Best Animal Husbandry
Part history book, part handbook, and part cookbook, this illustrated tome covers every facet of the ancient hobby of beekeeping, from how to manage hives safely to harvesting one's own honey, and ideas for how to use honey and beeswax. Fully illustrated with how-to photography and unique etchings, any backyard enthusiast or gardener can confidently dive into beekeeping with this book in hand (or daydream about harvesting their own honey while relaxing in the comfort of an armchair). Richard A. Jones is a writer, ecologist, and high-profile UK expert on insects, and is a contributor and scientific advisor to BBC Wildlife Magazine and New Scientist .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Full of informative history, great photography, heavy paper stock, quality binding, and rife with a fairly complete overview of standard practice beekeeping methodology of the last 50+ years. They are the methods established, and now sadly accepted as standard practice, by production-focused commercial beekeepers and oriented toward a single purpose.....high honey yields. Sadly, there is virtually no mention of any of the newer (older actually) beekeeping practices which are gaining favor and showing at least the promise of greater self-sustainability in recent years. As beautiful as the book is (and it is) it's a bit like reading a book that touts itself as the definitive "Bible" on forest & land management which ONLY discusses the practice of industrial clear cutting while completely ignoring selective harvesting, dispersed cut blocks, longer green up periods, and any number of increasingly accepted forest management practices aimed at improved sustainability. I'd have loved to give this beautiful book 5 stars but any "Bible" on beekeeping has to include these now pressing considerations and at least minimally recognize that when one finds oneself in a hole....it's time to stop digging."
"Even non beekeepers will enjoy the recipes and history of this fascinating insect."
"Bought this book for a bee-keeping friend and she loves it."
"got for my mother-in-law, she is starting with bees...she loves this book so far."
"A lot of good information is in this if you are interested in keeping bees."
"As new beekeepers, there is plenty of good starter info as well as a lot for the seasoned keepers."
"Very informative book."
"Purchased this as a gift for my boyfriends father who started beekeeping about a year ago."
The Book of Cheese maps the world of cheese using nine familiar favorites, what author Liz Thorpe calls the. Gateway Cheeses. “ The Book of Cheese is your gateway to great cheese knowledge.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book arrived in pristine condition and well within the delivery timeframe."
"The cheese graphs in each section of this book are amazingly useful."
"Amazing - tells everything you could possibly want to know about cheese."
"Who knew there were that many interesting cheeses out there?"
"A great overview of cheese with a whole new approach to organization."
"The "gateway" methodology works great."
"I am thoroughly enjoying this book!"
"One will need to consult books or online sources more encyclopedic than Thorpe's book; but hers is, as far as I know, irreplaceable in classifying cheese experientially (if you like brie, try Harbison or Dancing Fern) in such a way that you can put a new cheese in useful context and learn what to look for in it. I've been a cheese dilettante for 45 years now, since I lived near a great street market in Paris, which I could patrol with Androuet's Guide du fromage in my hand; so in praising Thorpe's book so very warmly, I have at least a long life of active cheese exploration to inform my judgment."
3 The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War II In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. “Passionately told and dazzling in scope, The Perfect Horse charges headlong into an unforgettable tale of World War II, when good men were given a final mission—to save beloved horses—at an hour when no one wanted to die. In Elizabeth Letts, the saga of World War II’s white stallions has found its perfect guardian.” —Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call. “A wholly original, illuminating perspective on the war The Perfect Horse tells a fascinating story of bravery and benevolence that has gone far too long without reaching an audience. To anyone with a love of horses or other animals, Letts’ fantastic, almost humanizing characterizations of some of the horses will make this book an instant favorite. [Letts makes] long dead characters come alive, revealing their passions and fears and flashes of uncommon valor for the sake of horses whose fate lay in their hands. “[Elizabeth] Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses. The author’s elegant narrative conveys how the love for these amazing creatures transcends national animosities.” — Kirkus Reviews “Straight out of the cauldron of Nazi brutality and war, Elizabeth Letts weaves not just a page-turner but an achingly glorious story of grace and redemption. It is through their eyes, and through Letts’s nearly supernatural horse sense, that we fall in love with sensitive Lipizzaner and fine-boned Arabians—the rescued animals who inspired men to reclaim their humanity.” —Vicki Constantine Croke, author of Elephant Company “In the early years of World War II, the finest purebred horses in Nazi-occupied Europe were stolen by the Germans for experiments to develop the perfect horse. In this spellbinding, heart-stopping book, Elizabeth Letts does full justice to the extraordinary drama of the horses’ rescue in the war’s chaotic final days.” —Lynne Olson, author of Citizens of London “ The Perfect Horse is an enthralling and moving story that I could not put down. History buffs and horse lovers will enjoy this amazing tale.” —Molly Guptill Manning, author of When Books Went to War “Passionately told and dazzling in scope, The Perfect Horse charges headlong into an unforgettable tale of World War II, when good men were given a final mission—to save beloved horses—at an hour when no one wanted to die. In Elizabeth Letts, the saga of World War II’s white stallions has found its perfect guardian.” —Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call “Elizabeth Letts’s beautiful prose, woven together with meticulous research, takes you for a ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.” —Robin Hutton, author of Sgt. This is the best kind of storytelling.” —Joe Drape, author of American Pharoah “In Elizabeth Letts’s engrossing, richly researched book—a story of horses and heroism during the final days of World War II—we learn that our human instinct to protect our equine friends can cause us to risk even our own lives for their sake.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you liked Unbroken and War Horse, you will like this book. The author follows the characters and the horses throughout their lives and at the end, I cried all the way through the last few chapters."
"I really struggled with this book on two fronts 1) Incredible story / 2) bit disjointed writing at times."
"I'll admit it: I don't know if I'm 5-star rating this because the book is great or because the overall story is fascinating and engaging."
"If you can picture a book which covers "two continents and more than eight decades", as author Elizabeth Letts puts it in her acknowledgements, you will begin to get an idea of how remarkable a story The Perfect Horse is. Letts weaves an intricate tapestry which eloquently tells the story of how the American military manages to rescue priceless horses from imminent death at the end of World War II. A large and varied assortment of courageous men from Europe and the US fell into place, almost haphazardly, to accomplish this rescue. When the author writes about them, the love she has for them is so powerful and passionate, yet so honest and true, the reader cannot help but understand what it is that drew her to such a massive undertaking."
"If you're a lover of horses and history, please read this wonderful book about the horses during WWII that were saved by the 2nd Calvary."
Best Mammal Zoology
For conservationists and lovers of animals, nature, and especially dogs, this National Geographic book shares the surprising understanding of wild wolves gained over six years the authors spent living intimately with them. — Apogee Photo Magazine "A richly layered work that speaks to the intricate and controversial relationship between wolves and humans." “A richly layered work that speaks to the intricate and controversial relationship between wolves and humans.” --Oregon Live.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Her birthday is in February, falling this year in the deepest frozen tundra of the coldest winter here in New York since 1885."
"Wonderful book!"
"This book is on my coffee table & it does catch everyone's eyes as they reach for this book to scan the photos."
""The Hidden Life of Wolves" is an excellent book!!!!"
"Amazing photos reveal the authors concerns and devotion to this complex and majestic wild american symbol."
"I've loved wolves since I was a kid and this book is filled with lots of great pics of the wolves along with the sawtooth scenery."
"Stunning pictures, perfect if your an artist."
"Wonderful and very informative book on these beautiful creatures that are being destroyed by total ignorance."
Best Agriculture
The Market Gardener is a compendium of la Grelinette’s proven horticultural techniques and innovative growing methods. The Market Gardener is a compendium of La Grelinette’s proven horticultural techniques, packed with practical information on: Setting-up a micro-farm by designing biologically intensive cropping systems, all with negligible capital outlay; Farming without a tractor and minimizing fossil fuel inputs through the use of the best hand tools, appropriate machinery and minimum tillage practices; Growing mixed vegetables systematically with attention to weed and pest management, crop yields, harvest periods and pricing approaches. Based on low-tech, high-yield methods of production The Market Gardener is a complete, modern, micro-scale farming handbook which shows that making a living wage growing food without large capital outlay or access to an acreage may be closer than you think.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Even though I knew the book was geared toward someone planning to sell their produce as opposed to a home gardener like myself, I decided to buy the book based on reviews and what I saw in the book via Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature. The impression I get from other books and articles is that you can totally sustain your garden forever and ever off the compost you make yourself, and that may be true, but Jean-Martin states that the time and space they would need to create and maintain compost piles is better utilized by growing more produce- plus the organic compost they buy is predictable in terms of quality and composition, which are both important. This book contains, hands down, THE MOST useful information on crop rotation (and how to implement it) than any other resource I have found to date. Before buying this book I had spent literally weeks on the web, trying to figure out the best way (or at least a practical way) to implement crop rotation and not finding anything beyond very generalized advice to “rotate by crop families” or “follow heavy feeders with light feeders” or “don’t plant the same things in the same beds every year”. Trying to find out if plants needed a two, three, four, or more year rotation was difficult and there was a lot of conflicting information on what plants were heavy vs. light feeders (or in between), how long rotations should be, and so on. This book presented me with a wealth of actual, practical, applicable information on crop rotation, the whys, and how they do it. He gives the common name, the plant family and fertilization needs (good to know for crop rotation), intensive spacing requirements, days in the garden (which may or may not be days to maturity depending on if he direct seeds that plant or not, but it’s easy to tell which are which) and some other various bits of information and notes on the plant in question."
"As for the product, I do like the writing style which makes the book very interesting to read even though I am not from a farm business background."
"Hard work, proper tools and techniques, creative problem solving, and commitment to high standards are major themes of his success."
"Jean-Martin has shown me how to take the puzzle pieces, I have accrued from 35 years of gardening, and put them into a time-table of efficiency that works!"
"I am always looking for good gardening books and when I saw all the positive reviews for this one I knew I had to buy it."
"If you're looking for true encouragement and you're serious about farming, this book grants inspiration and a clearer vision to fuel that passion forward into reality."
"After watching his YouTube videos, I purchased Jean-Martin's book to improve my knowledge of how to produce better crops."
"some useful information, it was originally published in French and some of it was mildly hard to understand because of the way it was translated, a few times I had to reread a paragraph to actually understand what was discussed, but except for a few spots its easy to understand."
Best Fauna
Specially designed for experienced colorists, Owls and other Creative Haven® adult coloring books offer an escape to a world of inspiration and artistic fulfillment.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The pages of the book are single-sided and are perforated at the bound edge so you can remove the page to color or to frame afterwards. The images have a wide range, including: an owl sitting on a wildly decorated crescent moon, an owl with butterflies, a "smart" owl amongst his/her books, owls on a wooden rocking horse, pirate owls, fairy tale owl, totem pole owls, steampunk owl, the owl and the pussycat (yes, cat included!)."
"She has filled this book with Charming Owls that entrance you and entwined them with intricate, captivating, unparalleled combinations of patterns, embellishing the backgrounds, scenery, borders, and even adorning the Owls creating illustrations that will make this your favorite coloring book, and you won’t be able to put it down. All Markers and Gel Pens leak through the pages so place two pieces of paper under the page you are coloring to prevent damage to the next page. If you love this book, you will also want to look at Marjoie Sarnats first coloring book (Creative Haven Cats)."
"This is a really cute and charming coloring book perfect for owl aficionados and colorists who like quirky pictures."
"I love owls so I'm probably bias about this coloring book."
"This makes using water colored pencils and markers easier as they do not bleed through to the other picture. I do put another piece of paper or thin cardboard in between so that it also helps to catch the bleeding if I am being heavy handed."
"5 bucks for a coloring book?"
"It has a good variety of images, however the paper is not the best quality."
Best Entomology
• step-by-step directions for all stages from setting up an apiary to harvesting honey; • approximately 100 illustrations featuring techniques, equipment, and bee biology; • information about how to manage new pests and diseases including Colony Collapse Disorder; • coverage of new trends and changes in beekeeping including green IPM techniques and new laws for urban beekeeping; • the most up-to-date bibliography and list of resources on the topic; and. • a new user-friendly book design that clearly highlights instructions and other important features. "The text is presented in a very readable way, and the diagrams are some of the clearest I have seen for a long time. The book outlines options for each operation within beekeeping, listing advantages and disadvantages of each alternative. "Since the publication of the first edition of the handbook in 1973, many thousands of novice and experienced beekeepers have relied on this book as the preferred single-volume guide to bee keeping. The fourth edition has been redesigned, revised and expanded to incorporate the latest findings on Colony Collapse Disorder, green integrated pest management techniques, overwintering protocols and ways to control bee mites .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm just a beginner or a hobbyist as they are called and yet this book isn't anything over my head nor is it hard to read."
"A must for every backyard beekeeper."
"Outstanding!"
"good book for reference and basic learning."
"Excellent book."
"Good information."
"My friend and I are interested in starting to raise our own bees, so when I saw this book listed I thought I would purchase it."
"Being new to beekeeping, I found this book especially handy ( this being my 5th bee related book )."
Best Biological Science of Horses
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War II In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender. A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. “Passionately told and dazzling in scope, The Perfect Horse charges headlong into an unforgettable tale of World War II, when good men were given a final mission—to save beloved horses—at an hour when no one wanted to die. In Elizabeth Letts, the saga of World War II’s white stallions has found its perfect guardian.” —Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call. In The Perfect Horse , Elizabeth Letts sheds light on another of Hitler’s infamous heists, that of prized stallions from Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia, and other parts of Europe, with the aim of employing eugenics to breed the consummate war horse (of course, of course). Whether you’re a history buff, a horse fan, or can appreciate how doing one positive thing can have enormous impact, The Perfect Horse is the perfect read for you. “A wholly original, illuminating perspective on the war The Perfect Horse tells a fascinating story of bravery and benevolence that has gone far too long without reaching an audience. To anyone with a love of horses or other animals, Letts’ fantastic, almost humanizing characterizations of some of the horses will make this book an instant favorite. “[Elizabeth] Letts, a lifelong equestrienne, eloquently brings together the many facets of this unlikely, poignant story underscoring the love and respect of man for horses. The author’s elegant narrative conveys how the love for these amazing creatures transcends national animosities.” — Kirkus Reviews “Straight out of the cauldron of Nazi brutality and war, Elizabeth Letts weaves not just a page-turner but an achingly glorious story of grace and redemption. It is through their eyes, and through Letts’s nearly supernatural horse sense, that we fall in love with sensitive Lipizzaner and fine-boned Arabians—the rescued animals who inspired men to reclaim their humanity.” —Vicki Constantine Croke, author of Elephant Company “In the early years of World War II, the finest purebred horses in Nazi-occupied Europe were stolen by the Germans for experiments to develop the perfect horse. In this spellbinding, heart-stopping book, Elizabeth Letts does full justice to the extraordinary drama of the horses’ rescue in the war’s chaotic final days.” —Lynne Olson, author of Citizens of London “ The Perfect Horse is an enthralling and moving story that I could not put down. History buffs and horse lovers will enjoy this amazing tale.” —Molly Guptill Manning, author of When Books Went to War “Passionately told and dazzling in scope, The Perfect Horse charges headlong into an unforgettable tale of World War II, when good men were given a final mission—to save beloved horses—at an hour when no one wanted to die. In Elizabeth Letts, the saga of World War II’s white stallions has found its perfect guardian.” —Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call “Elizabeth Letts’s beautiful prose, woven together with meticulous research, takes you for a ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.” —Robin Hutton, author of Sgt. This is the best kind of storytelling.” —Joe Drape, author of American Pharoah “In Elizabeth Letts’s engrossing, richly researched book—a story of horses and heroism during the final days of World War II—we learn that our human instinct to protect our equine friends can cause us to risk even our own lives for their sake.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you liked Unbroken and War Horse, you will like this book. The author follows the characters and the horses throughout their lives and at the end, I cried all the way through the last few chapters."
"I really struggled with this book on two fronts 1) Incredible story / 2) bit disjointed writing at times."
"I'll admit it: I don't know if I'm 5-star rating this because the book is great or because the overall story is fascinating and engaging."
"If you can picture a book which covers "two continents and more than eight decades", as author Elizabeth Letts puts it in her acknowledgements, you will begin to get an idea of how remarkable a story The Perfect Horse is. Letts weaves an intricate tapestry which eloquently tells the story of how the American military manages to rescue priceless horses from imminent death at the end of World War II. A large and varied assortment of courageous men from Europe and the US fell into place, almost haphazardly, to accomplish this rescue. When the author writes about them, the love she has for them is so powerful and passionate, yet so honest and true, the reader cannot help but understand what it is that drew her to such a massive undertaking."
"If you're a lover of horses and history, please read this wonderful book about the horses during WWII that were saved by the 2nd Calvary."
Best Educational Law & Legislation Law
An essential, practical, hands-on resource for school leaders, policymakers, and other educational personnel, this practical, clear, and easy-to-understand guide looks at both the historical background and the contemporary legal issues that affect virtually every aspect of schools today. He served as a policy consultant with the Alabama State Department of Education for twelve years and received numerous awards in recognition of his contributions in the field of education. He is the recipient of the Truman M. Pierce Award for Educational Leadership and outstanding contributions which advanced the direction of education in the state of Alabama, the Academic Excellence Award in recognition of professional achievement and academic excellence in the research, service, and teaching of education, Capstone College of Education Society, The University of Alabama; Teaching Excellence Award; Distinguished Service Award—Who’s Who in the State of Tennessee, The University of Memphis Distinguished Administrator of the Year 1995-96, “Educator on the Move,” The University of Memphis; Phi Delta Kappa, the President’s award for leadership and service to the community, Youth Services, Inc.; Who’s Who in Corporate Memphis, Grace Magazine; and, President Bush’s Community Service Award, just to name a few.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I use this book as the main text for my school law class."
"This book is serving its purpose."
"The book was easy to read and is a great resource to have."
"This is a practical and easy-to-read book for any person needing to know more about school law."
Best Cheese & Dairy Cooking
In addition to Ben & Jerry's 11 greatest hits, here are recipes for ice creams made with fresh fruit, with chocolate, with candies and cookies, and recipes for sorbets, sundaes, and baked goods. MORE CHUNKS LESS BUNK. Despite a philosophical disagreement over chunk size-Ben prefers them large and occasional while Jerry favors frequent, somewhat smaller ones-together Ben and Jerry are good friends who make great ice cream. Specially adapted to make at home, there are 90 recipes in all, including sorbets, summer slushes, giant sundaes and other ice-cream concoctions. There's no such thing as an unredeemingly bad batch of homemade ice cream. Ben Cohen has been a Pinkerton Guard, a garbage man, and a short-order cook. Nancy Stevens is a magazine and newspaper writer who has been published in the Saturday Review, the New York Times, the Village Voice, and Working Woman.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have tried 4 recipes in this book so far and they were easy adn DELICIOUS!!"
"Best book for ice cream making you can get."
"Fun read, great ice cream receipts..."
"This book is worth 5 stars just for the sweet cream vanilla recipe."
"You can make ice-cream that tastes just as good or better than most premium ice-cream sold in supermarket."
"wasn't really fond of the recipes in this book."
"I have owned a KA ice cream maker for several years, and lucky to use it once or twice a year, but now am using it more often. Its base is normally 2 cups of heavy cream or whipping cream, and that makes the ice cream more expensive than store brand ice cream... but the taste is wonderful."
"Cool book with amazing recipes."
Best Pet Food & Nutrition
The pet food industry has let you down. You have depended on them to provide wholesome nutrition to keep your pets healthy. Veterinarians continually treat inflammatory and degenerative diseases, yet they fail to see any correlation between the highly processed diets and disease. Judy Morgan DVM, CVA, CVCP, CVFT is a nationally renowned author, speaker, and holistic veterinarian certified in acupuncture, food therapy, and chiropractic care for dogs, cats, and horses.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you have investigated cooking for your dog and been discouraged by other things you have read - this book will EMPOWER & INSPIRE you!!! If you want to cook for your dog, you should purchase this book!"
"This is the book pet parents have been waiting for!"
"Love this book and all the recipes for my dog that has suffered from pancreatitis twice and has CHF."
"Feeding your dog natural good wholesome food does not have to be hard, this wonderful book makes it easy and simple, And if your dog has health issues, guess what, feeding correct balanced nutritional food can solve those problems or at the least make them better."
"Another great I formative book in my agenda to provide the best food for my dog."
"I love this book."
"This book is filled with amazing and easy to follow recipes."
"I have been using Dr. Morgan's methods for a long time, this book is jam packed with information that will help me up my game and better meet the needs and challenges my pups face as they age."