on the right hand page and species accounts on the left. The illustrations are well done and show the relative size of birds on that plate. The species accounts include length in inches and cm., note polytypic species, relative abundance, habitat, elevational distribution, behavior, voice, and regional distribution (endemics noted here). Range maps are to the left of each account.

This format, while helpful, yields a hefty guide for the field (typical for tropical field guides)but the weight is further increased by the hard bound cover. To my knowledge, it is not out in paperback. I purchased this guide for my second trip to Peru and it is a vast improvement over the guide I took the first time.

Excellent book, but...
This book is great, the plates have great and big draws, with good details. The info is just enough for identification and its easy to check for the species because it have names instead of just numbers on the plates, you can also see the distribution maps to the left of the plates (with the identification info next to it). The only problem is that i would like to have this in hard cover for mi library and for the field i need papaerback, its much better for the field, less heavy and easier to carry and hold.

Great BOOK! ... Read more

Product Description
Along with one or two books by James Joyce, Flann O'Brien'sAt Swim-Two-Birds is the most famous (and infamous) of Irish novelspublished in the twentieth century. Or to put it as Dylan Thomas did: "Itestablishes Mr. O'Brien in the forefront of contemporary writing. . . .This is just the book to give your sister if she's a loud, dirty, boozygirl!"

The story of an Irish college student whohalf to amuse himself and halfto avoid workwrites an irreverent novel about the figures of Irish mythand legend in which characters come to life and riot against theirauthor, At Swim is a wildly comic send-up of Irish literature and culturewhich had a major influence on writers coming after O'Brien, includingAnthony Burgess, Gilbert Sorrentino, and William H. Gass (who has writtenan introduction for this edition).

O'Brien opened up a whole new world of possibilities for fiction assubsequent novelists have played with his zany ideas, chief among thembeing the idea that characters in fiction have earned the right to be"recycled"after all, they've proven their reliability as characters!notput out to pasture once their stories are finished.Amazon.com Review
In a 1938 letter to a literary agent, Flann O'Brien described his first novelas "a very queer affair, unbearably queer perhaps." The book in questionwas At Swim-Two-Birds--and if we take queer to meandiabolically eccentric, then truer words were never spoken. The author,whose real name was Brian O'Nolan, had successfully stirred Gaelic legend,pulp fiction, and grimy Dublin realism into a hilarious cocktail. Hismastery of modernist collage would have been an ample accomplishmentitself.But O'Brien was also blessed with the writer's equivalent of perfect pitch,and in At Swim-Two-Birds he squeezes the maximum beauty and banalityout of the English language. All he lacks is a tragic register, but hemakes up for this deficit with a sense of comedy so acute that even JamesJoyce couldn't resist blurbing his fellow Dubliner's creation: "A reallyfunny book."

O'Brien labored mightily to make At Swim-Two-Birds summary-proof.But here, anyway, are the bare bones: the narrator, a university student,is writing a novel, which keeps morphing from mock-heroics to middlebrownaturalism. Meanwhile, one of his characters, Dermot Trellis, is himselfwriting a Western--an Irish Western--whose cowpunching protagonistswill eventually throw off their fictional shackles and attempt to murdertheir creator. (Talk about the death of the author!) There's enoughstructural shenanigans here to keep an entire industry of critics afloat.Still, what matters most is the pungency of O'Brien's prose. His dialogueis agreeably grungy, his parodies delicious, and the narrator speaks in thesort of Jesuitical dialect that we associate with Samuel Beckett:

That same afternoon I was sitting on a stool in an intoxicated condition inGrogan's licensed premises. Adjacent stools bore the forms of Brinsley andKelly, my two true friends. The three of us were occupied in puttingglasses of stout into the interior of our bodies and expressing by finedisputation the resulting sense of physical and mental well-being. In mythigh pocket I had eleven and eightpence in a weighty pendulum of mixedcoins.

Customer Reviews (46)

nonsense and beauty
More than "The Dalkey Archive" & "the Third Policeman" "At Swim" seems more complete. One would think it was a latter novel, rather than O'brien's first. What makes it so good, besides the crazy nonsense of a writer writing about a writer, who's writing about a writer and his charcaters is the humor and the language, the wordplay and wit. It is also very modern. If I didn't know it was published in 1939, I'd say it was a new novel!

On Characters and Kangaroos
At Swim-Two-Birds may be the single hardest novel to describe to one who hasn't read it. The plot is mind boggling even to one who has, and thus describing it could only be considered an exercise in futility. Many have tried, and many reviews on this page of done an admirable job, but explanations can not be done in mere words. I know my capabilities in writing, and they are not up for this task of describing this at all.

So why am I bothering to review it? Because this is simply one of the most delightful novels I have ever read.

It should be warned though, this is a difficult novel to read, in both terms of plot and the language used. Fans of James Joyce will surely rejoice at this comic romp, but many readers, especially those not familiar with Irish myths and legends will find themselves at a complete loss. The story is told mostly in dialogue, which can be a little difficult because there are no quotation marks. That said, the dialogue is amazing. From retellings of Irish myths to debates over whether or not one of the characters' wife is a Kangaroo, the dialogue is simply fun.

All in all, this is simply one of the most absurd novels I have ever read. At times it can be comical, insightful or boring... sometimes all at once. A truly marvelous read.

Hilarious and dazzling brilliance
Flann O'Brien is surely Ireland's most neglected writer. Though his talent was on a par with the genius of his contemporaries, Joyce and Beckett, he has never come close to achieving the same degree of recognition. There are several possible explanations for this. The simplest is that Joyce and Beckett managed to cut the umbilical cord - though Mother Ireland featured large in their writing, they both managed to make an escape, living the latter part of their lives in exile. This might not seem like a big thing, but the conservatism, stasis and repression that characterized Irish 'cultural life" in the first decades of the new Republic were truly horrendous. Dominance of the Catholic hierarchy was absolute, writers were subject to heavy censorship at the hands of both Church and State, the appetite for novelty was non-existent. This was the Ireland of "Angela's Ashes".

While Joyce and Beckett made their escape (hell, even the McCourts made their escape), Flann O'Brien stayed, working for most of his life in the Irish civil service. At Swim-Two-Birds, his first novel, was published in 1939. Although it was well-received (championed by Graham Greene, publicly acclaimed by both Joyce and Beckett), the timing was perhaps not the best. Europe, it is fair to say, had other things on its collective mind.

Some first novelists are tentative, growing into their craft over time. Even those who subsequently mess with the rules often start out on a conventional note (Joyce had to work up to the horror that is Finnegans Wake). But occasionally there surfaces a talent so brilliant that the rules go out the window. Bulgarov's "The Master and Margarita" is an obvious example - a masterpiece not only because of the author's genius, but because he also had the confidence to give free rein to his genius, parting company with more or less everything you might expect from a novel. "At Swim-Two-Birds" shows the same kind of dementedly funny, astonishingly brilliant, throw-caution-to-the-winds talent. It is sui generis, absolutely hilarious, and breathtakingly accomplished. It's hard to describe adequately, but I'll give it a shot.

From the very first paragraph, we are on notice that the book doesn't play by the conventional rules. The narrator, a literature student at University College Dublin, tells us that he disagrees with the notion that a book should have 'one beginning and one ending' and immediately proves it by providing three completely different openings. The first introduces the "Pooka MacPhellimey, a member of the devil class", another involves "Mr John Furriskey, who had the distinction of being born at the age of twenty-five, entering the world with a memory but without a personal experience to account for it", while the final opening features Ireland's legendary hero Finn MacCool, a man not only skilled in declaiming vast tracts of Irish epic verse, but absolutely hellbent on doing so. Within a few pages, characters from the three initially distinct stories are wandering in and out of each other's tales, with the situation being further complicated by the realization that John Furriskey is actually a character in a potboiler being dreamed up by yet another writer, Dermot Trellis, a scribbler so inferior that his characters ultimately rise up against him, refusing to act out the plot that Trellis has concocted for them. Add to the story the character of mad Sweeney, accursed bird-king of the Dal Riada, with a penchant for spouting serial mock heroic stanzas bewailing his fate. Mix in a "fast-drinking cast of students, fairies, cowpunchers and clerics", and there's never a dull moment. In the hands of a lesser author things could spiral disastrously out of control.

O'Brien not only pulls it off, he is hilariously funny, with a command of the language that is unmatched by any other author that I know.

There are paragraphs like this:

"I like gull-cries and the twittering together of fine cranes. I like the surf-roar at Tralee, the songs of the three sons of Meadhra and the whistle of Mac Lughaidh. These also please me, man-shouts at a parting, cuckoo-call in May. I incline to like pig-grunting in Magh Eithne, the bellowing of the stag of Ceara, the whinging of fauns in Derrynish. The low warble of water-owls in Loch Barra also, sweeter than life that. I am fond of wing-beating in dark belfries, cow-cries in pregnancy, trout-spurt in a lake-top. Also the whining of small otters in nettle-beds at evening, the croaking of small-jays behind a wall, these are heart-pleasing. I am friend to the pilibeen, the red-necked chough, the parsnip land-rail, the pilibeen mona, the bottle-tailed tit, the common marsh-coot, the speckle-toed guillemot, the pilibeen sleibhe, the Mohar gannet, the peregrine plough-gull, the long-eared bush-owl, the Wicklow small-fowl, the bevil-beaked chough, the hooded tit, the pilibeen uisce, the common corby, the fish-tailed mud-piper, the cruiskeen lawn, the carrion sea-cock, the green-lidded parakeet, the brown bog-martin, the maritime wren, the dove-tailed wheatcrake, the beaded daw, the Galway hill-bantam and the pilibeen cathrach. A satisfying ululation is the contending of a river with the sea. Good to hear is the chirping of little red-breasted men in bare winter and distant hounds giving tongue in the secrecy of god. The lamenting of a wounded otter in a black hole, sweeter than harpstrings that".

O'Brien unleashed the book in 1939, hardly the time for "exuberant literary experiments". Sadly, when he submitted his equally subversive (and equally brilliant, IMO) second novel "The Third Policeman" to his publishers the following year, they rejected it. (Shades of Bulgarov, it was published posthumously in 1967)

I strongly recommend that you take the trouble to seek out either of the two novels "At Swim-Two-Birds" or "The Third Policeman" and devote an afternoon or an evening to sampling one of Ireland's forgotten geniuses

killer
The funniest book ever written for those deeply interested in everything written. A bore perhaps for those raised with a channel changer in their hand.

True, it is a challenge to enter, especially for those unfamiliar with Irish literature and mythology. The first 40 pages must be swallowed at a gulp, like medicine, and the mind lent on trust if you are a novice.

But faith is eventually rewarded by tears of laughter if you allow such things -- pain in the stomach, grimacing, intolerable laughter. An inability to prevent insane crackups from remembered phrases at inappropriate times and occasions. Disturbances in public places, the train, a funeral, the men's room. Occasions of irreverance thrust upon the mind. No escape. That's what this man did in this book. He shattered every decorum. And I don't just mean every Irish decorum. Universal decorum.

For heaven's sake, put him from your mind.

"You have your porridge"
If Brian O'Nolan, better known here as Flann O'Brien, gets anything right in 'At Swim-Two-Birds', it's his uncanny knack for capturing, with great gusto, the peculiarities of men listening to and telling stories.This may be an odd thing to pick out, but then there is nothing much in 'Two-Birds' that isn't odd.It's the story of a lazy college student, living with a stern and always disappointed uncle, who spends most of his days in bed or in a pub, and also happens to be writing a story about a writer.That writer, Dermot Trellis, keeps all of his characters locked in their hotel rooms so they don't get out and get drunk on him.This is something his characters cannot abide, and they conspire to take their revenge on Dermot.

If nested storylines are not your thing, then I wouldn't recommend 'Two-Birds'.I'd have a difficult time recommending it to anyone, as the whole thing is rather silly.I enjoy the story within a story approach, but O'Brien doesn't stop until he's turned it all into an ridiculous Irish Adult Alice in Wonderlan bit of nonsense without the childish whimsy.It's also painfully evident that as a modern American, I've missed out on many of the references that were probably very obvious to a Dubliner around the 1940's.The book would benefit from an annotated edition, but its lack of popularity will, I'm sure, prevent that from ever happening.

While overall the book is more of a flop than a success, it barely squeaks under the wire with four stars because of the incredible and delightful asides that break up the narrative when three or more of the characters gather together and begin telling stories to one another.Their comments and interuptions and general way of conversing with each other had such an authentic and genuine feel to it that I could almost imagine myself sitting in the corner of a small pub, eavesdropping on some local characters as they whiled away the evening.The authenticity alone made me laugh - that peculiar feeling while reading when the author has gotten something so completely *right* that I can't help but smile - and I don't have to have been raised in Ireland to appreciate the accent.To someone like me, who has been around storytellers all my life, their words were crystal clear.

Though O'Brien is often compared to Joyce and Beckett, it's important to note that O'Brien (at least in 'Two-Birds) is all about humor for humor's sake, and that there's very little beneath the surface.There certainly isn't anything wrong with that, but the comparisons could be misleading.If anything, O'Brien's originality and his inventive use of language make him an entertaining supplement to Irish literature, but not the heavyweight that some of his contemporaries were.

There is enough in 'At Swim-Two-Birds' (which it is a nearly irrevelent title) that I'd try Mr. O'Brien again if I happened to run across him by accident, but probably not enough to seek him out.Three and a half stars, rounded up for the most excellent storytelling. ... Read more

Product Description

Birds come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. Birds are magic. Birds are everywhere. If you listen very carefully you will hear them, no matter where you live. And if you look very closely you will see them, no matter where you are. And if you can't go outside right this minute, you can always read this book!

Customer Reviews (11)

Great for Spring Storytimes!
I love reading this book to groups this time of year.It reinforces for kids the beauty of all the birds that are singing outside their windows.The simple story and the simple and sometimes elegant illustrations make this perfect for group sharing.It always generates lots of audience response and really prompts the imagination.A big recommend for group and one on one sharing.

Sing-Song Birds
Kevin Henkes writes about birds, from singing in the window to resting in a rainbow of colors.From black birds to big birds, from birds on a wire birds to birds flying higher, birds are ever present.From winter birds to flocks of spring birds, birds inspire us to go higher, and most of all to sing.Children ages 3-6 will enjoy this celebration of birds.

great book by a dynamic duo!
my 2 1/2 year old loves this book. We have had it out of the library for the maximum time and I just ordered it...
She absolutely loves the illustrations and I enjoy reading this lovely book.
Her favorite part is the one where all the birds are on the tree and leave at the same time, and she shouts "surprise!" on the 2nd page (for those who have read the book, you know what I mean).

She loves the page which talks about how some birds are so dark all that you can see are their shapes, and says every time we read it, "can't see, only the shape,"

It is a lovely lovely book and I look forward to more from this husband wife team. This inspired us to check out Oh! and other books by this couple, as well as Kevin Henkes's books...

My kid's favorite book!
My kids both love this book.It's a simple book and the pictures are nice.

Baby's Absolute Favorite
We heard this book at library storytime and checked it out.Then renewed it.And again.Then returned it and checked it out the next day.It's on my 1 year old's Xmas list so we can own it.He wants it read to him at least five times a day.When it's done he cries, sometimes.This review is obviously biased because hey, babies are strange and unpredictable.But I love reading it to him too.I love the imaginative language and the pictures. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

A great introduction to the pastime
This charmingly written and handsomely illustrated book purports to be for the "backyard birder"-but I doubt very much that any reader will be a "backyard birder" once she's done. Bill Thompson does a great job here of communicating many of the basic facts about attracting and identifying the birds of suburb and farm, but even better, he reveals to the uninitiated the excitement and enjoyment to be had from going further, learning more, doing more with birds. ... Read more

Product Description
This new series is designed with the beginner in mind. Featuring the original art of celebrated naturalist Roger Tory Peterson; incorporating the Peterson Identification System, the most effective method for bird identification; and using a straightforward design. This series makes field guides accessible and appealing to children. Roger Tory Peterson was the inventor of the modern field guide. Known as the father of modern bird watching, he has been called "the greatest conservationist who ever walked this planet" (ornithologist Chandler S. Robbins). More than anyone else in the twentieth century, his work as an artist, photographer, writer, editor, educator, and conservationist has increased environmental awareness and helped millions to understand and enjoy the natural world. For his work, Dr. Peterson received every major award in the field of conservation; twenty-three honorary degrees from major universities; and the United States' highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal o ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Wonderful quick guide for new birder
I wanted to replace a very old and faded bird chart that had hung by my kitchen window for years, and I came across two or three of these laminated fold-up charts.The Peterson charts have the largest illustrations, and are really engaging. I keep these references right by the den window for ease of use, and they have been a solid addition to my birding library, and as I've shared my love of birds with new observers.

Highly recommended for older children as well as adults who'd like a quick visual reference.I'm planning to give one with a bird-feeder as a gift, along with a bag of region-specific seed.

Great for a new birder
I got this for my 7 year old grandson.he carried it around and loved to spot and identify the birds.I don't know if he was identifying them correctly but he was having a great time with it!

a great gift
everything was just as expected-- book was in great shape and delivered just as promised !it was a gift , so all worked out super !

just try something else
Does not group birds or have a U.S. map to show where they would be found.

A Better Format ?
I purchased this book for a seven year old and think I expected a format more similar to the standard Peterson guide, but obviously with fewer birds. I also felt that more birds could have been included --if a child can read, he can also take in a good bit of information, more than was included here. A pleasant booklet, though, but perhaps most suited to the child who has never really seen or thought about birds previously. ... Read more

Product Description
Roger Tory Peterson had already made his mark with his innovative field guide when he conducted DDT research during World War II. His friend and fellow naturalist Rachel Carson built on these efforts and eventually wrote Silent Spring, a landmark text that, along with Peterson"s field guide, jump-started the modern environmental movement.
By combining the tireless observation of a scientist with the imaginative skills of an artist and writer, Peterson created a field guide that Robert Bateman, in his foreword to the fifth edition, says was the doorway for millions of people into the wonderland of natural history.
The Peterson Identification System has been used in the more than fifty books that make up the Peterson Field Guide series. Peterson"s magnum opus, now in its fifth edition, created the trail for countless field guides to follow. They are still following year by year, but his is the standard by which all other field guides are judged.
On the morning of July 28, 1996, Roger Peterson was painting his final bird plate. He died peacefully in his sleep later that day. It is fitting that his final work—a culmination of more than sixty years of observing, painting, and writing—should be this one, a revision of the guide that started his legacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (73)

Birds, Birds, Birds!
This is a great field guide for people who enjoy birds that come to your feeders or in your yard. It is easy to use, organized into logical sections, and is as complete as most people would ever need. Some of the technical descriptions are odd since you can't truly describe "sounds" with words.

I have a couple of bird books and I reach for this one nearly every time. Highly recommended.

great buy
We are very pleased with our purchase of the field guide to birds of the east and central North America.It is compact with a world of information easy to research.The price was more than reasonable.A bargain.

Excellent gift for a birder
Nicely bound, compact but not too small, wonderful, especially when you also buy the Audio CD of the bird songs.

Peterson Bird Guide
I was glad to get the Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America.I have two other bird guides, and this makes my resources for identification rather complete.I like having more than one book, to compare pictures and information.I like to have both photos and drawings.It makes the task so much easier.Not all birds of a species will be exactly like a drawing, so having both makes for a better birding experience.

Best bird ID book
I found this to be a great help in identifying the birds at our feeder.You can never go wrong with Roger Tory Peterson books.I've had others on other topics by him and his wife and they are all the best. ... Read more

Product Description
Bird wakes up feeling grumpy. Too grumpy to eat or play -- too grumpy even to fly. "Looks like I'm walking today," says Bird. He walks past Sheep, who offers to keep him company. He walks past Rabbit, who also could use a walk. Raccoon, Beaver, and Fox join in, too.

Before he knows it, a little exercise and companionship help Bird shake his bad mood. This winsome, refreshingly original picture book is sure to help kids (and grown-ups) giggle away theirs, too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Storytime Classic!
If you haven't run across Grumpy Bird as of yet, you are in for a real treat.The author has perfected the story time tale for the preschool and kindergarten set, and it never ceases to amaze me how kids will respond to this book.For a story reader, this is your chance to really ham it up!Kids will crack up when I put on my grumpy face to imitate this cute little bird, and they all love to show their own grumpy faces.I love that Bird gets to show his change from grumpy to happy, all due to the unconditional love shown to him by his friends.They don't care whether he's grumpy or not, they just want to be with him!What a great message for little kids.It's a message kindly delivered by characters that are so whimsical and adorable that you can't help but smile.A great choice for any story time collection.Recommended.

no question, five star kids book
At my time of writing this 23 reviewers out of 23 reviews gave this five stars. This artist/author really stumbled upon something, my 2 1/2 daughter and 5 year old boy adore this book and the sequel (Boo Hoo Bird). The artwork is amazing at telling the story. and the dialogue is good, my daughter cracks up every time I shout the one line near the end.

Amazing Canadian author
I love this book.
It is funny, cute and amazingly well drawn and written.
As an educator, I love that it can teach voice (how does he sound? Do you make him slightly bored and mad or do you make him sound angry?), the passage of time (the day progresses in the book without any acknowledgement but it is a great way to teach time), and how to treat friends who are having a bad day. I alway say to students that I don't know if I would be Grumpy Bird's friend because he isn't very kind to his friends even as they try to help him over and over again. Kids can relate to having a friend who is cool to be around but hard to manage.
All in all, this book is a must in a collection. I have had to buy numerous copies because it is so loved in a classroom that it falls apart after daily readings, borrowing and being loved. That's the best reason to buy a book I think, because it is so good, you can't live without it in your collection.

Awesome for the Grumpies!
This is the first book our son selected on his own. He is 18 months and borrowed it from the library. We read it so many times we decided to purchase it. We read the book on a daily basis and our boy has learned several animals and many colors just using the fantastic pictures. We also decided to purchse Me Hungry as well as Boo Boo Bird. We love this author! Kudos to the author for a great book for all ages and abilities.

Amazing Book
First let me say that this book is amazing.It is beautifully illastrated and written and my daughter loves it.Now, let me say this, the person I bought it from said that it was in "new" condition and it wasn't, it wasa severely used old library book and I was VERY disapointed in how poor the condition actually was.I will not buy from this supplier ever again. ... Read more

Product Description
Birding,one of the fastest-growing hobbies, is also one of the most rewarding. Birds brighten our world with their colors and songs and with their amazing variety: anywhere in North America, at almost any season, it is possible to see dozens of different kinds of birds. All a birder needs is a good guidebook in order to identify them.
Some bird guides published in recent years have been bulky volumes with
confusing amounts of detail, hard to carry and hard to use. This Kaufman Focus Guide is a true field guide: a pocket-sized book organized for easy reference, providing just the essentials for quick and accurate identification. Its revolutionary approach to illustration -- using digital images based on photographs -- provides the most lifelike and accurate pictures in any field guide. More than 2,200 full-color images depict every species of bird that occurs regularly in North America.Amazon.com Review
World-renowned birder Kenn Kaufman addresses a long-runningparadox of bird field guides with his Focus Guide. Whilebeginning birdwatchers prefer photographic guides like those by Donald Stokes,the physical traits that make identification easier are more readilydiscerned in the idealized paintings of illustrative guides like thoseby RogerTory Peterson and NationalGeographic. Kaufman's groundbreaking work combines the best ofboth approaches by digitally enhancing photographic images to show thecharacteristics that are sometimes not apparent in photographs.

Some other distinguishing features include:

• The guide isorganized by bird family groupings rather than strict taxonomicclassification; this is a feature that will appeal especially tobeginners.
• Text descriptions and range maps for each speciesappear on the page facing the plate of respective birdimages.
• Important field marks are highlighted.
• Color-codedtabs identify each grouping of birds (waders, warblers, sparrows,etc.) for quick thumb indexing.

Customer Reviews (66)

Another feather in the cap
Not one bird guide is "it," the one and only one you will ever need. I find that this book is handy in the field, has more information than other field guides for trying to make IDs with not much to go on, and is written in a personable style as if the author has been behind your binoculars. It is a valuable supplement to other field guides.

Perfect...
Well written book with information needed for any bird watcher.Quick service, packaged well.Thank you.

Best Bird Book
I purchased this book because I was having a problem identifying some small birds photographed in Southern Arizona.I'm not a birder but do take a lot of photos of birds while hiking.Some birds I just could not identify using the popular books.The day I received this book I was able to identify two birds which I had posted as 'unidentified' in my photo album.Great Book!Easy to use for an amateur like me.

Best single guide available
I am a professional bird photographer and this is my primary go to guide for bird identification.Each of the major guide books (e.g., Kaufman, Sibley, National Geographic) -- I own all of them -- but I find Kaufman to have the best organization, the best information to aid in identification, and I find it easiest to identify based on photos rather than drawings.It is always good to confirm identifications with a second (or third) source as there are a lot of subtleties in the identification in many of the bird species; for this I usually use the Sibley guides.I don't like Sibley as much for my primary source for two reasons: 1) the drawings lack the detail of the images in Kaufman, and 2) there is a East and West edition of Sibley and since my time is divided between the East and West coasts I have to lug two books around rather than the single Kaufman that covers the entire US.Another very useful bird identification tool is [...] as well as the iPhone iBird family of apps (I am one of the staff photographers for these latter guides).

Good book, good service.
Kenn Kaufman's birding field guide is the best one out there, We know because we have had one since it first came out. This purchase was for a gift and the book's condition was perfect and the prompt service appreciated, ... Read more

Product Description
“Once in a great while, a natural history book changes the way people look at the world. In 1838, John ames Audubon’s Birds of America was one...In 1934, Roger Tory Peterson produced Field Guide to the Birds...Now comes The Sibley Guide to Birds.”

Thus did The New York Times, in 1999, greet David Allen Sibley’s monumental book, which has quickly been established nationwide as the peerless, standard bird identification guide.

The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior is the new landmark book from David Allen Sibley. Designed to enhance the birding experience and to enrich the popular study of North American birds, the book combines more than 795 of his full-color illustrations with authoritative text by 48 expert birders and biologists. In this new guide Sibley takes us beyond identification, to show us how birds live and what they do.

Introductory essays outline the principles of avian evolution, life cycle, body structure, flight dynamics, and more. The 80 family-by-family chapters describe the amazing range of behavior dictated by birds’ biology and environment. Among the subjects covered and illustrated are:

--molts and plumages
--habitats
--food and foraging
--vocalizations and displays
--courtship and breeding
--rearing of young
--migration and movements
--scientific groupings
--introduced species
--accidental species
--anatomy
--flight patterns
--nests and eggs
--conservation
--global distribution

Accessibly written, superbly designed and organized, and brilliantly illustrated, The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior is an indispensable source of information on the avian life around us.Amazon.com Review
From the creator of the seminal field guide, The Sibley Guide to Birds, comes another indispensable book for bird watchers. This veritable bible to the world of birds is the collaborative effort of 48 expert birders and biologists, who combine scientific accuracy and detail with an easily readable and well-organized format. How does a tiny chickadee survive subzero temperatures? How do flocks of birds synchronize their flights? How can an albatross cross miles of ocean without flapping its wings? Which bird brains are actually intelligent? It's all here in essays giving an overview of avian evolution, biology, and the aerodynamics of flight and in chapters devoted to the 80 bird families of North America, each one detailing taxonomy, habitats, feeding, breeding, vocalizations, migrations, and more. Concerned about declining populations, Sibley also discusses the conservation status of each species and the factors that threaten them. This fascinating source of information is destined to be a well-thumbed companion. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

The best field guide companion
A great reference to go with Sibley's Field Guides (or any other). This single volume covers biology, taxonomy, conservation of all bird families in North America. Each chapter on various bird families is written by experts who have done research on those bird groups and shares first hand experience and peer reviewed information. A MUST have for every serious birder who wanna learn more. The information is further explained by Sibley's elegant paintings. Go for it, you'll learn a lot.

A Wildlife Students Thoughts
As a student in wildlife management at Purdue University we were actually required to buy this book for our course on bird biology and naming which was taught by Dr. John B. Dunning Jr. one of the co-authors of this guide. In all I felt that this book was an excellent source of material for any avid bird watcher, nature enthusiast, or student to have about bird behavior and biology. It pairs extremely well with Sibley's other bird identification guides especially if one has questions about a particular bird families biology functions or even bird biology in general this book has the answers. I highly recommend it and any serious birdwatcher or wildlife lover should have this volume on your shelf it helped me through my class and was an interesting read.

Terrific Resource
This book is filled with general information on all the different families of birds in the US.Though organized like an encyclopedia, I found I was able to actually read the thing from cover to cover, and have found that I have become a much better birder as a result.It actually changed the way I observe and talk about birds.Plus, it's filled with wonderful illustrations.

It's also handy that there is a life checklist in the back.

Not your first bird guide
This book is an excellent reference when used as a companion to field guides and other bird books. I found it interesting reading, but kept asking questions about specific species. I would not recommend giving this book to a new birder as a first book instead of a field guide. This book is really designed more for an avid birder who wants to know about bird families and their behavior rather than identification, or for a naturalist needing to understand more about bird behavior with less of a need for identification.

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

Too many pencil and ink marks.
There were way more pencil marks in this book than I expected based on the comments from the seller. I'm learning to live with them. The book arrived very quickly, though, so I did not waste any time getting my homework done. ... Read more

Product Description

The Statfire Breeze steams its way north toward the Gulf of Alaska, buffeted by crisp sea winds blowing down from the Arctic. Those on board are seeking peace, relaxation, adventure, escape. But there is no escape here in this place of unspoiled natural majesty. Because terror strolls the decks even in the brilliant light of day... and death is a conspicuous, unwelcome passenger. And a former Seattle policeman -- a damaged Homicide Detective who has come to heal from fresh, stinging wounds -- will find that the grim ghosts pursuing him were not left behind ... as a pleasure cruise gone horribly wrong carries him inexorably into lethal, ever-darkening waters.

When Jance concentrates on the mechanics of her story, this Beaumont novel is perfectly entertaining. But when she strives for sentiment (or humor), her style tends toward an aw-shucks ham-handedness. Here's Beau talking about his partner, killed by an abusive ex-husband: "Her sons are orphans, and no amount of psychobabble from Dr. Majors is going to change that. No amount of talking it over and 'getting it out of my system' will alter the fact that Sue won't be there to see her boys graduate from high school or college. She'll never be the mother of the groom at a wedding or have the chance to cradle a newborn grandchild in her arms." If Beau is thinking about coming out of retirement, one hopes he'll stick to the basics. --Kelly Flynn ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Birds of Prey-Luanne Rice
I've just started reading J.A. Jance, this is bulking up my reading collection.Arrived in super shape and quickly.

Unsuspended Disbelief
I am a devoted Jance fan, but as other reviewers have already stated, this one does not quite stack up.I just found too much in it to be contrived and unbelieveable.

Other reviewers have pointed out the difficulty of thinking an octogenerian could push her husband off the train platform in a tunnel and down a cliff.How is it with a couple of thousand people on the cruise, JP just happens to be seated with the first murder victim, who turns out to not be a murder victim. She just happens to be a great swimmer, survive a several story fall into the frigid water, be rescued by fishermen and befriended by a Dance club owner.Sorry, but that doesn' happen except in a novelists imagination. And oh yeah, she forgot to tell anyone she was a PHD geneticist, even her best friends. And the whole idea of Naomi having slept with Featherman once to get pregnant? Sorry, that is contrived.And the FBI asking for JP's help?Then he solves the whole thing while they are sight seeing?If I want an omnipotent character, I will go back to Superman comics.

That being said, I love the way Jance pulls in little background tidbits from the locale.Like the woman who was robbed on the Chilcoot trail and then married Lars' ancestor.That could be a good book by itself.

I will eagerly read Jance's next book.But if you haven't read one yet, don't read this one first.Try one of the earlier Beaumont novels.

Off on a Sea Cruise
BIRDS OF PREY by J.A. Jance was my introduction to J.P. Beaumont. Mystery fiction can not contain more delightful characters than Lars and Beverly, who J.P. chaperons on their honeymoon to Alaska. Beau is retired and looking for peace and tranquility.
A death at sea and a video rob him of his desires, but the reader gains a new look into the heart of a favorite detective who just can't stay away from murder even on vacation.
Nash Black, HAINTS and WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESSHaintsWriting as a Small Business

A relaxing cruise spells trouble for JP Beaumont.
This really wasn't my most favorite books by Jance.

JP Beaumont, retired detective, or so he thinks, is on an Alaskan cruise ship, The Starfire Breeze. He went also for the purpose of watching over his elder grandparents, Lars and Beverly Piedmont.

When Margaret Featherman is pushed overboard by an anonymous killer on the ship, the troubles begin. JP tries to unravel what has happened, and in the next few days after another death occurs with an Alzheimer's patient, Mike Conyers. These two events are seemingly unrelated, as Lucy Conyers was tired of caring for her ailing husband, and JP suspects she pushed him off the train they were on to put her husband out of his misery as well as herself.

JP tries to solve the mystery, while calling in his two detective friends from the FBI to help. Margaret Featherman reappears again, but soon as she does, more danger is lurking around the corner when she is found not to have drowned at all, but is very much alive.

I find the climax, (a very weak one), disappointing in the end. It was boring at the beginning, got a bit better in the middle when Naomi, another suspect comes into the picture and whom JP falls in love with, actually, but then the plot just dies from there and is not exciting at all. I've read other books that were better.

Definately not on par with other J.A. Jance novels
Boring!! I was disappointed.In fact, I disliked it so much, I only finished about 3/4 of the book.That is very uncommon for me as I alway push through as I want to give the author a chance to turn it around.I just could not do it with this book. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (25)

One of my best purchases ever...
Detailed and informative text on each species accompanied by truly amazing photographs. It was so good that, though I bought this as a gift, I was VERY tempted to keep this for myself and pass along something more generic as a gift. :)

Very Useful,Heavy
Because it is so comprehensive, the book is very useful for birdwatching in these central African countries; because it is so comprehensive it is both heavy to carry and less useful for picturing variants in a local area.Notes are very good on changes in breeding plumage etc.Distribution maps are also helpful for quick differentiations. An excellent basic text, and well worth carrying, especially if traveling by jeep. Don't leave home without it!

Awesome book, OLD edition!
As another reviewer mentioned, there's a problem with the editions Amazon is selling.The first edition of this book was published in 2002. As of 5/5/2010 the ISBN number on this page is for the 2006 edition, although I was sent the 2002 edition.Hopefully after my bringing it to their attention they will correct the error (if you look in the information about the publication it says it was published in 2002, so if that's changed they will likely have corrected the problem).

Excellent Guide
I used this guide on a birding trip to Uganda. This is an excellent guide.When you order the guide though be sure to order the soft back edition rather than the hard back if you are going to use it as a field guide. The hard back weighs more and if you happen to drop it the back is liable to rip off.If you do order the hard back be sure to reinforce the binding with shipping tape. Unlike some guides this one has a well though out index.The common names are indexed separately from the scientific names. The family name are in bold so they stand out and the font is a large size for we old time birders who have a difficult time reading small print. In the back is a map of the area with all the important bird sites noted and listed. Certain of the drawings are not accurate, the Mountain Greenbul being a prime example.The description says the underparts are yellow and they are in Uganda, but the drawing is not. The descriptions and range maps are opposite the drawings of the birds.This is the 2nd copy of this guide I have owned.I gave the first copy to my Uganda driver when he asked if I would sell it to him.Folks in Uganda have a difficult time getting birding equipment.If you do go there, take a couple of extra laser pointers, and an extra birding guide with you if you have room.They make great gratuity items if you do not wish to sell them instead.Also an extra pair of inexpensive binoculars.

Reasonably good field companion
Good illustrations and maps. Would have really appreciated a portrait index for quick look-up of unknowns, more detail of abundance and flocking habits.A few more flight profiles would be helpful as well, but the book is not bad in this respect. ... Read more

Product Description

Joyce Carol Oates returns with a dark, romantic, and captivating tale, set in the Great Lakes region of upstate New York—the territory of her remarkably successful New York Times bestseller The Gravedigger's Daughter.

Customer Reviews (23)

Tiresome
I found the book interesting at first and then it became tedious and tiresome. After 15 pages of non-stop talk by Jacky to Krista I kept feeling lets get on with it. I could not finish the book.

Family Drama / Society's Judgment
I've read no writer who can create the feel of Western New York (my home region) with the precision of Joyce Carol Oates. She describes the look and feel of the highways, housing and bleak winter of Sparta, NY, perhaps a typical upstate small town. More importantly, she writes of the people who live there and the lives they make.

Here she tackles the aftermath of a heinous murder. She writes of its effect on the families of two men whom society has judged as guilty.These families had troubles before their big "trouble" began. Both families were severed by drugs and adultery. One family had the added burden of violence and family and societal views of inter-cultural marriage.

There are secrets in small towns. Some are open and others buried way down. There are informal power structures in small towns and there are some people who live above the law.This book describes the wreckage caused by the self preservation of people inside and outside the system.

I have to admit, were this not JCO, I would not have stayed with it. Somewhere before page 158 I started to wonder if I really cared about this story. It was a relief when in Chapter 17 a new element is introduced and the story really begins.

There are parts I'd have preferred were pruned.The basketball games, or Krista's phone call and French fries in the bar with Dad, or the much later the episode with Claude Loomis are examples of parts that would have been better had they been shorter. The ice cream cone with the weevils in it just did not make sense (where would a proper ice cream bar, as this one seemed to be, have easily available weevils?). It did not seem to fit the other characteristics attributed to Zoe.

Despite the wordiness in some parts, is a very good book, by a very good author.

Did not like it
This is one of the least enjoyable books I've read by Oates. It is far too slow moving and repetitive. Just not one of my favorites. I couldn't finish it.

I Couldn't Finish This One
This novel by Oates is so unrelentingly depressing that I gave up about mid-way through.The events are told haltingly with all sorts of sentence fragments and jerky tropes by, Krista, the daughter of Eddy Diehl.Eddy is the sort of macho, uneducated, working class, physically imposing male that Oates seems to find sexually exciting.He fits that male stereotype that some women just cannot seem to resist.He's violent, unpredictable, and addicted.Hmmm!With a guy like that you never know what's next.What fun!?No.

His daughter, Krista, has the hots for him in an intense Oedipal way--or I guess you call it "the Electra Complex" when it's the daughter's compulsion for the father.And this seems to be what the novel is all about.How much Krista loves Daddy despite what a jerk he is.He tries to present himself as a victim and feels sorry for himself like so many macho men do, but it won't go with anyone but Krista.Indeed, every character in the novel struck me as an unredeemed jerk, unworthy of our attention.

The story is set in upstate New York where I live.I'm familiar with Utica, Herkimer County, Watertown, etc. where the events take place.There's a lot to be sad about in Upstate New York, but it's not nearly as bad as Oates makes it.It's not all crime, addiction, hatred, violence, and ignorance--although there is a lot of unemployment just now.

Read The Gravedigger's Daughter by Oates.(See my Amazon review.)It has the same setting, and an Eddy Diehl-type character plays a key role, but it is, unlike Little Bird of Heaven, a literary masterpiece.

It's too bad this book is such a loser.It's got a wonderful title.

Disappointing Oates
I read this after seeing Oates on stage in conversation at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco.She said her attempt was to portray the phenomenon of what happens when a family member is accused of a crime but subsequently never acquitted--how a cloud of disrepute continues to hang over that person within the community.

Of course Oates is a skilled storyteller. But what unpleasant characters; not a single one I'd want to meet.The book could have benefited from better editing as well. ... Read more

Product Description
Text and illustrations introduce the world of birds from eggs to flight, from songs to nests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Teaching kids about Nature
I bought this book for my 6 year old grandson. We enjoy watching birds and I want him to start labeling them, not just saying "that's a bird". This simple book also has few activities for youngsters to do with an adult, like a bird feeder. The explanations are simple and to the point and the illustrations are well done.
I recommend this book not only for kids, but for adults starting birding or enjoying them with their grand kids.

Excellent Introduction To Birds and Nature
As a former elementary educator, I cannot say too many excellent things about this book. My two year old great-grandaughter loves it. Anyone who wants a book that will introduce children to birds will find a winner with this book. The illustrations are fantastic. The simple information on each page is just enough to provide introductory facts that capture a child's attention and desire to know more. They will develop an awareness of birds and nature. A gift every chid should receive.

Book
I was disappointed actually, the book has a big spill mark at the top and it wasn't as informative as described

Not as nice as I thought
My daughter likes this book o.k.However I though it would be more of a real picture book instead of drawings or illustrations.Not as nice as I thought it would be.

Lovely!
We recently bought this book for our 15-month old nature fanatic, and he loves the illustrations as much as we do! It is so delightful to finally find a series that has artful, accurate illustrations accompanied by text that is simple enough to hold our little one's interest. I plan to buy more books from this series and certainly recommend this book to anyone that loves birds, art, and/or nature.

Follow-on review: Our son is now 24-months old and still loves this book. It really is a treasure - you won't be dissapointed! ... Read more