It's also a book full of entertainment and wonders. In The Song of the Dodo, we follow Quammen's keen intellect through the ideas, theories, and experiments of prominent naturalists of the last two centuries. We trail after him as he travels the world, tracking the subject of island biogeography, which encompasses nothing less than the study of the origin and extinction of all species. Why is this island idea so important? Because islands are where species most commonly go extinct -- and because, as Quammen points out, we live in an age when all of Earth's landscapes are being chopped into island-like fragments by human activity. Through his eyes, we glimpse the nature of evolution and extinction, and in so doing come to understand the monumental diversity of our planet, and the importance of preserving its wild landscapes, animals, and plants. We also meet some fascinating human characters. By the book's end we are wiser, and more deeply concerned, but Quammen leaves us with a message of excitement and hope.

    McGregor, and many other Beatrix Potter characters remain in the hearts of millions. However, though Potter is a household name around the world, few know the woman behind the illustrations. Her personal life, including a romantic relationship with her publisher, Norman Warne, and her significant achievements outside of children's literature remain largely unknown. In Linda Lear's enchanting new biography, we get the life story of this incredible, funny, and independent woman. As one of the first female naturalists in the world, Potter brought the beauty and importance of nature back into the imagination at a time when plunder was more popular than preservation. Through her art she sought to encourage conservation and change the world. With never before seen illustrations and intimate detail, Lear goes beyond our perrenial fascination with Potter as a writer and illustrator of children's books, and delves deeply into the life of a most unusual and gifted woman--one whose art was timeless, and whose generosity left an indelible imprint on the countryside.

    In "Lies Women Believe," Nancy Leigh DeMoss exposes areas of deception common to many Christian women -- lies about God, sin, priorities, marriage and family, emotions, and more. She deals honestly with women's delusions and illusions and then gently leads them to the truth of God's word that leads to true freedom."Walking in Truth," the companion study to "Lies Women Believe" will help women go deeper into God's Word, walk more fully in His grace, and experience the joy of the abundant life Christ promised.

    This revised edition includes 75 exclusive photos and two new chapters that chart the band’s activities from 1998 to 2001, right up to the release of Everyday and the mysterious discovery of the Lillywhite sessions. Included is fascinating commentary on Before These Crowded Streets, Live at Luther College, and Listener Supported. The personal lives of each band member are expanded upon, and new coverage of DMB tours, the creation of Dave’s own record label, and the worldwide growth of DMB fans is provided.

    How does Jane Goodall’s relationship with her dog Rusty inform her thinking about our relationship to other species? Which time and place would Jared Diamond most prefer to live in, in light of his work on the role of chance in history? What does driving a sports car have to do with Steven Weinberg’s quest for the “theory of everything”? Physicist and journalist Stefan Klein’s intimate conversations with nineteen of the world’s best-known scientists (including three Nobel Laureates) let us listen in as they talk about their paradigm-changing work—and how it is deeply rooted in their daily lives. • Cosmologist Martin Rees on the beginning and end of the world • Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins on egoism and selflessness • Neuroscientist V. S. Ramachandran on consciousness • Molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn on aging • Philosopher Peter Singer on morality • Physician and social scientist Nicholas Christakis on human relationships • Biochemist Craig Venter on the human genome • Chemist and poet Roald Hoffmann on beauty

    And, in the rush to make a living, we sometimes forget to live. The 7 book makes a wonderful gift because it inspires us to stop and look around with fresh eyes. To break out of our routines. To reconnect with all the things that are truly important to us. And to savor and treasure lifenot just now and then, but every day of the week. The 7 book is the fourth addition in the best-selling Life by the Numbers series, and it is easily one of the most inspiring to give or receive.

    Jesse Rollins’ family disappeared in the desert during a family camping trip. Jesse was ten years old when the event took place and they were never seen again. Jesse turned sixteen and ran away from the orphanage the state put him in after the disappearance and returned to the place they disappeared. He decided that if it happened once; it could happen again. He had no idea he would cause the world to be thrown into a world war with the Military Leaders in the United States, China, and Russia planning to overthrow the governments of the planet's three most powerful nations. He also had no idea he was right. Excerpt from; Jesse’s Starship Suddenly a bright spotlight lit up the night and the two aliens were frozen for an instant. They heard a voice said over a loud speaker, “You will stay where you are and raise your arms above your head.” The Apache swooped down the rise toward the two Neman with its machine guns targeted on them. One of them raised his arm and pointed it at the fast approaching helicopter. The Apache exploded and pieces rained down into the depression. The other Neman fired a beam at Gresam’s dead body as the first pressed his wrist unit extending the force field around their ship to cover them. They sprinted toward the open port as two Raptors came roaring in. The pilots were circling and saw the Apache’s destruction; the lead pilot contacted his commander, “The Apache has been hit and destroyed. We’re arming missiles and going in.” Two of the four Raptors roared in and locked their sights on the place in the depression where the two beings had disappeared. They toggled two hellfire missiles and fired them as they topped the rise. One of the Neman yelled, “Remove the hostiles!” Two bright white beams shot out of the ship’s hull and hit the two Raptors exploding them in midair as they passed overhead. The second pair of Raptors roared in a moment behind the first two and launched their missiles just before they were hit by white beams and destroyed. The wreckage of the four Raptors was scattered for a mile as the debris rained down on the desert at high speed. The wreckage that hit the force field surrounding the spaceship was vaporized. This review is from: Dahlia's Deception (The Annihilation Series) (Kindle Edition) I have all of Saxons books at least I hope so; adventure of the highest level await all who venture into his books. I have everyone in my family hooked on the series from The young teens to the old timer that's me at 73 thanks For the ride keep it up PLEASE. Visit us at on face book at www.facebook.com/SaxonAndrewsUniverse or our website at www.annihilationseries.com. You may contact us directly at saxonandrew@msn.com

    Not only does she train search and rescue dogs, but she’s a bestselling suspense author who has waterfront property in the beautiful mountain town of Grand Lake, Colorado. All is well until she receives a call to bring her dog Max and her snowmobile to help rescue a man who is lost in a blizzard up on Gravel Mountain. That man is the one person she never wants to see again—Ryker Anderson—the man who broke her heart the day he called three months before their wedding to say goodbye with no explanation as to why.After being gone for eighteen months, Ryker Anderson is back in Grand Lake where he hopes to win back the woman he loves. He only hopes Shelby understands why he left. Will he be able to convince Shelby that she can trust him with her heart again even though he broke it before?

    Yet discoveries over the past fifty years have challenged these ideas, shedding new light on the extraordinary capabilities and complex interior lives of plants. In Brilliant Green, Stefano Mancuso, a leading scientist and founder of the field of plant neurobiology, presents a new paradigm in our understanding of the vegetal world. Combining a historical perspective with the latest in plant science, Mancuso argues that, due to cultural prejudices and human arrogance, we continue to underestimate plants. In fact, they process information, sleep, remember, and signal to one another -- showing that, far from passive machines, plants are intelligent and aware. Through a survey of plant capabilities from sight and touch to communication, Mancuso challenges our notion of intelligence, presenting a vision of plant life that is more sophisticated than most imagine. Plants have much to teach us, from network building to innovations in robotics and man-made materials -- but only if we understand more about how they live. Part botany lesson, part manifesto, Brilliant Green is an engaging and passionate examination of the inner workings of the plant kingdom. Financial support for the translation of this book has been provided by SEPS: Segretariato Europeo Per Le Pubblicazioni Scientifiche.

    Growing understanding of the immune system, and especially the creation of immune memory (long lasting protection), which can be harnessed in the design of vaccines, have been major breakthroughs in medicine.In this Very Short Introduction, Paul Klenerman describes the immune system, and how it works in health and disease. In particular he focuses on the human immune system, considering how it evolved, the basic rules that govern its behavior, and the major health threats where it is important. Theimmune system comprises a series of organs, cells and chemical messengers which work together as a team to provide defence against infection. Klenerman discusses these components, the critical signals that trigger them and how they exert their protective effects, including so-called innate immuneresponses, which react very fast to infection, and adaptive immune responses, which have huge diversity and a capacity to recognize and defend against a massive array of micro-organisms. Klenerman also considers what happens when our immune systems fail to be activated effectively, leading toserious infections, problems with inherited diseases, and also HIV/AIDS. At the opposite extreme, as Klenerman shows, an over-exaggerated immune response leads to inflammatory diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, as well as allergy and asthma. Finally he looks at the Immunesystem v2.o - how immune therapies and vaccines can be advanced to protect us against the major diseases of the 21st century.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, andenthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

    Here is delicious food for less.So much more than cheap dinner ideas - here are meals that cost under a pound but look and taste a million dollars! Recipes for the whole family without breaking the bank.Instagram chef sensation Miguel Barclay is taking the world by storm with his delicious meals that cost less than £1 per person.'I've always loved cooking but I'm not a fan of needlessly over-complicated recipes that waste time and money.So I've created my own style of cooking: simple ingredients, straightforward recipes and mouthwatering meals, all on a budget.Now you can eat the food you love - from meatball marinara to chicken katsu curry, lamb moussaka to aubergine dal - all for under £1 per person.'Miguel's easy-to-follow, ready-in-minutes recipes are for a single serving, and can all be cooked for under £1 per person - just multiply them up for more servings. 'As you would expect from such a relaxed style of cooking, the book is laid out in a similarly laidback manner. There are no chapters or themes. Just flick through the pages and cook whichever dish you fancy. But, as a nod to my Instagram roots and to help you identify types of dish, I have labelled each recipe with hashtags, so if you want to find veggie food, just look out for the veggie hashtags.One Pound Meals are designed to use a core group of ingredients, and this is the key to eliminating waste. Just start with one recipe, and depending on what you have left over, choose your next recipe accordingly. I want you to bounce around the book on a sort of never-ending random journey as you use up those leftover ingredients. It also means you can plan a week's worth of meals in one go and shop more efficiently.'With savvy supermarket shopping swaps and time-saving tips, One Pound Meals makes cooking quicker, easier and tastier, and with less waste.One Pound Meals includes:* Lasagne * Crab mac & cheese * Chicken katsu curry * Pork chop in a mustard & leek sauce * Spaghetti carbonara * Mushroom risotto * Quiche lorraine * Aubergine dal & chapati * Scotch Egg * Ultimate £1 burger * Ham & mushroom pizza * Pancake stack

    Shrouded in mystery, Gregor Mendel's quiet life and discoveries make for fascinating reading. Among his pea plants Henig finds a tale filled with intrigue, jealousy, and a healthy dose of bad timing. She "has done a remarkable job of fleshing out the myth with what few facts there are" (Washington Post Book World) and has delivered Mendel's story with grace and glittering prose. THE MONK IN THE GARDEN is both a "classic tale of redemption" (New York Times Book Review) and a science book of the highest literary order.

    Based on six years of research, the book follows a handful of unforgettable characters at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo: an alpha chimp with a weakness for blondes, a ferocious tiger who revels in Obsession perfume, and a brilliant but tyrannical CEO known as El Diablo Blanco.Zoo Story crackles with issues of global urgency: the shadow of extinction, humanity's role in the destruction or survival of other species. More than anything else, though, it's a dramatic and moving true story of seduction and betrayal, exile and loss, and the limits of freedom on an overcrowded planet-all framed inside one zoo reinventing itself for the twenty-first century. Thomas French, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, chronicles the action with vivid power: Wild elephants soaring above the Atlantic on their way to captivity. Predators circling each other in a lethal mating dance. Primates plotting the overthrow of their king. The sweeping narrative takes the reader from the African savannah to the forests of Panama and deep into the inner workings of a place some describe as a sanctuary and others condemn as a prison. All of it comes to life in the book's four-legged characters. Even animal lovers will be startled by the emotional charge of these creatures' histories, which read as though they were co-written by Dickens and Darwin.Zoo Story shows us how these remarkable individuals live, how some die, and what their experiences reveal about the human desire to both exalt and control nature.

    Now genetics is exploding, and before long we will have the complete code, written in three thousand million letters of DNA, of what makes a human being.

    From the blue-blooded pockets of old-WASP New England to the vast tribal lands of the Navajo, Bryan Sykes takes us on a historical genetic tour, interviewing genealogists, geneticists, anthropologists, and everyday Americans with compelling ancestral stories. His findings suggest:• Of Americans whose ancestors came as slaves, virtually all have some European DNA.• Racial intermixing appears least common among descendants of early New England colonists.• There is clear evidence of Jewish genes among descendants of southwestern Spanish Catholics.• Among white Americans, evidence of African DNA is most common in the South.• European genes appeared among Native Americans as early as ten thousand years ago.An unprecedented look into America's genetic mosaic and an impressive contribution to how we perceive race, this is a fascinating book about what it means to be American.