Tag Archives: Nature

In the Land of the Tiger

Posted on January 15, 2017 by smellincoffee

In the Land of the Tiger: A Natural History of the Indian Subcontinent© 1997 Valmik Thapar285 pages Imagine a Planet Earth episode focused entirely on India, and then presented in book form. The result is In the Land of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

The Journey Home

Posted on July 22, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Journey Home: Some Words in Defense of the American West© 1977 Edward Abbey242 pages The desert is no place for decent men, which is why Edward Abbey likes it so much. Born on the eastern seaboard,  on a farm … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Death Comes for the Archbishop

Posted on July 3, 2016 by smellincoffee

Death Comes for the Archbishop © 1927 Willa Cather 297 pages Poor New Mexico — so far from God, so close to the United States. The Pope can’t help the tide of American — and very Protestant — settlement that … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

White Fang

Posted on June 29, 2016 by smellincoffee

White Fang© 1906 Jack Londonpp. 1- 101, Tales of the North. “An’ right here I want to remark,’ Bill went on, ‘that that animal’s familiarity with camp-fires is suspicious an’ immoral.’‘It knows for certain more’n a self-respectin’ wolf ought to … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Deep: Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss

Posted on May 16, 2016 by smellincoffee

The Deep: the Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss 253 pages © 2007 Claire Nouvian I’ve been enjoying a gallery book devoted to the extraordinary creatures of the deep sea these past two weeks.  Edited by Claire Nouvian, The Deep collects … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Diving Companions

Posted on May 6, 2016 by smellincoffee

Diving Companions: Sea Lion – Elephant Seal – Walrus ©  1974 Jacques-Yves Cousteau 304 pages Before David Attenborough, there was Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who helped invent SCUBA gear and used it in expeditions across the globe to explore the unknown right … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Adventures of Henry Thoreau

Posted on March 28, 2015 by smellincoffee

 The Adventures of Henry Thoreau: A Young Man’s Unlikely Path to Walden Pond© 2014 Michael Sims384 pages Shortly before retreating for two years to his self-built cabin at Walden Pond, Henry David Thoreau accidentally started a forest fire. A simple … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ninety Percent of Everything

Posted on May 21, 2014 by smellincoffee

Ninety Percent of Everything:  Inside Shipping, the Invisible Industry That Puts Clothes on Your Back, Gas in Your Car, and Food on Your Plate.© 2013 Rose George287 pages UK Title: Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping […] What is 1300 feet … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

When Elephants Weep

Posted on February 4, 2014 by smellincoffee

When Elephants Weep: the Emotional Lives of Animals© 1995 Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy291 pages Humans pride themselves on not being  animals,  going so far as to describe any behavior we’re shamed of as ‘animal’.  Beasts have rude instincts; we … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Down the River

Posted on December 4, 2013 by smellincoffee

Down the River© 1982 Edward Abbey In Desert Solitaire, Edward Abbey collected contemplative pieces he had written while a park ranger in the high desert, putting his passion for the wilderness into action by working to conserve it. The volume … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment