A magnificently illustrated classic of California natural history, now updated in a long-awaited reissue."This wonderful book is a vivid reminder of how things began, and also as a vision of the rich and beautiful world we can work toward in our shared future." —Kim Stanley Robinson"This brings a lost world straight back to life—and one hopes it will help us work to restore it in the real world." —Bill McKibben"I wo...

I have written poetry and captured photos around me for many years, so I have decided to share some of my words and insights with the world. I hope readers can find inspiration, comfort, and strength in my work as well.

Ghost stories from the Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery! The haunted history of Memphis comes to life--even when the main players are dead. Come for the blues and barbecue, but stay for the ghosts. Have you heard about the spirits at the Memphis Zoo? Or how about the grisly history surrounding the Grand Carousel? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just ...

Memphis is a city founded on some of the great vestiges of our past. City staples such as steamboats, cotton plantations and exchange centers, relics symbolic of the city's rich industrial and agrarian legacy, have either been forgotten or completely lost. Every city, especially one as thoroughly modern as Memphis, naturally loses even the more recent aspects of its past through growth and expansion. Join Memphian and library historian Laura Cunningham as she unearths the lost hallmarks of...

"Spine-tingling ghost stories . . . Thrilling tales of the Bluff City's past" ( Memphis Reads).Much like its muddy riverbanks, the mid-South is flooded with tales of shadowy spirits lurking among us. Beyond the rhythm of the blues and tapping of blue suede shoes is a history steeped in horror. From the restless souls of Elmwood Cemetery to the voodoo vices of Beale Street, phantom hymns of the Orpheum Theatre and Civil War soldiers still looking for a figh...

I address myself to the man or woman of talent—those people who have writing ability, but who need instruction in the manipulation of characters, the formation of plots, and a host of other points with which I shall deal hereafter. Although no school could turn out novelists to order there is yet enough common material in all art-work to be mapped out in a course of lessons. I shall show that the two great requisites of novel-writing are a good story to tell, and ability to tell it effecti...

A San Francisco Chronicle BestsellerRead the rocks as only a geologist can, with this deep drill-down into Oakland’s geological history and its impacts on the city’s urban present."This book has turned me into a newcomer to my own city, but has also changed the way I will view any landscape. I can think of few greater gifts than that."—Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing"Spending time with And...

This fascinating guide book is a must-have for anyone looking to attract, understand, and protect hummingbirds.Hummingbirds inspire an unmistakable sense of devotion and awe among bird lovers. From advice on feeders to planting and landscaping techniques that will have your garden whirring with tiny wings, lifelong birder John Shewey provides all you need to know to entice these delightful creatures. An identification guide makes them easy to spot in the wild, with...

True stories of how scientists are saving endangered species, with photos included: "Readers will be moved by Castaldo's appreciation for these animals." — Booklist (starred review)In this book, the acclaimed author of Sniffer Dogs details the successful efforts of scientists to bring threatened animals back from the brink of extinction.How could capturing the last wild California condors help save them? Why are some stat...

This book tells the story of the province’s geology and the history of its living creatures. The first edition of Geology of British Columbia,, with its accessible but rigorous science, struck a chord with readers. Since it was first published, theories about plate tectonics and the geological history of British Columbia have evolved, and this new edition reflects the current thinking. This book also features updated content throughout, seven new maps, and a numbe...

For years, predators like snow leopards and white-tipped sharks have been disappearing from the top of the food chain, largely as a result of human action. Science journalist Will Stolzenburg reveals why and how their absence upsets the delicate balance of the world's environment.

While John McPhee was working on his previous book, Rising from the Plains, he happened to walk by the engineering building at the University of Wyoming, where words etched in limestone said: "Strive on--the control of Nature is won, not given." In the morning sunlight, that central phrase--"the control of nature"--seemed to sparkle with unintended ambiguity. Bilateral, symmetrical, it could with equal speed travel in opposite directions. For some years, he had been planning a boo...