price：$10.20
Tantor Media
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time) 『Mortenson is a great person with great personality, who is a great role model for Americans. I am grateful that he listened to his heart to help promote education, especially for girls, in a country like Pakistan, which prohibits girls from attending school. He truly used his heart and intelligence to bring peace worldwide.
After reading the entire book from front to back, I thought of Mortenson as a living legend of the legends. He is a true hero. The book is very alive; the minute I started reading the book, I could not put it down or leave it. I just had to keep reading it. This made me recommend it to everyone, including schools here and overseas. In fact, I have already passed on my book to one of my friends. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time 』
(Education as a key to changing the world) 『A wonderful account of how a man is working to change the world through education. Greg Mortensen, a climber, comes to understand the needs of a remote village in Pakistan. He makes a commitment to help them build a school and this one project becomes a mission to bring education in to people with little chance for improving their lives otherwise. I found it impressive that he was committed to bringing education to both boys and girls, even when it would have been easier to cave into pressure and not help the girls. I find it enlightening that education is the key to bringing about understanding and peace as it gives people hope of a better future. Truly inspiring.』
(Three Cups of Tea) 『A book I would recommend to the President of the United States and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. What we need to do to win in Afghanistan or anywhere else.』
(Peace) 『Three Cups of Tea: One Mans Mission to Promote Peace is a well executed read. It has all the elements: suspense, intrigue, compassion, and hope. In the harsh environments of Pakistan and Afghanistan,in regions most of the world has all but forgotten, Greg Mortensen is able to build friendships and trust in order to provide a basic education for all children----especially women. However, this is not simply about an education, it is about learning to accept, and beleive in others. In a time when most Westerner's beleive that all people of Islamic nations are the same, the story of the founding of CAI, along with the strength, support and determination of not only Greg Mortensen, but the faith and support that village elders place in him, truly enlightens. These people are simply people, and they need to be recognized.
A truly fantastic book---I have already suggested this read to many of my friends, and family.』
(One man's amazing story) 『This book tells Greg Mortenson's amazing story. After he stumbled into a Pakistani village, disoriented and lost, he was moved by the kindness of the villagers and promised to return to help them build a school. And so began his life's mission to spread peace through education. After reading this book, I can say that Greg Mortenson is one of my heroes. His perseverance and dedication to his cause is unwavering, even through an 8 day detainment by the Taliban. What makes him so incredible is that, unlike so-called missionaries who travel through the poorest regions of the world to promote religion, Greg promotes education without demeaning the locals' way of life. He is completely accepting that he is the foreigner, and adapts to his surroundings rather than trying to change them. In doing so he has gained the respect of the people he helps, and it is the basis of work. This is a wonderfully, touching book that sends a powerful message to anyone who reads it. I highly recommend this book!』 『
The inspiring account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti-American reaches of Asia.
price：$13.58
Penguin Audio
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Do You Eat? Read this Book!) 『I was expecting a diatribe, a full-force blast against agri-business and the factory farm, more along the lines of what we hear from the more strident vegans and animal rights activists. Pollan, however, is much too skilled as a journalist and writer for that. If his journeys lead him to both Food Hell and Food Heaven, they also show him that there is no clear, simple, and easy path to salvation when it comes to eating.
"The Omnivore's Dilemma" is Pollan's attempt to answer some important questions about the food we eat, which I have unfairly boiled down to: Where does our food come from, and how did it get from there to us? His quest takes him through the horrifying house of cards that is industrial farming, ranching, and food processing, a vision that will either open your eyes or make you screw them tightly shut, because most of us don't have a lot of choice when it comes, for example, to eschewing the monoculture corn that finds its way into most of what we eat and much of what we don't. The first of the four meals in the subtitle is of McDonald's fast food, eaten with his family but hardly "shared," as they each consumed a different choice of foods, all the while driving along the highway, as many fast food meals are eaten in America today.
Skipping ahead, the fourth and final meal was as personal and local as Pollan could make it: meat from the wild pig he shot himself, bread made with wild yeasts, produce from his garden, mushrooms gathered by his own hands, and more, all crafted into a gourmet feast that he shared at the table with friends, family, and good conversation. With apparently honest and transparent struggles, he experiences both the attraction of vegetarianism and the joy of the hunt in preparation for what he called his Perfect Meal. Not a meal for everyone, nor for every day, but a meal of grace, embodying the ultimate answer to his questions.
In between is Organic, what Pollan calls pastoral food, in contrast to industrial. This required two meals, because "organic" isn't what it used to be. Big Organic, symbolized by the Whole Foods Market, is the organic movement gone mainstream. It is proof that we do, after all, have some choice about where our food comes from. That we can now buy organic food at Wal-Mart says a lot for the power of the consumer. But this victory came at a price: our 1960's-bred image of the small, family, organic farm remains only on the patently misleading pictures on the food packages. In order to become a mass-market commodity, organic food has taken on many of the harmful practices of the industrial system, from migrant labor to "free range" chickens that never see the outdoors. It's still a good thing -- organic farming is much better for the land and produces food that is at least somewhat more nutritious -- but has it lost its soul?
Joel Salatin would say it has. The section on Salatin's Polyface Farm in Virginia is worth the price of the book all by itself. This is Food Heaven on earth. The Salatin family, beginning with Joel's parents, took an abused and exhausted plot of land and healed it ("we are in the redemption business"), turning it into a showpiece of truly sustainable agriculture, one that produces a great deal of food while enriching, rather than depleting the land, and where the people, the animals, the plants, the smaller creatures, and the soil play out their interdependence to the advantage of all.
Hope for the future of food lies not in one particular system, Pollan says, but in supporting a variety of approaches. "As in the fields, nature provides the best model for the marketplaces, and nature never puts all her eggs in one basket. The great virtue of a diversified food economy, like a diverse pasture or farm, is its ability to withstand any shock. The important thing is that there be multiple food chains, so that when any one of them fails -- when the oil runs out, when mad cow or other food-borne diseases become epidemic, when the pesticides no longer work, when drought strikes and plagues come and soils blow away -- we'll still have a way to feed ourselves."
Far from being the jeremiad I had expected, Pollan's careful investigations and respectful reporting make "The Omnivore's Dilemma" a book that everyone who eats should read. 』
(Excellent survey of the American food industry) 『Michael Pollan entertains while he informs, surprises, and disillusions most hopes you might have had about the American food industry. This book is a must read if you are at all interested in what you eat, and how its production is affecting nature. Pollan follows the life of both a cow and a chicken through their confined lives in high producing typical american farms- which proves to be more revolting and dangerous that one might have thought. He also explains why all those products at the grocery store have some tangent of corn in it: "high fructose corn syrup" etc. He also documents some small organic farmers and the processes they use to create sustainable farming. How the food industry reflects the general American mentality should become increasingly obvious, as you become more aware of what you eat and where it comes from.
This book is an excellent way to make a visit to the grocery store a little less abstract.』
(A provocative and thoughtful examination of food in America) 『Michael Pollan mesmerizes with his exciting examination of the possible sources of our food in America. I love food and for me this book constituted a celebration of it's complexity and possibility. Although Pollan is obviously biased he takes a calculated look at the propositions of both sides, even though through the novel we follow him to his inevitable arrival at his own perceptions. I highly recommend this book to all readers, especially those who are politically conscious or who just get inordinately excited about food the way I do.』
(Great read about agriculture buisness) 『A great book that reads well and talks about how agriculture buisness ultimately affects our health. Recommended.』
(Anyone who eats food should read this!) 『In The Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan explores the current landscape of procuring food in America by actively tracing four meals, through intermediary energy forms, to the ultimate source of their energy, the sun. He explicates all processes and their consequences with regards to creating meals from McDonald's, Whole Foods (big industrial organic), a self-sustained farm, and one that he obtained every component of himself (hunting and gathering).
His active investigative journalism as well as his open mind and willingness to learn leads him to experience firsthand the food creation process by participating in all methods of creating food (that is, those that he is allowed to participate in) and to read everything on the subject from the biology of corn reproduction to the philosophy of eating animals, allowing him to understand food as well as possible. His travels lead him to farms across the country, where he watches the farm processes and participates in them (including driving a tractor as well as killing and eviscerating chickens), CAFO's, and to learn how to hunt wild pig and develop a sixth sense for seeing and gathering mushrooms. He engages in deep discussions with experts in all aspects of food to understand their perspective and shed a different light on food as we see it - that is, food without the hidden negative consequences. This active participation and discussion straight from the source as well as thorough research leads him to draw well-reasoned conclusions from his experiences. He demystifies the supermarket and articulates the hidden consequences of our food choices.
Pollan conveys his findings and opinions fluidly and his experiences candidly. He imparts the reader with a greater wisdom and confidence in making food choices (although it is disenchanting that the system in place does not necessarily even allow you to make the choices you want to...), but he is not preachy. I found Pollan's writing to be clear, interesting, and sincere. I highly recommend this book.』 『The bestselling author ofThe Botany of Desireexplores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the twenty-first century.
price：$10.48
Knopf
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Outstanding) 『If you are interested in running - both for an interesting story and an interesting discussion on how to run, this book is great.』
(Enjoyable, inspiring, exhilarating) 『You do NOT have to be a runner to be captivated by this book. It's a true adventure story and a real page-turner full of fascinating people and ideas. Every ten pages or so you'll want to tell someone "Listen to this...".』
(Excellent.) 『A very entertaining book with interesting characters and useful information. A must-read for runners.』
(Born to Run) 『Great story. Book arrived in excellent condition, and very timely. If there is anything that could make me take up running, it's this book.』
(Reads like a novel, feels like a philosophy) 『About a third of the way through the book I stopped and ordered one fedexed to my favorite client.
When he was a third of the way through he called me and asked if it was fiction or non-fiction.
In a meeting last week he mentioned the book to his staff in glowing terms.
The concepts in the book have come up in conversations on airplanes, at neighbor's houses and with family.
And we're not even runners.
Buy this book and read it.』 『Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration,Born to Runis an epic adventure that began with one simple question:Why does my foot hurt?In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons.Born to Runis that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
From the Hardcover edition.』 『Book Description Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration,Born to Runis an epic adventure that began with one simple question:Why does my foot hurt?In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons.Born to Runis that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.
Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Christopher McDougall
Question:Born to Runexplores the life and running habits of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon, arguably the greatest distance runners in the world. What are some of the secrets you learned from them?
Christopher McDougall:The key secret hit me like a thunderbolt. It was so simple, yet such a jolt. It was this: everything I’d been taught about running was wrong. We treat running in the modern world the same way we treat childbirth—it’s going to hurt, and requires special exercises and equipment, and the best you can hope for is to get it over with quickly with minimal damage.
Then I meet the Tarahumara, and they’re having a blast. They remember what it’s like to love running, and it lets them blaze through the canyons like dolphins rocketing through waves. For them, running isn’t work. It isn’t a punishment for eating. It’s fine art, like it was for our ancestors. Way before we were scratching pictures on caves or beating rhythms on hollow trees, we were perfecting the art of combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion over wild terrain. And when our ancestors finally did make their first cave paintings, what were the first designs? A downward slash, lightning boltsthrough the bottom and middle—behold, the Running Man.
The Tarahumara have a saying:“Children run before they can walk.” Watch any four-year-old—they do everything at full speed, and it’s all about fun. That’s the most important thing I picked up from my time in the Copper Canyons, the understanding that running can be fast and fun and spontaneous, and when it is, you feel like you can go forever. But all of that begins with your feet. Strange as it sounds, the Tarahumara taught me to change my relationship with the ground. Instead of hammering down on my heels, the way I’d been taught all my life, I learned to run lightly and gently on the balls of my feet. The day I mastered it was the last day I was ever injured.
Q:You trained for your first ultramarathon—a race organized by the mysterious gringo expat Caballo Blanco between the Tarahumara and some of America’s top ultrarunners—while researching and writing this book. What was your training like?
CM:It really started as kind of a dare. Just by chance, I’d met an adventure-sports coach from Jackson Hole, Wyoming named Eric Orton. Eric’s specialty is tearing endurance sports down to their basic components and looking for transferable skills. He studies rock climbing to find shoulder techniques for kayakers, and applies Nordic skiing’s smooth propulsion to mountain biking. What he’s looking for are basic engineering principles, because he’s convinced that the next big leap forward in fitness won’t come from strength or technology, but plain, simple durability. With some 70% of all runners getting hurt every year, the athlete who canstay healthy and avoid injury will leave the competition behind.
So naturally, Eric idolized the Tarahumara. Any tribe that has 90-year-old men running across mountaintops obviously has a few training tips up its sleeve. But since Eric had never actually met the Tarahumara, he had to deduce their methods by pure reasoning. His starting point was uncertainty; he assumed that the Tarahumara step into the unknown every time they leave their caves, because they never know how fast they’ll have to sprint after a rabbit or how tricky the climbing will be if they’re caught in a storm. They never even know how long a race will be until they step up to the starting line—the distance is only determined in a last-minute bout of negotiating and could stretch anywhere from 50 milesto 200-plus.
Eric figured shock and awe was the best way for me to build durability and mimic Tarahumara-style running. He’d throw something new at me every day—hopping drills, lunges, mile intervals—and lots and lots of hills. There was no such thing, really, as long, slow distance—he’d have me mix lots of hill repeats and short bursts of speed into every mega-long run.
I didn’t think I could do it without breaking down, and I told Eric that from the start. I basically defied him to turn me into a runner. And by the end of nine months, I was cranking out four hour runs without a problem.
Q:You’re a six-foot four-inches tall, 200-plus pound guy—not anyone’s typical vision of a distance runner, yet you’ve completed ultra marathons and are training for more. Is there a body type for running, as many of us assume, or are all humans built to run?
CM:Yeah, I’m a big’un. But isn’t it sad that’s even a reasonable question? I bought into that bull for a loooong time. Why wouldn’t I? I was constantly being told by people who should know better that “some bodies aren’t designed for running.” One of the best sports medicine physicians in thecountry told me exactly that—that the reason I was constantly getting hurt is because I was too big to handle the impact shock from my feet hitting the ground. Just recently, I interviewed a nationally-known sports podiatrist who said, “You know, we didn’t ALL evolve to run away from saber-toothed tigers.” Meaning, what? That anyone who isn’t sleek as a Kenyan marathoner should be extinct? It’s such illogical blather—all kinds of body types exist today, so obviously they DID evolve to move quickly on their feet. It’s really awful that so many doctors are reinforcing this learned helplessness, this idea that you have to be some kind of elite being to handle such a basic, universal movement.
Q:If humans are born to run, as you argue, what’s your advice for a runner who is looking to make the leap from shorter road races to marathons, or marathons to ultramarathons? Is running really for everyone?
CM:I think ultrarunning is America’s hope for the future. Honestly. The ultrarunners have got a hold of some powerful wisdom. You can see it at the starting line of any ultra race. I showed up at the Leadville Trail 100 expecting to see a bunch of hollow-eyed Skeletors, and instead it was, “Whoah! Get a load of the hotties!” Ultra runners tend to be amazingly healthy, youthful and—believe it or not—good looking. I couldn’t figure out why, until one runner explained that throughout history, the four basic ingredients for optimal health have been clean air, good food, fresh water and low stress. And that, to a T, describes the daily life of an ultrarunner. They’re out in the woods for hours at a time, breathing pine-scented breezes, eating small bursts of digestible food, downing water by the gallons, and feeling their stress melt away with the miles. But here’s the real key to that kingdom: you have to relax and enjoy the run. No one cares how fast you run 50 miles, so ultrarunners don’t really stress about times. They’re out to enjoy the run and finish strong, not shave a few inconsequential seconds off a personal best. And that’s the best way to transition up to big mileage races: as coach Eric told me, “If it feels like work, you’re working too hard.”
Q:You write that distance running is the great equalizer of age and gender. Can you explain?
CM:Okay, I’ll answer that question with a question: Starting at age nineteen, runners get faster every year until they hit their peak at twenty-seven. After twenty-seven, they start to decline. So if it takes you eight years to reach your peak, how many years does it take for you to regress back to the samespeed you were running at nineteen?
Go ahead, guess all you want. No one I’ve asked has ever come close. It’s in the book, so I won’t give it away, but I guarantee when you hear the answer, you’ll say, “No way. THAT old?” Now, factor in this: ultra races are the only sport in the world in which women can go toe-to-toe with men and hand them their heads. Ann Trason and Krissy Moehl often beat every man in the field in some ultraraces, while Emily Baer recently finished in the Top 10 at the Hardrock 100 while stopping to breastfeed her baby at the water stations.
So how’s that possible? According to a new body of research, it’s because humans are the greatest distance runners on earth. We may not be fast, but we’re born with such remarkable natural endurance that humans are fully capable of outrunning horses, cheetahs and antelopes. That’s because we oncehunted in packs and on foot; all of us, men and women alike, young and old together.
Q:One of the fascinating parts ofBorn to Runis your report on how the ultrarunners eat—salad for breakfast, wraps with hummus mid-run, or pizza and beer the night before a run. As a runner with a lot of miles behind him, what are your thoughts on nutrition for running?
CM:Live every day like you’re on the lam. If you’ve got to be ready to pick up and haul butt at a moment’s notice, you’re not going to be loading up on gut-busting meals. I thought I’d have to go on some kind of prison-camp diet to get ready for an ultra, but the best advice I got came from coach Eric, who told meto just worry about the running and the eating would take care of itself. And he was right, sort of. I instinctively began eating smaller, more digestible meals as my miles increased, but then I went behind his back and consulted with the great Dr. Ruth Heidrich, an Ironman triathlete who lives on avegan diet. She’s the one who gave me the idea of having salad for breakfast, and it’s a fantastic tip. The truth is, many of the greatest endurance athletes of all time lived on fruits and vegetables. You can get away with garbage for a while, but you pay for it in the long haul. In the book,I describe how Jenn Shelton and Billy “Bonehead” Barnett like to chow pizza and Mountain Dew in the middle of 100-mile races, but Jenn is also a vegetarian who most days lives on veggie burgers and grapes.
Q:In this difficult financial time, we’re experiencing yet another surge in the popularity of running. Can you explain this?
CM:When things look worst, we run the most. Three times, America has seen distance-running skyrocket and it’s always in the midst of a national crisis. The first boom came during the Great Depression; the next was in the ‘70s, when we were struggling to recover from a recession, race riots, assassinations, a criminal President and an awful war. And the third boom? One year after the Sept. 11 attacks,trailrunning suddenly became the fastest-growing outdoor sport in the country. I think there’s a trigger in the human psyche that activates our first and greatest survival skill whenever we see the shadow of approaching raptors.
price：$7.06
Plume
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Survive TEOTWAWKI) 『This book has a lot of great info for the serious survivalist. All of it comes from a man who walks the walk. It's comprehensive, easy to understand with lots of resources for everything you would ever need to survive any situation.』
(How To Survive THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT) 『James Wesley, Rawles again writes a superior book on the preparations for the coming collapse. Get this book and start getting yourself and your family ready. This book will help organize your thoughts and actions for most survival situations.』
(TEOTWAWKI, doesn't have to mean the end of good authors.) 『Well thought out, well written and well planned. In the easy to read instructions the author teaches you everything from water purification to food storage preparation. I do have one bad thing to say about the book. It is targeted towards the more well to do than anyone. The Author does mention this many times, and offer a plan to help the people living on a "budget". The book is basing everything off of the idea that you can attain everything listed, and does give a lot of good ideas for lessening a carbon footprint in today's age. All together it was a well constructed, and informational book.』
(Not perfect, but you've got to start somewhere) 『Reading through recent reviews here I note that some reviewers are dissatisfied that this is not a telephone book sized dissertation on Survivalism--with everything one would need to know spelled out in great detail--and are probably also disappointed that it doesn't include in depth treatments of major topics sprinkled throughout, here and there. Other reviewers are upset that this book, in their view, concentrates much too much on the extreme TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) scenario, and not on less catastrophic scenarios. But, to my mind, the mindset, the approach, the panoply of ideas, pointers, and solutions Rawles is presenting can be be used and adapted to deal with any situation along a spectrum from least to worst scenarios.
My chief problem with this book--living East of the Missouri as I do--is Rawle's unfortunately pretty irrefutable common sense conclusion (and very good advice!) that moving West of the Missouri to relatively sparsely populated, well-watered, agricultural areas with long growing seasons or to small towns (300 miles from the nearest big city if possible) where the skills of self reliance are generally more practiced and ingrained--rather than staying in the very densely populated, massively interconnected and congested, more high technology dependent East--offers a greatly increased chance of survival, if it really all starts to collapse.
The idea that the equivalents of Ghengis Khan's "Golden Horde" will swarm out every highway from every population center in the East, if it is clear that the collapse many of us have feared might come has finally arrived, and, like impossible to resist Army Ants, will eventually find and devour or destroy everything in their path, seems very likely to me; the odds are very much against you being able to hide from them, and you cannot defend against them, I wish that it were not so but, it is.
In a less than TEOTWAWKI situation, those who are--by circumstance or inclination--irremediable city dwellers (and perhaps stubborn optimists) might want to check out Fernando Ferfal Aguirre's recent "Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse [in Buenos Aires, Argentina]" which deals with the practical day to day survival skills Aguiree acquired in order for he and his family to survive in a major city when things started to slide toward disaster, penury, crime and anarchy in 2001 ( and, I get the impression, are still pretty dicey).
As the title of my review says, "you've got to start somewhere," and this small book is a good start; a starting place for acquiring the mentality, and starting to ask the questions and get acquainted with some of the solutions needed to survive in the extreme situations that none of us living here in America have had to face, but which many people in other lands have encountered--Argentina, Venezuela and Zimbabwe in recent years come immediately to mind--and, might I add, as I see it, the U.S. is swiftly headed down a similar path to a world of hurt, making this little work--unfortunately--eminently and immediately useful.
Is this book perfect, an encyclopedic reference work? No. However, does it get you started, give you the lay of the land in a new world you probably have not encountered before, identify the main problems, and point to some sources for practical solutions? Yes. Are there lists? Yes. Are they comprehensive? No, but they hit the essential points and should get you going on your own comprehensive lists.
Absorb what this book contains, see the world through Rawle's eyes, begin to understand the problems this re-imagined world presents, and the study, planning, determination, hard work, decisions, actions, and solutions that will be required to survive in this new and fearsome world (the identical world we have always lived in and live in today, minus the rose colored glasses), and this book will have done its job. I happen to think it does its job, and well. 』
(Good checklist) 『I would call this book a good checklist. He explaines in depth why you need most everything listed. This is not a copy of getready.gov. He has some insights that most people don't think about. If you live in a city of any size you should read this book. If you are commited read this book. If you don't know why you would want to prepair read this book. It is very common sense. It is not 6 chapters on how to do canning or how to make a fire. It doesn't waste time on precise details that you may or may not need. Its focus is on the broader important things that will really save your life! If everyone knew this information our country would be better off if there were another 911 or Katrina.
』 『The definitive guide on how to prepare for any crisis--from global financial collapse to a pandemic
It would only take one unthinkable event to disrupt our way of life. If there is a terrorist attack, a global pandemic, or sharp currency devaluation--you may be forced to fend for yourself in ways you've never imagined. Where would you get water? How would you communicate with relatives who live in other states? What would you use for fuel?
Survivalist expert James Wesley, Rawles, author ofPatriotsand editor of SurvivalBlog.com, shares the essential tools and skills you will need for you family to survive, including:
Water:Filtration, transport, storage, and treatment options. Food Storage:How much to store, pack-it-yourself methods, storage space and rotation, countering vermin. Fuel and Home Power:Home heating fuels, fuel storage safety, backup generators. Garden, Orchard Trees, and Small Livestock:Gardening basics, non-hybrid seeds, greenhouses; choosing the right livestock. Medical Supplies and Training:Building a first aid kit, minor surgery, chronic health issues. Communications:Following international news, staying in touch with loved ones. Home Security:Your panic room, self-defense training and tools. When to Get Outta Dodge:Vehicle selection, kit packing lists, routes and planning. Investing and Barter:Tangibles investing, building your barter stockpile. And much more.
How to Survive the End of the World as We Know Itis a must-have for every well-prepared family.
price：$4.80
Center Street
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Well worth the time) 『Leslie Sanson is one of the best! Love the book and well worth the read. Helpful and easy program.』
(Leslie Sansone Book) 『This book is really helping me to stay motivated. I really like her balanced approach and the recipes are yummy. Some seem a little strange,but the flavors really blend well and tastes good.』
(eat smart) 『This book is a very straight forward, easy to follow, sensable weight loss book. Recipes are easy and healthy. It recommends gradual change so bad habits can be replaced with healthy ones. I have used many of Leslie's tapes and was encouraged by her book.』
(Greating Reading) 『This is the second book I have read of Leslie Sansone. I found the book to be very straight forward and informative. I would recommend this book.』
(Looking to get started??) 『If you are looking for a simple, thoughful guide to help you get started in the right direction towards better health, this book is perfect for you. It's easy to read, easy to follow along, and very inspiring! I really liked the Quiz in the book that helps you figure out what your problem areas are with your eating and how to develop healthier habits. I like Leslie's whole body approach. She connects emotional fitness, spiritual fitness, and physical fitness into a complete program.
I think this book is great for beginners because it builds upon simple goals and concepts day by day. You don't have to completely change your whole life and way of being, you are making small changes to make a big difference overall. I think this is a non- intimidating approach to fitness and eating smarter and being more thoughtful with both. Leslie's recipes might also encourage you to try foods you've never had before.
Leslie encourages using a pedometer to keep track of how many steps you walk in a day. You would not believe a difference this makes! This book and approach will open your eyes to things you may not have thought of before. The nutrition and fitness facts in the book are also very powerful and motivating.
Leslie's products are always great for boosting your mood and inspiring you to continue doing good things for yourself. It's definitely worth a shot!! I like this book because it helps you create good habits and stick to them.
If you are looking for a quick fix I wouldn't recommend this because it's a gradual approach. However, you will see and feel results if you do the program, which is six weeks. I saw results in about 10 days after starting the program.
One piece of advice: When it comes to Leslie's recipes, I feel some of the recipes could be cleaned up a bit. For example, try for brown rice, or whole grain pasta and low fat cheeses. She has many recipes that just say "pasta" or "cheddar cheese" but if you want to be more productive, I recommend substituting a low fat dairy product and whole grain products for any pastas she lists in her recipes. She also mentions adding in some fruits that are high glycemic. I recommend instead using a sugar free substitute or non-sweetened apple sauce in place of those things. None of the foods she lists are BAD for you....the recipes are very tasty and great! I simply recommend considering these substitutions to speed up your weight loss. She mentions them in the chapters in the book but then doesn't list them for some of her recipes.
I think Leslie's book is more for someone who is looking to get started and maybe has not tried a lot of varieties of foods. It's a gradual approach and perhaps after doing the six week program you will consider adding in the whole grain products and low fat dairy products instead of other foods. It will help you.
I find Leslie to be refreshing and her spirit is really wonderful. She motivated me to get off the couch and actually do something to benefit my health. I recommend her if you need a boost or a gentle push in the right direction. There's more than enough room in her program to make the program suit your needs and your lifestyle. It's small, gradual changes that make the bigger, long term change! All of these together will help you achieve your goals. This book is worth buying and the program is worth your time and is worth doing.
』 『Fitness expert Leslie Sansone applies her proven six-week plan format to reforming the way we eat. Each week is focused on a theme of bad habits to break and good habits to develop.』
price：$6.40
Random House Audio
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Excellent book!) 『I bought this book for my son after he saw the movie. Again I always go to amazon when I am in need of a book. I always find it there!!!』
(Into the Wild) 『From start to finish, I read this book knowing the terrible fate of Chris McCandless. The story begins with the discovery of his dead body in an abandoned bus. From the time this young man made set off to the wilderness of Alaska, he became Alexander Supertramp. He had given away everything, the only thing that he held on to from his former life was his name, and by changing that he was now free. "So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." -- Chris McCandless. This bit of writing from the young man who escaped society really embodies his view on life.
Chris had changed his name, burnt all the cash in his wallet, and left all of his possessions behind. Just like a snake, he had shed his skin. All that Chris had on him when ventured up to into the wilderness of Alaska was a .22 caliber rifle, a ten pound bag of rice, a field guide of edible plants and berries, cheap hiking boots, and the clothes on his back. The life he saw ahead of him was going to be untouched by the society that had poisoned his previous one. To many, Chris could be described as naïve, and his story, depressing. But the way that Krakauer tells the story gives McCandless a near mythical status. He is the man who took his live by the handlebars and did something so bold, that his story could almost come off as fiction. Krakauer does a fantastic job presenting his research andhis own opinions and commentary in this book. The feelings that you develop for Chris are extraordinary, and I think that is what makes this book one of my favorites of all time. 』
(Idealism Gone Wild) 『I had enjoyed Jon Krakuer's book Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster. Thinking that Into the Wild would be of the same high quality, I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I had made a wise choice. Krakuer's work tends to stick with you long after you have finished the book. I had originally purchased the book back in 1997. My son borrowed it for a while and then it landed at my mother's house where she finished reading it this year. Somehow, it made it back home to my bookcase so I thought I would write a short review (or opinion) before placing it back in its rightful place among the nic-nacs, pictures and family of books.
The writing is first rate as the author takes us on a journey he made trying to understand the mindset of this intense young misguided man. I have personally known a few young men (and women) that fit into this stubborn idealism. While their thoughts and dreams are noble, they are never quite prepared for that heavy dose of reality that life sometimes rains down on our heads.
Throughout the book, I had an extreme sadness for the family that he had left back home. As a parent to five children, I can only imagine the anguish that filled each day of their lives. While some may admire McCandless's courage, I can only read this from the aforementioned perch of parenthood. Therefore, I come away with a different conclusion than the author. I am not saying he is wrong. Just different opinion.
Well written. Properly paced with just the right amount of tangents. Highly recommended for those who enjoy well-versed non-fiction.
I hope you find this opinion helpful.
Michael L. Gooch Author of Wingtips with Spurs 』
(Every Page is an Adventure) 『"In April 1992, a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless...Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter."
Although the author, Jon Krakauer, starts off the story with the protagonist, Chris McCandless, who has taken an adventure into Alaska and never returns, Into the Wild is a compelling story that can be read and enjoyed by all ages. Krakauer tries to give the readers the conclusion and makes them understand how it happened. It allows the readers to figure out and understand the actions that lead up to the finding of McCandless's body in an abandoned bus in the wilderness. Krakauer really wants the reader to be able to recount on McCandless' journeys and understand his reasoning behind all of them. As this is a true story, Krakauer was able to accurately recount the adventures of Chris through talking and hearing of stories by other people who met him along the way.
The title, Into the Wild, is extremely fitting for this book, as he just seemingly vanishes into the wild without a trace. He leaves behind his previous life, burns his cash, loses his car, and takes no maps or anything for himself into the wilderness. McCandless is ready to endure nature and whatever it throws at him. He wants to be able to rely on his surroundings and be able to survive on nature, rather to rely on material objects for him to be able to survive.
Along with the narrative, Into Thin Air, about an expedition to Everest, Krakauer has a large amount of experience in writing about the dangerous side of the wilderness, a skill that is prominently portrayed in this book. Krakauer has a large amount of experience in the wilderness that is similar to McCandless, and he recounts pieces of his own experiences throughout the Into the Wild. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about adventures in the wilderness and a story of a boy who wanted to turn his life in a completely different direction. Although, Krakauer had already told me the ending, and there would be no surprise for me at the end, like many books. Every page I found there was a surprise for me. This book caught my attention from the beginning and held my attention until the end, turning every page into an adventure for me. From my personal opinion, I usually never liked finding out the conclusion in the beginning of the book. But in this example, Krakauer tries to give the conclusion in the beginning to give the reader a feeling of confusion, making the reader want to figure out what happened to this young kid. It gave me a motivation to find out the events that led up to his death in an abandoned bus in the wilderness, and causing me to read the book in about two sessions.
As a fifteen-year-old, I can completely relate to the feeling of wanting to be out in the wilderness surviving on your instincts. After all, every kid wishes they could be a free soul and be able to wonder off into the distance. 』
(If you're looking for an adventure story, look elsewhere.) 『For those who are really intrigued by what happened to Chris (the young man who died in Alaska) and want to understand his motivations, the book may be worthwhile. Krakauer spends lots of time interviewing those who could give insight into Chris's psyche. You'll read about Chris as a kid, his family, his relationship with his father and his sister, impressions of Chris from those he met while vagabonding across the US, etc. You'll also read about others, who, like Chris, struck out on their own to challenge themselves against nature. After reading the book, I felt it was much more a psychological study of the behavior of loners, than it was a book about any compelling adventure.
In addition, it seemed to me that much of the book was a digression. I had the strong impression that Krakauer was adding filler to have enough material to make a book out of the magazine article he wrote for Outside Magazine. For example, there are long quotes from various authors at the beginning of each chapter. There is a long chapter on other 'adventurers' who took on challenges that cost them their lives. There is information about plant toxicity and speculation about what might (or might not have) caused Chris to become so weak. There is even a chapter about his parents going to the bus where Chris died and looking over the site. But what wasn't there, was a compelling or dramatic story that could drive a narrative. Chris just went into the wild, got in over his head, had no backup plan (by design) and paid with his life for his passion to be apart from people. Sad, perhaps interesting as a psychological study, but not particularly compelling otherwise. So, if you're looking for a gripping narrative based on a compelling true story.... look elsewhere.
』 『In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself...
"Terrifying...Eloquent...A heart-rending drama wandering of human yearning."--The New York Times
"A narrative of arresting force. Anyone who ever fancied wandering off to face nature on its own harsh terms should give a look. It's gripping stuff."--The Washington Post
From the Audiobook Download edition.』 『"God, he was a smart kid..." So why did Christopher McCandless trade a bright future--a college education, material comfort, uncommon ability and charm--for death by starvation in an abandoned bus in the woods of Alaska? This is the question that Jon Krakauer's book tries to answer. While it doesn't—cannot—answer the question with certainty,Into the Wilddoes shed considerable light along the way. Not only about McCandless's "Alaskan odyssey," but also the forces that drive people to drop out of society and test themselves in other ways. Krakauer quotes Wallace Stegner's writing on a young man who similarly disappeared in the Utah desert in the 1930s: "At 18, in a dream, he saw himself ... wandering through the romantic waste places of the world. No man with any of the juices of boyhood in him has forgotten those dreams."Into the Wildshows that McCandless, while extreme, was hardly unique; the author makes the hermit into one of us, something McCandless himself could never pull off. By book's end, McCandless isn't merely a newspaper clipping, but a sympathetic, oddly magnetic personality. Whether he was "a courageous idealist, or a reckless idiot," you won't soon forget Christopher McCandless.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A Most Delectable Lesson) 『It might just be a matter of thinking about red cars and so suddenly seeing red cars everywhere one looks, but it seems to me that once I started researching organic foods for an article I am writing, I began to see books on sustainable farming, organic food markets, news stories about an organic food movement, and farmer's markets everywhere I looked. Something is going on, and I'm pretty sure by this point in my research that it is a very good thing. Suddenly, I am seeing garden fresh red tomatoes everywhere.
Barbara Kingsolver's book about living a year on locally grown and produced food had been on my shelf for some time already. She is an author of whom I take immediate notice, whenever she publishes a new title, whether fiction or nonfiction. My interest in eating a sustainable and healthy diet had been simmering for some time, but it took an assignment to get me digging into this particular garden of delights.
Kingsolver's nonfiction is fully as rich and readable as her fiction. I was entertained, amused, engaged, even as I was educated, astounded, amazed. Daughter Camille Kingsolver, studying biology at Duke University, adds tasty tidbits of sidebars and recipes, many of which I checked off to try. Even husband Steven Hopp adds an occasional sidebar with his perspective. But Barbara Kingsolver is the word master you expect her to be. She makes me wince with pain for our planet as she recites facts and statistics and studies impossible to ignore: if we don't reevaluate how we eat, what we eat, and how that food comes to our table, there is going to be a very sad ending to this tale. She also delights me with her personal stories of her family's food adventure.
The Kingsolver family is moving from Tucson, Arizona to live on a farm in southern Appalachia. When Barbara met Steven, he was living on this farm, but he was willing to move to Arizona, her home, when they decided to join forces. Now, it was his turn. Their turn. The family returned to live on the farm, and part of that return was a decision to live a sustainable lifestyle, eating only foods that were locally grown with but a few exceptions (coffee! chocolate!).
As the family begins their new farm life, the author realizes how disconnected Americans are from our food. We give no thought to its source, no thought to how it is produced or what route it travels to reach us. We praise sunny days and lament the rainy ones, giving no thought to the needs of the farmer who feeds us. Our children think of food as something that comes from a supermarket, conveniently packaged and shrink-wrapped. The very same consumer who craves a steak, make that rare, cringes at mere mention of a slaughterhouse. In the family's yearlong venture, assuredly a challenge, the author is determined to connect to their food in a most intimate way. This means--knowing the farmer who produces what they eat, or producing it themselves.
"When we give it a thought, we mostly consider the food industry to be a thing rather than a person. We obligingly give 85 cents of our every food dollar to that thing, too--the processors, marketers, and transporters. And we complain about the high price of organic meats and vegetables that might send back more than three nickels per buck to the farmers: those actual humans putting seeds in the ground, harvesting, attending livestock births, standing in the fields at dawn casting their shadows upon our sustenance... In the grocery store checkout corral, we're more likely to learn which TV stars are secretly fornicating than to inquire as to the whereabouts of the people who grew the cucumbers and melons in our cart." (Page 13)
Today, however, that farmer casting his shadow across his or her harvest is becoming an ever rarer breed. Increasingly, the food we eat today comes from CAFOs, concentrated animal feeding operations, more factory than farm. Animals here are not treated like living things, but rather as machinery on an assembly line, producing edible product.
Is this a natural result of our ever burgeoning population? Are CAFOs necessary to feed our billions of mouths and bellies? As it turns out, no.
"Owing to synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, genetic modification, and a conversion of farming from a naturally based to a highly mechanized production system, U.S. farmers now produce 3,900 calories per U.S. citizen, per day. That is twice what we need, and 700 calories a day more than they grew in 1980." (Page 14)
Unfortunately, all those extra calories are not making their way into the mouths of the hungry. The problem of hunger in the United States and across the globe continues to increase, even while the waistlines of most Americans continue to increase. Apparently, those 700 extra calories are ending up in those who least need them. "Obesity is generally viewed as a failure of personal resolve," Kingsolver writes, "with no acknowledgement of the genuine conspiracy in this historical scheme." What Kingsolver reveals in these pages is what truly could be called a conspiracy: government subsidized CAFOs that leave individual farmers scrambling to compete (ever wonder why organic foods are more expensive? Look to those government subsidies, none of which go to your local farmer) and additions to processed foods such as corn syrup and artificial flavorings and non-animal fats that increase cravings rather than satisfy them. Americans are having a dysfunctional relationship to our food. Unlike most European cultures, who honor the culinary kitchen and family table, we treat food like a poison and a drug. Which, arguably, it is. We are constantly dieting, trying to control it, rather than appreciating it and its preparation. We are give it all up and indulge in gluttony and supersizing our meals, or we starve ourselves with eating disorders. It is an interesting argument and insight.
Food, Kingsolver writes, is a necessity to life. It is a comfort, it is nourishment, it is a sensual pleasure. (One wonders at the growing problem of obesity in connection with the dissolving tradition of sitting down as a family at the dinner table.)
"Our most celebrated models of beauty are starved people," the author points out. "A food culture of anti-eating is worse than useless." It is our lack of a healthy food culture that Kingsolver laments, arguing that we have replaced it with two extremes, starvation or gluttony.
"Humans don't do everything we crave to do--that is arguably what makes us human. We're genetically predisposed toward certain behaviors that we've collectively decided are unhelpful; adultery and racism are examples. With reasonable success, we mitigate those impulses through civil codes, religious rituals, maternal warnings--the whole bag of tricks we call culture... these are mores of survival, good health, and control of excess. Living without such a culture would seem dangerous. And here we are, sure enough in trouble." (Page 16)
We are the first generation of humankind to have children who are predicted to have shorter life spans than their parents. If that's not a sign of trouble, I don't know what is.
Industrial farming, the author writes, is the cause of much of our pollution problems and resulting climate change. While many of us mistakenly attribute pollution to automobiles, most pollution in this country can actually be traced to CAFOs. Nothing about a food factory is sustainable. Add to this sheer cruelty to animals and...
But let's return to the farm. A local farm producing organic foods that end up on your dinner plate is no punishment. I can vouch for this. Since eating organic foods myself, everything I have so far tasted, from meat to vegetable, is incomparably more delicious than what is food factory produced. If you have ever eaten a greenhouse tomato and then sliced into a tomato sun-ripened in your garden, you get the idea. Eating organic foods is not giving something up; it is a rediscovery of food as it was meant to taste--expectionally good.
The year unfolds, and we are treated to the adventure--and it is that--of the family gardening and living from their garden, or eating what they buy from local markets, locally produced. There is seeding and weeding involved, sure, and lots of canning and preserving, but Kingsolver's point is that doing all of this, getting involved in our own food production and preparation on so intimate a level, is in so many ways and on so many levels what we are missing. It gets a family involved and working together. It brings back to life a family dinner table. It cultivates more than the carrot and potato in the soil; it cultivates relationships. Knowing who grows your food is a true pleasure, and to this, too, I can attest with my own experience. Since "going organic" myself, I have gotten to know quite a few members of my community, and not just area farmers, from whom I now buy my fresh eggs, poultry, steaks, milk, cheese, fruits and vegetables. The anonymous CAFO has receded from my life and in its place--are new friends.
Kingsolver also writes a fascinating argument against mass vegetarianism. Because I, too, have considered that lifestyle and soon abandoned it, I was particularly interested in what the author had to say. Humans, she writes, are naturally adapted to an omnivorous diet, with our canine teeth for tearing meat and the enzymes in our digestive systems for breaking down animal proteins and fats. She describes a vegetarian world with livestock gone wild, and then describes the process of killing a farm animal for food. This is not a story of cruelty. This is, instead, a story of respect for all living creatures and the cycle of life and death, of sustainability. It is far more important, she states, to be concerned about the kind of life we provide to our livestock.
There is so much more to this book. Discussions about pesticides and genetically modified foods. More recipes. And all woven together with Kingsolver's literary skills. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is going on my top shelf of favorite books, those that have contributed to transforming my own life in a positive way. It's a delicious and highly informative and thoughtful read, a wonderful introduction for those wishing to learn more about the organic food movement and to simply be inspired.
~from The Smoking Poet, Winter 2009-2010 Issue』
(Very Interesting) 『I am not one of the "green" movement types and I don't like to eat my vegetables. Purchased this book for a college class and I was very surprised at how informative it was. Really enjoyed this book and have read it again just because. This year we are starting a garden at my home thanks to this book!』
(Animal, Vegetable, Miracle) 『One of those books that changes the way you think about things from now on.』
(Well, Isn't That Precious?) 『The premise of this book is interesting and valid - eating mostly homegrown, local and organic produce and animal products for a year.
Unfortunately, Kingsolver sets the bar so ridiculously high for people that do not have her kind of money, time, or space that the whole thing comes off more than a little smug and self-satisfied.
Growing a few things in the garden? Wonderful. Fun. Satisfying. Maintaining a family farm, complete with livestock and a rigorous canning and journalling schedule? Completely unrealistic for the average American. Living and eating like Kingsolver and her family is a luxury only the super rich can afford.
Maybe Kingsolver is not aware - most Americans do not even have yards, much less Appalachian farms. Most Americans work full time, outside of the home. Most American's cannot afford meats and dairy that are 4 to 5 times as expensive as "conventionally" produced product.
I completely agree that people need to value the type of foods they put into their bodies, support local agriculture, and try to live "cleaner." But take your high-falutin' preaching elsewhere, lady. It makes me want to go out and buy a 6-piece.』
(Informative while entertaining) 『Barbara Kingsolver expertly weaves information into the narrative of her family's experience with eating local. She provides excellent resources and ideas for how others might attempt to go local. While some of the points she makes only present one side, she also presents the reality of her experience. An enjoyable and thought provoking read.』
price：$4.99
Wilder Publications
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A testament to American Individualism) 『This is a thoroughly American view on political theory given the emphasis on the individual coupled with the call for civil disobedience. Definitely not for the faint hearted, go into this with a grasp of the events of the day and a willingness to read the entire essay at least twice to fully appreciate Thoreau's points.』
(excellent) 『Thoreau's writing on "Duty of Civil Disobedience" is brilliant! I have LONG been a fan of the writings of HDT and once journeyed to Walden to see the cabin he lived in but a brief time. This book is so often cited as required reading among those who advocate non-violent protests. While I clearly see why it provides useful information for these purposes, I found myself disappointed by the rustic, "whiskey-rebellion" kind of thinking of anti-taxation given that he also advocates the reader's taking benefits from the state. I'm now conflicted. I find the writings and man a genius, even in those instances in which I disagree with the extent of his anti-taxation position.』
("It is not so desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right."-Henry David Thoreau) 『In "Civil Disobedience" Thoreau presents political theories in which he dissects democracy and the interaction between citizens and their government. Understandably, Thoreau was deeply concerned about injustices he witnessed during his life, such as enslavement of one sixth of the population and the invasion of Mexico by the United States. Thoreau does not oppose the institution of government; he believes that when a government becomes "abused and perverted", it ceases to represent the will of the people. When a government makes decisions that promulgate harm and injustice, it is the duty of its citizens to rebel and break those chains of injustices.
Arguably, the strongest idea Thoreau presents, is the notion of individualism. Thoreau encourages skepticism of the government and rejects blind loyalty to it. Thoreau perceives citizens, who give blind loyalty to their government's decisions without questioning them, as participants in every injustice committed by that government. Whether this point of view is correct or not, it is worth debating, especially in view of the horrific injustices that are extant in today's world and the way the masses so easily accept them without considering the negative impact on others. 』
(Civil Disobedience) 『it wasn't what I expected to receive with the English to Spanish stuff in it』
(Take back your power) 『Though many statements Thoreau has made seem a little flakey around the edges, when it came to free will and individual choice he had the right idea and the courage to see it through. The importance of centralizing power within oneself is perhaps more important today than ever when unrestrained government in partnership with multinational corporations weild enormous destructive power. A book that has not lost its relevance.』 『Civil Disobedience argues that citizens should not permit their governments to overrule their consciences, and that they have a duty to avoid allowing their acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice. Thoreau was motivated in part by his disgust with slavery and the Mexican-American War, but the sentiments he expresses here are just as pertinent today as when they were first written. A true American classic.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Early Pollan proves why he's where he is today) 『Who could have predicted that a young Michael Pollan writing about gardening would become a leading advocate for responsible agriculture and one of the country's biggest-selling writers? Just about anyone who read him then, is my guess. Pollan shows in this gem of a book what a terrific and layered writer he is.
For all the fantastic writing, the book, however, is uneven. Many of the chapters were published as magazine articles before the book came out, and it shows. The organization of the book by seasons is forced and the individual chapters in each section don't always belong. Pollan makes a good effort of tying it all together with memories of his grandfather's garden (and the characters of the grandfather and his garden in the beginning narrative are worth the price of admission), but in the end the individual narratives don't hold together as well as later Pollan books manage to do.
But don't let this stop you. Push through some of the more boring chapters (or skip them altogether, since the one advantage of the choppy nature of the book is that each chapter stands alone well), and you'll be rewarded with the absolute perfection of others. My favorite, the chapter about seed catalogs, is at once observational journalism, literary criticism, and writing master class.
If you came to this book the same way I did (which is to say, after reading Pollan's more recent work, including his magnum opus "The Omnivore's Dilemma"), I think you'll find enjoyment in seeing his earlier achievement as a writer, a science journalist, and a modern environmentalist. Don't miss it.』
(Wonderful picture of a garden) 『This is a book I wish I'd caught earlier - written in the late 80's, it displays the kind of writing that made Pollan famous. The combination of history, garden information, and good writing makes it a pleasure to follow Pollan's development of his property and his understanding of what makes his work 'gardening.'
I see gardens and landscaping differently after reading this book.』
(Second Nature: A Gardener's Education) 『My first exposure to Michael Pollan's writing was an article in the New York Times Magazine. I loved his writing style and his point of view. He made me think about the environment in ways that were totally new to me. I love those "aha" moments. Those "why didn't I think of that?" moments. And then my outlook on life and the world around me is subtly altered.
So it was with great anticipation that I oopened my copy of "Second Nature: A Gardener's Education". Michael Pollan on gardening. It doesn't get much better than that, right? Well, um, actually it does. I was expecting a completely new perspective on gardening. What I got was just another memoir of a beginning gardener. Admittedly, he does tell much more entertaining stories than most garden memoirists. No one who reads this book will ever forget his monumental battles with a woodchuck culminating in an attempt at incineration that very nearly incinerated the garden. Hilarious, but still quite ordinary. Can you think of a single garden memoir that doesn't contain a battle with a woodchuck? Just as Hollywood screenwriters use a predictable formula for their storylines, garden memoirists all stick to the same, tired outline: How I started gardening. How I made all the newbie mistakes my first year. How I tried to correct them. How I learned the "right" way to garden.
Disappointed, I soldiered on until Chapter 10 when I finally had the hoped for "why didn't I think of that?" moment. The story of the restoration of a woodland area in his town that had been destroyed by a tornado morphs into a discussion of restoration vs replacement vs allowing Nature to take its course and all of the consequences, intended and unintended, that could happen for each option. Now this is a book that I would like to read. The question of what time period a restoration should mimic is particularly intriguing. Colonial, after changes made by European settlers? Pre-Columbian? Taking into account the fact that the indigenous population also had a significant impact on the local ecology, should the area be restored to the state it was before the Native Americans arrived? These are questions that have never occurred to me when thinking about our altered landscape.
Ideally, I would have liked to see the "memoir" part of the book excised and this topic expanded. Where else in the US or even the world has this issue been addressed? What decisions were made and why? Was global warming taken into account? What provisions were made for non-native plant and animal introductions?
And then the book reverts right back to the standard memoir. The last two chapters are the obligatory catalog survey and "What my garden looks like now". Yawn.
I'm looking forward to reading more of Michael Pollan's books and his unique perspective. Even if it is only one or two chapters that grab me, they will be well worth it.』
(Toni's Gifts) 『Another item I ordered for my partner's birthday. She is a beginning gardner and I hoped this would help her along. I have seen utube video with Michael Pollan and have loved the way he delivers his information.』
(Pollans least interesting work) 『I have read most of Michael Pollans books. I think 'The Omnivores Dilemma' is a five-star plus book that should be mandatory reading for everyone who eats, and 'In Defense of Food' is almost as good.
In this book, Michael talks about his efforts at gardening, both vegetables and ornamental plants. However, this book disappoints. It is too vague, with few concrete examples to back up his assertions. It seems that Michael is a better writer about other peoples efforts at producing food than he is on his own efforts.』 『Eight years ago,Harper's Magazineeditor Michael Pollan bought an old Connecticut dairy farm. He planted a garden and attempted to follow Thoreau's example: do not impose your will upon the wilderness, the woodchucks, or the weeds. That ethic did not, of course, work. But neither did pesticides or firebombing the woodchuck burrow. So Michael Pollan began to think about the troubled borders between nature and contemporary life.
The result is a funny, profound, and beautifully written book in the finest tradition of American nature writing. It inspires thoughts on the war of the roses; sex and class conflict in the garden; virtuous composting; the American lawn; seed catalogs, and the politics of planting a tree. A blend of meditation, autobiography, and social history,Second Natureis ultimately a modernWalden: a true classic for our time.』
price：$10.02
Little, Brown and Company
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (not eating animals) 『Although the book is dotted with phrases clearly meant to steer the reader away from consuming factory farmed products, the book is eye opening in many ways and is thoroughly supported by facts. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about this issue. As a result of JSF's efforts, I, in fact, am no longer eating animals.』
(Life changing) 『I have been a vegetarian for many years but this book has made me a vegan. I don't consider this book to be "preachy" or radical; it is approachable and interesting. I appreciate the personal questions that lead the author to write the book, especially when confronted with a decision about how to raise a child. Simple connections and analogies make the truth inescapable. For me, it was a moment in the book when the author asks those readers with companion dogs to imagine raising it in a small closet for its entire life. That is what factory farming is. Beyond the suffering of animals, I was moved by the interviews with slaughterhouse workers who grasped the cruelty and inhumanity that is encouraged in their line of work, but who also feel powerless to make change. There are also stories of people who are working to change the industry and the predictable resistance of agribusiness. And, as someone who is SO tired of Michael Pollan's smug dominance of the discussion over ethical food and farming, I love the deconstruction of some of his logic (or rationalizations for meat eating). The combination of investigation, personal narrative and interviews creates a well-rounded case for eliminating animal food from our diet if we have the luxury of choice and access to alternatives.』
(Tour de force) 『Astonishing in its crystal clarity and profound thinking. Cuts away to the literal bare bones our culture's ideas and paradigms on eating animals. A must read for any thinking person who is looking to improve the world we all share.』
(This book changed my life) 『I first heard of this book on the radio, when the author was being interviewed. That interview alone shook me, and I knew I was going to stop eating meat. After reading the book, I became a vegan. The book is so well written and so convincing for the following reason: It isn't biased. I never got the feeling that Foer was exaggerating or on his high horse. He was being honest, sometimes harsh, but always thoughtful. He really explores all aspects of the ethical, moral, cultural, physical, and animal rights aspects on the issue of eating animal products. And the conclusion is clear to the reader, although not spelled out by Foer.
I've recommended this book to everyone I know with an open mind. It's life changing. I even started a blog to document my path to veganism, in hopes of showing others it's possible, and rewarding on so many levels. [...]
Buy this book and share it with those you love.』
(Well written and informative) 『I couldn't put this book down. I thought the information was presented in an extremely excellent manner - not a "slaughter" book but informaton on making choices and helping to stop factory farming as much as helping the suffering of animals and changing the slaughter practices. Also, you can help without becoming a vegetarian. I am going to help through the organizations mentioned to make what change I can and have also stopped eating almost all meat (am having a hard time with seafood and fish). I recommend this book highly to those interested in making a difference for the planet』 『 Jonathan Safran Foer spent much of his teenage and college years oscillating between omnivore and vegetarian. But on the brink of fatherhood-facing the prospect of having to make dietary choices on a child's behalf-his casual questioning took on an urgency His quest for answers ultimately required him to visit factory farms in the middle of the night, dissect the emotional ingredients of meals from his childhood, and probe some of his most primal instincts about right and wrong. Brilliantly synthesizing philosophy, literature, science, memoir and his own detective work,Eating Animalsexplores the many fictions we use to justify our eating habits-from folklore to pop culture to family traditions and national myth-and how such tales can lull us into a brutal forgetting. Marked by Foer's profound moral ferocity and unvarying generosity, as well as the vibrant style and creativity that made his previous books,Everything is IlluminatedandExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close, widely loved,Eating Animalsis a celebration and a reckoning, a story about the stories we've told-and the stories we now need to tell.』
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Question:Born to Runexplores the life and running habits of the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Copper Canyon, arguably the greatest distance runners in the world. What are some of the secrets you learned from them?
