Radical Ecology: The Search for a Livable World (Revolutionary Thought/Radical Movements)

Book Description

In the first edition of Radical Ecology--the now classic examination major philosophical, ethical, scientific, and economic roots of environmental problems--Carolyn Merchant responded to the profound awareness of environmental crisis which prevailed in the closing decade of the twentieth century. In this provocative and readable study, Merchant examined the ways that radical ecologists can transform science and society in order to sustain life on this planet.

Now in this second edition, Merchant continues to emphasize how laws, regulations and scientific research alone cannot reverse the spread of pollution or restore our dwindling resources. Merchant argues that in order to maintain a livable world, we must formulate new social, economic, scientific, and spiritual approaches that will fundamentally transform human relationships with nature. She analyzes the revolutionary ideas of visionary ecologists for a new economy, society, science, and religion, and examines their efforts to bring environmental problems to the attention of the public.

This new edition features a new Introduction from the author, a thorough updating of chapters, and two entirely new chapters on recent global movements and globalization and the environment. It is a timely update that will give students everything they need to know on the most recent philosophical positions and social movements that characterize the radical ecology spectrum.

Customer Reviews:

A good intro to environmentalism.......2002-08-24

Radical Ecology is an overview of the environmental movement and the social and economic forces that gave rise to it. The book is divided into three parts. The first deals with the nature of the global ecological crisis. In the second part, the author focuses on three schools of thought in the environmental movement: Deep Ecology, Spiritual Ecology, and Social Ecology. Lastly is discussed the movements that have grown out of these schools of thought, namely, Green politics, Ecofeminism and Sustainable Development.

While Radical Ecology is not lacking in information and insight, it really is little more than an overview and therefore does not discuss in depth any of the issues covered. It is therefore a work best suited for those who simply want an introduction to environmentalism.

Handy overview.......2000-12-29

Merchant has written a handy introduction to ecological problems and issues from a radical perspective. A medium-sized book, 240 pages, the author nonetheless manages to encompass major topics of concern, such as deep ecology, social ecology, spiritual ecology, science and world views, ecofeminism, and others, all of which are presented in clear and understandable language. Of course, in-depth discussion should not be expected from a work of this size and scope. Still, each chapter includes a helpful bibliography for those interested in further research.

Radical ecology is explained in the introduction as "... the cutting edge of social ecology...(pushing) social and ecological systems toward new patterns of production, reproduction, and consciousness that will improve the quality of human life and the natural environment." Clearly, Merchant does not believe that mere adjustments to the present global system can remedy centuries of growth-driven industrialization. Fresh ideas are needed as new realities emerge - fresh ways of living with nature, with each other, and with ourselves. In short, new frameworks for sustaining life on the planet have become unavoidable. The book's aim is to provide the reader with a strong sense of those conceptual frameworks currently available. Whatever your persuasion, Merchant's volume is a lively and provocative introduction to what may well be the onset of a new age.

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Sirex noctilio and the physiology of Pinus radiata: Some studies of interactions between the insect, the fungus, and the tree in Tasmania (Bulletin / Commonwealth ... Development. Forestry and Timber Bureau)
M. P Coutts
Manufacturer: Forest Research Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007KCRD6

Amazon.com

Classic Hikes is a greatest hits of previous Mountaineers guidebooks for Washington, collecting in a single volume 100 hikes from the guides to the Alpine Lakes, North Cascades, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, and South Cascades and Olympics regions. The intelligence behind the selection comes from Ira Spring and Harvey Manning, who between them have more than 100 years of hiking experience in Washington. Owners of other Mountaineers guides will notice that the production values of this volume are even higher than usual; color maps and photos adorn high-quality (recycled) paper. At-a-glance information for easy browsing includes the following: mileage, suggested duration in hours or days, high point, elevation gain, seasonality, topo map codes, and additional contact information. The text synopses are colorful and politically opinionated (woe to the dirt biker who crosses paths with these two!). Their sense of tradition is also readily apparent: "To start with the ice cream and work through the meatballs and potatoes to the soup is not esthetic. Coming to the Enchantments by way of Aasgard is in very bad taste."

While avid hikers will have plenty to argue about concerning the sins of omission, it's hard to argue with the inclusion of Mount Rainier's Wonderland Trail, Whatcom Pass in the North Cascades, Image Lake in the Glacier Peak Wilderness, the Enchantments in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and the Olympics' High Divide. These represent some of the most spectacular hikes in North America. The downside is that you're not likely to find solitude in such places, no matter how remote. But there are 95 more trails to choose from, many of similar scenic beauty and slightly less fame.

Book Description

Based on their more than 100 years of combined experience in Washington's backcountry, Spring and Manning have selected their favorite trails for this compendium of classic hikes. Full-color photographs throughout supplement the authors' first-hand descriptions of the trails they have hiked many times over. Featuring spectacular views, flower-filled alpine meadows, lakes and streams, ancient forests, animals and birds, and solitude, these trails will give hikers a taste of Washington's best. Infused with a strong conservation message, this guide not only introduces hikers to Washington's gems but encourages them to become active participants in an effort to preserve and, in some cases, reclaim the remaining wilderness.

Customer Reviews:

By far the best hiking book I have ever read.......2007-02-04

"Ira and Harvey," as my hiking partner and I fondly refer to the authors, are probably the best hiking writers / photographers I've ever encountered. Yes, the book is opinionated; there is no doubt about that. However, that is what makes it special. If you want a book with 1000 hikes and a short listing of facts, this book isn't for you. However, the authors have pulled together their favorite 100 hikes and feel free to tell you exactly why they think they're great. Ira (Spring) was a famous photographer in his day, and I enjoy drooling over his photos of the sites I'll see on the way to hike. We usually preface our hikes from this book by reading the hike description aloud and laughing over Manning's excesses.

My edition is one older than this listing, and in it, as another reviewer remarks, the authors do rail against motorized vehicles. Anyone who's been asphyxiated by a 4-wheeler and coughed for minutes after its departure can appreciate and agree with their rants.

In the edition I have, there is no negative mention of dogs or horses. In fact, Harvey references hikes with his dog fondly. I have noticed in later editions of Mountaineers books anti-dog writing which bothers me - a lot. However, I have never seen that in this book.

If you can only own one hiking book for Washington, this is the one. It's entertaining, informative, recommends fantastic hikes, and has great photos.

Experienced WA hiker does not recommend this book.................2004-06-09

...and recommend in its stead : Hiking Washington's Geology, ISBN: 0898865484.

I live in WA state, and have owned "100 Classic Hikes in WA" for 5 years; I repeatedly "try" to reference for new hiking ideas, but every time end up closing the book in disgust. Here is why:
1. The prose is terrible (excessively 'flowery' and overblown);
2. Non-stop negative "preaching" against the forest service, motorized vehicles, horses & dogs on the trail.
3. Hike descriptions, when not oriented on preaching, are not very descriptive of the specific features as seen on the hike.

Because of this, the valuable information, such as difficulty of hike, accesibility of trailhead, & attraction of hike (view, flowers, etc) is very hard to extract from the hike descriptions.

I consider myself an experienced outdoors-person, and hit the trails almost every weekend during good weather. Sometimes I hike with friends, sometimes I take my dog, sometimes I bring the trailer & ride with my horse, and sometimes I take a mountain bike. My point is: these men found innumerable ways to slam almost every activity I do in the mountains: according to their never-ending negativity, the only good trail is one in which only a walking human is allowed.

My recommendation to the authors is to spend less time 'educating' the public with your incredibly biased opinions and more time on the purpose of the book: educating people on the best places to go in WA for a great hike.

"Hiking WA's Geology" is a much better book, even if you are not interested in geology for the following reasons:
1. Hike descriptions are written by authors experienced in technical writing, i.e. you recieve the most amount of pertinent information in as few words as possible.
2. Many of the trails are 'off the regularly beaten path'
3. Descriptions give detailed information along each section of the hike, so the hiker knows not only the 'what & why' of what he is seeing, but also any technical challenges that might arise (paraphrased e.g.: 3 miles down the trail, the trail becomes difficult to follow, watch for campsite #22, walk to the left, find the trailhead again).

Opinionated guide but great in all respects.......2003-10-02

I have read countless hiking books but never have I encountered a preface like this book. Authors Spring and Manning spend many pages going into a diatribe about how the Forest Service has ruined many Washington trails and how ATV's and encroachment has destroyed much of the pristine beauty of the state. I agree with their comments wholeheartedly, but wonder if such "strident" opinions (to some people) are really suitable in a hiking guide. For me, the political opinions were not a distraction, but I want to mention them in case you are expecting simply a typical guidebook with no ancillary commentary.

Now, to the book itself. Washington is a magnificent and beautiful state to hike. Even without the magnificent hikes in and around the Seattle, there are plenty of other trails to explore and enjoy. This book does it all! It is an exceptionally well-designed book for hikers across the spectrum. Whether you're a neophyte or have climbed Denali, this book contains all the essential information you need to tackle the hikes listed. The photos are all in color and are breathtaking! You really get a sense of what each hike will look like before you undertake it. Every hike also has a brief map to accompany the text description. The maps are easy to follow and instructive. There are also black and white photos of each trail, with two color sections.

Equally pleasing is that the authors take the time to describe each hike in extensive detail, though they are never wordy. They list the elevation gains, give succinct but necessary directions to each trailhead and provide ample analysis of the strengths/weaknesses of each trek. The book is small and light enough to carry in your backpack, if you feel the need to consult it while on the trail.

I have over 50 hiking books in my library and it would be hard to imagine a more complete, more photographically stunning or better written guide. From desert to mountains, Washington has it all. I enthusiastically recommend this gem with the small warning about the authors injecting personal opinions about the Forest Service.

Classic = Old.......2002-07-20

My criticism of this guide applies to all of the so-called "classic" hikes series. It is difficult for me to write, because Harvey Manning was once one of the best guidebook writers on the planet, and Ira Spring's photos are awesome.
But that was then, and this is now. The books are poorly edited, inaccurately updated, sloppy attempts to sell a few more great color pictures and once-good-but-now-preachy Manning writing.
Anyone who has been on any one of the trails of this guide should be able to find at least one significant innacuracy in the description, largely because I'll bet the authors haven't hiked on some ot the trails since they wrote the first edition, almost a half-century ago.
Sadly, some of the photos in this book are in error, too - such as the photo of the "marsh marigold" on page 234, which is actually a Western anemone; or the photo of the "avalanche lily" on page 198, actually a glacier lily. Worse still is the picture on page 35, which shows campers tending a fire in an area where fires have been banned for the past 20 years.
In sum, the classic series does little to enhance the fine reputations of these two guidebook authors.

More from the masters of diatribe.......2002-05-28

Authors Spring and Manning would have done much better serving their readers with more about hikes in Washington and less with their ad nauseum opinions on the Forest Service.

Average customer rating:

these 3 books are the best money can buy
Trite but trusted for years

100 Hikes in Washington's Alpine Lakes
Ira Spring , Vicky Spring , and Harvey Manning
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 089886707X

Book Description

It's hard to imagine a Northwest bookshelf without at least one title in the 100 Hikes series. These books have introduced two generations of hikers and backpackers to the best (and often least-crowded) hiking opportunities in the Northwest. The most popular volume in the series, 100 Hikes in Washington's Alpine Lakes has been completely updated and revised. This rewarding collection of day trips and overnight backpacks covers the area between Stevens and Snoqualmie passes from north to south, Mount Si and Mission Ridge from east to west, and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area. Hike descriptions include distance, elevation gain, estimated hiking times, and best time to go, plus trail maps and enticing photos

Customer Reviews:

these 3 books are the best money can buy.......1999-08-01

i mean why do my friends keep stealing these spring and manning books from me cause their the best thats why these books are the bibles of hiking in washington state

Trite but trusted for years.......1997-04-29

Throughout ten years of hiking the ALW, I have relied on this title for information about trails that I would otherwise not have found. (For that matter, tens of thousands of visitors a year could say the same thing.) --Denis Du Bois, webmaster, Base Camp (the Northwest Hiker's Site

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100 Hikes in the Alpine Lakes
Ira Spring , and Harvey Manning
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 089886108X

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100 HIKES IN WASHINGTON'S ALPINE LAKES
Ira Spring And Vicky Spring And Harvey Manning
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NSI3S0

Book Description

Mark's dog Wolfie is part malamute, part German shepherd, and all heart. Mark can hardly imagine life without his big, loving canine companion. But in 1969, the Vietnam War is still raging, and when Mark learns that the army needs scout dogs, he decides to send Wolfie. As his dad says, a smart dog like Wolfie could save a lot of soldiers—soldiers like Mark's brother, Danny. Besides, it seems like the patriotic thing to do. Inspired by real events, this is a heartbreaking story about sacrifice, loyalty, and the complex meanings of patriotism.

Customer Reviews:

I loved this book.......2007-03-19

I had previously passed this by because I didn't want to read an unhappy ending, which I suspected would be the case. But I kept coming back to it (I loved the name) and finally purchased it. I absolutely loved this book; it is a marvelous animal (dog) story that will linger long after the reader has finished; it is informative about the Viet Nam era, as well as our government's policy of considering these noble animals as disposable equipment; it is about growing up, and delves into a family's interraction too. I am in my 60's, but would recommend this book to readers of any age.

A new classic.......2005-09-09

I sat down and read "Letters to Wolfie" in one day. It's a smooth read - the dialogue flows - the writing is clean, but that isn't why I read it at one sitting. The characters in this book, including one wonderful dog, just grabbed and held on; I couldn't put it down. I laughed and I cried. I believe Ms. Sherlock's book will join the ranks of dog books that we don't ever forget, and that Wolfie can take his place next to Old Yeller and Big Dan and Little Ann.

Boys, dogs and war.......2005-04-30

Sherlock superbly captures and interweaves the emotions of three distinct themes. First, adolescence is confusing and crazy for a young boy, especially when he discovers girls. Second, there is no stronger adolescent bond than a boy and his dog. Third, war is tragic, hurting innocent victims far away from the battle front. Sherlock helps the reader feel the highs and lows of a young man experiencing his first dog, his first love, and his first war.

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A Feeling for the Organism, 10th Aniversary Edittion: The Life and Work of Barbara McClintock
Evelyn Fox Keller
Manufacturer: Times Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Rosalind Franklin : The Dark Lady of DNA

ASIN: 0805074589

Amazon.com

Barbara McClintock was one of the premier investigators in cytology and classical genetics, but her work was pushed out of the mainstream by the revolution in molecular biology in the middle of this century. Thirty years later, the simple truths sought by research scientists whose training was closer to physics than biology continued to prove elusive, and the discovery of transposons in bacteria marked the beginning of a revival of interest in her work. Keller's analysis of McClintock's difficulty in finding a place to work and her relations with other investigators is insightful and thought-provoking, not only about women in science, but about the role of dissent in the scientific community.

Book Description

For much of her life she worked alone, brilliant but eccentric, with ideas that made little sense to her colleagues. Yet before DNA and the molecular revolution, Barbara McClintock's tireless analysis of corn led her to uncover some of the deepest, most intricate secrets of genetic organization. Nearly forty years later, her insights would bring her a MacArthur Foundation grant, the Nobel Prize, and long overdue recognition. At her recent death at age 90, she was widely acknowledged as one of the most significant figures in 20th-century science.Evelyn Fox Keller's acclaimed biography, A Feeling for the Organism, gives us the full story of McClintock's pioneering-although sometimes professionally difficult-career in cytology and genetics. The book now appears in a special edition marking the 10th anniversary of its original publication.

A Feeling for the Organism the Life and Work of Barbara McClintock

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A Feeling for the Organism the Life and Work of Barbara McClintock
Keller Doxie
Manufacturer: W. H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LCS1OY

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Feeling for the Organism: The Life and Work of Barbara McClintock
Evelyn Fox Keller
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8SLZO

Book Description

The Beilstein System is a comprehensive online database for information on organic molecules, reactions, structures, and related topics in organic chemistry. This book describes the growth of the Beilstein System, the new CrossFire search system, and the CrossFire-plus-Reactions database. It provides complete overviews of Current Facts in Chemistry on CD-ROM and the Beilstein database of structures, data, and literature citations. The book also discusses Autonom, a software program that gives chemical names of structures following IUPAC nomenclature rules. It will be an invaluable tool for anyone using the Beilstein System.

Book Description

America's enduring poet of conscience reflects on the proven and potential role of poetry in contemporary politics and life.

Through journals, letters, dreams, and close readings of the work of many poets, Adrienne Rich reflects on how poetry and politics enter and impinge on American life. This expanded edition includes a new preface by the author as well as her post-9/11 "Six Meditations in Place of a Lecture."

Customer Reviews:

Better Late Than Never To Read A Great Book!.......2003-03-07

Adrienne Rich is my current literary hero. And, no, her What Is Found There: Notebooks on Poetry and Politics isn't about feminism. It is about remaining human and maintaining artistic integrity in the face of the dehumanizing influences of our world. Rich calls into question W. H. Auden's oft quoted line "poetry does nothing," introduces readers to marginalized poets we ignore to our own loss, and demonstrates how poetry does considerably more than one might imagine. If I could afford it, copies of her book would go to everyone on my holiday gift list.

Style and Substance.......2000-06-22

Rich's collection of essays on poetry, WHAT IS FOUND THERE, is a superb tapestry of provocative, incisive, and relevant ruminations on poetry. What I really liked about this book is Rich's ability to connect poetry to one's everyday life, not describing it as something to be read by an elite, educated few.() Still, this book moved me and, as a student of poetry, I am inspired and hopeful that poetry and the discussion of it still thrives, contrary to many predictions.

Fabulous book on writing, the world and politics!.......2000-04-02

One of the best books on the place of poetry in the world. A beautifully written collection of prose that discusses the integral connection between poetry and politics. Rich shows the power and passion of the written word and the changes it is able to bring about. Passionately written and surprisingly easy to read.

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