Romanoff-Prince of Rogues: The Life and Times of a Hollywood Icon

Book Description

Take an incorrigible child out of Russian Lithuania, ship him on an orphan train to heartland America, watch him evolve into New York's favorite enfant terrible and finally emerge as Prince Michael Romanoff, restaurateur and confidant to Hollywood's greatest stars, among them Marilyn Monroe, Peter Lawford, Humphrey Bogart, Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra.

Book Description

Hockey legend Gordie Howe once said there were two superstars in the Hull family: Bobby, the Golden Jet and one of the greatest players ever to tie up a pair of skates, and his brother Dennis, who had a solid career with the Chicago Blackhawks, and is now one of the most sought-after public speakers in North America. In The Third Best Hull, Dennis Hull outlines his life in hockey with humorous anecdotes, insights, and stories. Not just another sports autobiography, this book provides insight into the life of a hockey star without taking itself too seriously. Recounted are the time Hull taught Guy Lafleur to speak English; how he once won a coin toss worth $250,000; and his ongoing rivalry with Henri Richard, the younger brother of the legendary Canadiens' great Maurice Richard. Hull recounts the famed 1972 Russia-Canada series and speaks with stunning candor about his brother, Bobby; his nephew and St. Louis Blues' star Brett Hull; and hockey legends like Howe, Ken Dryden, and Bobby Orr.

Customer Reviews:

one Hull of a book.......2006-01-30

Dennis Hull is perhaps best known as Bobby's younger brother or Brett's uncle. Many people (maybe even Dennis) don't realize that Dennis had a very good career.
Hull reveals some great unknown stories. The story behind him actually staying with the Blackhawks as a rookie is a classic! Hull speaks candidly about his bigger, more famous brother, Bobby, who left the Hawks for greener pastures in the WHA. He also discusses current star, Brett Hull. Of course, he goes beyond the Hull family and discusses other greats, like Howe, Richard and Lafleur.
Dennis Hull is a funny, warm, thoughtful man and it comes across very naturally in his book. One gets the feeling that this book could have been 10 times larger and still not covered all of his experiences.

A Great Storyteller.......2002-03-09

Dennis Hull tells his stories in an intelligent and funny way. His autobiography is filled with humorous tales of his experiences as a Hull, a Chicago Blackhawk, and his successes on the MPH line. It's a good thing he gives 100 speaking engagements a year because you'll want to meet him after you read this.

Customer Reviews:

This the Best Screenplay!!.......2003-01-31

I love Jane Austen. And this was the movie that made me fall in love with her work. This book excellent. I act it out all the time and read it along with the movie. This a really great book!If your not sure about it, watch the movie; you'll see what I mean.

Book Description

Companion book to the PBS American Experience documentary: Vegas, baby! One hundred years of sin, gin, and din. From Bugsy Siegel to the Rat Pack and Wayne Newton, from its glamorous showgirls to its fantastic mega-casinos and legendary displays of dazzling neon, Las Vegas is the worlds most famous monument to reckless abandon and unbridled excess. Written in conjunction with the PBS American Experience series and coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the city, Las Vegas: An Unconventional History documents the endlesssly entertaining history of this most outrageous playgroundfrom the Mormon missionaries who came to the area for the natural springs, to the shady mob-connected gamblers, atomic blasts, and the tourists of today looking for fun that can only be found there. Accompanying the fascinating text are essays from four of todays most prominent writers, highlighting some of the more interesting aspects of Las Vegas, such as David Hickeys Lights and Jim McManus, writing on the art of poker. Lavishly illustrated and wittily written, Las Vegas: An Unconventional History is almost as fun as letting that $10,000 bet ride on red.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting!.......2006-03-22

"Las Vegas" provides interesting photos and verbiage covering Las Vegas from its initial start, through the building of Boulder/Hoover Dam, establishment as a "suburb" of L.A., attraction for "quickie" (6 week) divorces, the mob's influx, atomic testing, the "Rat Pack," attraction as a "marriage mill," Howard Hughes, Steven Wynn, imploding old landmarks, and finally the building of new hotels with unique tourist attractions (eg. volcano, pirate ship, art displays, fountains).

Ives also provides several interesting statistical tidbits - Las Vegas slot machines have paid out as much as $40 million to a single winner, and by '04 provided about 2/3 of Las Vegas casino revenue; in '76 nearly half the gross revenue of the 163-hotel Hilton chain came from its 2 L.V. properties; L.V. has 20 of the world's largest 23 hotels; and during the '90s non-gambling revenues began exceeding gambling revenues in Las Vegas.

Cool Coffee Table Book about Sin City.......2006-01-03

I haven't seen the PBS documentary that spawned this companion book, but the book is worth reading and having if you're interested in the history of Las Vegas.

The book covers the founding of Vegas as a town, the construction of Hoover Dam, the flourishing of the Mob, the testing of the atom bomb (120 detonations around 65 miles of Vegas throughout the 1950s!), the Rat Pack, the Howard Hughes period and the Disney-fication of Sin City.

The obligatory PBS Politically Correct chapter on African Americans in Vegas was actually very fascinating. I knew that Sammy Davis Jr. wasn't allowed to stay in the hotels where he performed in the '50s--which was shameful enough--but to read that the Flamingo drained the pool after the gorgeous Dorothy Dandridge swam in it and Lena Horne's sheets were burned rather than put in the laundry ("We don't want to offend the Texans," was the hotel's lame excuse) is shocking and disgraceful.

Definitely a coffe table book with great photos and thick pages. I wish there had been more photos though. As a regular Vegas visitor, I know that town could provide many, many more.

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Las Vegas: An Unconventional History

Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000ETOGE8

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Las Vegas an Unconventional History
Michelle Ferrari
Manufacturer: BULFINCH PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N6447Q

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From the Board Games Editor at BellaOnline.com

Reader's Digest Great Big Book of Children's Games

A wonderful idea book for all ages.

Readers Digest Great Big Book of Children's Games - Over 450 Indoor and Outdoor Games for Kids
Debra Wise , and Sandy Forrest
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Games | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 076210094X

Customer Reviews:

From the Board Games Editor at BellaOnline.com.......2006-01-10

The Great Big Book of Children's Games is full of fun games of all sorts: Ball Games, Water Games, Chase Games, Card Games, and so on. Many of the games are well-known childhood classics, but many of them are either foreign or totally new.

The book offers lots of ways to play versions of popular games with a make-your-own version. Naturally, it doesn't tell you explicitly, "Don't buy game X, you can make your own!", but it does give great instructions on how to make paper playing boards for games like Shut the Box, Beetle (like a drawing version of Cootie), and also how to get the most out of a game like Checkers.

As far as outside games, it can't be beat, there are dozens of variations on classics like hopscotch, hide-and-seek, and that eternal favorite: tag!

This book is a great gift idea for Moms, Teachers, Daycare Providers, and it's a great one to leave around for the teenaged babysitter if you're going out and you don't want the kids to spend the evening in front of the TV. Wonderful!

Reader's Digest Great Big Book of Children's Games.......2000-05-31

This is a wonderful book and I really enjoyed learning more about games to play with my two children. The author is great, Debra has four kids of her own!

A wonderful idea book for all ages........1999-11-12

Ms. Wise does an excellent job thinking of terrific games for kids with helpful explanations and innovative twists on old favorites. One problem is that the age ranges are sometimes too restrictive. My 4-year-old loves to play 20 questions and "Wrong!", games they suggested for 8's. Try things out and have fun!

Readers Digest Great Big Book of Children's Games (Over 450 Indoor and Outdoor Games for Kids)

Average customer rating:

Readers Digest Great Big Book of Children's Games (Over 450 Indoor and Outdoor Games for Kids)
Debra Wise; Sandy Forrest
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MC2J50

Customer Reviews:

Wealth of Information.......2007-08-16

I'm still in the middle of this book. Some of it is a little silly, and I gleam over those parts in a rush. They are relatively few and far in between, and the wealth of useful knowledge and insight throughout the rest of the book is worth it. I am beginning to apply many of the principles for the first time... its not a magic formula, but it has initiated noticeable progress where before I was stagnating for some time. Its small and easy to carry around to read when you only have one or two minutes available.

The only strange thing about this edition is that authorship is credited to Napoleon Hill, but much of the book speaks of Hill in third person, as if the revising author (who I think is W. Clement Stone) takes liberty to speak on behalf of the original author.

Among my first batch of books...with greatest influence on attaining personal achievement in life!.......2006-07-21

The first batch of significant books that had the greatest influence on me in terms of attaining personal achievement includes mostly Napoleon Hill's books:

- The Law of Success;
- Think & Grow Rich;
- The Keys to Success;
- Success through a Positive Mental Attitude;
- Succeed & Grow Rich through Persuasion;

The others were from Clement Stone, Dale Carnegie, & Earl Nightingale.

That was the early 70's when I had just started work as a young engineer.

The author, Napoleon Hill, had impressed me most by his relentless dedication in spending some two to three decades of his life in pursuing & researching the success secrets of the rich & famous...with a little help from Andrew Carnegie, of course.

As matter of fact, many of the famous people he interviewed were also favourite role models of mine e.g. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, just to name a few

Till this day, I have never forgotten what he said:

"The most powerful instrument we have in our hands is the power of our mind."

I have never ceased to be fascinated by the simplicity & the potency of his ABCs of personal achievement: CONCEIVE, BELIEVE & ACHIEVE!

It is certainly enlightening to note that even Stephen Covey had drew inspiration from Napoleon Hill's work even though he never made that credit. He only admitted that the
7 Habits had its origins from "200 years of success literature in the United States." That remark itself is self explanatory.

Anthony Robbin's Mastery program as embodied in his books as well as his audio/video resources is no exception, even though he has been influenced in larger extent by NLP.

If you look at & compare the 17 principles of personal achievement in 'The Law of Success' &/or the 13 Steps to Riches in 'Think & Grow Rich', one can obviously see the uncanny resemblance of the 7 Habits & the Mastery principles...in one way or another.

At this juncture, let me outline the principal theme of each book:

The Law of Success: the original course on the fundamentals of success - all the seventeen essential principles of personal achievement;
Think & Grow Rich: The seventeen essential principles are reframed & condensed in terms of thirteen concrete steps to wealth creation (in actuality, this is a condensation of the Law of Success);
The Keys to Success: a further elaboration of the seventeen essential principles with concrete suggestions, exercises & advice;
Success Through Positive Mental Attitude: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing a positive mental attitude;
Succeed & Grow Rich Through Persuasion: joint authorship with Clement Stone, with a further emphasis on developing master salesmanship & networking;
[It is pertinent to note that Clement Stone actually built his insurance business empire with these principles.]

My most productive, personal learning experience from Napoleon Hill's work is the understanding - & application - of his success principle #1: Develop Definiteness of Purpose.

[Very surprisingly, J Y Pillay, former Chairman of Singapore Airlines, - who had been credited for building the airline to what it is today, A GREAT WAY TO FLY! - also credited his work axiom to this same success principle, but he attributed it to an ancient Hindu scripture known as Bhagavad Gita.]

I am certainly gratified to note that Napoleon Hill's work had casted so much influence on - & empowered - so many people in the world, including myself.

Great book on mastering persuasion!.......2005-09-27

I have to admit that I am a confirmed fan of Napolean Hill. I love Think & Grow Rich, have bought many copies and recently added the new and revised hardback to my library.

Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion was one of those books that was collecting dust on my library shelf. I had browsed t his book a couple of times, but never read it completely. In fact, I have been doing that with a lot of my books recently.

The principles in Succeed and Grow Rich are like the principles in Think & Grow Rich. They are timeless. And they work. If you want to master persuasion, read this book.

Stimulated my sales tremendously.......2004-06-11

In this book by Hill, you have the principles to become a top persuader. COnsidering what Hill accomplished in selling his philosophy with no compensation from Mr. Carnegie, don't you think Hill has something to offer in salesmanship?

This book will show you the person you have to be and offers exercises and tips to reach your goals. Another classic by Hill and must reading for all salespeople.

Must read for all people in sales.......2004-02-01

I'm in direct sales and have found Napolean Hill's great book improved my bottom line tremendously. I give copies of this book and Think and Grow Rich to all of my sales people. Result: rapid improvement in sales and a never say die attitude.

This book is like good mental protein. Must reading for sales people who want to excel in selling.

Average customer rating:
Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion
Napoleon & Keown, E. Harold Hill
Manufacturer: Fawcett Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000L3S4OK

Average customer rating:
Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion
Napoleon; Keown, E. Harold Hill
Manufacturer: Fawcett crest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000H2KF8S

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Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion
E. Harold Hill Napoleon & Keown
Manufacturer: hawthorn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UDVGH8

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Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion
Napoleon Hill
Manufacturer: Signet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KO58W6

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Succeed & Grow Rich Through Persuasion
Napoleon Hill
Manufacturer: FAWCETT CREST
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UYP178

Customer Reviews:

A good start.......2004-11-16

The Campaign in the desert from 1914-1918 is one of the most itneresting sagas of World War One. From the Ottoman assualt on Suez to the allied turning to take Beersheba, Allenby's march on jerusalem and Lawrences arab rebellion this was a war of intrigue and brass. A wonderful conflict embodied in not a few films and one worth reading about. Certainly this was an exotic war with Desert Arabs serving alongside British officers against Ottoman Turks and their British advisors, amongst the background of the old biblical trade routes.

THis is a good start, a slightly dry but easy read on the subject which is sure to wet the taste of anyone, from those interested in the middle east to those fascinated with World War one or simply history Buffs.

A good read.

Seth J. Frantzman

Too Dry and Nowhere Near Enough Detail.......2004-03-24

On this obscure subject it would not take much to please me --- this campaign is oft overlooked but full of interesting figures on the fringes of Empire and combines the Arab Nationalist Movement with Lawrence et al., with the grit of the British Army under Allaby.

The narrative is not so much dry, but is on such a scale that it fulfills no reasonable accomplishment of scholarly or pop history: there is little of the political machinations at the macro level and few personal accounts that lend a "face" to the fighting. Unit action is described at Divisional and Brigade Level, which is the worst level for military narratives -- that is the stuff of official Divisional histories --- but not the stuff that makes a good read. Narratives need to come alive and this one falls flat on its face. There are few military books that I do not finish. This one I had to give up after about 2/3 s of the way through.

A real shame because I think that this could have have been a real stirling effort. Even the divisional actions are really berift of enough maps with details (Some actions are decribed in the dialogue in villages that are not on the map). This is a problem with other military histories in general, but it is pathological in this book. Arabs are faceless and Lawrence seems more like a bureaucrat than a fighter.

I am sorry Mr. Bruce, you need to do better next time, especially with something as important as this campaign.

Amazon.com

Most people, upon hearing gunfire, would run away and hide. Conflict photojournalists have the opposite reaction: they actually look for trouble, and when they find it, get as close as possible and stand up to get the best shot. This thirst for the shot and the seeming nonchalance to the risks entailed earned Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva, Ken Oosterbroek, and Kevin Carter the moniker of the Bang-Bang Club. Oosterbroek was killed in township violence just days before South Africa's historic panracial elections. Carter, whose picture of a Sudanese child apparently being stalked by a vulture won him a Pulitzer Prize, killed himself shortly afterwards. Another of their posse, Gary Bernard, who had held Oosterbroek as he died, also committed suicide.

The Bang-Bang Club is a memoir of a time of rivalry, comradeship, machismo, and exhilaration experienced by a band of young South African photographers as they documented their country's transition to democracy. We forget too easily the political and ethnic violence that wracked South Africa as apartheid died a slow, spasmodic death. Supporters of the ANC and Inkatha fought bloody battles every day. The white security forces were complicit in fomenting and enabling some of the worst violence. All the while, the Bang-Bang Club took pictures. And while they did, they were faced with the moral dilemma of how far they should go in pursuit of an image, and whether there was a point at which they should stop their shooting and try to intervene.

This is a riveting and appalling book. It is simply written--these guys are photographers, not writers--but extremely engaging. They were adrenaline junkies who partied hard and prized the shot above all else. None of them was a hero; these men come across as overweeningly ambitious, egotistical, reckless, and selfish, though also brave and even principled. As South Africans, they were all invested in their country's future, even though, as whites, they were strangers in their own land as they covered the Hostel wars in the black townships. The mixture of the romantic appeal of the war correspondent with honest assessments of their personal failings is part of what makes this account so compelling and so singular among books of its ilk. --J. Riches

Book Description

During the final, bloody days of South African apartheid, four remarkable young men-photographers, friends, and rivals-banded together.

Customer Reviews:

Great.......2005-12-07

Great book, i've read most of the bio/autobio's about the old guys, Bob Capa, HCB ect and this is a whole new game. These guys were in my opinion, better than their older counterparts, the risks seem higher and with less payoff.

Excellent Read.......2002-09-09

This is a disturbing book. After the first three chapters I put it down and only picked it up again two months later. Perhaps I was just emotionally at low ebb the first time, but the brutal honesty of the descriptions in those first chapters got to me. Even though I am a South African and lived through that eventful period, I was unprepared for the honesty of the authors. At the second attempt I finished the book and am glad that I did as it is really well worth the read.

The book describes the experiences of four well-known South African press photographers, at the peak of the political transition period of the country. Of the four, only two survived. Most South Africans as well as international readers interested in photojournalism, will remember the killing of Ken Oosterbroek by a stray bullet while covering an unrest situation in the townships. And the whole world was shocked by the brilliant photograph of a starving Sudanese child with a vulture patiently waiting in the background. Kevin Carter committed suicide not long after winning a Pulitzer Prize for that image. Although the book deals mainly with their work experiences, it also provides insight in the personal lives of photojournalists. It focuses mainly on events in South Africa, especially during those eventful years in the early nineties. However, there are also references to other African countries. A few months before I read this book, I also read Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa by Keith Richburg. This was another excellent and very honest book by a black American journalist who was assigned to the African Desk of the Washington Post. The combination of these two books gives an excellent perspective on the Dark Continent and scares the hell out of you.

I can strongly recommend both these books. It is a must-read for anyone interested in photojournalism and for people interested in the political transition period of SA. People who enjoy biographies will also appreciate the book.

Five Stars.......2002-01-19

This is an exciting account of South Africa, as observed through the lenses of four "conflict photojournalists", roughly between the time of Mandela's release to South Africa's first non-racial elections. There is a gripping, raw and ultimately, compassionate, quality about the writing, and the photos powerfully convey the horrors that this country went through. Equally enlightening are the insights into conflict photography, and the moral issues that arise by being a witness (and recorder) of human suffering. This book would interest anyone who's ever wondered how conflict photographers get into those crazy situations, the risks they took (sometimes fatal), and the adrenaline-laced thoughts that rush through their minds.

Excellent story.......2001-08-31

Much more than simply a book about photojournalists, The Bang Bang Club tells a haunting tale about several young men growing up in a rapidly changing and often hostile world. The friendships that form and are later ripped apart by bullets and suicide comprise the bulk of this well-told history. That South Africa's most important history is taking place as a background only mkaes it that much more of an interesting and enjoyable read. Yes, there is some violence, but that violence defines the world these photographers live and work in.

Horrifyingly Satisfying.......2000-10-30

Not for the weak, The Bang Bang Club takes readers directly to the violence and brutality depicted in the four prize-winning photographs scattered throughout the pages. The writing is down and dirty, like the photographers themselves. But it works because of the subject. Get in click the photo and try not to throw up while you're doing it. Like most Yanks living a cozy life, I didn't know many details about the famous struggles in SA in the early 1990s. And I wouldn't have chosen to read a straight history. But the combination of first-person accounts of tragedy together with terrifically vivid and horrible photos and a gripping tale of danger lurking around every corner makes for an ideal way to learn something about that fascinating and difficult time in world history.

The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War

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The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War
Greg & Joao Silva Marinovich
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UC77MC

The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots From a Hidden War.(Book Review) : An article from: African Studies Quarterly

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The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots From a Hidden War.(Book Review) : An article from: African Studies Quarterly
Derek Charles Catsam
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from African Studies Quarterly, published by Thomson Gale on September 22, 2003. The length of the article is 1472 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots From a Hidden War.(Book Review)
Author: Derek Charles Catsam
Publication: African Studies Quarterly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 2003
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 7 Issue: 2-3 Page: NA

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

A bewitching look at nonnative species in American ecosystems, by the heir apparent to McKibben and Quammen. Mosquitoes in Hawaii, sea lampreys in the Great Lakes, mountain goats in the Olympic Mountains of Washington State—not one of these species is native to the environment in which it now flourishes. Kim Todd's Tinkering with Eden is a lyrical, brilliantly written history of the introduction of exotic species into the United Sates, and how the well-meaning endeavors of scientists, explorers, and biologists have resulted in ecological catastrophe. Todd's assured voice will haunt her readers, and the stories she tells—such as the druggist who brought starlings to America because he wanted the landscape to feature every bird mentioned by Shakespeare—will forever change how we see our increasingly afflicted landscape and its unanticipated inhabitants.

Customer Reviews:

fascinating blend of human and natural history.......2003-03-20

This book is a fascinating blend of American natural and human history, author Kim Todd showing that in a sense our history is almost as much one of animal immigrants as that of human immigrants. North America, already one of the richest continents in the world in terms of biodiversity, is home now to many thousands of introduced plant and animal species.

Some were brought in for a taste or touch of home, missed by European settlers in the strange wilds of North America. Some, such as the honey bee, also proved of later significant commercial importance, becoming so vital to agriculture and indeed everyday life - pollinating plants, providing wax and honey - that later there would be many who found it hard to believe that the honey bee was not native to North America. Others, such as the rock dove or pigeon, provided a mixed track record; as Todd puts it, noting how revered the dove is in Western literature and how hated the pigeon often is; that in essence, "the colonists brought doves to the New World and ended up surrounded by pigeons." As much as the rock doves proved useful for food, for delivering messages (labeled by some in this regard according to Todd as "gallant" birds, praised in poetry and song), and as prized pets, they proved a huge problem in cities. Others, such as the European starling, proved downright pests. Brought over in a misguided attempt to introduce to the continent all the birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare, it has spread throughout North America and become a plague like no other, pushing out native species from prime habitat and forming such large flocks in some areas as to present health hazards.

Many introductions were accidental. When a canal was opened between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario in the 19th century, allowing goods from the Great Lakes and the interior of Canada and the United States to reach the sea via the St. Lawrence River (in a chapter she appropriately calls "An Artificial Wedding"), more than just ships plied these waters. The sea lamprey, long resident in Lake Ontario, had not been able to bypass Niagara Falls and enter the rest of the Great Lakes previously. Once present, Todd chronicles how the predator preyed upon the formerly vast schools of fish in the Great Lakes, sending fishing stocks plummeting and completely reworking the entire ecology of the lakes. Another creature taking unfortunate advantage of mankind to enter a new habitat - in this case the Hawaiian Islands - was the mosquito. Once an island chain completely free from this pest, this insect entered the islands from the emptied dregs of ship's water barrels. Quickly becoming a pest not only to humans but also to birds, the mosquitoes nearly wiped out many of the archipelago's avian fauna by spreading bird pox and avian malaria. Todd also writes of a recent immigrant, the monk parakeet, which first started to appear in the wild in the late 1960s thanks largely to escaped pets. Becoming more widespread, the author shows the debate between the parakeet's champions and those that seek to eliminate the exotic, scared of it achieving pest status, who ask themselves is this species of bird going to be end up becoming the next starling?

Other introductions were done to "improve" nature, primarily in the latter part of the 19th century.. The ring-necked pheasant from China was imported to improve the hunting, a bird thought worthy of the sport hunter and more of a challenge than native game birds. Similar motives were at work with the brown trout of Europe, a prized game fish that did much to foster the refinement and popularity of fly fishing in the United States (though their benefactor, Fred Mather, believed that they could provide a vital new source of food for the American people). With few concerns for the alien species' effects on native fishes the brown trout became by 1900 established in 38 states. Reindeer, introduced in Alaska with epic ideas to provide the native peoples with animals to herd and with new means of transportation and methods to make money, proved a failure as expected results failed to materialize for many reasons as the book shows.

Finally some introductions were simply done to make money. The story of the nutria, an imported marsh denizen of South America, is fascinating. Brought in to help meet demands for furs - in the days when fur farms were in their infancy and the wild fur-bearing animals becoming scarce - it degenerated from a promising project into get-rich-quick pyramid schemes (which even involved federal investigation) as the semi-valuable nutria pelts were hyped up to gullible buyers in a high-stakes game that penalized those who actually sought to take their pelts to market. Even native animals were moved about the country for such endeavors; the mountain goat, not native to the Olympic Mountains in Washington state, was brought in to try and improve tourism. The region was deemed good mountain goat country; indeed it was too good, with no predators and a variety of very rare and highly local alpine plants that were not able to withstand steady grazing by the agile animals, the mountain goat has proved an ecological disaster.

Todd discusses in an almost short-story format these and many other animals, including a variety of insect pests. The book is well worth purchasing; my only compliant was that even more species could have been detailed.

Great read even for those not interested in natural science.......2002-11-30

Kim Todd wields an endlessly entertaining story, even for those who do not have any interest in exotic species. She does what few naturalists are able to do; she makes a story about a science read like a human-interest piece, and a compelling one at that. The pages flow easily and her craftily constructed prose will have whisked you to the end of the book long before you wanted it to end.

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