I saw this book recommended in several different forums, and I am glad I finally got around to reading it. It's not a comfortable thing to read, and iI saw this book recommended in several different forums, and I am glad I finally got around to reading it. It's not a comfortable thing to read, and it isn't meant to be. If you are looking for a clear articulation of current racial issues in the US, and an explanation of how terminology is used in social justice circles (i.e. "racism" has a very specific, systemic meaning, as opposed to "prejudice" or "discrimination." Or what underlies particular usage of the term "privilege" when talking about race and history), this is an excellent primer. It is definitely aimed at an audience that is already open to learning, but I don't think it would do much to convince the unwilling. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to better understand the current discussions around race. Take a deep breath and turn on the analytical self-reflection part of your brain before diving in, though. It's not going to be pleasant....more
I'll admit, I genuinely couldn't stand the author/narrator and I don't think we'd get along at all in real life -- and yet I was still blown away by hI'll admit, I genuinely couldn't stand the author/narrator and I don't think we'd get along at all in real life -- and yet I was still blown away by her story. I love the opportunity to look into lives so different from my own, and to put my own situation and values into perspective. In this case that meant the American author as much as the women of Afghanistan. It provided a completely different angle on current events, and I appreciate having the context. ...more
I went to the author's talk and bought the book on the spot, new in hardcover. If you know me, you understand what an impression Goldfarb must have maI went to the author's talk and bought the book on the spot, new in hardcover. If you know me, you understand what an impression Goldfarb must have made. It completely rewrote my understanding of North American landscapes and ecology and restoration practices. Beavers underlie everything from New England agriculture to Yellowstone's changing rivers to the increasingly intense wildfires in California. Goldfarb finds a perfect balance of humor and factual storytelling. It can start getting a little repetitive as the book goes on (new place, same story, several times over), but his focus on the individual personalities of the "Beaver Believers" at work keeps the narrative engaging. It's rare that I totally have my mind-blown at this scale, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the landscapes we live in....more
Since I work with keas at the zoo, I was thrilled to find an entire book dedicated to them! It flips between narrative anecdotes (about both the birdsSince I work with keas at the zoo, I was thrilled to find an entire book dedicated to them! It flips between narrative anecdotes (about both the birds and the unique challenges of studying them in the field) and somewhat dry presentations of facts -- both of which I enjoyed thoroughly. The illustrations are wonderful additions. Everything I learn about them makes me fall more in love with these wonderful, intelligent, playful parrots....more
I'll admit, I walked away from this one. I started it on my flight to Hawaii for a business trip in Honolulu, and I appreciated the context it gave toI'll admit, I walked away from this one. I started it on my flight to Hawaii for a business trip in Honolulu, and I appreciated the context it gave to the buildings and names I'd seen on previous trips. Hawaii's history is fascinating, but I am forced to acknowledge that I like my history books to be more narrative...and Lost Kingdom is pretty dry. I'm glad I had this as an introduction, but I may look elsewhere for a different telling if I want to learn the story better....more
Oh, this is everything a good conservation narrative book should be. Initially I was put off by the author inserting himself too personally, but I wasOh, this is everything a good conservation narrative book should be. Initially I was put off by the author inserting himself too personally, but I was quickly swept up in the story and all the other characters. I appreciated the branching information chapters that provided context for the issues, including the history of dams, regional cultural histories and conflicts, and relevant corporate energy politics. This was an incredible amount of work to research, synthesize, and organize into a compelling narrative, and Barcott succeeds. I actually found myself refusing to look up the results online before I finished -- it seemed like spoilers for the drama. There are several articles in Audubon and elsewhere that continue the story of Matola's unflagging work to protect scarlet macaws and other wildlife in Belize. She is an inspiration, and I thank Barcott for "introducting" her to me!...more
I've now waited far too long to review this, and it's faded in my memory already. I found the author's overly gung-ho language a distraction, and it tI've now waited far too long to review this, and it's faded in my memory already. I found the author's overly gung-ho language a distraction, and it took me a while to get past it so I could take his message seriously. There were several examples of "reconciliation ecology" that I had not heard before, so I appreciated that aspect. He takes a long diversion into the mathematical modeling of relationships between space and biodiversity -- he eventually ties it back into the issues of human-wildlife coexistence, but it still felt out of place and drove me away for a while. There are a lot of good ideas and case studies in here, but I was still left somewhat unconvinced as to the overall feasibility of reconciliation ecology as a universally applicable approach as he pushes it....more
Everyone who owns a cat, or has anything to do with cats, should read this. Marra systematically reviews all of the scientific data around the issues Everyone who owns a cat, or has anything to do with cats, should read this. Marra systematically reviews all of the scientific data around the issues and impacts of free-roaming cats. This is a HUGE environmental issue, and whether any of us like the facts or not, the data doesn't lie (even when interpreted as conservatively as possible) about the huge impacts free-roaming cats are having on wildlife. I greatly appreciated the compilation and analysis of scientific studies (interspersed with personal narratives) on everything from prey numbers, to disease transmission, to the effectiveness of TNR as a feral cat management approach. I recommend this to anyone who cares about wildlife and the environment....more
This book wasn't what I expected, which meant I had to readjust my mindset going in. I had the impression it was about how disciplines and events are This book wasn't what I expected, which meant I had to readjust my mindset going in. I had the impression it was about how disciplines and events are interlinked (more cause-and-effect), but is actually about the mathematics of modeling networks. Which turned out to be really interesting, if a little dry. I appreciated the history, and the gradual building up of our current understanding of networks; it seemed slow, but since I have no background in the subject, it was a good pace. He also constantly reminds you of who people are and the differences between their models, which was helpful. I was disappointed by how much focus was placed on the Internet and World Wide Web (especially since that part shows its age quickly), but I suppose that is the author's area of research and is to be expected. I had hoped for more biological applications, rather than a single broad chapter. I was a little worn out by the end, so I would have appreciated the examples and applications being more dispersed throughout the book than collected in a somewhat jumbled mass at the end. Overall, a great introduction to network modeling, and some interesting food for thought....more
This book was recommended on one of the circus Facebook groups I follow, and I finally got around to finding a copy. A fun, interesting read, and it'sThis book was recommended on one of the circus Facebook groups I follow, and I finally got around to finding a copy. A fun, interesting read, and it's always good to find a female trainer's voice. I can't decide whether I found her recurring theme of being terrified of everything (from dogs to social situations) except lions to be endearing or annoying. I suppose a little of both. It's hard not to love an insecure but fiery petite lion trainer. She clearly loves her animals deeply, and found comfort in their presence. There's not a lot of training detail, but much more focus on the personalities and quirks of the individuals she worked with. There's some great glimpses into daily life on various shows, and how different each circus could be. She doesn't present herself as a revolutionary or a master -- just a girl who found her proper home in the circus and went on marvelous adventures in the company of dangerous beasts....more
This book is everything I want science writing to be. It conveys an incredible amount of scientific information while still being an enjoyable, engagiThis book is everything I want science writing to be. It conveys an incredible amount of scientific information while still being an enjoyable, engaging read. You can feel just how much the authors love their subject through the prose. If you want to learn more about any kind of parrots, or just understand birds more in general, this is the absolute best place to go....more
It's always good to explore different perspectives, and this book certainly made me think about the different life paths we all take. The author isn'tIt's always good to explore different perspectives, and this book certainly made me think about the different life paths we all take. The author isn't that much older than me, and it was particularly cutting to think back to watching the TV broadcasts of the events she lived through, safe in the quiet darkness of my college dorm lounge towards the end of spring break. The book is a solid window into what transpired and adds a lot of context to the news reports I heard at the time, and events that have played out since. ...more
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