Why do Whales and Children Sing?: A Guide to Listening in Nature

Book Description

This book of short essays, each accompanied by a track on the enclosed CD, introduces the universal qualities of soundmaking and listening. Wide-ranging and accessible, themes include biology, personal reflection, deep ecology musings and social context; Dunn's sudden kernals of sythesis and insight show how sound offers connection with nature, and ourselves, in profoundly direct ways.

Customer Reviews:

Why Do Authors Write?.......2006-04-05

David Dunn has a fairly distinguished reputation as a field recordist, a phonographer, a collector and manipulator of sounds. His ear is attuned to sounds normal people can't hear, or overlook in their haste. He tends to be a miniaturist.

A book on his recording experiences and techniques is not out of the realm of interest, therefore. This book, illustrated with a 40-track CD, explains a fair bit about where and how each recording was made.

But it fails to answer, or even address, the questions of the book's title. Why DO whales sing? Why DO children sing? For the same reasons, presumably, that authors write books. Dunn has a predictable point to make -- diminishing habitat, human noise pollution, complexity of nature, blah-blah-blah -- but mostly this too-slim volume is an excuse to present some cool recordings (alas, also way too short!) and talk about them. Briefly.

The entire package is very reminiscent of Bernie Krause's "Wild Soundscapes" book + CD, although it predates it by 3 years!

Book Description

Our favorite canoeing guide takes us on 20 trips in Algonquin Park. Algonquin is Ontario's foremost canoeing destination, a paddler's paradise of spectacular lakes and rivers, and few know the park better than Kevin Callan. Includes routes for all skill levels.

Customer Reviews:

Great guide/storybook combo.......2001-06-06

Callan's a great storyteller, but this is not just a storybook. He's a great guide, but this is not just a guidebook. Callan beautifully combines the two worlds in BT&BF to lend the reader a guidebook with stories that whet the appetite for an Algonquin trip. Callan gives the reader several options for weekend or week-long trips in the park and spices the descriptions up with his great storytelling ability. The only drawback is the lack of an index where one could compare trip length, difficulty, etc. in a table format instead of having to leaf back and forth through the book, but don't let that dissuade you. This is an excellent resource for the Algonquin canoeist.

Excellent cover design and overall rectangular-solid form........1999-04-08

The last word was every bit as incredible as the first...WOW! That Brookie on the cover would hit the spot right now... I'm pretty hungry... unfortunately it's only an image printed on paper... not very satisfying or tasty for that matter. The main thing you need to know about this book is that it's ultimately just a bunch of words on paper; like most other books. And hidden beneath this thin veil of "outdoor writing" is really just a silly lesson in Yin and Yang philosophy, as the words of the book depend upon and are largely defined by the Old Growth Forest paper that they are printed upon. And vice versa. Whatever. Spend some money. Check it out. You might be disappointed... then again,you just might not. Besides, everyone needs an extra book or two to fill those annoying gaps that appear in your bookcases when somebody pulls out another book to read, or to slap a fly with, or to use as a temporary, mobile writing platform. Happy reading!

Amazon.com

Mary Elizabeth, a.k.a. Lola, is accustomed to playing the starring role in the fascinating production that is her life. Her pottery-making single mom and bratty twin sisters are merely bit players in Lola's dramatic existence. But all this changes when she is forced to move from her beloved Manhattan to the boring suburbs of New Jersey. According to Lola, "living in the suburbs is like being dead, only with cable TV and pizza delivery." The worst part is that someone has already snagged the coveted Drama Queen of Suburbia title--and that someone is Carla Santini. Carla, who is "sophisticated, beautiful, and radiates confidence the way a towering inferno radiates heat," isn't about to let anyone take away her hard-earned crown. Undaunted, Lola tries out for and wins the lead in the school play, a role much desired by Carla. In retaliation, Carla makes the entire student body give Lola the silent treatment (and in addition scores tickets to a sold-out concert of Lola's favorite rock band). Can Lola crash the concert, crush Carla, and still have enough energy to wow everyone in the school production of Pygmalion? It's all in a day's work for Lola, Teenage Drama Queen.

With Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Dyan Sheldon has written a classic good girl vs. bad girl story and a rib-tickling romp through the petty kingdom (or in this case, queen-dom) of small-town high school popularity politics. The wide-open ending will have young drama-queens-in-training eagerly searching the shelves for the next installment of Lola's adventures. (Ages 12 and older) --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

"High school has always been this stressful, but rarely this hilarious." —BOOKLIST (starred review)

More famous than ever after hitting the silver screen, the ever-dramatic Lola Cep is still in the spotlight — vying with Born-to-Win, Born-to-Run-Everything Carla Santini to snag the lead in the high school play. Can Lola survive Carla's attempts at retaliation? Once the curtain goes up, which drama queen will take center stage?

Customer Reviews:

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.......2007-01-07

When I picked up Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen I the plot quickly grabbed my attention. This was I great book and I highly reccomend it. If you don't like "girly-girl" books, this may not be the one for you. I reccomend it for 4th-7th graders. I read it in fith grade. I hope you found my review helpful.

Sophie S.

The April Book.......2007-01-03

Mary Cep, well i mean Lola (is what she likes to be called). Lola is in her own little world. She lived in New York in manhattan and she finds out that she has to move to New Jersey Dellwood a.k.a. "Deadwood". Lola's dream is to become a Actress and she feels moving to "deadwood" is going to cramp her Style.

She goes to a new school and finds out that she's not the only drama queen, there are plenty more. She meets her only frined Ella who is totally the same but somewhat opposite from Lola. And they clicked, But she finds out there is a play that she want to play in but their is trouble coming her way when she finds out that Ms. Carla Santini is going to for the same part Carla also known as a drama queen, the diffences between them is that Carla is rich and Lola is not the rich. That causes drama between two big drama queens. Through out the book They are getting at each other.

real but not her life .......2007-01-02

Mary Elizabeth cep or like she prefers to be call Lola because she think "Mary Elizabeth" sond like an English maid. She thinks Lola is romantic and mysterious. The story start when Mary's mom dissaded to move to New Jersey. Mary, her mom and her two sister twins pam and paula move to Dellwood or "Deadwood" New Jersey. There Mary think she was going to be the center of attention in the town and school. Mary dissaded to start her own makebelieve life but it dint work her way because the most popurlar girl in school was not going to let Mary her spothlight. Carla Santini made her life hard for Mary or Lola (that how every one call her in the high school). Mary try out for the school play PYGMALION and she got the lead part because she knew Carla wanted that part for then on Carla try to make Mary life a living hell but Mary make it and she got the spotlight she wanted seen the beginning

I relly like this book like this book because this book is realistic. I could relate to this book like Mary i move too to passaic New Jersey n like Mary I lie on some think but I dint lie about big think i didnt kill my father like she didnt so her friend could fell sorry for her and her family. This book is verry interisting n it makes you ask your self what is going 2 happens next. I recomment this book to every one. Dyan Sheldon is a very good writer.

CRISTABEL

fun and flashy.......2006-08-14

Mary Elizabeth Cep has known practically since birth that her name is far too ordinary for a girl of her nature. This is why she has renamed herself Lola Elspeth Cep (or Sep, she hasn't decided yet). However, her friends and family in The City, who have known her her whole life, fail to comply.

So, when her mother announces that they are moving to Dellwood (aka Deadwood), New Jersey, Lola (after finally resigning herself to the news) sees it as a chance to reinvent herself, and the likes of Carla Santini, the most popular girl in school, can't stop her. Along the path of her reinvention she befriends Ella, her polar opposite on the wildness scale, and shows her that a little adventure now and then is perfectly acceptable. A classic new-girl tale is pumped up with drama and makes for an entertaining read.

The Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.......2005-11-03

'WOW' This is a really good book. Mary Elizabeth Cep none as Lola, is a huge drama queen whitch is what her mom refers to her. She's also a normal teenager who wants to go to the last consert of Sidartha. Her parents gave Lola offers but none of them are good enough for her or Lola's friend Ema. They also have to proof something to the meanest,richest girl in New York Carla Santini. Lola also has to get the leading role in the drama club. The night of the Sidhartha consert comes and Lola has a plan. At first it dosen't work out but towards the end it all works out good.

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Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen
Dyan Sheldon
Manufacturer: Candlewick Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORE5TQ

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Dyan Sheldon
Manufacturer: Walker Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0439653762

Product Description

Now a Major Motion Picture starring Lindsay Lohan

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Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
Dyan SHELDON
Manufacturer: Candlewick Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OPEZPC

Book Description

Cancer screening is an area of great interest to many researchers and the evaluation of screening, addressing such issues as the accuracy, timing and cost-effectiveness, is the subject of much debate. Cancer screening is evaluated (along with most other areas of medical research) through trials that use a particular array of statistical methods to assess the effectiveness of the screening process. This book is an edited collection of chapters written by the world authorities in this area demonstrating practical ways that researchers can use to help them evaluate their own screening procedures. It describes the context and development of cancer screening and its evaluations, and the modelling approaches used to evaluate cancer screening, and goes on the discuss the principles of monitoring service screening. The final part of the book presents case studies and problem solving scenarios to illustrate the foregoing discussion.

Quantitative Methods for the Evaluation of Cancer Screening

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Quantitative Methods for the Evaluation of Cancer Screening
Jacques Esteve, Catherine Hill Stephen Duffy
Manufacturer: A Hodder Arnold Publication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OV56MM

Environmental chemistry in the secondary school
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Environmental chemistry in the secondary school
Gerard W Vollmer
Manufacturer: Parker Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
Anatomy | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0132832836

Environmental Chemistry in the Secondary School
Average customer rating:
Environmental Chemistry in the Secondary School
Vollmer Gerard W.
Manufacturer: Parker Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIAJUE

Book Description

A journey into the wonders of science from Joy Hakim, the best-selling author of A History of US.

The story of science is the story of some really interesting people who continuously question the world around them. In the first book of her three part Story of Science Joy Hakim invites readers of all ages to meet the forebearers of modern science—Thales, Pythagoras, Archimedes, Aristotle, Arab and Chinese thinkers, Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, and many others—and share in their exciting discoveries in astronomy, math, and physics. 300 color photographs, illustrations, and maps.

Individual volumes in the series can be read as a set or individually
Each book packed with 256 pages of thought-provoking ideas, math and science concepts, history and literature
Character- and idea-driven narratives that read like an adventure story
300 illustrations in each book, including original art and contemporary photographs
Sidebars highlight fascinating facts and ideas of related interest
Call-outs define unfamiliar words and build vocabulary
Suggestions for further reading on many topics

Customer Reviews:

Great in so many ways..........2007-09-08

I will organize my review into 4 parts: 1. What I was looking for, 2. The ideal audience for this book (just my opinion), 3. Strengths and weaknesses of this book, 4. Who could benefit by owning this book.

1. People of a certain age may remember the Time-Life series of science books. I especially loved the volumes devoted to physical science and math. Those books were written for kids in the upper grades but, in fact, the text was at an adult level. Even today, I enjoy actually reading them, not merely browsing, as the text is sophisticated enough to "pull me in". The photo essays were also magnificent: dramatic, human, entertaining and adult. I was looking for something like those, but of more recent vintage, when I came across "The Story of Science". Did I find it? No, not exactly. But I bought the book anyway. Read on.

2. This book is written for 5th-graders. Period. End of story. I will not negotiate that point. The evidence: words such as "ratio" and "circumnavigate" are defined for the reader. I clearly remember "ratio" being introduced in 5th grade. The other words which are defined are of similar level. Also, the book, while not thin, is built for small hands in terms of height and width. Finally, there is a general lack of sophisticated vocabulary and a peppering of the text with leading questions, meant to induce thinking. These are all hallmarks of a book written for children who are still rather small. The constant interruption of the narrative by questions would be annoying to an older child or adult. If your 7th-grader is still reading this book, you need to push her to move on; she will fall behind in reading skills. Trust me on this; I have taught alot of kids.

3. Weaknesses: None. This book is superb in every way.

Strengths: The text is well-written, lively, questioning, just like the topic it explores.

Words are defined, pronunciation is indicated.

There are numerous side-bars to explain even off-topic issues which have been briefly touched upon.

Example: the King James Bible is quoted at the beginning of chapter 1 (as are other mythological texts; this is not a narrow-minded book). Will a Junior High School student know who King James was? I hope so! An adult? Uh, if you have to ask.... But, normally, a 5th-grader will not. So, Ms. Hakim explains a bit about him in a side-bar. Very nice! It is this, "no stone left unturned" approach that makes this book so excellent.

The graphics are great to look at, informative, and add a delightful dimension. They are sophisticated enough to give this book an adult feel. Only the text, really, clues us in to the target audience.

4. Anyone can benefit by owning this book. I find the text too simple, and too frequently interrupted by simple-minded, kid-type questions, to be really engaging. It doesn't pull me in the way the Time-Life books still can. But, the text is certainly "browsable": read a bit, and then pore over the great, informative graphics and side-bars and, in general, just delight in the lively, colorful presentation of the material.

So, finally, I am still looking for those elusive updated versions of the Time-Life books. But, this book is great on its own level. Give it to a 10- or 11-year old and watch her take off! But, be wise. Unless your kid is remedial, snatch it away when they enter Junior High. Replace it with what? Well, you can always get the Time-Life books at an online auction. They will complete your child's science and literacy development to the intelligent High School level.

An excellent book, and even better read!.......2007-07-09

I typically don't go around recommending books, even good ones. However, this book is well worth the recommendation. It approaches the subject assuming the reader is interested and gets them even more into the subject. It covers math, technology, philosophy, language arts, and geography. Makes mention of art, poetry, exploration, socialization and other factors that influenced the thinking of the ancient thinkers.

It is recommended for K-8 but I have learned so much just by going through and making a lessonplan based on the book. One little problem, it is so interesting I keep reading and studying and the lessonplan is taking forever. LOL

Hats off to Hakim again,
Maeven6

Excellent in Parts but Marred by Anti-Christian Bias.......2007-03-18

As a homeschooler who follows the neo-Classical approach, I had high hopes that "The Story of Science" would be a valuable addition to our study of Ancient times. The first 21 chapters are a fascinating look at the scientific knowledge of ancient civilizations including the Sumerians, Ancient Egyptians, Phoenicians, Ancient Chinese, and of course the Ancient Greeks. Ms. Hakim does an admirable job at explaining often complex topics in a comprehensible and entertaining way.

Unfortunately, the last 80 pages of the book covering the medieval period have a serious anti-Christian bias. For example, Ms. Hakim promotes the false story that St. Cyril had the Library of Alexandria burned, when in fact it was most likely done by a lawless mob of peasants that included both Christians and pagans. She also criticizes monastaries for "locking up" knowledge behind closed walls, when actually they were sanctuaries in a continent overrun by barbarians. She selectively quotes early Christians such as St. Augustine, St. Jerome, Tertullian, Lactantius, and Cosmas to portray them as backward and anti-intellectual while portraying Islamic, Jewish, and Chinese scholars in a completely positive manner. The great Christian intellectuals Sts. Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas are only portrayed positively because Ms. Hakim considers them to be "rebels" against the Church.

I would give 5 stars to the portion of the book covering the Ancient times but only 1 star to the portion of the book covering the medieval period. My advice to Christian homeschoolers wishing to use this book would be to stop on page 189 and skip the remainder.

Wonderful!!.......2006-10-01

I can't sing Hakim's praises enough - from her History of US series to the The Story of Science, all three volumes so far. I've been an avid science fan my whole life, but not a hard science major, and I gasped all the way through these books as I learned things I never knew, but thought I'd known, or finally understood things I'd known about but that had puzzled me. Get over the "distracting" sidebars - they didn't bother me at all and they were full of great stuff. I ate these books up and I was only reading them to preview for my homeschooler who hates math and is bored by science, but loves history. Joy Hakim has a wonderful ability to take a huge subject (all of US history, for instance, and the development and progress of scientific thought in this case) and make it manageable, new and a fun read. I have a new respect for Mathematics after reading this book. My daughter is discovering that science and math really are amazing and play a critical, pivotal role in the unfolding of human history.

Very insightful and a pleasure!.......2006-04-07

I enjoyed Hakim's Story of Us, so naturally i was looking forward to getting my hands on this series. I have enjoyed reading this book. I love how she shares what the different cultures beliefs were regarding different areas of science, and of course with time some of their ideas were proven wrong. I really learned through this book to appreciate Science for what it is . . . . a way of thinking, questioning, and testing. Its trying to understand ideas and concepts bigger than oneself. I've enjoyed the sidenotes- yes it does mean you have to turn the pages back on occasion to read it all but it is great. It's kind of like reading a magazine in that respect, with more than one story on a page. You read one and go back to the other. This is an interesting approach to science - learning the who, and why part of how. I recommend it highly.

Book Description

In Rudin (1855) and On The Eve (1859), Turgenev portrays through tales of passionate, problematic love the conflicts of cultural loyalty and national identity at the heart of nineteenth century Russia. Both novels reflect Turgenev's concern with the failings of Russia's educated class, the
only class he believed was capable of building a civilized and humane Russia based on the principles of European enlightenment. The only joint edition available, this fluent translation does full justice to Turgenev's delicate and emotional style.

Customer Reviews:

Words, all words. There were no deeds!.......2005-08-01

Thus complains Rudin, apparently modelled after the Russian anarchist Bakunin whom Turgenev knew personally. Strangely my own reading of the two great Russian anarchists, Bakunin and Kropotkin, it was Bakunin who seemed to be the man of action, Kropotkin who was the great writer.

I took this book with me on a short working trip to Tanzania, a place I had never been to before; knew little of. What greater contrast could there be than Turgenev's Russians and other East Europeans compared to the open, uncomplicated welcome of the Tanzanian people. Rarely have I felt so absorbed and integrated into another society, and so quickly. I enjoy Turgenev's writing and have been reading him for some time now. The struggles he documents - Rudin and Natalya, Insarov and Yelena - are, for me, however, very remote. (Of course, I do realise Tanzanians probably have levels of complexity in their lives that were completely obscure to me in my short visit.)

Take Yelena in 'On the Eve' for example and her admirable love of the Bulgarian Insarov. She draws love from him just as he is trying to leave her, to withdraw from her, because he sees he is so unworthy - an entirely characteristic feeling expressed by many Turgenev characters. Yelena leaves everything behind for Insarov - family, friends, entirely satisfactory suitors, and, most of all, Russia itself. But what does she get? As if to justify Insarov's view (he is a revolutionary just like Rudin in the first of these two stories) Turgenev plunges Insarov into critical illness so that, when he and Yelena leave Yelena's homeland together - having confronted awful partings - Yelena is also leaving behind health and vitality. The price is too great! But, of course, we all do have to make decisions in our lives.

I recommend these stories as well worth reading - they are very rich experiences. On the other hand I can't help but think 'Thank God for the Tanzanians!'

other recommendations:

'Virgin Soil' - Ivan Turgenev
'Fathers and Sons' - Ivan Turgenev
'Under Western Eyes' - Joseph Conrad
'Dark Star Safari' - Paul Theroux (for some travels in Tanzania)

4 stars for 'Rudin,' 5 for OTE.......2004-09-03

Turgenev is my fourth-favourite writer, though I don't know if I'd have placed him so highly on my list of favourite writers if I'd been introduced to him through his novels (of which he wrote only six) instead of his short stories. His books are as good as his stories, make no mistake, but he's more of an idea novelist than an action novelist. The plots aren't full of unexpected edge-of-your seat twists and turns and suspense; he's not the man to go to if you like your novels full of page-turning excitement and events that happen quickly. His characters seem to be more important than the plots; the characters are the ones who espouse and convey Turgenev's ideas and philosophies.

'Rudin,' the first of the two novels contained in this small volume and Turgenev's first book, I found rather unmemorable. (In fact, I found the debut novel of Hermann Hesse, my next-fave writer, 'Peter Camenzind,' to be more interesting and memorable, and overall PC isn't even one of his most memorable books!) Maybe it's because it was a first novel, though. Not much really happens; there are some nice descriptive pieces, but overall it's just a bunch of characters espousing ideas and explaining why they believe what they believe. I also had a hard time keeping track of which character was which, it was that non-character-driven.

The second of the two books, 'On the Eve,' is brilliant by comparison. It's much more memorable, and much easier to remember which character is which, since they do more than just sit around philosophising. It also gets bonus points from me because the male protagonist is Bulgarian, since I love Bulgaria and Bulgarians. I was surprised that Yelena and Insarov actually managed to get married, given that nearly all of the love stories in Turgenev's writing end sadly, but the end is typically Turgenev. (My third-fave writer, Chekhov, also overwhelmingly has sad or pessimistic endings, but they wouldn't be who they were if their stories had happy endings!) I also like how Turgenev has an epilogue in his books (or in this case, a conclusion which may not be labelled as an epilogue but still serves the same purpose) to let the reader know what has happened to the characters since the main story wrapped up. Instead of just ending when the plot reaches its conclusion, he lets us know what has happened to the characters we've gotten to know and love.

Takes a while to get going..........2002-12-08

This is a short portrait of bourgeois Russian society just before the Crimean war, mainly, and its loves and hates.

The most memorable character is a young Bulgarian, who moved to Russia as a child, and decides to go back and drive out the Turks. The reader gets something of the feel of the pan-Slavic movement of the time, which drove Europe to one of its major continental wars (which led almost inevitably to WWI and II). The most memorable scenes are in Venice towards the end - I won't give too much of the plot away.

This isn't Turgenev's best work, but is worth a look, if you have enjoyed his other books.

The Vintage Turgenev.... Vol. 2: On The Eve, Rudin, a Quiet Spot, the Diary of a Superfluous Man
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The Vintage Turgenev.... Vol. 2: On The Eve, Rudin, a Quiet Spot, the Diary of a Superfluous Man
Turgenev;
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KY5YHK

Ivan Turgenev Set: A Desperate Character Etc., Dream Tales Etc., A House of Gentlefolk, On The Eve, Rudin (5 Volume Set)
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Ivan Turgenev Set: A Desperate Character Etc., Dream Tales Etc., A House of Gentlefolk, On The Eve, Rudin (5 Volume Set)
Ivan Turgenev
Manufacturer: The MacMillan Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Turgenev, Ivan | ( T ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000LC2IWK

Product Description

Five of Ivan Turgenev's novels, translated into English by Constance Garnett, published by Macmillan in 1906. Forest green clothbound hardcovers with gold gilt edges and cover stamp, rough-cut edges, gilt top edges, inside glassine endpapers cover pen&ink sketches of Sir Walter Scott, Tsar Michael Federovitch, Diderot, Tsar Nicholas I, and the author, Ivan Turgenev.

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