Stable Isotopes and Plant Carbon-Water Relations (Physiological Ecology)

Book Description

This 33-chapter volume presents a critical examination of the importance of stable isotopes in understanding key plant metabolic processes.

Key Features
* Carbon isotope analyses for estimates of plant water use and metabolism
* Integrated estimates of stress impacts and life history in ecological systems
* Hydrogen and oxygen isotope analyses for evaluating water sources and transpiration
* Use of stable isotopes in scaling from leaf to global levels
* Sections include:
* History and Theoretical Considerations
* Ecological Aspects of Carbon Isotope Variation
* Agricultural Aspects of Carbon Isotope Variation
* Genetics and Isotopic Variation
* Water Relations and Isotopic Composition

The Rise of the Dictators, 1919-1939 (Computer Literacy Skills Book)
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The Rise of the Dictators, 1919-1939 (Computer Literacy Skills Book)
Peter Banyard
Manufacturer: Franklin Watts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0531102335

THE RISE OF THE DICTATORS 1919-1939.
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THE RISE OF THE DICTATORS 1919-1939.
Peter Banyard.
Manufacturer: NY: 1987 1st Am. ed. 62p; numerous illus.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KIHC3K

Book Description

Scorpions are the only land animals with a fossil record stretching back to the colonization of land by aquatic animals, and they offer a unique array of biochemical, physiological, and ecological adaptations. This comprehensive survey demonstrates the value of scorpions as model systems for investigating a wide range of biological questions, from neurobiology to evolutionary ecology. The chapters cover the full range of research and include introductory material for the general reader as well as detailed and up-to-date findings for the specialist. The editors hope to draw new attention to this important group of arthropods and seek to highlight areas where scorpion research is providing new insight on key biological questions.

Customer Reviews:

Complete and Thorough.......2006-02-11

This book can only be described as a complete and thorough synthesis of scorpion biology. This book is full of beautiful SEM photos and diagrams. It is a must-have for any serious scorpion biologist.

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Scorpion Biology and Research
Philip Brownell
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK6OLK

Book Description

This series presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics and materials science. It is addressed to all scientists at universities and in industry who wish to keep abreast of advances in the topics covered.

Book Description

Gives a complete and rigorous presentation of the mathematical study of the expressions - hemivariational inequalities - arising in problems that involve nonconvex, nonsmooth energy functions. A theory of the existence of solutions for inequality problems involving monconvexity and nonsmoothness is established.

Minimax Theorems and Qualitative Properties of the Solutions of Hemivariational Inequalities (Nonconvex Optimization and Its Applications)

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Minimax Theorems and Qualitative Properties of the Solutions of Hemivariational Inequalities (Nonconvex Optimization and Its Applications)
D. Motreanu , and Panagiotis D. Panagiotopoulos
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792354567

Book Description

The present book is the first ever published in which a new type of eigenvalue problem is studied, one that is very useful for applications: eigenvalue problems related to hemivariational inequalities, i.e. involving nonsmooth, nonconvex, energy functions. New existence, multiplicity and perturbation results are proved using three different approaches: minimization, minimax methods and (sub)critical point theory. Nonresonant and resonant cases are studied both for static and dynamic problems and several new qualitative properties of the hemivariational inequalities are obtained. Both simple and double eigenvalue problems are studied, as well as those constrained on the sphere and those which are unconstrained. The book is self-contained, is written with the utmost possible clarity and contains highly original results. Applications concerning new stability results for beams, plates and shells with adhesive supports, etc. illustrate the theory. Audience: applied and pure mathematicians, civil, aeronautical and mechanical engineers.

Book Description

A new collection of fiction and poetry from a major voice in American feminism and literature

Charlotte Perkins Gilman was a turn-of-the-century American feminist and socialist thinker. In her works of fiction, Gilman sought to illustrate her ideas about the way American society squandered the talents and economic contributions of women. Based on the nervous breakdown she suffered during her own disastrous first marriage, The Yellow Wall-Paper is her classic story about a woman who goes mad when the rest-cure treatment she undergoes forbids her any kind of work.

Herland, Gilman's most famous novel, is a feminist utopian comedy in which three men stumble upon a society of women that has banished men. Also included in this Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics edition is a selection of Gilman's poetry and other short fiction. Gilman scholar Denise D. Knight has written an enlightening Introduction that explores Gilman's use of the utopian form, satire, and fantasy to provide a critique of women's place in society and to propose creative solutions.

Customer Reviews:

A nice little afternoon read...........2004-12-14

A generally overlooked gem of a utopian novella that makes for a pleasant experience. The treatment is calmer and more down to earth than A Brave New World, and is more thoughtful and meditative than Looking Backward. Gilman's feminism celebrates motherhood above all, and embraces Christianity. In a time when we're reconsidering gender roles and marriage in society, Herland is particularly relevant and insightful.

Highly recommended for the fan of utopian literature and early feminist thought.

Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball
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Lengthen Your Stride--The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball

The CD is better than the book, but you get both.

Great Biography, Plus An Extra Glimpse At The Future Of Books

Excellent

The Work of a Prophet

Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball
Edward L. Kimball
Manufacturer: Deseret Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Mormonism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism

Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling

Brigham Young: AMERICAN MOSES

Things in Heaven and Earth: The Life and Times of Wilford Woodruff, a Mormon Prophet

On the Road With Joseph Smith: An Author's Diary

ASIN: 1590384571

Book Description

The presidency of Spencer W. Kimball, from 1973 to 1985, spanned years of remarkable growth and dramatic developments in the Church. In that time, Church membership grew from 3.2 million to 5.9 million, the number of full-time missionaries serving grew from 17,000 to nearly 40,000 and temples in operation increased from 15 to 36. This book focuses exclusively on President Kimball's ministry at Church President, descriging such landmark events as the revelation extending the priesthood to all worthy males, the publication of new editions of the LDS scriptures, and the reorganization of the quorum of the Seventy. The accompanying CD-ROM (created by BYU Studies) contains a wealth of additional information, including a longer version of the biography, photos not included in the book, some audio clips of President Kimball (including a sample before the surgery on his throat), as well as copies of other books written by or about President Kimball.

Customer Reviews:

Lengthen Your Stride--The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball.......2007-10-10

This is an outstanding biography depicting the day and times of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)President Spencer W. Kimball. It provides a glimpse into the daily life of one who is viewed by his followers as a common man in an uncommon spiritual calling as the leader of millions throughout the world. The book relates incidents that few are aware of such as death threats against him, the challenges of his time such as making it possible for all people within the faith to hold key leadership positions, expanding the global arm of the Church, handling the rapid growth of membership, extending humanitarian services to non-Mormons as well as Mormons in need, and being available to the most humble of Church members. His worldwide travel, his many illnesses, his kindness and compassion, and his zeal in promoting the faith make for very interesting reading. It was hard to put this book down.

The CD is better than the book, but you get both........2007-05-14

It fell to President Spencer W. Kimball to lead the LDS Church during a turbulent period in American history. His greatest challenges came from the proposed Equal Rights Amendment for women and from the long standing church policy regarding priesthood ordination of men of African descent. Much has been written on both subjects. This book, which is a biography of Kimball during his presidential years, gives a pretty complete and candid report of his handling of both challenges. Being published by Deseret Book Company, the official publishing arm of the church, one would expect a sanitized version aimed more at building the faith of Church members than at giving a complete account. The text of the published book is aimed at the faithful, non-scholar Church member. It lacks traditional footnotes of source material for further research. The footnotes it has contain additional, more detailed text material. Those hoping for an account similar to the biography entitled David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism would be disappointed in Lengthen your Stride if all they got was the book. However, included with the book is a Compact Disk which contains a complete working draft, with footnotes. The CD contains the uncut, unedited version. The published text is clearly identified making it easy to identify what was edited. One must applaud Deseret Book Company for including the warts-and-all version although, personally, I would have preferred to have the complete version in print rather than on a CD.
As a faithful Church member, my faith is strengthened by knowing our leaders are humans who struggle with weaknesses and how they overcome them. The sanitized versions are fine for Seminary, but adults should be able to handle the complete truth.

Great Biography, Plus An Extra Glimpse At The Future Of Books.......2006-09-10

Back in 1977 Edward L. Kimball, a law professor and the son of LDS church president Spencer W. Kimball, co-authored a biography of his father that was instantly recognized as a classic of Mormon literature. That first volume combined fluid storytelling and unprecedented honesty to produce an account that was at once a great book of history and a warm portrait of a recognizably three-dimensional human being. The book covered Pres. Kimball's life only up to his ordination as prophet. Now almost 30 years later Ed Kimball has published the long-awaited second volume, "Lengthen Your Stride" which covers the life and administration of his father until the elder Kimball's death in 1985. A lot has changed in the intervening years and the format this book takes shows it.

Edward Kimball produced a long mauscript complete with detailed footnotes that was in effect a full-scale scholarly biography of his father. Evidently, Deseret Book (the publishers) didn't think such a version was commercially feasible today. Plus, they are more interested in "inspirational" books. So a compromise was worked out: Deseret Book would publish a shorter version of the book that emphasized the faith-affirming aspects of the "working draft." That text version is a good book for an LDS audience who wants the basic story. But included along with that published version is a CD-ROM that is literally packed with treasures that should satisfy the reader who wants more. Included in the disc are the text of the original 1977 biography (along with a Spanish translation); "Camilla", a biography of Pres. Kimball's much-loved wife, also written by Ed Kimball; a whole library of notable magazine and journal articles about Pres. Kimball; dozens of family and newspaper photographs; audio files of excerpts from Pres. Kimball's most-loved sermons; and two complete short books about Pres. Kimball for younger readers. But the very best thing is the complete, uncut "Working Draft" with full footnotes. (Most of the text is in black, with the smaller portion that made it into the published text highlighted in blue, so you can easily tell the difference.)

It is this "Working Draft" that once again makes this volume a landmark in Mormon letters. The shorter version concentrates on a singularly upbeat narrative of the prophet's life. The "Working Draft" contains much-needed context; it's a very servicible history of the church in the 1970's and 1980's. It examines in more detail the controversies of the time, like the struggles over the Equal Rights Amendment, the writing of official church history, clarification of doctrine and practice, and dealing with explosive growth. The chapters that everyone will want to read are the gripping account of how the priesthood was finally extended to African-Americn men. This is the definitive account, taken directly from church documents and interviews with the individuals involved. It's compelling, first-hand material. The footnotes show just how this book is grounded in solid scholarship. Church archives are cited, along with the best secular writing about the times, and honest liberal-Mormon books, and articles from the journals "Sunstone" and "Dialogue."

As I read, I was vividly plunged back into those extraordinary years of the Kimball administration. He was the prophet when I was in my impressionable teens and I will always think of him as my particular prophet. This book reminds us of the man's extraordinary character, and how much he was loved by the members of the church for his humility, compassion and work. "Lengthen your stride" was of course one of his mottos; another was the simple phrase "do it" which he had made into a sign an kept on his desk. I suppose if you could boil Mormonism down into just two words, they would be those famous ones of President Kimball.

This book is the most faith-affirming book I have read all year, because of the author's commitment to both the church and the whole truth. It's just a tremendously uplifting piece of Mormon art. And the CD-ROM may be a glimpse into how books will be published in the future. I can imagine "director's cut" editions of books that include all kinds of fascinating supplemental material. I can't recommend this package highly enough.

Excellent.......2006-03-24

As a teenager I read Spencer W. Kimball's book, The Miracle of Forgiveness, which was and is a very powerful and useful book (which he wrote before he became president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). Aside from that book, I paid little attention to Spencer Kimball until he became PRESIDENT Kimball. Then, as he began to perform this new responsibility, his powerful, heartfelt teachings and honest expressions of love were very impressive to me. My impression was that President Kimball was a great man and a true prophet. And that was before I read this present biography by Edward Kimball; as it turns out, I did not know the half of it. As adduced in this book, the facts show just how unusually great a man President Kimball was. It also gives many interesting insights into the workings of the Church during his administration. This book is very well written and documented; and by virtue of the subject-matter (the life of this great man) it is inspiring as well. This book should be of interest to all Mormons, as well as anyone else who might want to read an honest account of the (often difficult) life of a man dedicated to serving God. This is one of the best books, and it might well be THE best biography, I've ever read.

The Work of a Prophet.......2005-10-05

This book exhaustively details the Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball who served as the 12th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until his death in 1985. It is a follow-up to an earlier biography by Edward and Andrew Kimball-- respectively, Spencer's son and grandson. The first volume was published shortly after Spencer Kimball became the President of the Church, a task accomplished by outliving all the other 15 Apostles (Quorum of 12 and First Presidency) who serve for life. For that reason the first volume could not give extensive treatment to the Presidency of Spencer Kimball but serves an an indispensable prologue to "Lengthen Your Stride." (Full disclosure: Edward Kimball was my Evidence Professor in Law School)

Not only does this book reveal the daily life of a Prophet to an unprecedented degree, it chronicles and gives a context to one of the most significant events of LDS Church History. The author holds nothing back--the sources are amazing. Yet absolutely nothing contained in this work gives rise to questions about the wisdom of President Kimball's leadership or doubts regarding the divine direction of the Church. Included with the book is a CD-ROM that contains the full working text prior to editing as well as the text of all of the out-of-print books published about President Kimball by the Church's own imprints.

In trying to summarize why this book is so very interesting and such an essential volume, I keep coming back to the candor and honesty of its author. Indeed, the publisher's note makes clear that the publisher and author had some disagreements regarding aspects of the work. Although the Bible demonstrates that Prophets have their own struggles, there is a tendency for modern biographers to de-emphasize the difficulties faced by Presidents of the Church, to seemingly hesitate to discuss discouraging events. Perhaps only President Kimball's son could write this book, but we can be glad that he did. This second volume rounds out a biography worthy of the man--I cannot praise it highly enough.

Book Description

Few places provided a more storied backdrop for key events related to the high plains Indian wars than had Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Established in 1874 just south of the Black Hills, Fort Robinson witnessed many of the most dramatic, most tragic encounters between whites and American Indians, including the Cheyenne Outbreak, the death of Crazy Horse, the Ghost Dance, the desperation and diplomacy of such famed Plains Indian leaders as Dull Knife and Red Cloud, and the tragic sequence of events surrounding Wounded Knee.

In "Fort Robinson and the American West, 1874-1899," Thomas R. Buecker explores both the larger story of the Nebraska fort and the particulars of daily life and work at the fort. Buecker draws on historic reminiscences, government records, reports, correspondence, and other official accounts to render a thorough yet lively depiction.

Customer Reviews:

Ft. Robinson: An excellent history.......2006-01-20

Fort Robinson, located in northwestern Nebraska, played an important role in the affairs between the military and the Indians on the Plains. Thomas Buecker's history of the fort is both informative and a delight to read.

Fort Robinson was established in 1874 after troubles occurred at the nearby Red Cloud agency. Intended at first to be only a temporary cantonment, it wasn't long before the strategic importance of the fort was realized. Unable to stem the tide of gold prospectors into the Black Hills, soldiers from the fort played an important part in the Great Sioux War that followed. The successful expedition against Dull Knife was launched from there. In 1877, the fort witnessed one of its greatest tragedies when it became the place where Crazy Horse was stabbed and killed, although two years later this notoriety was almost matched when 64 Northern Cheyenne were killed when trying to escape. In the 1880s, the fort became the base of operations for the Ninth Cavalry, the "Buffalo Soldiers." The Ghost Dance uprising at nearby Pine Ridge in 1890 was the last great event involving troops at Fort Robinson. The fort became a sleepy reminder of times gone by by the end of the century when Buecker's account ends, though the fort was brought back to life during both World Wars as a supply and training center, and as a POW camp. Today it's a handsome park with an excellent small museum.

Buecker, who was (is still?) the curator of the Fort Robinson Museum, has written a wonderful book on the fort. Historically detailed, Buecker is also careful to relate what life was like for the soldiers who lived there. It gives an excellent view of not only a specific place, but of a time too. Also useful for historians is Appendix A in which Buecker lists all the military units that ever served at the fort. It's a great book on the American West. Highly recommended.

A Full Exploration of Fort Robinson's Past.......2003-08-25

I have read a number of histories of frontier posts over the years and this one exceeds them all. Mr. Buecker provides an immense amount of detail on how Fort Robinson came into being and all that transpired there from 1874-1899. On that count, its past is far more interesting than that of some of the post-Sioux War posts such as Fort Meade or Fort Custer. Camp Robinson (as it was still known in 1877) was the scene for the dramatic and tragic death of Crazy Horse in September of that year. In January, 1879 Fort Robinson played host to another dramatic event as the Cheyenne imprisoned there after taking leave of their Oklahoma reservation attempted to break out and continue their journey to their traditional Montana homeland. The author provides a very good, concise telling of that event.

Beyond that, Mr. Buecker constantly reminds us that for most of the time, normal garrison duty occupied the various companies stationed there over the years. He does a very good job in describing what constituted the way of life for the officers and enlisted men stationed there. In the 1880s, the garrison included the famed Buffalo Soldiers of the Ninth U.S. Cavalry. He also explores the complex relationship that existed between the soldiers and the Lakota of the nearby Red Cloud agency during the early years of Robinson's existance. The relationships were varied and alive (for example, Chief Spotted Tail dined with offices in their quarters), not the one-dimensional, frontier soldiers hating/abusing the Indians as modern myth so often erroneously portrays late 19th century Frontier Military-Indian interaction.

If you are interested in the Sioux Wars, the frontier military, Crazy Horse, the Northern Cheyenne or the Buffalo Soldiers, you should not be disappointed in this book. It should be added that Mr. Buecker was well-prepared to tell the story of Fort Robinson since he serves as the curator of the Fort Robinson Museum in northwest Nebraska. I must also add that both the Museum and the present-day fort (now a state park) are well worth a visit.

A close and authoritative look at Fort Robinson.......2003-07-20

Fort Robinson And The American West 1874-1899 by Thomas R. Buecker (Curator of the Fort Robinson Museum in Crawford, Nebraska) is a close and authoritative look at Fort Robinson, a place that witnessed many stark and brutal clashes between whites and American Indians, including the Cheyenne Outbreak, the death of Crazy Horse, the Ghost Dance, and the tragedy of Wounded Knee. Historic references, government records, reports, correspondence and other primary sources form the core of this thoughtful, sober, scholarly analysis, which is a welcome contribution to American History shelves, Native American Studies collections, those reading lists dealing with the history of the American Western Frontier.

Fort Robinson & the American West, 1874-1899

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Fort Robinson & the American West, 1874-1899
Thomas R. Buecker
Manufacturer: Nebraska State Historical Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Another valuable addition to Berry's range of essays.......2007-05-30

This is a valuable addition to Wendell Berry's collections of essays for two primary reasons: (1) it documents a number of his pieces first delivered in speeches, whereas most of his earlier collections that centered on farming and local culture began in print, and (2) it further develops ideas as they relate to trends and events of the 1990's, a decade during which a number of his essay-driven books were guided by themes other than agricultural practice. I have noticed a number of critics who mention that this book is "not a good place to start when reading Wendell Berry," but this, as well as most of the associated comments, leave me scratching my head and wondering if these folks have actually read this book. These folks also seem to not comprehend in the least the difference between an essay and a master's thesis replete with lots of footnotes. Berry is an essayist, and to apply the words "shrill" or "vague" to his pieces is obtuse to the point of absurdity. In particular, he is quite precise in his addressing of particular cases, such as his critique of "The Kentucky Cycle" and its readings in local and national culture, and he is also distinct in his proposals for solutions and remediations concerning the issues that he addresses, whether agricultural, natural, or societal. His discussions of traditions, communities, and economic practices are solidly based in observations of how people live and interact; it is not small irony that those who critique his "rose-colored view" of the past simply subscribe to a mythologized concept of "progress" (assumed with technology) and a condescension toward "small town life." "Another Turn of the Crank" -- certainly one of Berry's funniest titles and refreshingly sharp covers -- should be read with a clear mind and its quandaries and provocative jabs at many of the assumptions of contemporary practices, whether agricultural or literary, will enliven any reader's mind.

Preaching to the Choir?.......2005-01-22

I'd never read Berry before, but as far as I can tell, this brief collection of six essays and lectures sticks to familiar territory. However, it's probably not the best entry point for people who are newcomers to his realm. There are two related problems with the book: one of presentation, and one of tone. The problem with presentation is that the pieces are so short that there's no room for specifics. So, while one might be more or less in accord with the broad strokes of Berry's vision, there's no detail to back it all up. The problem with tone is that from the very first page the reader feels like they are being lectured at. Of course, some of the pieces are lectures, but there's a certain condescension that runs throughout the book. It comes out when Berry uses certain words such as the three As of "appropriate", "authentic" and "adequate". When these are used ( as they often are), there he's obviously made some kind of value judgment, but the reader is never let in on it. The end result of the two flaws is that the reader feels like a hectoring argument is being made without any supporting logic -- which ultimately smacks of preaching to the choir.

Which is unfortunate, since I tend to agree with Berry on a lot of things (though not his anti-abortion stance). Small farms are good, agribusiness is bad, stewardship of the land is good, extraction industries are bad, treating the body as an organic whole is good, and things of that nature. Alas, he has a tendency of making sweeping assertions and accusations that are far too simplistic and shrill to be useful. Two examples from the first 15 pages will suffice to illustrate: "This is a world in which the cultures that preserve nature and rural life will simply be disallowed." and "Communists and capitalists are alike in their contempt for country people, country life, and country places."

Berry also succumbs to the trick of creating straw men to counter his theses. For example, in one essay, he claims that conservationists are people who want to simply preserve land in a pristine, untouched state, and that's all. While there are certainly some conservationists who feel that way, they are a small minority of a a much larger community who actually is in almost total accord with Berry's views on stewardship and land use. It certainly doesn't help matters that his view of small-scale farming appears to be heavily tinted with rose-colored glasses. His claims that modern agribusinesses has rendered the small farm economically unviable sounds like a reasonable proposition. However, it ignores the fact that, historically, small scale farming ran on the thinnest of margins, was subject to all kind of external instability (weather, vermin, etc.), and operated on only slightly better than a subsistence level. In farming, cash is scarce, that's why people abandoned it in droves whenever the opportunity presented itself, such as in WWII, when all those defense-industry factories were opened in California. (Of course, in Berry's vision, you don't really need cash, because you barter for everything you need from your neighbors.)

Berry's exhortations to create small-scale communities is worthy stuff, and even in cities people are creating this. The growth of CSAs, farmers markets, and the like in the past decade is a tangible indicator of this. However, to achieve the large scale results Berry seeks requires a more rigorous roadmap than what is provided in this slim collection.

Caring for the world........2000-07-18

Wendell Berry is a Kentucky farmer--a "country person" (p. 46), and a former English professor. He is also among my favorite poets. I arrived at this collection of six inspired essays through Berry's poetry. He is no ordinary country farmer, and this is no ordinary book of essays.

These are not easy essays. They often raise more questions than answers. But reading them is rewarding. Poet Ezra Pound wrote, "Learn of the green world what can be thy place." For Berry, "thy place" means "good stewardship" (p. 57), which is the theme of his book. He insightfully examines farm reform, food quality, nature conservation, caring for local communities, and finding redemption in "a fallen world" (p. 102) that is controlled by "distant," "supranational" corporations. "I am a Luddite," Berry proudly proclaims, "not 'against technology' so much as I am for community" (p. 90). For Berry, "human beings, let alone human societies, cannot live indefinitely by poison and fire" (p. 47).

Berry begins his book with a memorable quotation from R. S. Thomas: "What to do? Stay green/ Never mind the machine,/ Whose fuel is human souls,/ Live large, man, and dream small." He ends his book with, for me, the two most memorable essays in the collection: "The Conservation of Nature and the Preservation of Humanity" and "Health is Membership."

With a "turn of the crank," Berry hopes to bring his reader to a starting place to care for the world. But the point of the plucked chicken on the book's cover eludes me still.

G. Merritt

Toccata and Fugue in D minor.......2000-06-06

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

Another Turn of the Crank by Wendell Berry should *not* be the first Berry book one reads.

Wendell Berry seems to attract two kinds of readers. One group of readers consists of the fanatical true-believers. They eagerly snap up every word he writes. One suspects that their objectivity has been washed away by their enthusiasm.

The second group of readers are those who have just stumbled across some portion of Berry's work in the course of their meandering. They have yet to form an opinion. This review is written for the second group.

Wendell Berry, as an essayist, has the ability to slice through the passivity that cocoons the modern reader. His essays challenge them to exercise their mind and to examine their value system. Berry is not an easy read, he does not mollycoddle the reader with short simple sentences. The complex sentence structure is not the result of whim or laziness. Rather, it is core to Berry's mode of writing. The image that springs to mind the exercise in logic that requires the student to sort through a box of marbles with a balance-beam scale to find the marble(s) that are different. Expect to work when you read a Wendell Berry essay.

Another Turn of the Crank, specifically, is a depressing book. Berry writes in the Foreword "The proper role of government is to protect its citizens and its communities against conquest - against economic conquest just as much as conquest by overt violence." The majority of the remaining 100 pages are devoted to showing how the government failed (short synopsis: Policy supports industrial farming/forestry. Industrial farming is a commodity-extraction process. Commodity extraction does not create much wealth but is efficient for *concentrating* wealth. Wealth concentration is a zero-sum game. Weath is concentrated at the expense of others. Consequently, industrial farming causes widespread impoverishment.) and why the government failed (short synopsis: Farmers are no longer electorially significant but the cash contributions of industrial farming are.) to fill their proper role. The book projects the anguish one would expect of a general who learned that the diplomats traded away the battlefield his troops bought with blood.

Another Turn of the Crank should not be the first Wendell Berry book that they read because of it's one-dimensionality. New readers of Berry will be better served to start with The Gift of Good Land, or What are People For? These collections of essays are Wendell Berry samplers. They give the reader a much better feel for the range of Wendell Berry's ability to savor the human condition and his ability to project that experience through the written word.

A Beautiful Collection.......2000-02-03

Once again, Berry has produced a work worth reading over and over again. By far one of his best collections of essays, I found myself warmed and heartened by his words and was impressed by how well he expresses the compatibility of good human work with nature, as they are often seen as opposing forces. He shows us how the best of our cultural traditions can bring a better life to all of us. His writings simply get better and better. If you've never read anything by Berry before, this could be a great one to start with. I also highly recommend another book of his, The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture. I will treasure this book for years to come.

Conservation trails: A guide to Missouri Department of Conservation hiking trails
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Conservation trails: A guide to Missouri Department of Conservation hiking trails
Teresa Kight
Manufacturer: Missouri Dept. of Conservation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 188724722X

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