Other books that might interest you

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  The Pine Barrens

  John McPhee

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  Most people think of New Jersey as a suburban-industrial corridor that runs between New York and Philadelphia. Yet in the low center of the state is a near wilderness, larger than most national parks, which has been known since the seventeenth century as the Pine Barrens.The term refers to the predominant trees in the vast forests that cover the area and to the quality of the soils below, which are too sandy and acid to be good for farming. On all sides, however, developments of one kind or another have gradually moved in, so that now the central and integral forest is reduced to about a thousand square miles. Although New Jersey has the heaviest population density of any state, huge segments of the Pine Barrens remain uninhabited. The few people who dwell in the region, the "Pineys," are little known and often misunderstood. Here McPhee uses his uncanny skills as a journalist to explore the history of the region and describe the people—and their distinctive folklore—who call it home.

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  Tent for Seven - A Camping...

  Marty Ohlhaut, Grace Ly

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  Marty Ohlhaut loved the great outdoors, and he loved his family, but this time, the combination proved disastrous.Cooped up inside due to long work hours, Marty was excited about taking off with his wife and five children for the beautiful Canadian Rockies. Aware that this could be their last camping trip together, he wanted to make it extra memorable.Little did he know how memorable it would be. From a massive heat wave and tainted water to encounters with aggressive red ants and formidable bears, they experienced one problem after another. Then tragedy struck, forcing Marty to face the terrifying possibility of losing a loved one. With the help of mysterious strangers in one of the world's most awe-inspiring locations, he fought to keep his family alive and his sanity intact.Now, three decades later, he joins forces with his daughter Grace Ly to recount the gripping tale of that ill-fated vacation. Written with candor and wit reminiscent of Bill Bryson, Tent for Seven vividly captures both the grandeur and the dangers of the wilderness as Marty learns just how much his wife and children mean to him—and how fragile life can be.

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  The Mekong - Turbulent Past...

  Milton Osborne

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  A “remarkable” history of the great river of Southeast Asia (Jill Ker Conway, author of The Road from Coorain).   The Mekong River runs over nearly three thousand miles, beginning in the mountains of Tibet and flowing through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before emptying into the China Sea. Its waters are the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, and first begot civilization on the fertile banks of its delta region at Oc Eo nearly two millennia ago.   This is the story of the peoples and cultures of the great river, from these obscure beginnings to the emergence of today’s independent nations. Drawing on research gathered over forty years, Milton Osborne traces the Mekong’s dramatic history through the rise and fall of civilizations and the era of colonization and exploration. He details the struggle for liberation during a twentieth century in which Southeast Asia has seen almost constant conflict, including two world wars, the Indochina War, the Vietnam War, and its bloody aftermath—and explores the prospects for peace and prosperity as the region enters a new millennium.   Along the way, he brings to life those who witnessed and shaped events along the river, including Chou Ta-kuan, the thirteenth-century Chinese envoy who recorded the glory of Angkor Wat, the capital of the Khmer Empire; the Iberian mercenaries Blas Ruiz and Diego Veloso, whose involvement in the intrigues of Cambodia’s royal family shook Southeast Asia’s politics in the sixteenth century; and the revolutionaries led by Ho Chi Minh, whose campaigns to liberate Vietnam from the French and unify the nation under communism changed the course of history.   “[A] pathbreaking, ecologically informed chronicle . . . A pulsating journey through the heart of Southeast Asia.” —Publishers Weekly

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  The Vertical Oasis - Mastering...

  Dickson Jackson, Cj Despommier

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  The Vertical Oasis: Mastering Organic Vertical Farming in an Urban Setting 
  This book is designed as a comprehensive guide to the intricacies, opportunities, and challenges of vertical farming, specifically within the confines of an urban landscape. Whether you're an urban farmer seeking sustainable ways to cultivate food or have a keen interest in agriculture technology, this book offers insightful and practical information to help you understand and master the techniques of organic vertical farming. 
  We live in an era where rapid urbanization and environmental concerns are at the forefront of global discussions. By 2050, it's estimated that nearly 70% of the global population will live in urban areas. Concurrently, we face the pressures of climate change and finite resources, which significantly affect conventional agriculture. The search for a sustainable, efficient, and city-friendly farming method has led us to the promising realm of vertical farming. 
  Challenges and Mastery 
  However, while vertical farming brings exciting possibilities, it also comes with its own set of challenges and complexities. The mastery of vertical farming requires understanding not just traditional horticulture, but also systems design, climate control, lighting technologies, nutrient management, and more. Moreover, the organic approach demands a careful balance of these elements to avoid the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. That’s where this book comes in. 
  Inspiration and Call to Action 
  In the spirit of promoting sustainable and local food systems, we encourage you to step into this world, armed with curiosity and fortified with knowledge. The ensuing pages hope to inspire and empower you to pioneer new frontiers in sustainable urban living.

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  The Thing with Feathers - The...

  Noah Strycker

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  Birds are highly intelligent animals, yet their intelligence is dramatically different from our own and has been little understood. As we learn more about the secrets of bird life, we are unlocking fascinating insights into memory, relationships, game theory, and the nature of intelligence itself.The Thing with Feathers explores the astonishing homing abilities of pigeons, the good deeds of fairy-wrens, the influential flocking abilities of starlings, the deft artistry of bowerbirds, the extraordinary memories of nutcrackers, the lifelong loves of albatrosses, and other mysteries-revealing why birds do what they do, and offering a glimpse into our own nature.Drawing deep from personal experience, cutting-edge science, and colorful history, Noah Strycker spins captivating stories about the birds in our midst and shares the startlingly intimate coexistence of birds and humans. With humor, style, and grace, he shows how our view of the world is often, and remarkably, through the experience of birds.

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  Death-bed

  Thomas Hood

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  Thomas Hood  was an English poet, author, and humourist, best known for poems such as The Bridge of Sighs and The Song of the Shirt. Hood wrote regularly for The London Magazine, the Athenaeum, and Punch. He later published a magazine largely consisting of his own works. Hood, never robust, lapsed into invalidism by the age of 41 and died at the age of 45. William Michael Rossetti in 1903 called him "the finest English poet" between the generations of Shelley and Tennyson. - Summary by Wikipedia

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