Koncocoo

Best Natural Resources

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit
Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. Though the ‘stranger’ in the title is Knight, one closes the book with the sense that Knight, like all seers, is the only sane person in a world gone insane—that modern civilization has made us strangers to ourselves." —Jennifer Senior, The New York Times "Michael Finkel has done something magical with this profound book… [His] investigation runs deep, summoning…the human history of our own attempts to find meaning in a noisy world."
Reviews
"Not only is this story of Chris Knight one of the most compelling that I have read in some time, but the lengths that you went to, to research his venture into the woods of Maine, to understand him, to get to know him, clearly better than anyone else has, and to represent him with such dignity, astounds me. While some, especially those whose homes were burgled, might still never understand what would cause a person to want to live in such extreme conditions let alone in solitude, far removed from the ‘regular’ world, after reading the book, while I will never spend a night, let alone an hour in the woods, what drew Knight makes sense to me now. It’s not to say that after reading THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS that every reader will feel compelled to pick up and leave their jobs, families, and the comfort of modern society behind, but it sure does offer food for thought."
"I wanted to read this book as the Maine woods have been a part of my life and I was unfamiliar with this story until I saw this book. I realized from the start that at the core of this story was an important topic I already have been worrying about that I feel American society either is unaware of or is purposefully ignoring: the neuro-atypical person and the challenge of how they will live (not thriving but suffering) in modern America. Knight was content and found peace in living that life until he was caught with the help of sophisticated surveillance equipment while robbing food from a nonprofit camp for disabled children (including kids on the Autism Spectrum). The heartbreaking part of this story is that the suffering that Knight endured was due to square pegs not fitting in the round holes of modern American society, his relief and contendedness was found living in isolation in nature, but this is not really allowed in America, and when possible it's only available to those who are able to financially support themselves due to an inheritance or some income stream that they are lucky to find that meshes with their talents and abilities. But this book provides more food for thought, for me at least, than just Knight's hermit years story. I hope this book is a catalyst for Americans to think about this issue, with the rising rates of Autism and mental illness, we have more people this decade than ever before who are not fitting in with the mandatory American public school system and who are not fitting in to work jobs as adults enough to support themselves independently let alone the issue of if a person is happy or content."
"Many of us dream of secluding from the busyness of modern living—the fast-paced, noisy, cyclical nature in which life has become; yet many of us do not have the courage or tenacity to pursue such a dream, much less achieve this dream for the amount of time that Knight did. On a practical level, Michael Finkel has written this biographical account excellently."
"My heart goes out to Mr. Knight."
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The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature
From these, Haskell spins a brilliant web of biology and ecology, explaining the science that binds together the tiniest microbes and the largest mammals and describing the ecosystems that have cycled for thousands- sometimes millions-of years. Each visit to the forest presents a nature story in miniature as Haskell elegantly teases out the intricate relationships that order the creatures and plants that call it home. Most important, Mr. Haskell is asensitive writer, conjuring with careful precision the worlds he observes anddelighting the reader with insightful turns of phrase."
Reviews
"I found this a very enjoyable book to read."
"This is a delightful book."
"Excellently written and wonderfully informative."
"Takes you on a journey through the woods."
"This is not the type of book I typically read."
"His unique combination of scientific accuracy and poetic prose bring the natural world into the spotlight without romanticizing or dramatizing it."
"Beautifully written and informative (sometimes too scientific), this book is a diary of a naturalist/poet who spends a year exploring a 3' circle in the Tennessee woods and what he observes."
"Very interesting in-depth look at the forest for a full year."
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Aquaponic Gardening: A Step-By-Step Guide to Raising Vegetables and Fish Together
A combination of aquaculture and hydroponics, aquaponic gardening is an amazingly productive way to grow organic vegetables, greens, herbs, and fruits, while providing the added benefits of fresh fish as a safe, healthy source of protein. Aquaponic Gardening is the definitive do-it-yourself home manual, focused on giving you all the tools you need to create your own aquaponic system and enjoy healthy, safe, fresh, and delicious food all year round. --Jeff Edwards - President, Progressive Gardening Trade Association (PGTA) I have always wanted to put my money where my mouth is and figure out how to do sustainable aquaculture in the context of my home garden. -- Michael C. Metallo, President and CEO, National Gardening Association Sylvia Bernstein has provided the "aquapons of the world" with a clear, impassioned, and elegant "Bible" to spread the good news about aquaponics. Sylvia Bernstein. is the president and founder of The Aquaponic Sourceand the co-Founder and former Vice Chairman of the Aquaponics Association.
Reviews
"If you are trying to build an specific aquaponics system like IBC tote, Barrelponics, NFT or Raft you should read this book first and then get a book or guide for your specific setup. This book is aimed more for personal use but Silvia sometimes give some hints for people doing commercial setups."
"This book (I purchased the kindle edition) is a primer, an introduction to aquaponics, and does not pretend to anything more."
"It is in my opinion the best book on aquaponics that there is (There are some excellent videos and you can youtube the topic to see some of the details but the book is a must) and it is vital to have a book so that you know all of the aspects."
"EXCELLENT GUIDE, ENJOYED MAKING MY OWN SYSTEM AND YES IT REALLY WORKS."
"I love this book, I am working on building a system in my man cave."
"This was the first book I purchased when I began aquaponic gardening, and I consider this book to be my aquaponic "bible" now."
"Solid information and well organized."
"There is so much information in here I don't think you need another book."
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Best Fisheries & Aquaculture

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea
It was the storm of the century, boasting waves over one hundred feet high—a tempest created by so rare a combination of factors that meteorologists deemed it "the perfect storm." In The Perfect Storm , author Sebastian Junger conjures for the reader the meteorological conditions that created the "storm of the century" and the impact the storm had on many of the people caught in it.
Reviews
"The author's research on tuna fishing is amazing."
"The book talks about the life of fisherman and how dangerous sword fishing is, but despite the dangerous voyages, fisherman have to make money somehow even if it means risking their lives and never coming back to their loved ones."
"Much better than the movie."
"Must be read much better then the movie."
"It was almost as informative as being in that area and having a knowledgeable tour guide tell the story of the place and the people. Since I have a deep concern for the sustainability of the environment, it is of interest to read about the forces that push people to essentially destroy the very hand that feeds them. The book combines a personal life story, history, psychology, and world economics and even international relations."
"The Andrea Gail and the events that took place in October of 1991 are brought to bear on the reader by delving into the personal lives of the men who sailed upon her. Junger has given the reader a glimpse into the lives of men who were doing their daily job, yet done in the face of danger."
"While much of what he supposes went through the minds of those who died is wild conjecture, he does give that disclaimer in the intro and does a reasonable job of trying to extrapolate from other maritime disasters and the records from their survivors."
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Best Forests & Forestry

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit
Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded. Though the ‘stranger’ in the title is Knight, one closes the book with the sense that Knight, like all seers, is the only sane person in a world gone insane—that modern civilization has made us strangers to ourselves." —Jennifer Senior, The New York Times "Michael Finkel has done something magical with this profound book… [His] investigation runs deep, summoning…the human history of our own attempts to find meaning in a noisy world."
Reviews
"Not only is this story of Chris Knight one of the most compelling that I have read in some time, but the lengths that you went to, to research his venture into the woods of Maine, to understand him, to get to know him, clearly better than anyone else has, and to represent him with such dignity, astounds me. While some, especially those whose homes were burgled, might still never understand what would cause a person to want to live in such extreme conditions let alone in solitude, far removed from the ‘regular’ world, after reading the book, while I will never spend a night, let alone an hour in the woods, what drew Knight makes sense to me now. It’s not to say that after reading THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS that every reader will feel compelled to pick up and leave their jobs, families, and the comfort of modern society behind, but it sure does offer food for thought."
"Many of us dream of secluding from the busyness of modern living—the fast-paced, noisy, cyclical nature in which life has become; yet many of us do not have the courage or tenacity to pursue such a dream, much less achieve this dream for the amount of time that Knight did. On a practical level, Michael Finkel has written this biographical account excellently."
"I wanted to read this book as the Maine woods have been a part of my life and I was unfamiliar with this story until I saw this book. I realized from the start that at the core of this story was an important topic I already have been worrying about that I feel American society either is unaware of or is purposefully ignoring: the neuro-atypical person and the challenge of how they will live (not thriving but suffering) in modern America. Knight was content and found peace in living that life until he was caught with the help of sophisticated surveillance equipment while robbing food from a nonprofit camp for disabled children (including kids on the Autism Spectrum). The heartbreaking part of this story is that the suffering that Knight endured was due to square pegs not fitting in the round holes of modern American society, his relief and contendedness was found living in isolation in nature, but this is not really allowed in America, and when possible it's only available to those who are able to financially support themselves due to an inheritance or some income stream that they are lucky to find that meshes with their talents and abilities. But this book provides more food for thought, for me at least, than just Knight's hermit years story. I hope this book is a catalyst for Americans to think about this issue, with the rising rates of Autism and mental illness, we have more people this decade than ever before who are not fitting in with the mandatory American public school system and who are not fitting in to work jobs as adults enough to support themselves independently let alone the issue of if a person is happy or content."
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Best Water Supply

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water, Revised Edition
"The definitive work on the West's water crisis." ''When archaelogists from another planet sift through the bleached bones of our civilization, they may conclude that our temples were dams, says Reisner in this angry, exhaustive and gracefully written account of America's quest to turn the inhospitable, irredeemably dry West into a Garden of Eden…Not the first book on the subject, but one of the best.''. -- Kirkus Reviews ''[This] timely and important book should be required reading for all citizens.''. ''Masterful…Among the most influential environmental books published by an American since Silent Spring .''.
Reviews
"This is a timeless work detailing the history of water wealth and distribution in the West."
"Man this book is encyclopedic, with all that implies."
"While the editing causes some revisiting of projects ant times, this book gives a clear picture of the technical, economic, political, and bureaucratic forces surrounding the largest group of public works in American history."
"I recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the history of the water "crisis" or has the least bit of interest in our nation's history!"
"While the activities recounted in the book paved the way to agriculture and population growth (and clearly contributed to the rise of the United States as a world leader), the calculated and manipulative things people of the time did to drive "progress" were monumental and jaw-dropping in some cases."
"It is not a perfect work: the author occasionally allows his passion to overwhelm his recounting of the facts, and it detracts from both his case and the flow of the book."
"A really excellent dissertation on the history of US water and the institutions that control it."
"It's easy to call all cities in the American West "cancers", and state or imply how and how much the West should've been settled, based on 20/20 hindsight and without thought for where settlers could've gone if every inch West of the 100th meridian had been settled only by a very limited number of environmentally prophetic, conscientious stewards."
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Best Water Supply & Land Use

Cadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water, Revised Edition
"The definitive work on the West's water crisis." ''When archaelogists from another planet sift through the bleached bones of our civilization, they may conclude that our temples were dams, says Reisner in this angry, exhaustive and gracefully written account of America's quest to turn the inhospitable, irredeemably dry West into a Garden of Eden…Not the first book on the subject, but one of the best.''. -- Kirkus Reviews ''[This] timely and important book should be required reading for all citizens.''. ''Masterful…Among the most influential environmental books published by an American since Silent Spring .''.
Reviews
"This is a timeless work detailing the history of water wealth and distribution in the West."
"Man this book is encyclopedic, with all that implies."
"While the editing causes some revisiting of projects ant times, this book gives a clear picture of the technical, economic, political, and bureaucratic forces surrounding the largest group of public works in American history."
"I recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the history of the water "crisis" or has the least bit of interest in our nation's history!"
"It is not a perfect work: the author occasionally allows his passion to overwhelm his recounting of the facts, and it detracts from both his case and the flow of the book."
"It's easy to call all cities in the American West "cancers", and state or imply how and how much the West should've been settled, based on 20/20 hindsight and without thought for where settlers could've gone if every inch West of the 100th meridian had been settled only by a very limited number of environmentally prophetic, conscientious stewards."
"Between this book and the "King of California" a very concise history of water in the lands west of the Mississippi and then west of Sierra Nevada Mountains is painted and highlighted with political and bureaucratic bumbling that has lead to the "crisis" that lives on today."
"Although written in 1986, revised and updated in 1993, it is a useful source of history and a means of understanding how we got ourselves into the difficulties we are now facing."
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Best Nature of Rocks & Minerals

The Crystal Bible, Volume 3: Godsfield Bibles (The Crystal Bible Series)
Crystal Reference. Crystal Innovations. Crystal Beings. Crystal Structure High Vibration Crystals. Exploring Crystal Potential. Crystal Skulls. Building in Stone. The Madagascar Stones. She is the author of over 40 books, including the bestselling Crystal Bible (2003) and The Crystal Bible 2 (2009).
Reviews
"Keep in mind none of the stones are duplicated from one book to another, so buying #3 does NOT mean you get everything in 1 and 2."
"Great book!"
"Daughter got this as a gift and is using it a lot."
"Really cool full color pictures and great info!"
"This is full of good information on stones and comes in handy."
"Packed & packed with information."
"This review is for the kindle edition only."
"I wish I had realized that there is one other review here for the Kindle version and it clearly states there are no pictures."
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Best Animal Rights

Eating Animals
Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his life oscillating between enthusiastic carnivore and occasional vegetarian. *Starred Review* If this book were packaged like a loaf of bread, its Nutrition Facts box would list high percentages of graphic descriptions of factory farm methods of animal breeding, mass confinement, and assembly-line slaughter as well as the brutality and waste of high-tech fishing methods; fresh studies of animal (fish included) intelligence and their capacity for suffering; and undiluted facts about industrial animal agriculture’s major role in global warming. He presents assiduously assembled facts (supported by70 pages of end notes) about the miserable lives and deaths of industrialized chickens, pigs, fish, and cattle and about agricultural pollution and how factory farming engenders species-leaping flu pandemics.
Reviews
"Foer makes reading about hog s*%t and chicken fecal soup an interesting, sometimes moving experience."
"An amazing book that looks at so many aspects of why we eat what we do."
"In much the same way as a smoker or gun owner needs to be aware of the effects and responsibilities of their choice, so should anyone who eats animals, especially those from factory farms, understand the consequences of theirs."
"This book should be required reading."
"He hones in on the factory farming industry, our justifications for eating meat, and the environmental toll of this cultural habit."
"I went into this book already aware that factory farming was horrific and environmentally unstable."
"This book will be confronting for anyone who doesn't really know how animals are raised and slaughtered for food.The book consolidates the information and arguments that I have encountered since I decided to adopt a vegetarian diet 30 years ago."
"Foer doesn't stand on a soap box and try to convert everyone to become vegan or vegetarian, but he gathers and presents sufficient incontrovertible evidence that how we currently raise animals for food (factory farming) is unhealthy, inhumane and unsustainable."
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Best Ecology of Oceans & Seas

In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
From the author of the forthcoming book, Valiant Ambition , the riveting and critically acclaimed bestseller, soon to be a major motion picture starring Chris Hemsworth, directed by Ron Howard, premiering on December 11, 2015 Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Ben Whishaw, and Brendan Gleeson will star in a new film based on this National Book Award–winning account of the true events behind Moby Dick . Nathaniel Philbrick 's In the Heart of the Sea is certainly cast from the same mold, examining the 19th-century Pacific whaling industry through the arc of the sinking of the whaleship Essex by a boisterous sperm whale. The story that inspired Herman Melville's classic Moby-Dick has a lot going for it--derring-do, cannibalism, rescue--and Philbrick proves an amiable and well-informed narrator, providing both context and detail. The epicenter of the whaling industry was Nantucket, a small island off Cape Cod; most of the whales were in the Pacific, necessitating a huge journey around the southernmost tip of South America. A maritime historian, Philbrick recounts the hellish wreck of the Essex (which inspired Melville's Moby-Dick) and its sailors' struggle to make their way to South America, 2,000 miles away. Philbrick shows how the Quaker establishment of Nantucket ran a hugely profitable whaling industry in the 18th and 19th centuries and provides a detailed account of shipboard life.
Reviews
"Very good book, and a great story."
"Interesting."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this true story."
"Based on watching the trailer, I'm very happy that I read the book first."
"Very entertaining and well researched, and it is a fascinating look at the life of whaling men, and those back on shore as well during that time period."
"Not for the weak of heart."
"I recently read other books by Philbrick, Bunker Hill and Valiant Ambition which I liked very much."
"One of the best books I have ever read."
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Best Ecology of Mountains

Beyond the Deep: The Deadly Descent into the World's Most Treacherous Cave
But beyond that lay the unknown territory: a flooded corridor that had blocked all previous comers, claimed a diver's life, and drove the rest of the team back-except for William Stone and Barbara am Ende, who forged on for 18 more days, with no hope of rescue, to set the record for the deepest cave dive in the Western Hemisphere. Set in stygian gloom, this account of a 1994 caving expedition in southern Mexico produces what adventure readers crave: danger, dissension, death, and ultimate success. As the saga unfolds (dramatically assisted by admittedly reconstructed dialogue), the riskiness of the enterprise becomes apparent as the cavers survive various snafus, which rattle some group members who come to resent Stone's hard-charging style. -- Wade Davis, Explorer-in-Residence, National Geographic Society, author of THE SERPENT AND THE RAINBOW "... describes one of the most significant achievements of modern exploration, with personal stories that make this an exciting, page-turning read."
Reviews
"This is a great book written by two of the cavers involved in the expedition."
"This is a good book about a sort of Everest expedition though 'upside down.'."
"I was looking for a good book about real life adventure, and this surely paid off."
"Fantastic story, great writing."
"an obscure "sport" and now i want to find out so much more about the people who have the need to explore our world."
"Excellently written!"
"An excellent read."
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Best Ecology of Lakes & Ponds

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is prize-winning reporter Dan Egan’s compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come. In an age when dire problems like the Flint water crisis or the California drought bring ever more attention to the indispensability of safe, clean, easily available water, The Death and the Life of the Great Lakes is a powerful paean to what is arguably our most precious resource, an urgent examination of what threatens it and a convincing call to arms about the relatively simple things we need to do to protect it. “Dan Egan has done more than any other journalist in America to chronicle the decline of this once-great ecosystem.”. - Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment, Special Merit citation. “Important.… Egan’s book serves as a reminder that the ecological universe we inhabit is vastly connected and cannot be easily mended by humility and good intentions.”. - Meghan O’Gieblyn, Boston Review. “Egan’s knowledge, both deep and wide, comes through on every page, and his clear writing turns what could be confusing or tedious material into a riveting story.”. - Margaret Quamme, Columbus Dispatch. Dan Egan is a reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and a senior water policy fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Freshwater Sciences.
Reviews
"He makes a cogent argument that the Great Lakes are left open to the import of more invasive species in small ship ballast tanks, which are the only ones which can still get through the St. Lawrence Seaway, and these ships bring less than 2% of foreign cargo into the United States. Bottom Line: That cargo could just as easily be off-loaded to trains and trucks at our seaports at very little extra cost."
"If you like having fresh water to drink from the Great Lakes or live near one of the "HOMES," this book is for you."
"All Americans and especially those who live near or have a familiarity with the Great Lakes will be disturbed by what is presented in this well-written book."
"I live near the great lakes and have been a big fan of all the shore lines."
"A well-researched book that should be required reading for every Michigander."
"Having lived,vacationed and traveled around the Great Lakes most of my life, I have gained a much deeper understanding and appreciation for these spectacular inland seas."
"Any midwesterner drawing water from the Great Lakes will appreciate this thoughtful and well-researched book."
"Sad reading about one calamity after another to the Great Lakes."
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