Random House New Releases - Nature - Between November 26, 2008 and December 26, 2009.

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence by Roderick MacIver

2009-11-18T00:30:00-05:00

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence
Edited by Roderick MacIver

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence is a collection of hundreds of quotes on the beauty and mystery of the natural world by writers and thinkers, including Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Edward Abbey, Rainer Maria Rilke, Henry David Thoreau, Louise Dickinson Rich, and Lewis Thomas.

Through their inspirational poetry and other writings and Rod MacIver’s beautiful watercolors, Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence offers readers a retreat from our complex, fast-paced world. This book explores the beauty, strange cohesion, and complexity of the natural world and universe, drawing on sources as diverse as ancient Chinese poets, contemporary songwriters, wilderness adventurers, homesteaders, and modern scientists.

On Thin Ice by Richard Ellis

2009-11-17T00:30:00-05:00

On Thin Ice The Changing World of the Polar Bear
Written by Richard Ellis

Polar bears—fierce and majestic—have captivated us for centuries. Feared by explorers, revered by the Inuit, and beloved by zoo goers everywhere, polar bears are a symbol for the harsh beauty and muscular grace of the Arctic. Today, as global warming threatens the ice caps’ integrity, the polar bear has also come to symbolize the peril that faces all life on earth as a result of harmful human practices. Here, the acclaimed science writer Richard Ellis offers an impassioned and moving statement on behalf of polar bears—and all they stand for.

Ellis gives a vivid and brilliantly articulated picture of earth’s largest land predators—including their hunting, mating, and hibernation habits. Polar bears are exceptionally well suited for hunting—especially when it comes to ringed seals, their favorite prey, which they can smell from more than a mile away. But as the ice melts in the Arctic, the ability of polar bears to find food diminishes in spite of their incredible physical capacities. Some bears will vainly take to the water in search of ice on which to hunt, and many of them swim until they drown. In the past twenty years alone, the world population of polar bears has shrunk by half. Today they number just 22,000.

Still, On Thin Ice is an ode, not an elegy: Ellis reminds us that the extinction of the polar bear—and the disappearance of our ice caps—is not inevitable. While the killing of polar bears remains a matter of ritual solemnity among the Inuit, U.S. government officials continue to balk at placing the polar bear on the endangered species list because doing so would place the bears’ territory off-limits for oil drilling. As the polar bears’ habitat disappears beneath them, their survival rests entirely on our willingness to take such critical steps.

Urgent and stirring, On Thin Ice is both a celebration and a rallying cry on behalf of one of earth’s greatest natural treasures.

On Thin Ice by Richard Ellis

2009-11-17T00:30:00-05:00

On Thin Ice
Written by Richard Ellis

The Urban Tree Book by Arthur Plotnik

2009-11-10T00:30:00-05:00

The Urban Tree Book An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town
Written by Arthur Plotnik

Open The Urban Tree Book and discover the joys of forest trekking--right in your city or town. This first-of-a-kind field guide introduces readers to the trees on their block, in neighborhood parks, and throughout the urban landscape. Unlike traditional tree guides with dizzying numbers of woodland species, The Urban Tree Book explores nature in the city, describing some 200 tree types likely to be found on North America's streets and surrounding spaces, including suburban settings.

With telling descriptions and precise botanical detail, this unique guide not only identifies trees but brings them to life through history, lore, anecdotes, up-to-date facts, and hundreds of fascinating characteristics. More than 175 graceful illustrations capture the charm of trees in urban settings and depict leaf, flower, fruit, and bark features for identification and appreciation.

The Urban Tree Book will inform even the most knowledgeable plant person and delight urbanites who simply enjoy strolling beneath the shade of welcoming trees. An engaging excursion into the "urban forest," this complete guide to city trees will both entertain and enlighten nature lovers, urban hikers, gardeners, and everyone curious about their environment. Includes a tree planting-and-care section, tree primer, and exploration guide
Is backed by the expertise of the renowned Morton Arboretum
Incorporates new "urban forestry" perspectives
Covers urban trees across the continent
Lists key organizations and institutions for tree lovers
Selects the best tree sites on the Internet
Updates many guides by 20 years

From the Trade Paperback edition.

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Warren Leon

2009-11-04T00:30:00-05:00

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices Practical Advice from The Union of Concerned Scientists
Written by Michael Brower and Warren Leon

The Bedside Book of Beasts by Graeme Gibson

2009-11-03T00:30:00-05:00

The Bedside Book of Beasts A Wildlife Miscellany
Written by Graeme Gibson

In a wonderfully diverse selection of writings and gorgeous illustrations, this stunning companion to The Bedside Book of Birds explores the relationship between predators and their prey.

The intricate, complex connection between the hunter and the hunted has defined animal life on earth throughout time. In The Bedside Book of Beasts, Graeme Gibson gathers breathtaking works of art and literature that capture the power, grace, and inventiveness of both predators and their natural prey.

The Bedside Book of Beasts presents myths, fables, poetry, and excerpts from nature and travel writing, journals, sacred texts, and works of fiction. Within these pages we encounter big cats, bears, wolves, and the small but voracious praying mantis, as well as works that bring to life the experience of more vulnerable prey. Portraits of such legendary evil beasts as the Minotaur, Grendel, and the biblical Leviathan add to the depth and breadth of the collection. An impressive array of art, both traditional and contemporary, as well as scientific, religious, and mythological drawings, paintings, and woodcuts make this volume an utterly unique gift for the holidays or any occasion.

A fascinating exploration of the chain of life, of survival and mortality, The Bedside Book of Beasts evokes a profound sense of the eternal connection between humans and the creatures they endeavor to tame.

Science as a Contact Sport by Stephen H. Schneider

2009-11-03T00:30:00-05:00

Science as a Contact Sport Inside the Battle to Save Earth's Climate
Written by Stephen H. Schneider

It’s been nearly four decades since scientists first realized that global warming posed a potential threat to our planet. Why, if we knew of the threats way back in the Carter Administration, can’t we act decisively to limit greenhouse gases, deforestation, and catastrophic warming trends? Why are we still addicted to fossil fuels? Have we all just been fiddling for 40 years as the world burns around us?

Schneider, part of the Nobel Prize–winning team that shared the accolade with Al Gore in 2007, had a front-row seat at this unfolding environmental meltdown. Piecing together events like a detective story, Schneider reveals that as expert consensus grew, well-informed activists warned of dangerous changes no one knew how to predict precisely—and special interests seized on that very uncertainty to block any effective response. He persuasively outlines a plan to avert the building threat and develop a positive, practical policy that will bring climate change back under our control, help the economy with a new generation of green energy jobs and productivity, and reduce the dependence on unreliable exporters of oil—and thus ensure a future for ourselves and our planet that’s as rich with promise as our past.

The Red Hourglass by Gordon Grice

2009-10-21T00:30:00-05:00

The Red Hourglass Lives of the Predators
Written by Gordon Grice

When Elephants Weep by Susan McCarthy

2009-10-21T00:30:00-05:00

When Elephants Weep The Emotional Lives of Animals
Written by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Contribution by Susan McCarthy

The Bedside Book of Beasts by Graeme Gibson

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

The Bedside Book of Beasts A Wildlife Miscellany
Written by Graeme Gibson

This stunning companion to the internationally bestselling Bedside Book of Birds explores the relationship between predators and their prey.

The intricate, complex connection between the hunter and the hunted has defined animal life on Earth throughout time. In The Bedside Book of Beasts, Graeme Gibson gathers from all eras and cultures works of art and literature that capture the power, grace, and inventiveness of both predators and their natural prey. Here are myths, fables, poetry, generous excerpts from nature and travel writing, journals, sacred texts, and works of fiction. There are vivid descriptions of noteworthy predators — including the big cats, bears, wolves — but also the small but voracious praying mantis. Gibson also brings to life the experiences, strategies, and emotions of vulnerable prey, and paints intriguing portraits of such legendary evil beasts as the Minotaur, Grendel, and the Biblical Leviathan. All of this is enhanced by a breathtaking array of art, both traditional and contemporary, as well as scientific, religious, and mythological drawings, paintings, and woodcuts.

In The Bedside Book of Beasts Gibson evokes a profound sense of the eternal, often unsettling, connection between the human animal and the free, untamed beasts of the wilderness.

The Bird by Colin Tudge

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

The Bird A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They Live
Written by Colin Tudge

• How are birds so good at flying and navigating?
• Why are birds so like mammals– and yet so very different?
• Did birds descend from dinosaurs, and if so, does that mean birds are dinosaurs?
• How do they court each other and fend off rivals?
• What' s being communicated in birdsong?
• Can we ever know how birds think?

In this fascinating exploration of the avian class, Colin Tudge considers the creatures of the air. From their evolutionary roots to their flying, feeding, fighting, mating, nesting, and communicating, Tudge provocatively ponders what birds actually do–as well as why they do it and how. With the same curiosity, passion, and insight he brought to redwoods, pines, and palm trees in his widely acclaimed book The Tree, Tudge here studies sparrows, parrots, and even the Monkey-eating Eagle to better understand their world–and our own.

There is far more to a bird's existence than gliding gracefully on air currents or chirping sweetly from fence posts–the stakes are life and death. By observing and explaining the complex strategy that comes into play with everything from migration to social interaction to the timing of giving birth to young, Tudge reveals how birds are uniquely equipped biologically to succeed and survive. And he offers an impassioned plea for humans to learn to coexist with birds without continuing to endanger their survival.

Complete with an "annotated cast list" of all the known birds in the world– plus gorgeous illustrations–The Bird is a comprehensive and delightfully accessible guide for everyone from dedicated birders to casual birdwatchers that celebrates and illuminates the remarkable lives of birds.

The Bird by Colin Tudge

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

The Bird A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They Live
Written by Colin Tudge

British Pigs by Val Porter

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

British Pigs
Written by Val Porter

Not so long ago, there were local British pigs of every size, color and shape. Over the centuries different localities had developed their own tastes in what their pigs should look like - often colored pigs in the Midlands, black ones in the southern countries and white ones in the north - and every county had its own 'breed'. But as urban populations exploded and needed to be fed from the countryside, pig breeders became selective and scientific, concentrating on productivity. Today most of the colorful old local breeds have disappeared; now only three of four highly commercial breeds and a handful of rare breeds remain of that once splendid diversity. This book describes these breeds and how they developed; it also looks at some of the evocatively named extinct pigs and at foreign breeds now being imported.

Flora Mirabilis by Douglas Holland

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

Flora Mirabilis How Plants Have Shaped World Knowledge, Health, Wealth, and Beauty
Written by Catherine H. Howell
Foreword by Peter H. Raven
Introduction by Douglas Holland

Flora Mirabilis is a sumptuously designed showcase of superb illustrations paired with fascinating stories of botanical exploration and trade through the ages. A collaboration between National Geographic and the world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden, this book will prove an evergreen source of delight, not just for gardeners and flower aficionados, but for anyone interested in the plant world, human civilization, and their intertwined histories.

From prehistory to the present day, Flora Mirabilis blossoms with legend and lore as it culls the most engrossing mysteries and adventures of plant exploration, science, and discovery and garlands them with astonishingly beautiful illustrations. These lavish pages are abloom with the rich details and engaging allure of beloved flowers, stunning gardens, ancient trees, medicinal herbs, and valuable plants of all varieties from around the world. Unique "plant profiles" chronicle the especially remarkable roles each plant has played in matters of economics, politics, and taste.

Illustrated throughout with never-before-published collector’s edition reproductions and introduced with an eloquent foreword by Peter H. Raven, president of the Missouri Botanical Garden, this stunning volume will catch eyes and flower in imaginations everywhere.

Jacques Cousteau by Brad Matsen

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

Jacques Cousteau The Sea King
Written by Brad Matsen

Jacques Cousteau opened up the undersea world as no one has done before or since. But not generally know is the fascinating and compelling individual behind the acclaimed television personality.

With the cooperation of many of Jacques Cousteau’s collaborators, friends, and family, Brad Matsen gives us the first full picture of this remarkable life. Here is Cousteau working for the French resistance during World War II (for which he received France’s Croix de Guerre); developing—and risking his life to test—the regulator that made scuba diving possible; running the world’s largest scuba equipment manufacturing firm; becoming a legendary catalyst of the worldwide environmental movement; starring in The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and in hundreds of documentaries; and publishing more than fifty books. And here is the widowed Cousteau marrying his longtime mistress—forty years his junior and the mother of two of his children—kindling a bitter family feud that continues to this day.

Vividly conveying the people, the adventure, the science, and the lure of the sea that shaped Cousteau’s life, Matsen paints a luminous portrait of a man who profoundly changed the way we view, and treat, our planet.

Jacques Cousteau by Brad Matsen

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

Jacques Cousteau The Sea King
Written by Brad Matsen

National Geographic Illustrated Birds of North America, Folio Edition by Jonathan Alderfer

2009-10-20T00:30:00-05:00

National Geographic Illustrated Birds of North America, Folio Edition
Written by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

Building on the superb foundation of the National Geographic field guide—in print continuously for more than a quarter-century—this generously-sized folio edition combines the award-winning features that have distinguished our portable guide with magnificently detailed oversize artwork in keeping with the Audubon tradition of bird illustration.

Rescaled and enlarged to 150 percent of original size, the guide’s 4,000-plus illustrations of North America’s 970 bird species enable readers to appreciate every brushstroke of the beautiful artwork. With 700 enlarged and updated range maps based on the latest science, the book also showcases the richly detailed work of National Geographic’s world-famous cartographers.

Presented as both hardworking desk reference and as sumptuous art book, this highly collectible volume will be a stunning and practical addition to every birder’s reference library, sure to be coveted by bird lovers, art lovers, and collectors of beautiful books alike. This unique volume can be equally admired on a coffee table and consulted as an essential reference.

Animal Magnetism by Rita Mae Brown

2009-10-13T00:30:00-05:00

Animal Magnetism My Life with Creatures Great and Small
Written by Rita Mae Brown

Rita Mae Brown’s earliest memory is of the soothing purr of Mickey, her family’s long-haired tiger cat, who curled up and claimed a spot in her crib. From there, a steady parade of cats, dogs, horses, and all manner of two- and four-legged critters have walked, galloped, and flown into and through her world. In Animal Magnetism, the bestselling author shares the lessons she’s learned from these marvelous creatures as well as her deep appreciation for them.

Brown readily admits that she prefers the company of animals to people, a trait handed down from her mother. After all, Brown explains, “There’s no such thing as a dumb dog, but God knows there are continents filled with dumb humans.” In fact, by observing the dogs on her farm, the horses in her stables, and the cats that have helped her flesh out her many novels, Brown has gained better insight into herself and other human beings–one need only look at a chicken coop, she once realized, to see its striking similarity to her mother’s clucking and preening group of friends.

In hilarious and heartwarming stories, Brown introduces us to Franklin, a parrot with a wicked sense of humor; R.C., a courageous Doberman who defined loyalty and sacrifice; Suzie Q, the horse who taught her the meaning of hard work; Baby Jesus, a tough tiger cat from New York City with sharp teeth to match his attitude; and of course the beloved and prolific Sneaky Pie, who needs no introduction to her legions of fans. In her succinct and personable style, Brown also revisits the very human parts of her life–growing up in the segregated South, dealing with the pain and the loss of those dearest to her, and coming into her own as an adult and as a writer.

Every recollection here reveals nature’s delight and wonder–and offers solid evidence of the ability of animals to love. As funny as it is poignant, Animal Magnetism shows how these inspiring creatures, great and small, can bring out the best in us, restore us to our greater selves, and even save our lives.

Animal Magnetism by Rita Mae Brown

2009-10-13T00:30:00-05:00

Animal Magnetism My Life with Creatures Great and Small
Written by Rita Mae Brown

Dark Banquet by Bill Schutt

2009-10-06T00:30:00-05:00

Dark Banquet Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures
Written by Bill Schutt

"A witty, scientifically accurate, and often intensely creepy exploration of sanguivorous creatures."
—San Francisco Chronicle

For centuries, blood feeders have inhabited our nightmares and horror stories, as well as the shadowy realms of scientific knowledge. In Dark Banquet, zoologist Bill Schutt takes us on a fascinating voyage into the world of some of nature’s strangest creatures–the sanguivores. Using a sharp eye and mordant wit, Schutt makes a remarkably persuasive case that blood feeders, from bats to bedbugs, are as deserving of our curiosity as warmer and fuzzier species are–and that many of them are even worthy of conservation.

Enlightening and alarming, Dark Banquet peers into a part of the natural world to which we are, through our blood, inextricably linked.

"Dark Banquet is an amazing account of all those creatures that most of us consider really creepy! But author Bill Schutt doesn’t, and actually embraces these critters and their bloodthirsty lifestyles. It’s great to see such wonderful animal research in a reader-friendly form. After finishing the book, you’ll have a lot to discuss at your next dinner party!"
—Jack Hanna, director emeritus, Columbus Zoo, and host of television’s Emmy Award—winning series Into the Wild

"[A] passionate defense of bloodsuckers from the leech to the candiru."
—Discover

Random House New Releases - Nature - Between November 26, 2008 and December 26, 2009.

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence by Roderick MacIver

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence Edited by Roderick MacIver

On Thin Ice by Richard Ellis

On Thin Ice The Changing World of the Polar BearWritten by Richard Ellis

On Thin Ice by Richard Ellis

On Thin Ice Written by Richard Ellis

The Urban Tree Book by Arthur Plotnik

The Urban Tree Book An Uncommon Field Guide for City and TownWritten by Arthur Plotnik

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices by Warren Leon

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices Practical Advice from The Union of Concerned ScientistsWritten by Michael Brower and Warren Leon

The Bedside Book of Beasts by Graeme Gibson

The Bedside Book of Beasts A Wildlife MiscellanyWritten by Graeme Gibson

Science as a Contact Sport by Stephen H. Schneider

Science as a Contact Sport Inside the Battle to Save Earth's ClimateWritten by Stephen H. Schneider

The Red Hourglass by Gordon Grice

The Red Hourglass Lives of the PredatorsWritten by Gordon Grice

When Elephants Weep by Susan McCarthy

When Elephants Weep The Emotional Lives of AnimalsWritten by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson Contribution by Susan McCarthy

The Bedside Book of Beasts by Graeme Gibson

The Bedside Book of Beasts A Wildlife MiscellanyWritten by Graeme Gibson

The Bird by Colin Tudge

The Bird A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They LiveWritten by Colin Tudge

The Bird by Colin Tudge

The Bird A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They LiveWritten by Colin Tudge

British Pigs by Val Porter

British Pigs Written by Val Porter

Flora Mirabilis by Douglas Holland

Flora Mirabilis How Plants Have Shaped World Knowledge, Health, Wealth, and BeautyWritten by Catherine H. Howell Foreword by Peter H. Raven Introduction by Douglas Holland

Jacques Cousteau by Brad Matsen

Jacques Cousteau The Sea KingWritten by Brad Matsen

Jacques Cousteau by Brad Matsen

Jacques Cousteau The Sea KingWritten by Brad Matsen

National Geographic Illustrated Birds of North America, Folio Edition by Jonathan Alderfer

National Geographic Illustrated Birds of North America, Folio Edition Written by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

Animal Magnetism by Rita Mae Brown

Animal Magnetism My Life with Creatures Great and SmallWritten by Rita Mae Brown

Animal Magnetism by Rita Mae Brown

Animal Magnetism My Life with Creatures Great and SmallWritten by Rita Mae Brown

Dark Banquet by Bill Schutt

Dark Banquet Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding CreaturesWritten by Bill Schutt

Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence
Edited by Roderick MacIver

On Thin Ice The Changing World of the Polar Bear
Written by Richard Ellis

On Thin Ice
Written by Richard Ellis

The Urban Tree Book An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town
Written by Arthur Plotnik

The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices Practical Advice from The Union of Concerned Scientists
Written by Michael Brower and Warren Leon

The Bedside Book of Beasts A Wildlife Miscellany
Written by Graeme Gibson

Science as a Contact Sport Inside the Battle to Save Earth's Climate
Written by Stephen H. Schneider

The Red Hourglass Lives of the Predators
Written by Gordon Grice

When Elephants Weep The Emotional Lives of Animals
Written by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
Contribution by Susan McCarthy

The Bedside Book of Beasts A Wildlife Miscellany
Written by Graeme Gibson

The Bird A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They Live
Written by Colin Tudge

The Bird A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They Live
Written by Colin Tudge

British Pigs
Written by Val Porter

Flora Mirabilis How Plants Have Shaped World Knowledge, Health, Wealth, and Beauty
Written by Catherine H. Howell
Foreword by Peter H. Raven
Introduction by Douglas Holland

Jacques Cousteau The Sea King
Written by Brad Matsen

Jacques Cousteau The Sea King
Written by Brad Matsen

National Geographic Illustrated Birds of North America, Folio Edition
Written by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

Animal Magnetism My Life with Creatures Great and Small
Written by Rita Mae Brown

Animal Magnetism My Life with Creatures Great and Small
Written by Rita Mae Brown

Dark Banquet Blood and the Curious Lives of Blood-Feeding Creatures
Written by Bill Schutt