Keeping the Books: Basic Recordkeeping and Accounting for the Successful Small Business (Keeping the Books)

Average customer rating:

Great book for small business owners....

Your Business at a Glance

Great for the Basics

Excellent introduction

Save your money; don't buy this book.

Keeping the Books: Basic Recordkeeping and Accounting for the Successful Small Business (Keeping the Books)
Linda Pinson
Manufacturer: Kaplan Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Small Business Bookkeeping System Simplified (Small Business Made Simple)

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Small Business Accounting Simplified, 4th Edition (Small Business Made Simple)

Bookkeeping Made Simple

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ASIN: 1419584383
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Book Description

The premier resource for basic bookkeeping and business record management, Keeping the Books is a comprehensive, yet down to earth, treatment of one of the most important, yet often neglected, aspects of running a business. User-friendly and packed with easy-to-understand illustrations, worksheets, and forms, this popular financial reference tool is completely updated, and replete with the variety of IRS forms that entrepreneurs have to be familiar with. From updating car and transportation expenses to exploding the myths around independent contractors, the author presents everything a small company needs to know to maintain proper records.

Following the roadmap outlined in Keeping the Books, entrepreneurs will learn how to:

Prepare and analyze financial statements to stay in touch with the heartbeat of their businessSet up bookkeeping systems to keep track of financial detailsMaintain the required IRS records necessary to stay out of troublePlan for required taxes due

Customer Reviews:

Great book for small business owners...........2006-12-12

This is one of my two favorite accounting books for small business owners. The other is "Small Business Accounting Simplified" by Daniel Sitarz. These books present a lot of the same information, but they have slightly different perspectives on small business accounting and I think both viewpoints are useful and complimentary. Establishing your accounting system is serious business, so I would consider purchasing both. It's a small investment considering how important and time consuming this area could be for small business.

With that said, this book will help you to understand the basics of accounting and the advantages and disadvantages of various methods of keeping your books. It is very streamlined, practical and will help you to get your books together quickly using the easiest system that is appropriate for your business.

This is a very non-intimidating book and first time business owners will really like it. The other book I recommended above by Sitarz is more involved and may be something you want to get down the road. If you are a very small business, this book may have all you need and you may appreciate that it lacks some detail that might be unnecessary.

Both books that I mention are adequate to get a small business up and running. However, if you are not a numbers person by nature or have an aversion to accounting, this might be the best place to start. As part of my livelihood I do small business consulting and this title and the one I mentioned in the first paragraph are the two books I most often recommend for a new small business.

Your Business at a Glance.......2005-11-08

This is an excellent book that teaches you to chart: where you would like to go on your business journey; where you are; and what you need to do to adjust your journey towards your profit goals.

Long before reading this book, I had asked an Accountant the difference between fixed and variable assets - he really didn't answer my question. In fact, he seemed to be annoyed that I would ask such a question.

But this book gives the answer in a very succinct description, with supporting information.

Above all, this book walks the small business owner through:
1. Record Keeping;
2. Business Accounting;
3. General Ledgers;
4. Financial Statements; and,
5. Taxes.

And this is definitely a resource to keep referring to, until you have mastered the process of growing profit.

Great for the Basics.......2005-09-21

This is an excellent book for those learning to keep books, or needing to brush up on their bookeeping skills. It is very detailed, and simplified. I found it easy to follow and understand.

Excellent introduction.......2005-06-12

This book is a very good introduction to bookkeeping. If you majored in finance and are an erolled agent with the IRS, you probably won't need this book. People with a much more limited knowledge of bookkeeping will benefit greatly.

Save your money; don't buy this book........2005-03-20

Considering the high cost of this book, it was definitely not worth it. Most of the information in this book could have been accessed for free through the IRS. I should have paid attention to the negative reviews that were written by other people to not buy this book. In addition, the entire book deals with single-entry bookkeeping. It tells you that you should hire an accountant or a professional payroll firm to do other types of bookkeeping. Most people like myself, who buy self-help books, are financially challenged, and buy these books to learn how to do everything themselves. We cannot afford to hire outside help.

Book Description

The Small Business Administration (SBA) loan guarantee program--one of the mainstays of small business financing--has been both sharply attacked as wasteful and staunchly defended as essential during recent debates over the Federal budget. This book clarifies the reasons for the often heated debate and offers new insights into whether the program does indeed subsidize the weak or perform a valuable service in bridging the small business credit gap. Rhyne argues persuasively that despite recent program improvements, the SBA allows a hefty subsidy to continue by tolerating frequent, costly defaults. She recommends that the program seek to become financially self-sustaining, thereby adopting a simple market-making function rather than a credit allocation role. The book with a brief history of the SBA program and its predecessor in the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. The author describes the program's political environment and demonstrates the central role of banks in the program. She then moves to a thorough analysis of the program's financial performance and assesses the impact of SBA loans on banks. Subsequent chapters examine the cost of the program to the SBA, the social goals of the program and how well it fulfills them, and the changes made in the program during the 1980s to improve its management efficiency. The final chapter explores policy changes that could improve the program's overall performance and offers recommendations for reform ranging from minor management improvements to major program restructuring. A landmark critique of a major governmental program and its impact on the business community, this book should be read by every banker, small business owner, and legislator with an interest in the fate of the SBA loan guarantee program, or in the government's role in credit allocation.

Book Description

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1839 edition by Henry Butterworth, London. Pages 158-159 and 434 are missing from this reprint.

Customer Reviews:

Beginning Shepherd's Manual.......2007-07-15

A must-read! This book is full of good advice. If you want to raise sheep, read this book so you can better enjoy your flock!!

A Great Book for Absolute Beginners.......2000-05-13

Please note -- This book is exactly what the title says -- a BEGINNING shepherd's manual. If, like me, you are a beginner, you'll appreciate the clear and consise language the author uses to explain sheep and various aspects of sheep production. After reading this book, you'll know what questions to ask if you're considering raising a small flock. A more advanced book on the subject is "Raising Sheep the Modern Way," which delves into more details, and which I thoroughly recommend.

Average customer rating:

Beginning Shepherd's Manual
Barbara; Kennedy, Gerald; Aseltine, Mark Smith
Manufacturer: Iowa State Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KWQPUC

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Beginning Shepherd's Manual-03-3
Smith
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0813829631

Book Description

This text focuses on the human aspects of geology with essay commentaries on careers in geology. It integrates economic and environmental geology issues throughout. It contains the same features as Monroe/Wicander PHYSICAL GEOLOGY, 2nd and Wicander/Monroe HISTORICAL GEOLOGY, 2nd, including a built-in study guide.

Book Description

Based on courses taught at the University of Dublin, Carnegie Mellon University, and mostly at Simon Fraser University, this book presents the special theory of relativity from a mathematical point of view. It begins with the axioms of the Minkowski vector space and the flat spacetime manifold. Then it discusses the kinematics of special relativity in terms of Lorentz tranformations, and treats the group structure of Lorentz transformations. Extending the discussion to spinors, the author shows how a unimodular mapping of spinor (vector) space can induce a proper, orthochronous Lorentz mapping on the Minkowski vector space. The second part begins with a discussion of relativistic particle mechanics from both the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian points of view. The book then turns to the relativistic (classical) field theory, including a proof of Noether's theorem and discussions of the Klein-Gordon, electromagnetic, Dirac, and non-abelian gauge fields. The final chapter deals with recent work on classical fields in an eight-dimensional covariant phase space.

Customer Reviews:

The math behind the theory.......2002-05-31

This is the most mathematically rigorous text I've found on this subject. The many examples the author uses makes it both easy and fun to understand.

Book Description

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Throne is a collection of "Queenisms" about life, with a slight twist. Southern humorist, Georgia Richardson, a.k.a. Queen Jaw Jaw, The Queen of Experiences, mixes her sharp sense of humor with everyday life observations. And as the Queen says, "Every single story is true, honest injun…I'd rather walk on my lips than tell a lie."

Download Description

A collection of "Queenisms" about life, with a slight twist. Southern humorist, Georgia Richardson, a.k.a. Queen Jaw Jaw, The Queen of Experiences, mixes her sharp sense of humor with everyday life observations. And as the Queen says, "Every single story is true, honest injun.I'd rather walk on my lips than tell a lie."

Customer Reviews:

Tee Hee...Hahahaaaa...Guffaw.......2007-08-13

If you want to forget your problems and just enter funny land...then read this book. I seldom laugh out loud while reading books;...this one, though, has made up for all the others. It's really truly spittin' chucklin' good.

Keep laughing, you're not alone!.......2007-03-25

I read a few chapters each night so I could guarantee that I would go to sleep laughing. Georgia Richardson (aka Queen Jaw Jaw) has been through it all and came out writing so we could laugh with her. You may recognize yourself and wonder why you weren't laughing when it happened to you. Thank you, Queenie, for your unique and Southern perspective.

Enter Laughing . . . Leave Wanting More . . ........2006-12-09

It takes a southern person, a female southern person at that, to come up with the side-splitting situation Georgia Richardson relates to things which happen to us all, but which Georgia finds hilarity in it. And writes about it . . . hilariously. I read this book with tears in my eyes, because of such topics as "Dreaming of Elvis, Mel Gibson, Bob Villa." Because my wife has cataracts, I read it to her. She cried also. From laughing. You want to see how everyday things and everyday situations can bring a smile, then a snort, then a guffaw, then uncontrollable laughter? By this book and find out why

Hide Your Oreos!!!.......2006-06-22

Queen JawJaw has written a wonderfully humorous book with lots of stories I could relate to! It's 'laugh out loud' funny and I can't wait for the next book. Maybe if we all send her a package of Oreos, she'll get it done faster - I understand she CAN be bribed! Enjoy!

Be Ready To Laugh Out Loud.......2006-04-25

I love the pithy humor in this great book. I laughed out loud and it raised my spirits. Don't miss out on the first book from the next Erma Bombeck!

Customer Reviews:

No ideology here just history.......2007-09-26

Ideology defined: The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture.

If you have already made up your mind that the atomic bombings of Japan were wrong, you have two choices: (1) Don't buy the book and participate in the next demonstration against the bombings which will, again, make you feel morally superior; (2)buy the book and realize that it was not as simple a decision as you thought it was. Then ask yourself, what would I have done in 1945? Very challenging book. It certainly provides a very good understanding of the choices Truman had to deal with and the feelings in the US at that time.

One final point for the anti-bombing crowd: Check the stats on the casualties in the conventional bombings of German and Japanese cities.
And educate yourself about Japanese atrocities in China: 350,000 slaughtered in Sungchiang, and between 260,000-350,000 civilians murdered in Nanking. That's for starters.

Historiography at its Finest.......2007-07-30

One of the most complex, divisive, and nuanced debates in the history of the twentieth century is the decision by U.S. President Harry S. Truman in August 1945 to drop two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, thereby ending World War II. A traditional conception of the decision, indeed the one most often voiced by actors in the decision, was that it was done to speed the end of the war and thereby preserve American lives that might be lost in future combat. The revisionist interpretation, often identified with Gar Alperowitz, argues that the war was almost over and that the Japanese were on the verge of surrender anyway. The reason to drop the bomb, therefore, had little to do with the ending of World War II and was aimed more at impressing and influencing future relations with the Soviet Union. Another interpretation suggests that the use of the atomic bomb had more to do with American racism, and that the U.S. would have refrained from using such a horrific weapon on other Caucasians in Europe. Other scholars condemn the use of such a weapon targeting large populations, including non-combatants, as immoral and obscene. Subsequent historians have argued various permutations of these interpretations and the debate remains far from settled.

J. Samuel Walker's "`prompt & utter destruction': Truman and the Use of the Atomic Bomb against Japan" is a superb short discussion of the merits of each of these interpretations and an assessment of the current state of understanding on the subject. He takes an exceptionally even-handed approach, pointing up the strengths and weaknesses of each major argument and assessing how they have evolved over time. In the end, as Walker documents, five fundamental considerations played into the decision to use atomic weapons in 1945.

First, the decision makers, especially Truman, sought to end the war at the earliest possible moment. They believed this new and terrifying weapon would do so and should therefore be employed in what they considered the greater good of ending the bloodshed. Wrapped up in this argument, although Walker thinks it a bit of side issue, was a widely held belief that bringing the Japanese to the surrender table would require an invasion of its islands. This would, everyone believed, be a costly and lengthy campaign that might cost thousands of lives on both sides. Casualty estimates of all types exist, and have been used in the debate since then to justify or condemn the use of the bomb. Walker finds that those estimates, which are at best educated guesses that range broadly depending on the assumptions and the perspectives of those making them, are less useful in assessing what took place than the understanding that Truman was unwilling to accept any more casualties than absolutely necessary.

Second, Walker notes how Truman and his advisors were intensely concerned that they had to justify the enormous cost of developing the atomic weapon, and a decision not to use it once it existed would open them to significant criticism. As Walker notes, "The success of the Manhattan Project in building the bombs and ending the war was a source of satisfaction and relief" (p. 94). In this context, Truman expressed great concern that should he decide not to use the weapon once he had it that every American life lost thereafter would have been wasted. As he explained to Secretary of State James F. Byrnes in 1947, "I believe that no man, in our position and subject to our responsibilities, holding in his hands a weapon of such possibilities for accomplishing this purpose and saving those lives, could have failed to use it and afterwards looked his countrymen in the face" (p. 94).

Third, at least one of Truman's advisors, Secretary of State Byrnes, realized immediately and argued to his colleagues that this weapon would be useful in helping to bend the Soviet Union to American wishes in the post-war era. Truman recognized this as well, but according to Walker this was definitely an added bonus and not the primary consideration in using the bomb. Walker concluded, "Growing differences with the Soviet Union were a factor in the thinking og American officials about the bomb but were not the main reason that they rushed to drop it on Japan" (p. 95).

Fourth, Walker notes that there was a lack of incentives not to use the bomb. "Truman," Walker notes, "used the bomb because he had no compelling reason to avoid it" (p. 95). While many people since 1945 have questioned the morality of its use, Truman and his advisors did not let those scruples--while they did exist among them--outweigh their goal of ending the war as quickly as possible. By the last years of the war conventional weaponry had laid waste to so many cities containing thousands of non-combatants--witness the firebombing of or Dresden and Tokyo--that virtually no one in a senior decision making role in the U.S. questioned this action since they believed it would shorten the war and save American lives.

Fifth, Walker notes that "Hatred of the Japanese, a desire for revenge for Pearl Harbor, and racist attitudes were a part of the mix of motives that led to the atomic attacks" (p. 96). Again, this was not the primary consideration in dropping the bomb on Japan, "But the prevalent loathing loathing of Japan, both among policymakers and the Anmerican people, helped override any hesitation or ambivalence that Truman and his advisors might have felt about use of atomic bombs" (p. 96).

Walker ends "prompt & utter destruction" with a series of questions still be debated about the decision to use the bomb. These include: "(1) how long the war would have continued if the bomb had not been used; (2) how many casualties American forces would have suffered if the bomb\ had not been dropped; (3) whether an invasion would have been necessary without the use of the bomb; (4) the number of American lives and casualties an invasion would have exacted had it proven necessary; (5) whether Japan would have responded favorably to a American offer to allow the emperor to remain on the throne before Hiroshima, or whether such an offer would have prolonged the war; and (6) whether ant of the alternatives to the use of the bomb would have ended the war as quickly on a basis satisfactory to the United States (pp. 108-109).

These historiographical questions ensure that future study of this subject will remain contested; overlaying all of it, of course, is the question of the morality of Truman's decision. Walker offers no conclusion to the debate, instead inviting further inquiry and exposition as each scholar makes a contribution to the marketplace of ideas where each position will be evaluated and accepted, rejected, or modified. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the nature of the end of World War II and the beginning of the cold war.

Great History Book.......2005-10-01

I bought this book for school.. I have not read it yet but it arrived in perfect condition.. Very fast shipping.

Was it such a hard decision?.......2004-12-28

They were suddenly heroes to a grateful nation. Scientists, normally accustomed to a life of quiet research, were suddenly, by virtue of their invention of the atom bomb, the saviors of their country. Likewise, the crew of the Enola Gay, surely one of the best-known airplane names in history, became military larger-than-life figures of honor and fame. It was nearly universally accepted that the atom bomb had saved America from a long, bloody, and otherwise pointless invasion of the Japanese mainland. Truman, the man who gave the go-ahead, was mostly relieved that the war was finally over, and no further American lives need be lost. To morally praise him for his decision to drop the device would have been superfluous, like congratulating someone for deciding to save a drowning child. What other decision could there have been? And yet, there were other options for him. Realistic options? Perhaps, in light of sixty more years of history. Or perhaps not, hindsight notwithstanding. The questioning of his motives began in the sixties, and by the time of the fiftieth anniversary of the twin bombings came about there was a loud chorus of voices condemning Truman's decision. Wouldn't a demonstration on a desert island have been better? Why kill so many innocents? Surely it was just racism, wasn't it? Oh, he was trying to scare the Russians, that's it. No president could possibly have wanted to save the lives of the soldiers entrusted to his care. Unlike some controversies, I've never found this one compelling. The case in Truman's favor seems obvious, with only very minor questions to detract from the main problem Truman faced: how to end the war quickly. I tend to think this is also the same conclusion J. Samuel Walker reached before publishing Prompt & Utter Destruction, a short and compelling overview of the decisions Truman faced and how he resolved them.

The thesis is simple. A knowingly unprepared Truman became President in the waning days of the war and had to make momentous decisions. Knowing his own limitations, he kept on hand most of Roosevelt's advisors and maintained Roosevelt's policies. This included, foremost, a desire to minimize American casualties. This is given right from the start, and remains the deciding factor in the end. Most of the book shows the situation Truman faced, including an analysis of what he knew and when. How many casualties would the U.S. face in an invasion? When would the Soviets join? How long would Japan hold out? How would the nation's economy hold up in a protracted war? At hand were figures showing the casualty rates at the time. The battles for Iwo Jima and Okinawa had been horrific, and they were just smallish islands. Even in the absence of major battles, a few thousand a month were dying in skirmishes at sea, including the ill-fated crew of the cruiser USS Indianapolis. Some old myths Walker dispenses with. The oft cited figure of one million casualties in an invasion is probably not one Truman ever saw, and does not square well with other significant, but much lower numbers. In fact, Walker points out that estimates at the time, including the Soviet entry, show that Japan would have capitulated within months of an invasion, if indeed one were ever needed. Whether this is true or not is left to the imagination, as history shows there was no invasion and the war ended when it did. But Truman did not face enormous crippling casualty rates of the sort that plagued the other major countries in the war.

There are factors that have helped advance the claim that Truman had ulterior motives. The day after the successful Trinity test, he did indeed dominate the Potsdam conference where he was meeting with Churchill and Stalin. And Truman's disdain for communists was well known. The thing is, Truman was no idiot. Of course he knew the nuclear weapons gave him a bargaining chip. This can hardly be disputed, as is also true of many other accusations that are at least partially true but not so relevant. The Manhattan project was not, however, started up just to give the president a way to bully Russians. The bombs were earmarked for Germany the whole time, and would have ended up exploding over Berlin or some other city had not Germany cheated and lost the war first. This fact should clear up the question of racist motives. Undoubtedly Truman didn't like the Japanese. This is what happens in a war. Certainly there was racist feeling towards them in the country. But a military decision does not become invalid because its maker really, really dislikes the enemy.

The final answer is that Truman did know of other options, but they weren't important. He did worry a bit about the long-term implications, but there were immediate problems to deal with. In keeping with a policy he held even before learning of the atom bomb, Truman wanted to minimize casualties and end the war sooner rather than later. As commander-in-chief, not to mention as a combat veteran, he was obligated to take this stand. The number of casualties avoided is almost certainly not close to a million, but it could easily have been in the tens of thousands. There are enough conflicting accounts from that era to make at least plausible the case that there were other major factors, but they don't stand up. In fact, Truman's decision was straightforward. Walker does good by clearing up some of the persistent myths, on both sides of the question. But, and not to take away from Walker's effort, this isn't that hard a question (perhaps this is why the book is so short). To see the situation mapped out for history, here is the source to read.

very good overview.......2001-12-10

This book gives a good overview but just that - an overview. The events and circumstances surrounding the use of the A-bomb simply must be addressed in greater depth for one who wishes to become truly knowledgable on the subject. However, its brevity is also a strength in that for one just getting into the subject it serves as a fabulous introduction and for those already familiar with the subject, it sums things up into a nice recap. Contrary to some reviews of the book, the author does NOT ever say or even imply that the bomb should not have been dropped. Quite the opposite, he provides compelling reasons why the decision to use the bomb was sound and wise militarily, politically, diplomatically, and morally. Nor is this book any where near a "one-stop-shop" on the subject. So while not the final say, this book would be a good addition to a collection for the reasons mentioned above. The research is credible and the arguments are as a whole very sound. Highly recommended.

Prompt and Utter Destruction: President Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan. (book reviews): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

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Prompt and Utter Destruction: President Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan. (book reviews): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Tony Capaccio
Manufacturer: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B00097J3E8
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc. on March 1, 1998. The length of the article is 1382 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: Prompt and Utter Destruction: President Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan. (book reviews)
Author: Tony Capaccio
Publication: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (Refereed)
Date: March 1, 1998
Publisher: Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc.
Volume: v54 Issue: n2 Page: p66(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Lavishly produced with 300 historic images, and with essays by noted explorers and adventurers, this magnificent volume is one to treasure—a stunning view of the world in all its variety and a pictorial reminder of some of the greatest achievements in exploration and photography.

Philip's Illustrated Encyclopedia (Philip's Paperback Reference)

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Comprehensive, wonderfully illustrated, highly recommended.

Philip's Illustrated Encyclopedia (Philip's Paperback Reference)
the Royal Geographical Society
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0540077186

Book Description

Science and technology, the arts, history, geography, current affairs, religion, sports, and popular culture: this new, compact home reference has all the information you're looking for. Especially designed for use by students, and international in scope, it offers 16,500 fully cross-referenced A-to-Z entries on core subjects, accompanied by 300 illustrations, diagrams, cutaways, and artworks. Besides the wealth of data (compiled by 50 academic consultants), there's a 16-page full-color world atlas with separate maps for all the continents and the eastern and western hemispheres. A treasure trove for browsers, and an important resource for anyone attending school or college. 912 pages, 316 color illus., 300 b/w illus., 5 1/4 x 8 1/2.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive, wonderfully illustrated, highly recommended........2000-05-03

Over 16,000 cross-referenced encyclopedic entries provide introductory facts on science, technology, the arts, history and geography in this important desk reference for home or school alike. Diagrams, maps, illustrations and art accompany an international survey of nations, languages, religions and cultures from around the world.

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Royal Geographical Society Illustrated

Manufacturer: Stewart Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1556707460

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Royal Geographical Society Illustrated
Royal Geographical Society (Great Britain)
Manufacturer: Stewart Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Photo Essays | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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An illustrated catalogue of the palearctic Melitaea (Lep. Rhopalocera), [with Errata] (Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London)

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An illustrated catalogue of the palearctic Melitaea (Lep. Rhopalocera), [with Errata] (Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London)
Lionel George Higgins
Manufacturer: The Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007K2OAC

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Royal Geographical Society Illustrated
*
Manufacturer: Scriptum Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K7F9B8

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Royal Geographical Society Illustrated

Manufacturer: SCRIPTUM EDITIONS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GLR1D2

Book Description

Newly revised and updated, this comprehensive field guide describes the four deserts of the American Southwest--the Great Basin, Mojave, Chihuahuan, and Sonoran--which together stretch into nine southwestern states and Mexico. The topography, geology, and climatic conditions of these arid lands set the stage for one of the most fascinating of ecological studies: the survival and adaptation of animal and plant life in the severe, often extreme desert climate and terrain.
Abundantly illustrated with line drawings, maps, charts, and diagrams, The Deserts of the Southwest offers both the outdoor adventurer and the armchair naturalist a clear and detailed portrait of this complex, beautiful, fragile wilderness.

Customer Reviews:

The Southwest Deserts Come Alive.......2000-05-13

We camped for a week in the Davis Mountains in west Texas in a section of the Chihuahuan desert last summer. This was not our first desert experience - we have hiked and camped across much of the Southwest over the last twenty years or so. This was an unplanned trip as we were headed toward southern Colorado, but we became fascinated by the Chihuahuan desert and somehow we never drove any further.

We were similarly quite lucky to find a copy of the first edition of Peggy Larson's Sierra Guidebook in a bookstore in Alpine, Texas. She presents the deserts of the American southwest (and northern Mexico) in a literate and educated fashion. She manages to discuss individual plants and animals in some detail while painting a large scale, beautiful portrait of the four major deserts of North America. Detailed ink drawings - landscape, geology, plants, and animals - are scattered throughout the narrative and add considerable value. She knows her subject and shares her knowledge in an intriguing fashion. She effectively uses scientific names of desert plants and animals interchangeably with common (but less unique) names without intimidating the reader. This is not a novel and it is quite possible to skip to selected chapters of personal interest, but I highly recommend exploring all chapters, all topics. Peggy Larson's style is really quite good.

If you are already familiar with the American deserts, you will find "The Deserts of the Southwest" a rewarding visit with an old friend. If you are somewhat new to the deserts and possibly have only sampled the deserts from a highway perspective, I suspect that after reading Peggy Larson's book you will likely change your travel plans to include a personal visit to an American desert.

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