The Mojave: A Portrait of the Definitive American Desert

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The Mojave, as David Darlington describes it, is a "wilderness defined by human ambition, an empty place full of activity, a blank slate brimming with meaning, an overflowing void." Darlington writes of the wide-ranging impact of the human presence on a region that appears to be rugged but is actually perilously fragile and vulnerable. From ranchers to the rise and demise of Route 66 to the environmental consequences of mining, tourists, and military activity, Davis shows that despite its peaceful imagery, the Mojave is a damaged battleground. He reports on conservation efforts as well as the depredations of developers.

Customer Reviews:

This is an exceptionally interesting and well-written book.......2005-01-18

I enjoyed all of it. He has the ability to take nonfiction topics that could be deadly dull and write about them in an engaging way. I not only enjoyed reading this book but I also learned a lot. I went and visited the Integratron after reading about it in this book and it was as interesting as he said. Highly recommended for anyone who likes the desert! Or who wants to learn more about it. I have very little time and it's hard to write a book that I will read all the way through but this one did it for me.

A geology framed by misadventure and interference.......2002-05-06

David Darlington takes us hunting for Joshua Trees, exploring volcanic cones and pleistocene lakes, for a survey of the great American desert that may seem heavy on geology and flora until you notice that, along the way, Darlington is introducing us to an impressive cast of real-life characters who define this portrait of the Mojave.

His prose does not call attention to itself, but he deftly weaves scientific information with human behavior in a portrait of the desert at a certain time in its relationship with humankind.

Habitat of the Phantom Duck of the Desert.......2002-02-18

Growing up during the 50s and 60s in the Los Angeles area, some of my fondest memories are of the day trips my parents and I and our arsenal of .22-caliber rifles would take to the Mojave Desert. While Dad and I plinked paper targets, discarded bottles and rusty cans, Mom would wander off, hopefully out of the line of fire, to hunt wildflowers. After littering the desert with expended shells and disturbing the quiet with gunshots, I remember hearing the rattle of the desert shrubs in the wind and the scuttle of unseen small animals on the desert floor. It was an extraordinarily peaceful place. (Hey, who says I wasn't a sensitive child?)

Before reading THE MOJAVE, I thought that desert a relatively small area northeast of Los Angeles extending to Needles and the Colorado River. I was surprised to learn that it also stretches into western Arizona and as far north as the southern tip of Utah, and encompasses southern Nevada and such places as Death Valley, Las Vegas, and Hoover Dam. Indeed, David Darlington's book provides a wealth of information about this big "empty" place. After an opening chapter on that definitive symbol of this desert, the Joshua Tree, Darlington explores such diverse places and topics as a seventy-mile stretch of old Route 66, the space shuttle landing area at Edwards Air Force Base, the desert as a convenient hiding place for dead bodies and illegal drug labs, and a history of area mining from the first pick-and-shovel prospectors to today's international conglomerates. As a self-proclaimed conscientious objector, the author describes, but isn't thrilled about, the military's use of the region, from Patton's Desert Training Center during WWII, to modern day's Fort Irwin National Training Center (for Army infantry maneuvers) and the Nevada Test Site (for nuclear weapons). And, on a less apocalyptic note, he describes cattle ranching and the life of the desert tortoise, and reveals Giant Rock as a mecca for UFO and ET True Believers.

Most of what THE MOJAVE imparts to the reader is truly fascinating and informative, so I was initially tempted to give it at least a 4-star rating. However, the final chapter is a tediously long - 91 of the volume's 314 pages - narrative history of the conflicts arising from desert land (ab)use, such as urban over-expansion (in Las Vegas) and the recreational use of off-road vehicles, epitomized by the on-again, off-again and much fought over Barstow to Vegas ORV race. Darlington's hot button seems to be the fate of the endangered desert tortoise, about which he apparently cares a lot (though tries not to be obvious about it). But it was way much more than I needed to know, especially when the author bored me to tears with the escapades of the Phantom Duck, the nemesis of the Fed's Bureau of Land Management. And, because the author apparently disapproves of the manner in which the Mojave is being utilized by the military, Big Mining, and greedy land developers, the tone of the book is unnecessarily humorless. Gee, Dave, I wish you could've lightened up more - the Earth continues to spin.

The Definitive Desert Book.......2001-03-20

David Darlington evokes how humans perceive and evolve in relation to their environment better than anyone, perhaps save Mike Davis ("City of Quartz"). I'm originally from Barstow and the sea-change in attitude about the desert is accurate in every respect. His chapters on dirt bikers and the Las Vegas-to-Barstow race is a must-read for anyone who cares both about the desert *and* about how to enjoy it responsibly.

My only quibble is that it could've been longer-- Route 66, the definitive Mojave highway, is barely mentioned and the impact of the railroad-- the *real* reason the Mojave is inhabited-- is never even mentioned. But these are minor complaints. Each subject is worthy of a book in its own right, so adding would've made it a rather massive read.

Darlington bravely lets the people involved in the desert speak for themselves, in all their moral ambiguity and colorfulness. No one in the debate over desert land management becomes either a saint or Satanic (with one exception, and he's gored by his own words, not Darlington's).

A must-read for anyone who has ever loved the desert.

If there were six stars, this book deserves them........2000-04-03

A feature article from Outside magazine back in 1988 asked "Whose Desert is it Anyway?", with a striking photograph of Joshua trees and the surreal backdrop of the then-called Joshua Tree National Monument in the magic hour of low sunlight (the article, if I can remember clearly, was about the proposed California Desert Protection Act). Since then, many desert lovers, myself included, have reveled on the upgraded status of Joshua Tree and Death Valley to national parks and the establishment of East Mojave Scenic Area to ensure the protection of these desert areas for the future.

The same question is the outright message of Darlington's book. The book starts as an almost tantalizingly and compellingly readable account of what makes people love the desert, and in this particular instance, the Mojave, part of which is what other people I know have said is "that stretch between L.A. and Las Vegas" that is "just desert", short of saying, "there is nothing there". Admittedly (for me) the best part of the book is the beginning, where the author spends some time traveling the area with a naturalist who is very particular about the boundaries of the Mojave desert and about finding the southernmost Joshua trees, and when the author follows the Old Spanish Trail and the Mormon Trail, thereby giving us the history of exploration and settlement of California's arid quarter. Beyond scenery, geology, and natural and human history, Darlington also provides a balanced expose of how people have used the desert and have come to love it. Surely the desert does not belong to one interest group exclusively. And to quote the biologist Kristin Berry from Darlington's book: "where there's goodwill, there are all kinds of possibilities for compromise that won't compromise the long-term welfare of the animals [in the Mojave]", and I guess the same can be said of the fragile desert as a whole. For even the deceptive distances, the forbidding temperatures, and the unforgiving terrain cannot belie the vulnerability of this ecosystem to the potentially irreversible damage that humans can inflict on it. We have to respect the Mojave's unique biological attributes and the psychological benefits of open space and breathtaking scenery if we want to make sure the desert will always be there for everyone.

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"We're going to Italy!" has such a pleasant ring to it--but the devil is in the details. There's so much to see and experience that there's no way you can do it all in one lifetime, let alone one trip. So you need to make choices, and for that you need reliable information, and for that you need Frommer's 2000 Italy. Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince are a sterling travel-guide team: Porter wrote Frommer's first-ever Italy guide and has been back many times since, and Prince, formerly of the Paris bureau of the New York Times, has lived and traveled extensively in Italy. Their work pays off in a guide that's thorough, accessible, and dependable.

The "Best of Italy" section lists museums, romantic getaways, cathedrals, restaurants, ruins, and countryside drives, and the "Regions in Brief" chapter helps you set your priorities and make some destination choices. After setting your itinerary comes the fun part: reading up on the hotels, restaurants, sights, and activities in the cities or regions you'll be visiting; learning about Italy's history, art, architecture, and food; practicing a bit of basic Italian vocabulary--and best of all, actually going on the trip itself. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

The dollar continues to be strong against the lire, making Italy a great value for U.S. travelersand making this guide one of Frommers best-sellers! Tourism to Italy continues to grow at a rate of 7-8% annually, and the numbers should be phenomenal this year, as Jubilee 2000 approaches, bringing millions of travelers and pilgrims to Rome. Many of those travelers will begin planning their trips this year, and dozens of Italys art treasures and monuments are being restored in anticipation. Frommers Italy 99 is on top of all the latest developments, and offers an astoundingly complete guide, from the hill towns of Tuscany to the dramatic scenery along the Amalfi coast.This year with an earlier release date than ever before!

Customer Reviews:

The Best Guide.......2000-09-17

I travelled to Italy recently and the Frommer's Book was the most helpful guide that I used to plan the trip. The book is well organized and clearly written. The Hotel section included e-mail addresses to communicate with the hotels. (A cost-saving feature lacking in other guides). I chose all of my hotels from the suggestions in the book. I found them to be very accurate, and I was not disappointed with any of my accomodations. The book was also very helpful for day to day sightseeing and planning. It contains very helpful maps with major points marked clearly. It contains descriptions of sights to see and various towns that are succinct and easy to read. Overall, you can safely carry one book while in Italy -- the Frommers. I also read several other guides before my trip --- the Lonely Planet Italy, which I found to be too bulky, wordy and unhelpful with regards to hotels. The Fodors guide, which was OK, but I would recommend Frommers above Fodors as more comprehensive. The Eyewitness guide, which is very helpful because of the pictures while looking a particular sites while in Italy, but I did not find helpful for planning the trip. Buy the Frommers to plan your trip. Consider buying the Eyewitness guide to take with you on your trip. Most of all, have fun! Italy is great country to visit!

Frommer's Italy 2000.......2000-03-19

This is a great comprehensive guide. Great maps, lists of attractions and photographs. My only concern is that some lesser known eateries and hotels are not listed.

The One Book You'll Need to See Italy in 2000!.......1999-10-21

I've used Frommer's Italy in the past and was always more than satisfied, but I really love this new edition. Besides all the dependable info on hotels, restaurants, sights, etc., you now get a free Italy map, a directory for planning your trip online, and "Postcards from Italy"--which is 16 pages of fantastic color photos. Great job!

Best of the three travel guides we used for our Europe trip........1999-06-10

This book provided us with valuable information on the best sights to see while visiting Rome, Florence, and Venice. The book also contained valuable travel tips on obtaining ticket reservations in advance. These tips saved us valuable time while we were in each city.

Comprehensive and thoroughly-enthralling.......1998-11-28

"Frommer's '99 Italy" is a comprehensive and thoroughly-enthralling guide. Darwin Porter and Danforth Prince, travel writers extraordinaire, take us from Cortina d'Ampezzo (gateway to the majestic Dolomites) down to the isle of Sicily, with its vineyards and aromatic citrus groves. The authors have gathered a treasure-trove of recommended sites, shops, restaurants, and accommodations in a dozen regions of Italy. To help keep readers from being overwhelmed by the abundance of material, Porter and Prince astutely begin the guide with a 15-page "The Best of Italy" chapter. Thus, there's little chance of your not finding out about some gem of a store, museum, or moderately-priced hotel. After the above, we're given a fine introduction to "The Land of Leonardo & Michelangelo." Then the authors cover all the details you need to actually plan the trip. Be sure not to miss the "Fast Facts: Italy" section. It's nearly worth the price of the book. This guide is a must-purchase for both lovers of Italy and Italy-bound travelers.

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Frommer's Rome '99
Darwin Porter , and Danforth Prince
Manufacturer: Frommer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0028623657

Book Description

Please Don't Kill the Freshman is the true tale of one Portland girl's first year of high school. It signals the emergence of a true and totally original voice in the world of underground writing. Written at the start of the new century, while the author was just fourteen, PDKTF is a brilliant and entertaining look at what really happens in today's high schools.

Customer Reviews:

What a waste of my time and money...........2007-05-21

I have a lot of hatred directed towards this book. I know everyone is saying they might recommend this to a 16 year old, but I am 16 and I hated it. It was lazily written with no clear plot or character development; half the time I had to look on the front page to find out which person was which. Reading through this I kept thinking "what the heck is going on!?". This book is crap. It was a waste of my hard earned money (which I got back after returning the book to the store), and my time! I wasted part of my life to read about some self-absorbed, selfish brat is my age (at the time of writing). I picked up this book because I thought it would be a funny, lighthearted satire on high school life. I thought that me, being one of the social outcasts of my school, could relate to this girl, but all I saw was a self-righteous, annoying, immature little girl who doesn't deserve to have her book published.

And now I've had my say, thank you. :-)

This is just horrible.......2007-05-03

Pretentious, self-absorbed, and very, very poor writing. Trying to be avante-gard? of course, but like so many others, it's almost embaressing. Not to mention she forgot to include the super-decoder-ring to understand her inane dialogue.

You will love this Book.......2007-01-19

Most People think that high school is the best thing in the world. Please Don't Kill the Freshman mostly says other wise. Zoey Trope, now out of high school, writes about life as it was when she went to school. It is a book that tells you how it is. Like about how there is differnt cliques in high school and how they treat other people. Trope writes about her everyday life, like a journal. She writes about the guys she "loves", girls she hates, and how she thinks she is fat. In other words this book made me see a whole different view on life in high school. Zoey Trope did a great job on this book.

please kill zoe trope... i don't really care what happens to the freshman........2006-08-30

GOD!!! this book is the most self-centered, angsty piece of sh** i have ever read. EVER. the whole thing reads like a love letter she wrote to herself. zoe's a normal fifteen-year-old, except NOT, 'cause she's DIFFERENT: she's a LESBIAN, she's LIBERAL, she's COOL. she spends her angst-ridden days looking down on everybody. it seems she has no kind words to say about anyone or anything throughout the novel, except for her secret love (her gay best friend - wait, i thought she was a LESBIAN?!). [...]

People Just Dont Seem To Understand.........2006-07-14

People giving this book a bad review dont understand. This isnt a story ment to intertain you, this isnt even a story. This book is her life, her soul. It is her journal. She didnt make it to intertain. Zoe was just a normal girl who got her journal turned in to a book. This dosent have a plot, or story line and thats what people dont seem to get. It is a JOURNAL. And the way she writes is the way she thinks, and it is what it is great.

Please Don't Kill the Freshman: A Memoir

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Read if you like good literature
A Teenager's Bible
the real deal
Not terribly well written, but interesting.
Very Moving

Please Don't Kill the Freshman: A Memoir
Zoe Trope
Manufacturer: HarperTempest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060529369
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Book Description

I wrote a story about you. Well, sort of, see, it's mostly about me. Well, entirely about me, but here's the catch: I'm you. No, really, I mean it. Not like that transcendentalism stuff we're learning in English class, but really, truly, I'm you. I know what it feels like when your heart beats so hard against your white bone ribs, when you sing in the shower with soap in your eyes, when you run until you get a side ache. I wrote this story about you because I am so in love with you, your broken-fence teeth and your tissue-paper scars. I love you when you're so exhausted it could topple you to the ground, so in love it could snap guitar strings, so sickly sweet it could make lips smile. This is a reckless love story. This is my shameless confession.

Customer Reviews:

Read if you like good literature.......2005-11-16

This book is a thing of beauty. I understand that many people are offended by the sharp, crude way Zoe sees the world, but it really is quite a clever way of writing- sometimes poetry form, sometimes short, broken sentences- this is the diary of a teenaged girl. This is not a book for the prejudiced or narrow-minded. This is a beautiful work of art that many are blinded by. This is the deep truth that everyone chooses to overlook or cover up.

A Teenager's Bible.......2005-10-10

There aren't enough words in the limited english language to describe how good this book is. It wasn't written for anyone. It was written for Zoe. By Zoe. She never imagined anyone else wanted to hear about her sh*tty life. And when she found out we did want to hear about it, She just said 'Fine, here you go, enjoy.' Because she didn't really care what we thought of it. It wasn't FOR us. Some may say this is badly written, perhaps because of bad grammar, or general mechanics. But I say, if you are writing what you feel, and writing the truth, then there is no wrong way to write. There is no 'bad book'. And as for me, who was 14 when I first read it, it helped me survive my teenage years. It was my Bible. It kept me sane, knowing I wasn't the only one. And it still keeps me sane, as I inch closer to 18.
Don't worry that she's hypocritical, don't worry that the mechanics are bad, don't worry that she uses words like f*ck or sh*t or d*ck or p*ssy. Because it's all true.

the real deal.......2005-04-30

I was disappointed with the excerpts I first read of this book, in 2003's Best American Non-Required Reading anthology, but recently decided to give it another chance. I'm glad I did. As much as I like other books written for teens, there are some times and emotions in life that can only be captured while you're still experiencing them. Unfortunately, most teens don't have the talent to pull this off either. This book is one of those rare exceptions where the lines of talent and experience meet, and readers are pulled right up close to these emotions (and pulled back in time, if you're an older reader like me).

Sometimes cryptic and surreal, sometimes matter of fact, this book covers Zoe and her friends' lives in their first two years of high school, her relationship with another girl and confusion about her sexuality, and, later, her first publication and book tour (and the strangeness of experiencing this at such a young age). I think this book will inspire other young people to write, but, more importantly, it will help other teens who don't fit in at their high school feel like they've made a new friend.

Another reviewer said, "The book simply is not well crafted. It seems to make no attempt to be well crafted." Exactly. Parts of the book were never meant to go beyond her journal, and most of it was virtually unedited before being published in book form. Although this does make the book heavily uneven at times (it didn't really take off for me until halfway through), and some of the common clichés of teenage writing were unavoidable, the rawness and honesty of the writing more than make up for these flaws. Although Zoe is in college now, and has probably matured and honed her skills, I would guess that she is still in awe herself when she rereads some of the things she wrote back then.

At the end of the book, Zoe writes, "They tell me I am a writer and then send me to driver's ed, where they explain how to turn headlights on and off. They tell me I am so mature and ask me how to change the oil. They tell me I am brilliant and show me where the brake pedal is. I still don't know how to stop."

I hope she never learns.

Not terribly well written, but interesting........2005-02-25

Ms. Trope is a talented young lady. I felt I had to give this book a rather poor score largely because from my point of view it simply isn't terribly well written. At times it sounds nice, but the book largely seems written more from a standpoint of voice rather than of actual writing. What I mean by this ambiguous statement is that the book simply is not well crafted. It seems to make no attempt to be well crafted. Instead it is written to sound a specific way. A way I assume Ms. Trope is associating with her voice and her life. While reading such a thing might be interesting, it simply does not from my point of view make good literature. It takes no effort to have a unique voice. A unique voice, in fact, is not terribly unique. Everybody has a unique voice. A work created solely because it contains a unique voice might be entertaining, but without craft does not create enduring art. So, I might encourage this to my niece to read, but not because it's terribly good, but because it's a bit entertaining.

Very Moving.......2005-02-04

When I first started to read this book I didn't like it. By the middle of it I was remotely apathetic to it. By the end it consumed me.

If you are looking for great literature this isn't your book. If you are looking at a raw, poinant look into the life of a 14 year old, this is your book. Zoe tells it how it is, and most importantly it's all real. Every bit of it. Every emotion is that of the 14 year old who is authoring the book.

Zoe will strike a nerve and it will rattle down to the core. This is a great piece of work that needs to be read by young adults who need to know they aren't alone in the world, and by adults who need to be reminded how non-linear youth really is.

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Please Don't Kill the Freshman : A Memoir
Zoe Trope
Manufacturer: HarperTeen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEJ6DO

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Please Don't Kill the Freshman: A Memoir
Zoe Trope
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
ASIN: B000IOF42W

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Please Don't Kill the Freshman: A Memoir
Zoe Trope
Manufacturer: HarperTempest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEM2F8

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Please Don't Kill the Freshman: A Memoir
Zoe Trope
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1RN4U

Book Description

This book addresses the interactions and interrelationships between tumor and host that modulate progression and metastasis. A unique aspect of the book is that it highlights the tumor/host interactions as new targets for therapeutic intervention to control cancer. One promising approach is to target the host rather than the tumor itself, and several authors examine the potential for this novel tactic to oppress the manipulative cancer cell. The book examines the tumor and host relationship from multiple viewpoints: cellular and molecular events that occur during tumor-host cell interactions that control differentiation, cell proliferation, angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry, migration, apoptosis, invasion, metastasis. Other topics include the role of the immune response and chemokines/chemokine receptors, and the role of the brain and nutrients in tumor and host survival. Drug resistance limits cancer therapy, and the book emphasizes numerous novel and future therapeutic directions to sensitize drug resistant cells and other approaches that target the tumor and host microenvironment. This book will be of interest to cancer researchers who are interested in understanding metastasis, tumor and host interaction and interrelationships, and who have an interest in cancer control through development of novel targeting agents that impact these processes.

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Chemical German;: An introduction to the study of German chemical literature, including rules of nomenclature, exercises for practice and a collection ... and others used in technical literature,
Francis C Phillips
Manufacturer: The Chemical Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B00085JTOK

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Fresenius: Organic Chemical Nomenclature: Introduction to the Basic Principles
Philipp Fresenius
Manufacturer: Ellis Horwood
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0745801579

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An Introduction to Chemical Nomenclature
R. S. Cahn
Manufacturer: Butterworths
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CMAY7

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Introduction to Chemical Nomenclature
Robert Sidney Cahn
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0408106085

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Chemical manipulation and analysis: Qualitative and quantitative, with an introduction of the general principles of chemical nomenclature, the construction ... on the preparation and management of gases
Henry Minchin Noad
Manufacturer: R. Baldwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Analytic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00088WKP2

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The introduction of Lavoisier's chemical nomenclature into America,
Denis I Duveen
Manufacturer: s.n.]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007K4D6K

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An Introduction to Chemical Nomenclature
R S Cahn
Manufacturer: Butterworths
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7N5XO

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An introduction to chemical terminology for stenographers
James L Finger
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007I11QM

Book Description

Although the analysis of scattering for closed bodies of simple geometric shape is well developed, structures with edges, cavities, or inclusions have seemed, until now, intractable to analytical methods. This two-volume set describes a breakthrough in analytical techniques for accurately determining diffraction from classes of canonical scatterers with comprising edges and other complex cavity features. It is an authoritative account of mathematical developments over the last two decades that provides benchmarks against which solutions obtained by numerical methods can be verified. The first volume, Canonical Structures in Potential Theory, develops the mathematics, solving mixed boundary potential problems for structures with cavities and edges. The second volume, Acoustic and Electromagnetic Diffraction by Canonical Structures, examines the diffraction of acoustic and electromagnetic waves from several classes of open structures with edges or cavities. Together these volumes present an authoritative and unified treatment of potential theory and diffraction-the first complete description quantifying the scattering mechanisms in complex structures.

Book Description

Dante Alighieri was born in Florence in 1265 and belonged to noble but impoverished family. He followed a normal course of studies, possibly attending university in Bologna, and when he was about twenty he married Gemma Donati by whom he had several children. He had first met Bice Portinari whom he called BEATRICE, in 1274, and when she died in 1290, he sought distraction by studying philosophy and theology and by writing La Vita Nuova. During this time he became active in politics and was involved in the strife between the Guelfs and the Ghilbellines; he became a prominent White Guelf, however when the Black Guelfs came to power in 1302, Dante, during an absence from Florence, was condemned to exile on false charges, including embezzlement. When Dante failed to answer the charges he was threatened with being burnt at the stake upon re-entry of Florence. When he further refused to dishonour himself and admit the charges the death sentence was finally extended to his children as well. Dante never saw his beloved Florence again. Dante took refuge in Verona, and after wandering from place to place traveling extensively within northern Italy he settled in Ravenna. While there he completed The Divine Comedy, which began around 1308. Dante died in Ravenna in 1321.

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