Best of
Nature

1968

Desert Solitaire


Edward Abbey - 1968
    Written while Abbey was working as a ranger at Arches National Park outside of Moab, Utah, Desert Solitaire is a rare view of one man’s quest to experience nature in its purest form.Through prose that is by turns passionate and poetic, Abbey reflects on the condition of our remaining wilderness and the future of a civilization that cannot reconcile itself to living in the natural world as well as his own internal struggle with morality. As the world continues its rapid development, Abbey’s cry to maintain the natural beauty of the West remains just as relevant today as when this book was written.

Nine Man-Eaters & One Rogue


Kenneth Anderson - 1968
    Nine Man-Eaters & One Rogue is the exciting story of one man's efforts to save lives in the jungles of India. The author relates these true adventures and educates the reader in the complexities of the living jungle.

Plant Dreaming Deep


May Sarton - 1968
    She begins with an introduction to the enchanting village of Nelson, where she first meets her house. Sarton finds she must “dream the house alive” inside herself before taking the major step of signing the deed. She paints the walls white in order to catch the light and searches for the precise shade of yellow for the kitchen floor. She discovers peace and beauty in solitude, whether she is toiling in the garden or writing at her desk.This is a loving, beautifully crafted memoir illuminated by themes of friendship, love, nature, and the struggles of the creative life.

The Complete Walker IV


Colin Fletcher - 1968
    Together, they have made this fourth edition of The Complete Walker the most informative, entertaining, and thorough version yet.The eighteen years since the publication of The Complete Walker III have seen revolutionary changes in hiking and camping equipment: developments in waterproofing technology, smaller and more durable stoves, lighter boots, more manageable tents, and a wider array of food options. The equipment recommendations are therefore not merely revised and tweaked, but completely revamped. During these two decades we have also seen a deepening of environmental consciousness. Not only has backpacking become more popular, but a whole ethic of responsible outdoorsmanship has emerged. In this book the authors confidently lead us through these technological, ethical, and spiritual changes.Fletcher and Rawlins's thorough appraisal and recommendation of equipment begins with a "Ground Plan," a discussion of general hiking preparedness. How much to bring? What are the ideal clothes, food, boots, and tents for your trip? They evaluate each of these variables in detail--including open, honest critiques and endorsements of brand-name equipment. Their equipment searches are exhaustive; they talk in detail about everything from socks to freeze-dried trail curries.They end as they began, with a philosophical and literary disquisition on the reasons to walk, capped off with a delightful collection of quotes about walking and the outdoor life. After a thoughtful and painstaking analysis of hiking gear from hats to boots, from longjohns to tent flaps, they remind us that ultimately hiking is about the experience of being outdoors and seeing the green world anew.Like its predecessors, The Complete Walker IV is an essential purchase for anyone captivated by the outdoor life.

Between Pacific Tides


Edward F. Ricketts - 1968
    Between Pacific Tides is a book for all who find the shore a place of excitement, wonder, and beauty, and an unsurpassed introductory text for both students and professionals.This book describes the habits and habitats of the animals that live in one of the most prolific life zones of the world--the rocky shores and tide pools of the Pacific Coast of the United States. The intricate and fascinating life processes of these creatures are described with affectionate care. The animals are grouped according to their most characteristic habitat, whether rocky shore, sandy beach, mud flat, or wharf piling, and the authors discuss their life history, physiology, and community relations, and the influence of wave shock and shifting tide level.Though the basic purpose and structure--and much of the text--of the book remain the same, content has been increased by about 20 percent; a multitude of changes and additios has been made in the text; the Annotated Systematic Index and General Bibliography have been updated and greatly expanded (now almost 2,300 entries); more than 200 new photographs and drawings have been incorporated; and an entirely new chapter has been added--a topical presentation of the several factors influencing distribution of organisms along the shore. This edition also includes John Steinbeck's Foreword to the 1948 edition.

Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas


Albert E. Radford - 1968
    The manual treats in detail and in a concise format more than 3, 200 species of trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and ferns that grow without cultivation in this two-state area. Special features include diagnostic illustrations, keys for identification, detailed descriptions, flowering and fruiting dates, habitat data, distribution data, and pertinent synonymy for each species. County dot maps show the distribution of each species if found in more than five counties throughout the two-state area, and general ranges beyond our borders are given in the text.First published in 1968, Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas is an established reference for professionals, students, and plant enthusiasts throughout the Southeastern United States. It is based on the collection and examination of more than 200,000 live specimens. Many of these specimens are now housed in the herbarium at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Summer Lightning


Judith Richards - 1968
    Together they prowl the Everglades in search of rattlesnakes, epiphytes, and adventure until the law and a looming world war change their lives forever.The award-winning Summer Lightning has been reprinted in 15 languages since its first publication by St. Martin's Press.

Spiders and Their Kin


Herbert W. Levi - 1968
    With full-color pictures and readable text, this guide identifies representative species and describes:Their characteristics and habitsGrowth, courtship and enemiesWhere they are foundIncludes information on poisonous species and how to collect, preserve, and raise spiders.

The Sea


Rachel Carson - 1968
    The Sea

Insects Do the Strangest Things


Leonora Hornblow - 1968
    

The Hole in the Tree


Jean Craighead George - 1968
    HARDCOVER

Raccoons Are the Brightest People


Sterling North - 1968
    

Seashells of North America: A Guide to Field Identification


R. Tucker Abbott - 1968
    Spy a fabulous Emperor Helmet in Southern Florida. Find a Red Chiton on the Pacific shore. The coasts of North America yield a wondrous variety of shells, from the majestic Conch to tiny Bittium. This beautifully illustrated guide helps both the novice and experienced shell hunter distinguish between similar varieties and find the glorious specimens that become a collection's prize.-Native varieties and important introduced species-Expert tips on cleaning and preservation-Common and scientific names-Convenient measuring rules...and more!!

Wild Flowers of North Carolina


William S. Justice - 1968
    Justice and C. Ritchie Bell, pairs hundreds of color photographs with descriptions of the wild flowers and flowering trees, shrubs, vines, herbs, and weeds found in North Carolina and many other eastern states, from Delaware to Georgia. Entries include information on habitat, range, size, months of bloom, and features for identification. For this new edition, Bell and Anne H. Lindsey have included 100 additional species and expanded the information in previous entries to address developments in the field of plant conservation, providing comments on endangered and protected species, medicinal uses, the cultivation of species in a wild garden, and the commercial availability of nursery-grown natives.

Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification, Revised and Updated


C. Frank Brockman - 1968
    Wonder at the Lodgepole Pine, whose heat-activated cones reseed forests destroyed by fire. Search for the Sugar Maple, whose foliage blazes red and yellow in autumn. North America's trees rank among nature's most awesome creations. This premier field guide features all characteristics-tree shape, bark, leaf, flower, fruit and twig-for quick identification, making it a superior choice for trail walks, creating displays, and scientific or commercial needs.-All of North America in one volume-Over 730 species in 76 families and 160 range maps-Native species and important introduced foreign varieties-Text, range maps, and illustrations seen together at a glance-Common and scientific names-Convenient measuring rules

Flora of Alaska and Neighboring Territories: A Manual of the Vascular Plants


Eric Hulten - 1968
    The book describes and illustrates all flowering plants and vascular cryptograms known to occur in Alaska, the Yukon, the Mackenzie District, and the eastern extremity of Siberia.Some 1,974 taxa, belonging to 1,559 species, occur in this region; all are described. For 1,735 of these, the book provides detailed description, nomenclature, plant drawing, and range maps. In each case, one map gives distribution in the Alaskan region; a second, on circumpolar projection, gives worldwide range. This volume is the first major flora to assemble such comprehensive range data and to provide such maps.An analytic key to all species described is provided for each genus, and there is an artificial key to families. An Introduction describes the past and present climatic, geologic, and ecologic character of the regions covered, the history of botanical collection in these regions, and the book's treatment of botanical and taxonomic details; and lists the plants of neighboring regions likely to occur. Glossary, plant authors' list, bibliography, and indexes are provided. The superb drawings were prepared by Dagny Tande-Lid, and eight pages of illustration in color are included.

The Lovely and the Wild


Louise de Kiriline Lawrence - 1968
    This beautifully written book is the story of her dream come true.Truly a labour of love, The Lovely and the Wild is the product of an exceptional woman's profound joy at being part of the limitless world of nature.Louise de Kiriline Lawrence passes over in a single sentence a fascinating life "which does not belong to this book." Born in Sweden, daughter of a naturalist, she served as a translator to an American military mission during the Russian Revolution, and was in charge of a Russian military hospital. She was a delegate of the Swedish Red Cross Expedition to the Volga region during the great famine of 1922 before emigrating to Canada.

Comock: The True Story of an Eskimo Hunter


Robert Flaherty - 1968
    Flaherty, an American-born prospector and a pioneer filmmaker, chanced to see the landing of an overcrowded, leaking, sealskin vessel, that held an Inuit hunter named Comock, his wife & their eleven children. This is their story.