Book Description
Many hikers, bicyclists, and other travelers who love the outdoors are frustrated by heavy guide books that still don't simplify the task of identifying their favorite trees. The Ecopress Complete Guide to Native Conifers of the Pacific Northwest lightens their load both physically and mentally. This rugged laminated tri-fold card (8.5x11 inches, like a brochure) has all the information needed to identify all 33 species of conifers that inhabit the Northwest from extreme northern California to the southern portions of British Columbia. A built-in ruler and close up photos and illustrations of cones and needles combine with succinct descriptions for rapid identification. Trees are grouped into families and unique charateristics are highlighted with a bright blue font. Kids and adults can use this guide and easily slide it into a backpack, pocket, glovebox or notebook.
Customer Reviews:
Ecopress Complete Guide to Native Conifers of the Pacific NW.......2000-03-27
This is an excellent guide to the conifers of the PNW. It is complete, unlike some of the other cards available which show a subset of the PNW's conifers. The format is well-thought out: excellent photos of needles and cones with highlighted descriptions of unique identifying features. It comes as a laminated tri-fold. I used the card on a hike down the CDT last summer, and found it most helpful.
Average customer rating:
- A Fabulous Guide
- Great Tour Book
- The best guide I have ever bought!
- Great detail, but lack of organization
- Rough Guide to Tuscany and Umbria
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The Rough Guide to Tuscany & Umbria, 4th Edition (Tuscany and Umbria)
Jonathan Buckley ,
Mark Ellingham , and
Tim Jepson
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
San Marino & Umbria
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Italy
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Tuscany
| Italy
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Umbria
| Italy
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Guidebooks
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Rough Guide
| Guidebook Series
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1858285186 |
Customer Reviews:
A Fabulous Guide.......2004-01-04
Of all the guidebooks I've ever used, this one is the best. Extenstive information not only for the main tourist attractions in the area, but also good information for the smaller out of the way towns. This books is utterly thorough and accurate. The information on art and its historical background is significant and comprehensive. It's well organized and easy to use. And it pointed us to great restaurants. This guidebook literally contains two or three times as much information as the other ones. I couldn't be more enthusiastic. By the way, if you're going to rural Tuscany and Umbria, you'll have a fabulous trip and this book will make it even better.
Great Tour Book.......2002-12-03
My wife and I used this book extensively on a 10-day tour of Tuscany and Umbria. Excellent mix of history and restaurant and lodging recommendations. A few drawbacks to the book. The first is that many of the restaurants were not marked on the maps and the directions given were incomplete. Another drawback that I found is that the hotel recommendations were inconsistent from city to city - Pisa had only budget hotels listed while Assisi had hotels across the range. But these are minor criticisms, overall an excellent book.
The best guide I have ever bought!.......2002-03-17
After tooking a 2-month off sabbatical at my job, I decided to spend some time driving all around Italy, and I can't thank this guide enough. It has all the information someone needs for traveling in Tuscany and Umbria, the two most fascinating regions in Italy (ok, the Amalfi Coast is great too). All cities are described in detail, from the historical background to what to see and what to do. This guide allowed me to do exactly what I wanted: to hit the road, stop by somewhere (Trasimeno Lake, the Orvieto hill, San Gimignano Film Festival) and just decide what the next stop would be. The author has a hilarious and superb style to describe anything, from the Cathedral in Orvieto to the paintings in Assisi and the pottery in Gubbio. Gold medal to the chapter about San Gimignano... After this, I have bought Rough Guides for all my trips.
Great detail, but lack of organization.......2001-06-12
I must agree with the previous review. The information about the different sights is excellent--very detailed, yet not boring. Many of the descriptions made me chuckle. However, much of the organizational information was lacking. For example, there were numerous delicious-sounding restaurants and gelateria listed for Florence, but they were not marked on the map!
Rough Guide to Tuscany and Umbria.......2000-06-03
We used the Rough Guide as our way to avoid the throngs that were carrying the other guidebooks, and the highlights of our trip resulted from following its suggestions. I was impressed by the detailed research on small out of the way places.
If you want to intensify your travel experience in an area and explore the local treasures, carry the Rough Guide!
Average customer rating:
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The Real Ronald Reagan: A True Humanitarian
Mary Joan Roll-Sieffert
Manufacturer: Essence Publishing (Canada)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Political
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Reagan, Ronald
| ( R )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1553065514 |
Book Description
"This book is not an exhaustive biographical work on the life of Ronald Reagan. It is, however, a unique look at his life from the perspective of a loyal devotee. Joan Roll-Sieffert, the author, was the president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Ronald Reagan Fan Club. In that role she stayed in touch with him, from the days he was a aspiring young actor throughout his presidency and beyond-all together, an involvement that spans more than five decades. Joan shares with us in this book her memories of this remarkable man she idolized. "You will find in the pages that follow a treasure trove of photos and fan club memorabilia sure to be coveted by Reagan movie buffs. You will catch an insider's glimpse of the mind and manner of this American hero in his correspondence with Joan. Joan also unabashedly shares her personal viewpoints regarding the historical, humanitarian and spiritual significance of Ronald Reagan's life and presidency. This all adds up to an engaging read with a unique historical bent. "Think of this book as a loving testament to an icon." Lou Hancherick, Editor, Harmony Magazine
Customer Reviews:
Neat Reagan Memorabilia.......2003-10-13
I've never been a big fan of Ronald Reagan, but I have to say that this book has some really fascinating Reagan memorabilia in it, from childhood photos to photocopies of handwritten fanclub letters. The memorabilia will interest anyone who was interested in Reagan as a politician or a movie star, and the content of the book, although it involves some biography and some dry political stuff, tells the story of one Reagan-fan's lifelong correspondence relationship with Reagan, his wife, and even his mother.
Average customer rating:
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The Voyage of the Cap Pilar
Adrian Seligman
Manufacturer: Sheridan House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Boating
| Water Sports
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sailing
| Water Sports
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0924486627 |
Book Description
Adrian Seligman served before the mast in square-rigged ships and came home to London to find he had inherited enough money to fulfill his dream: buy a three-masted barquentine and fit it out for a voyage around the world.
Average customer rating:
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The Voyage of the Cap Pilar
Manufacturer: Pan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000DCNPWU |
Customer Reviews:
A Final Act of Caring.......2006-08-30
A wonderful lilttle caring book.
The Poems are so heartfelt. This book shows
"the final act of love" with its sketches and
words of love. You will enjoy it.
Average customer rating:
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Restoring Ceramics
Judith Larney
Manufacturer: Barrie & Jenkins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Sculpture
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 021420054X |
Average customer rating:
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Restoring Fine China
Muriel White
Manufacturer: B.T. Batsford Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Pottery & Ceramics
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0713418370 |
Book Description
A no-fuss guide to growing roses written by a rose expert.
Too often gardeners are intimidated by the many practical requirements of growing roses. This book shows how to grow a garden of roses successfully with surprisingly little effort.
Even the newest gardeners can enjoy the natural beauty, fragrance and exquisite colors of roses.
Here, the objective is enjoyment more than labor. This easy-care guide provides all the critical steps that ensure perfect roses every time:
- Planning and designing a rose garden
- Selecting the roses that are right for your garden
- Planting, the growing cycle and pruning
- Maintenance and how best to enjoy your roses
Helpful sections cover how to identify key rose-growing locations in a garden, deciding between old and modern bush or climber varieties and the best places to buy roses. Seventy-five varieties are identified from Alberic Barbier to Warm Wishes including shrub and climbing, long-flowering, versatile, fragrant and easy-to-grow roses.
Another useful section identifies the varieties of roses that give the best results with a minimum of fuss. Quick reference pictograms indicate a rose's growing zone, ease to succeed and relative performance for the space the plant will take.
Reliable Roses is the perfect handbook for gardeners of all levels who want to add the beauty of roses to their gardens.
Customer Reviews:
How to think about -- and thus practice -- growing roses.......2004-09-16
An outstanding new reference for rose growers because Harkness, a member of the highly regarded rose growing family in England, helps us understand how great, easy-to-grow roses distinguish themselves from their more troublesome, but still lovely, fellow-travelers.
Only 75 roses made the cut for this book, which is not a very wide scope. This narrows considerably for gardeners like me who contend with truly frigid winters and shorter growing seasons. But the depth! Each rose receives the full Harkness treatment for flower properties (color; shape and size; scent; production), plant properties (shape and size; position; hardiness), foliage properties (color; health check; garden uses), a rating in each overall area of flower properties, plant properties, and foliage properties, and an overall assessment and rating. Harkness provides a framework and 75 examples of how to evaluate a rose, which is tremendously useful for those of us who have space to grow only a few beauties. The detailed directory of roses combined with sensible and lucid explanations of rose-growing make the book ideal for beginners or rose-phobics.
Some haughty rosarians might consider themselves beyond the information presented here. More's the pity for them because the photographs -- all full color and many full page -- are remarkable for their clarity, detail, and loveliness. I hope I am never sufficiently expert at rose growing to pass up such a beautiful book.
Book Description
We all have an imaginary definition of a great family. We imagine what it would be like to belong to such a family. No fights over the holidays. No getting on one another’s nerves. Respect for individual identity. Mutual support, without being intrusive. So many people believe they are disqualified from having a better family experience, primarily because they compare their own family with the mythic ideal, and their reality falls short. Is that a fair standard to judge against?”
In the pages of
Why Do I Love These People?, Po Bronson takes us on an extraordinary journey.
It begins on a river in Texas, where a mother gets trapped underwater and has to bargain for her own life and that of her kids.
Then, a father and his daughter return to their tiny rice-growing village in China, hoping to rekindle their love for each other inside the walls of his childhood home.
Next, a son puts forth a riddle, asking us to understand what his first experience of God has to do with his Mexican American mother.
Every step–and every family–on this journey is real.
Calling upon his gift for powerful nonfiction narrative and philosophical insight, Bronson explores the incredibly complicated feelings that we have for our families. Each chapter introduces us to two people–a father and his son, a daughter and her mother, a wife and her husband–and we come to know them as intimately as characters in a novel, following the story of their relationship as they struggle resiliently through the kinds of hardships all families endure.
Some of the people manage to save their relationship, while others find a better life only after letting the relationship go. From their efforts, the wisdom in this book emerges. We are left feeling emotionally raw but grounded–and better prepared to love, through both hard times and good time.
In these twenty mesmerizing stories, we discover what is essential and elemental to all families and, in doing so, slowly abolish the fantasies and fictions we have about those we fight to stay connected to.
In
Why Do I Love These People?, Bronson shows us that we are united by our yearnings and aspirations: Family is not our dividing line, but our common ground.
From the Hardcover edition.
Download Description
Po Bronson travels the country recording the stories of real people who have struggled to answer life’s biggest questions. To learn more about his research, visit www.pobronson.com. He is the author of five books–two novels and three works of nonfiction–and he has written for television, magazines, radio, and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR’s Morning Edition. He lives in San Francisco with his family.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Why Do I Love this Book?.......2007-05-15
Why do I love this book? Because it held my interest from page one to the final chapter. Perfect for people who don't have 'time' to get involved in a novel or other boring 'how to' book about families. The book is set up in small installments and each one makes you realize that every family is dysfunctional - not just yours. The best news is that despite the dysfunction, people who care can make lemonade from the worst sort of lemons. I highly recommend this book.
So insightful!.......2006-12-23
Human beings are social beings, and relationships between us is at the core... Examples of how other people have managed their difficult relationships is described, most with a happy ending, others not so, but at least shows us what other people go through in life...
I've read two books from Po Bronson (What Should I do with my life and Why do I love this people) and I'm really glad somebody writes about these things... It's like going to a movie where you don't really care about the story, but rather what's behind the scenes and what the people go through in order to try to find their place in the world... It's so rich in content... Would recommend it for anyone trying to figure out what to do with their lives... Even though it's insightful, you might not necessarily find the answers to your questions, but at least if you get the inspiration to do what others have done, then that's good enough...
Why Did I Waste My Time?.......2006-08-22
I felt for some of the families, and wanted to shake others, despite my sympathy for their plight and the author's seeming admiration for them. The real disappointment was the author's poor writing and lack of any thoughtful insights or understanding. Save your time and money.
An Original Look At Family Life.......2006-07-19
I'm going to admit, the first reason I purchased this book was because of its title: WHY DO I LOVE THESE PEOPLE? I was in a bookstore after it was released and saw a customer pick up the book. She showed it to the person who was with her and she said "Why do I love these people? Because I have to, that's why." The two began laughing, no doubt thinking about members of their own families. Of course intriguing titles are not always enough, and when I read the book flap and saw that it was written by Po Bronson who wrote WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE?, I had a pretty good idea that this would be an interesting book.
Bronson does not present typical families in this book, nor does he try and find atypical or controversial families to fill the pages. Bookstore shelves are already lined with such titles. Instead, Bronson began corresponding with people, using the method he utilized in WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE and let their stories fill the pages. We meet a wide group of people who have all sorts of struggles such as a woman who wakes from a near death experience and wonders what her life is all about, a man who loses his son and his loss reshapes his life, a woman from Northern Ireland who makes radical changes in her life for the betterment of her children or a woman who decides she needs to cheat on her husband, with his permission, to save a monotonous marriage. These are just a few of the stories. Bronson never sensationalizes his subjects, which may be why even if readers have little or nothing in common with some of the people, they'll still be moved by the stories. Bronson also adds a few editorial comments based on his observations or personal experiences, but overall he allows the people to tell their stories, and he merely (skillfully is more accurate) puts it in written form.
Readers of WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE may remember that while the book was praised, there were some criticisms that the book contained too many stories from well to do, usually white people, who could change careers without destroying their lives. While the praise and criticism of WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE? is well taken, that's not the case with this book. Readers will be surprised at the diversity in this book. People from a variety of races, religious traditions, and backgrounds are represented and readers come away with a deeper respect for the ties that bind us with those we usually love most, our families, and that even if these bonds can be imperfect and at times seriously flawed, the bonds are real and in many cases, last against a great deal of troubles.
Inspires you to commit to your relationships.......2006-04-02
I think the most striking part of this book is that you feel comforted by the fact that the problems you're facing in your own relationships are commonplace. They're not dysfunctional. Every family has its share of issues and you don't need to feel overly guilty for yours. The book's underlying theme is that families that honesty, consideration, character, belief and perhaps above everything else - resilience, can get you through the worst debacles and that at the end of the day it's probably (though not always) worth the effort.
Stories include:
Resentment about controlling parents who appear to display conditional loving and also about appreciating how much of their lives parents sacrifice to bring the kids up; the search for redemption after abandoning a kid or cheating on a wife, the courage required to break relationships that are dead and the perseverance required to bring one back from the dead (and the effect on kids), dealing with the families of your in-laws and family objection to marriage, how to deal with kids who are falling into bad habits when you feel powerless to influence their decisions because they no longer respect you or listen to you, dealing with the death of a child, how we feel obligated to spend time with our families rather than actually wanting to spend time with them and what we are losing, etc.
Although it may seem that most people cannot relate to these situations... actually I felt an amazing amount of empathy for the families and came away with a renewed conviction that I can get the perfect family life (with all it's frustrations and headaches) and balance it with everything.
If you have any relationship, friendship that you have a certain amount of frustration, resignation about then I strongly recommend this book. It is one of those books that if it hits you at the right time - it could change your relationships and your life.
Average customer rating:
- trite spirituality from the "Where is she now?" file
- Magic Begins With Perception....
- Easy Read -- Deep Work
- Inspirational
- Help at last.
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Let the Magic Begin: Opening the Door to a Whole New World of Possibility
Cathy Lee Crosby
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Actors & Actresses
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
New Age
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| New Age
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Performing Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 074321420X |
Book Description
Cathy Lee Crosby is an internationally known and multitalented actress, writer, and producer--star of stage, film, and television. Six years ago, however, in spite of her success, four traumatic events left her world in chaos and despair: the death of her grandmother, contracting Epstein-Barr Syndrome, divorcing football star Joe Theisman and declaring bankruptcy after Joe sued her for half of everything.
Let the Magic Begin is the powerful, inspiring story of Cathy Lee's journey back in the realm of what she calls the Bliss Zone. In her totally entertaining, yet heartfelt account of how her life forced her out of the "march" of reality, and into that magical place we all knew as children where pure energy, creativity, and joy abound, and where "coincidences" open up a whole new world of possibility in each and every moment. With grace, humor, and courage, she re-ignites, step-by-step, the magnificence of who we really are.
Let the Magic Begin chronicles Cathy Lee's remarkable adventure back into the "magic" of her life, and her story will passionately compel readers to begin living lives filled with what they had only thought were in their dreams.
Customer Reviews:
trite spirituality from the "Where is she now?" file.......2001-07-09
This book is mainly interesting to those who wonder "Whatever became of that star from TV's That's Incredible?" As this autobiography (of sorts) indicates, she hit rock bottom. Bankruptcy, sued by her former lover, career going nowhere.
She then tells us how she recovered through discovering a "spiritual path." Talked to shamans and such. Began eating health food from Trader Joe's. She includes recommended food at the back of the book, including brand names.
She drops lots of celebrity names to let us know how "connected" she is to Hollywood. She dishes no dirt on anyone. Nothing juicy in this book. This is no "tell all," but rather her calling card to get back in the business.
I was a fan of That's Incredible, so I bought the book. Reading it, I ended liking her more, and respecting her less. She seems a nice person, but real flakey. Typical Hollywood personality.
If you enjoyed That's Incredible, and wonder whatever became of its star, you may enjoy this book.
Magic Begins With Perception...........2000-01-07
It's been awhile since I've read Cathy Lee Crosby's book, but when I finished it I recommended it to friends "in need" and they loved it, too. I want to recommend it to you.
I've rated "Let the Magic Begin" with five stars because it is an inspiring story of a woman on a magical journey...if I had not believed that the events had happened as magically as they seemed to, perhaps I would have rated it lower, but I have seen the power of "coincidence" in my own life enough to know that there is no such thing! As Cathy clearly points out in the course of her story, perception is the key to the magic of life. First you must believe to make the magic work!
Read this book if you feel there is something undefinable missing in your life. Read it if you want to stop making the same mistakes over and over again. Absolutely read it if you feel you have an insurmountable problem. Read it if you'd like to become a healthier person...read it if you like people.... But most importantly, when you read it, Believe, and the believing will make it so.
Easy Read -- Deep Work.......1998-10-05
Cathy Lee's book is beautifully written. Her journey takes every popular "how-to" book in my library at least one step further, farther, faster. I have been buying copies for everyone I know who's forgotten how to have fun!
Inspirational.......1997-03-26
Cathy Lee's magical journey is an inspiration to all of us. Thak you for sharing your experience with all the other dreamers of the world. Reba McEntir
Help at last........1997-03-23
I've been a suffering Bi-polar most of my adult life and have just come through a five year depressive period. A friend told me about this book and in five weeks I see more and know more about where I'm going and how to get there for the first time in years...if not ever. I love you Cathy Lee for putting down, for us all to read, a way back to the future. Charlie Reinmille
Average customer rating:
- WE HAVE LOST AN AMAZING PERSON AND WRITER
- One of the best books of its genre
- Living in a vanishing world
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The Island of the White Cow: Memories of an Irish Island
Deborah Tall
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
General
| Ireland
| Europe
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ireland
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
A Family of Strangers: A Lyric Essay
-
Summons: Poems
ASIN: 0689116500 |
Customer Reviews:
WE HAVE LOST AN AMAZING PERSON AND WRITER.......2006-10-24
Deborah Tall, professor of English and Comparative Literature, died on October 19 at age 55 after two years of resisting inflammatory breast cancer, a rare, aggressive form of the disease. She had lived in Ithaca, N.Y., since 1990 with her husband of 27 years, David Weiss, and their daughters, Zoe and Clea Weiss.
Since 1982, Tall taught at Hobart and William Smith where she was named The John Milton Potter Professor of Humanities and won the 2001 Faculty Scholarship Award, as well as numerous faculty research grants. She was editor of the literary journal Seneca Review.
"Deborah was deeply admired throughout our community and far beyond," said President Mark D. Gearan. "She inspired us with her original talent as a writer and her dedication to literature, teaching, her family and her friends. Those close to her will be able to share their memories in a public celebration of her life to be held on campus this fall."
Both a poet and nonfiction writer, she was published widely and gave readings and talks around the world. Her books include Summons, which was selected by Charles Simic for the Katherine A. Morton Poetry Prize in 1999; The Island of the White Cow; From Where We Stand: Recovering a Sense of Place; and The Poet's Notebook, which she co-edited with Hobart alumnus Stephen Kuusisto and Hobart and William Smith Professor of English David Weiss. A memoir, A Family of Strangers, has just come out this fall from Sarabande Books.
Born in Washington, D.C., she grew up in the Philadelphia area and spent five formative years on Inishbofin, off the west coast of Ireland. She earned a B.S. in English from the University of Michigan and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Goddard College.
One of the best books of its genre.......2006-03-10
This memoir describes the time period from 1972 to 1977. It is both a book about Ireland, and a book about college-educated Americans. As a book about Ireland, it is a beautifully written memoir of five years on the small island of Inishbofin. We learn much about the islanders and their hopes and frustrations. Although the book talks much about their struggles with isolation, drink, joblessness, family troubles and jealousies, the overall effect is more uplifting than depressing.
The book is also a record of the way that young, educated Americans encountered the world in the sixties and seventies -- through travel, study, the Peace Corps and many other ways. In the wake of the Sixties, many were seeking new ideas for living and new models of community relations. Some, such as Deborah Tall, hoped to find inspiration for art or writing in their pilgrimages to remote and isolated places. At the time, the far corners of Europe were still quite primitive, and part of Deborah Tall's experience was coping without electricity and running water. Now, of course, Inishbofin has telephones and websites and one would have to go much further afield for as exotic a cultural experience.
The writing in the book is very finely crafted, and its words are carefully chosen. Occasionally the author's prose becomes slightly mannered, but overall she is a pleasure to read and the book merits a continued audience.
Living in a vanishing world.......2003-01-03
In this book, Deborah Tall describes life on Inishbofind, 'Island of the White Cow', a remote island off the coast of western Ireland. An American herself, she meets an Irish writer who gives a lecture at her university. They fall in love and she follows him to the island, far away from the distractions of bustling city life, where they both try to make a living as writers. She describes her stay as if it were one year, divided into four seasons. In actuality, Deborah Tall lived on the island for five years.
I loved this book. Having lived in Ireland for a number of years, this made for a great read. The descriptions of the beauty and harsh life on this barren island, always open to the western winds, were very recognisable. Life feels different on these small islands. Even though it is only a few miles to the mainland, it seems infinitely far removed, and people don't even consider themselves part of Ireland. Life on the island is like living in the past. Inishbofind does not have a doctor. It has no dentist (one comes over periodically to pull teeth - nothing fancy like plaque removal here). There is no secondary education. It has only one telephone. There is no running water.
What it does have is charm, some very interesting people and, above all, quiet.
The islanders are much like the island itself: rugged on one hand, charming on the other. They are always up for a story, always good for a song, always in for a drink, always ready for a new audience. As the book goes on, and once Deborah Tall and 'Owen' are more accepted by the locals, one gets glimpses of the real emotions of the people on Inishbofind, an island slowly losing more and more people - mostly young ones - to the main land.
On one hand, people are helpful, friendly and interested in the new arrivals. On the other hand, there is bitterness, resignation, resentfulness, frustration, desperation and jealousy. And always, there is pride.
This book describes life as it really is on an island - not a tourist experience. If you are looking for a book on how wonderful everything about Ireland is, you may want to read a travel guide. If you are looking to read about Ireland, this is definitely a good choice.
Books:
- The Flavonoids: Advances in Research Since 1980
- The Flora capensis of Jakob and Johann Philipp Breyne (Brenthurst series)
- The fungi;: A description of their morphological features and evolutionary development
- The lupines of Canada and Alaska (Canada. Dept. of Agriculture. Research Branch. Monograph)
- The medicinal and poisonous plants of India
- The Microbiology of Anaerobic Digesters (Wastewater Microbiology Series)
- The Molecular biology of the yeast saccharomyces, life cycle and inheritance (Cold Spring Harbor monograph series)
- The relation of fungi to human affairs
- The scientific and technical profile of the genus Thymus: Botany, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, genetics, ecology, cultivation, quality control, processing & commerce
- The southern fern guide, Southeastern and South-midland United States
Books Index
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Northwest Conifers: A Photographic Key
Mac's Field Guide to Pacific Northwest Trees (Mac's Guides)
Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska
