Friday, November 4, 2011

Review: Kentucky's Natural Heritage

A confluence of both science and history, this book describes natural areas in Kentucky that have vanished and inventories a long list of threatened and endangered animals, plants and unique habitats in the state that need protection.

Once 90 percent forested, Kentucky is now made up of roughly 46 percent "Large Forest Tracts" and most of it is fragmented and less able to sustain complex communities of animals and plants.

Consequently, more than 50 species of animals and plants that once made Kentucky their home can no longer be found. Of the species that remain, 25 percent of the fish, 26 percent of the reptiles and amphibians, 13 percent of the birds and 20 percent of the mammals are endangered, threatened or close to leaving for good.

Continued in ... The Nature Pages

Kentucky's Natural Heritage
An Illustrated Guide to Biodiversity
by Greg Abernathy, Deborah White, Ellis L. Laudermilk, and Marc Evans
The University Press of Kentucky, 2010
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Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Cookbook List Addition: Backcountry Cooking

Goodbye to mundane, expensive, freeze-dried camping food and welcome to tasty, environmentally conscious, inexpensive dishes. Seasoned outdoor cook Sierra Adare spices her creative and easy-to-follow recipes with Western culinary history and first accounts that are informed by the traditions of the trail.

Inside the book are lists of grocery items you can buy beforehand at your local store, along with instructions to dehydrate your own food to avoid the high prices of outdoor markets.

Backcountry Cooking
The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Cooking
by Sierra Adare
Skyhorse Publishing, 2011
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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Good Old Books: The Practical Handbook of Patio and Outdoor Projects

"In recent years,the concept of outdoor living has been adopted by more and more families. Basically, all it means is that the family gets as much
enjoyment from activities conducted outside as inside.

"To do this, the outdoor living environment - the patio and its environs - must be properly equipped; stocked, as it were, with all the things an individual family needs to get the maximum enjoyment with the least inconvenience.

"The thrust of this book is helping you, the handyman, equip it yourself. I've striven to include plans and ideas for the things anyone would need. Most basic, of course, is the patio itself -- your outdoor floor.

"I have included other projects as well, because homeowners have a crying need for more information on them. For example, there are instructions on how to build a driveway. Not just any driveway, but one that will last for years without cracking. Elsewhere, you'll find information on making simple edgings and retaining walls, an information on how to make a variety of carports."
-- from the Introduction, Tom Philbin

by Tom Philbin
Fawcett Publications, 1975




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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Good Old Books: New Archaeological Finds in China

During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, China's archaeological workers, aided by Chairman Mao's revolutionary line and supported by the broad worker, peasant and soldier masses, have done a great deal of work in preserving and excavating cultural objects.

Their discoveries date from 2,000 years B.C. to the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century.

Among the finds are many new or rare items important in the study of the political, economic, cultural, and military aspects of different dynasties in Chinese history, and the friendly intercourse between China and other lands.
New Archaeological Finds in China
Discoveries During the Cultural Revolution
by Foreign Languages Press
Foreign Languages Press, 1974




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Monday, August 15, 2011

Good Old Books: The U.S. Government Family Fitness Book

Here is a scientifically developed and tested program from the renowned President's Council on Physical Fitness. Here is a complete exercise program for everyone -- pre-teen boys and girls, teenagers of both sexes, adult men and women, senior citizens.

Each plan contains detailed illustrations, instructions and progress records so that you will...
  • Know exactly how and where to begin - and what to do every step of the way.
  • Begin easily - without strain or upset - no matter how long you've stayed away from physical activity.
  • Make steady progress troward a level of fitness that is most suitable for you - and that you will be easily able to maintain.
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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Book List Addition: The Organic Farming Manual

The Organic Farming Manual
A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Running a Certified Organic Farm
by Anne Larkin Hansen
Storey Publishing, 2010

As the organic food market continues to expand, so too do the opportunities for small farmers. For the farmer, the benefits of running an organic operation are great.

This book is a comprehensive guide to growing, certifying, and marketing organic produce, grains, meat, and dairy.

Beginning farmers committed to launching an organic operation and experienced farmers hoping to transition from traditional farming techniques will find all the information they need. The organic certification process is lengthy and demanding, but author Ann Larkin Hansen clarifies every USDA requirement and offers complete advice on selecting equipment, tending the land, caring for animals, and marketing farm products.
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Sunday, August 7, 2011

Review: Lessons in Lightness

Lessons in Lightness
The Art of Educating the Horse
by Mark Russell with Andrea W. Steele
The Lyons Press, 2007

Lightness is not an alternative approach," writes horse trainer Mark Russell in the opening chapter of Lessons in Lightness. "Nor is it a 'style' or a clinician's way to deliver fast results. This book describes methods that have stood the test of time, albeit different from what is considered mainstream by today's competition-based performance trainers."

Russell traces his horse training lineage to the late riding master Nuno Oliveira, who in turn was a student of the 18th century theories of Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere and Francois Baucher in the 19th century.

They share a common belief in the importance of relaxation and suppleness in training to achieve lightness as opposed to the more precision-based style common to most competitive riding.

Continued in ... The Book Stall
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