Best of
Earth

2006

A Private History of Awe


Scott Russell Sanders - 2006
    In many ways, this is the story of a generation's passage through the 1960s--from innocence to experience, from euphoria to disillusionment. But Sanders has found a language that captures the transcendence of ordinary lives while never reducing them to formula. In his hands, the pattern of American boyhood that was made classic by writers from Mark Twain to Tobias Wolff is given a powerful new charge.

Seeds: Time Capsules of Life


Wolfgang Stuppy - 2006
    The images afford an unprecedented view into a most astonishing microcosm, where even the tiniest examples are exquisitely beautiful and sophisticated—in fact Kesseler’s work has been called “mystifying,” “astounding,” and “awe-inspiring” by scientists and critics around the world. Seeds constitutes an essential source book not only for those fascinated by the natural world, but also for artists, designers, and anyone interested in the development of biological structures. This brand-new edition features a preface by HRH the Prince of Wales, himself an avid conservationist. With its studied narrative and beautiful photographic eye, this keepsake volume is a stunning tribute to the beauty and marvel of seeds.Seeds are the most complex organs plants ever produce. A major keystone in the evolution of land plants, the first seeds appeared some 360 million years ago. Since then they have developed into highly sophisticated propagules that have enabled plants to dominate the Earth’s surface and conquer almost every possible habitat from the Antarctic to the hottest deserts. The diversity of shapes and sizes encountered in seeds is nearly endless and ranges from the impressive Seychelles nut at twenty kilos to the dustlike seeds of the orchids. No matter how small, packed into every seed is the complete genetic information needed to give rise to a new plant, whether it is a tiny herb or a giant rainforest tree. True time capsules of life, seeds may travel thousands of miles and, if necessary, wait for hundreds of years before germinating.

Evening Thoughts: Reflecting on Earth as Sacred Community


Thomas Berry - 2006
    His teaching and writings have inspired a generation’s thinking about humankind’s place in the Earth Community and the universe, engendering widespread critical acclaim and a documentary film on his life and work. This new collection of essays, from various years and occasions, expands and deepens ideas articulated in his earlier writings and also breaks new ground. Berry opens our eyes to the full dimensions of the ecological crisis, framing it as a crisis of spiritual vision. Applying his formidable erudition in cultural history, science, and comparative religions, he forges a compelling narrative of creation and communion that reconciles modern evolutionary thinking and traditional religious insights concerning our integral role in Earth’s society.While sounding an urgent alarm at our current dilemma, Berry inspires us to reclaim our role as the consciousness of the universe and thereby begin to create a true partnership with the Earth Community. With Evening Thoughts, this wise elder has lit another beacon to lead us home.

Hidden Truth, Forbidden Knowledge


Steven M. Greer - 2006
    James Woolsey, members of the US Senate & senior UN officials. In addition to these disclosures, "Hidden Truth, Forbidden Knowledge" unveils the actual contact experiences Dr. Greer has had with UFOs & Extraterrestrial Civilizations, beginning as a young child. In one of the most amazing & moving personal stories ever shared, he explains how after a prolonged near-death experience at age 17, he experienced cosmic consciousness & found the Rosetta Stone of ET contact: the power of the unbounded mind within each of us. Later this led to numerous Close Encounters of the 5th Kind: contact with ETs initiated by Greer & later by larger groups of people through the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence project.

What Is Science?


Rebecca Kai Dotlich - 2006
    It's also about curiosity: asking questions and exploring possible answers.Through simple words and child-friendly illustrations, this poetic picture book introduces young children to the exciting and ever-changing world of science.What Is Science? is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers


Rob Kesseler - 2006
    They are minute, almost impossible to see without a high-powered microscope, and remain hidden beyond the beauty o the flower until the moment of release. Then the grains, like alien spaceships, are carried by wind, water or animal to achieve their purpose of procreation.This beautifully produced and highly original book by an artist and botanical scientist portrays the perfect designs of these microscopic organisms. Special light and scanning electron microscopy are used to obtain astonishing images of pollen grains, which are combined with exquisite photographs of the parent plants.Pollen describes and illustrates in minute detail the reproductive workings of plants ranging from tulips and lilies to orchids and palms. The structure and form of pollen set the scene for the remarkable events that occur from pollination to fertilization. Also included are literary references to plant reproduction, as well as early botanical illustrations.Pollen is an intriguing book that is both informative and surprisingly beautiful.

Papermaking with Garden Plants Common Weeds


Helen Hiebert - 2006
    With a few pieces of basic equipment and a small harvest of backyard weeds, you can easily create stunningly original handcrafted papers. Helen Heibert’s illustrated step-by-step instructions show you how easy it is to blend and shape a variety of organic fibers into professional stationery, specialty books, and personalized gifts. You’ll soon be creatively integrating plant stalks, bark, flower petals, pine needles, and more to add unique colors and textures to your paper creations.

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence


Roderick MacIver - 2006
    Nature offers us a sense of peace and harmony not easily accessible in the modern world. Drawing on the works of many mystics, writers, poets and artists, this collection reminds us how great the gift of life can be.

Mr. Hiroshi's Garden


Maxine Trottier - 2006
    "I will take care of your garden, Mr. Hiroshi," I offered. He smiled. "That would give me great comfort, Mary," he said. "The koi are greedy, you know. Do not let them get fat." We watched the bus drive away. For Mary, too young to fully understand about war and far-off places, the promise was meant to last only until Mr. Hiroshi came back. But after a while it was clear the her friend wouldn't be coming home. Still, Mary faithfully kept her word all through that long summer. And when the new people came to live in Mr. Hiroshi's house, she knew exactly what to do. A tale as elegant as a Japanese garden! Once more, Maxine Trottier takes a small piece of a larger story, nurtures it with care, and grows a tale as elegant as a Japanese Garden. Flags is a simple story of innocence and friendship set against a backdrop of fear and suspicion. A story that must be told and told again--but never allowed to recur. Originally published as Flags.

Where Rivers and Mountains Sing: Sound, Music, and Nomadism in Tuva and Beyond


Theodore Levin - 2006
    As performers from Tuva and other parts of inner Asia have responded to the growing worldwide popularity of their music, Levin follows them to the West, detailing their efforts to nourish global connections while preserving the power and poignancy of their music traditions. A DVD/CD video/music disk is included.

Bedrock: Writers on the Wonders of Geology


Lauret Savoy - 2006
    With insights from many cultures and across time, Bedrock wonderfully illuminates the geology of our home planet.The book is organized into sections that deal with rock and stone; deep time; earthquakes and faults; volcanoes and eruptions; rivers to the sea; mountains and high¬lands; wind and desert; the flow of ice; and the life of the Earth. Insightful, penetrating, and provocative, the works are written from many positions — traditional and indigenous as well as Western scientific. Bedrock bridges specialized science and ordinary existence, providing a fascinating portrait of the forces that have shaped the Earth and giving readers a sense of the geologic experience encompassing their lives.