Richard Owen (1804-92) was, after Darwin, the most important figure in Victorian natural history. He was, for most of the six decades of his career, Britain's foremost comparative anatomist and vertebrate palaeontologist. Leader of the nineteenth-century museum movement, he founded London's monumental Natural History Museum, wrote and published copiously and won every professional honour. Positioned at the cutting edge of Victorian science, his work attracted enormous general interest, and he himself came to symbolise 'natural history' in the public mind. His company was sought by royalty (Prince Albert), prime ministers (especially Sir Robert Peel), and by contemporary literati such as Charles Dickens. Owen was, however, a controversial figure whose disagreements with colleagues developed into epic power struggles, the most notorious of which were with Darwin and Huxley. As the most renowned opponent of natural selection, Owen was type-cast as a Cuvierian creationist and became the bete noire of the Darwinian evolution debate. In this comprehensive intellectual and scientific biography, Nicolaas Rupke argues that Owen was no simple-minded anti-evolutionist and, moreover, should be freed from the distortion of the evolution dispute that was only a minor part of his work, yet has come to dominate his memory. Using the museum movement as the primary context of explanation, Rupke throws new light on a wide area of Owen's activities. He reveals the central division in Owen's scientific oeuvre between the functionalism of Oxbridge natural theology and the transcendentalism of German nature philosophy. This epistemological duality confused and puzzled his contemporaries as well as laterhistorians. But as Rupke convincingly demonstrates, it was a fundamental extension of the intellectual and political manoeuvering for control of Victorian cultural institutions, and an inextricable part of the rise to public authority of the most articulate proponents of the scientific study of nature.

"Teachings of the Cat Zen Masters," by Sheryll Dahlke, is a collection of quotes by famous cats, such as T. Furball, Oscar Wildecat, and many others. Felix Waldo Emerson, for instance, says: "There is a cat-like quality in everything God has made." In these pithy sayings, cats live totally in the moment with full awareness. Like a contradiction, they study the Self to forget the Self. They are centered in balance and in time, completely within the activity of the moment--whether playing with a stone or a butterfly. "This little book is a joyous read. You will be given the powerful, loving freedom for you to be yourself."--Juanita "Catastrophe" Tobin, Poet--Blowing Rock, NC."The enlightened cat is a beautiful thing. We humans can learn a few things from "Teachings of the Cat Zen Masters." Enjoy!"--Rita Bayron, Faithful Feline Follower--Coppell, TX.

From Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas, this volume provides a snapshot of the most spectacular and important natural places in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. America's Natural Places: Rocky Mountains and Great Plains examines over 50 of the most spectacular and important areas of this region, with each entry describing the importance of the area, the flora and fauna that it supports, threats to the survival of the region, and what is being done to protect it. Organized by state within the volume, this work informs readers about the wide variety of natural areas across the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains and identifies places that may be near them that demonstrate the importance of preserving such regions.

Author, Robert J. Drew has relived his many years of experience in England and America dealing with both pigs, and the people that care for them, in this humorous and educational read Pig Tales From Across the Pond.

Both countries have elements that are undoubtedly unique. There are however many similarities, and it is these, along with the subtle differences in cultures and paradigms that are observed and then drawn upon by the author that are sure to make you laugh. Wild Boars and Wild BullsCowboys and Indiansi Tornadoes and BlizzardsSnakes and Snapping TurtlesMarijuana and more.......

Whether you use the word hog or pig, drive on the left hand side of the road or the right, smoke cigarettes or fags, or have ever been asked by a complete stranger . . . "Do you know how to shag?" There is something within Pig Tales From Across the Pond that will make you want to tell your family and friends.

We are living in a time of massive change. Our planet's life-giving world of nature is suffering unsustainable duress and is headed towards collapse. At the same time, humankind is forging ahead with ever more potent and destructive industrial practices, practices that are causing the over-exploitation of both renewable and non-renewable resources, which in turn are resulting in even more worldwide environmental degradation. As the power of industry becomes more efficient, as the human population continues to increase, and as life-sustaining nature suffers ongoing trauma, the situation will soon be dire. Two over-riding questions dominate. On a finite planet can we really expect infinite growth and, in our rush to grow the global economy, are we condemning future generations to lives that will, in fact, be unsustainable? If that is so, as this book concludes, it will inevitably cause civil conflict - a conflict between the industrial extractors of natural resources and those who wish to protect our earth for future generations. Until now, the conflicts have been mostly law-abiding, but for how long can more radical reactions be deterred? Through reminiscences, personal observations and documented examples of wild animal depletions, the author explores the ecological damage we have already caused. At the end of the book, he proposes some solutions that should protect future generations from the outrages of our time. But are we capable of making the necessary changes?

Get your umbrella, your sun hat and your snowshoes ready for this thrill-packed journey through the world of weather. Find out about different climates and weather patterns; discover the processes that drive them; learn the secrets of forecasting the weather and read about record-breaking weather and weird weather events, such as 'animal rain', 'ice bombs', 'ball lightning' and much more. This title also looks at the hot topics of pollution and climate change - how human activity can affect the weather, the impact of global warming and, most importantly, what we can all do to help. It's packed with fascinating facts and stories that will bring the extraordinary world of weather to life, making it perfect for budding meteorologists, young and old! Contents includes: Daily Weather Seasons and Climate Extreme and Amazing Weather Using the Weather The Weather is Changing About Lonely Planet Kids: Lonely Planet Kids - an imprint of the world's leading travel authority Lonely Planet - published its first book in 2011. Over the past 45 years, Lonely Planet has grown a dedicated global community of travellers, many of whom are now sharing a passion for exploration with their children. Lonely Planet Kids educates and encourages young readers at home and in school to learn about the world with engaging books on culture, sociology, geography, nature, history, space and more. We want to inspire the next generation of global citizens and help kids and their parents to approach life in a way that makes every day an adventure. Come explore!

Come along on an informative, whirlwind tour of urban species—from intelligent crows to backyard lichens—and discover that you are surrounded by wild nature, even in your own backyard. When biologist Hanna Bjørgaas spots a fairy cup lichen in Antarctica, she is surprised to recognize it from her own backyard in Oslo. When she returns home, she embarks on a journey into urban nature, visiting city parks, cemeteries, and concrete rooftops to investigate the species that live in urban spaces. Along the way, she meets corvids, songbirds, ants, pigeons, bats, sparrows, fungi, and linden trees—and the experts who study their surprising abilities to survive, and thrive, in the city. As Bjørgaas discovers, urban nature—and its unique mixture of species that have never lived together before in Earth’s history—is valuable. More than half of the world’s human population lives in densely populated areas—and plants and animals have followed us into cities. Secret Life of the City invites us to pay more attention to the sounds, sights, and smells of urban nature right outside our door. A treasure trove of fascinating flora and fauna, this wonderful book offers a plea to save our city plants, animals, and fungi before we lose them, too.

This text covers the geological history of Britain from over 2,000 million years ago to the present day. An introductory chapter covers basic geological principles, followed by chapters describing the rocks, minerals, and fossils of each period. The book is written for the lay person interested in the great variety of Britain's rocks and landscapes but also includes a wealth of information for students at all levels.

Bringing together new writing by some of the field's most compelling voices from the United States and Europe, this is the first book to examine Italy-as a territory of both matter and imagination-through the lens of the environmental humanities. The contributors offer a wide spectrum of approaches-including ecocriticism, film studies, environmental history and sociology, eco-art, and animal and landscape studies-to move past cliche and reimagine Italy as a hybrid, plural, eloquent place. Among the topics investigated are post-seismic rubble and the stratifying geosocial layers of the Anthropocene, the landscape connections in the work of writers such as Calvino and Buzzati, the contaminated fields of the ecomafia's trafficking, Slow Food's gastronomy of liberation, poetic birds and historic forests, resident parasites, and nonhuman creatures. At a time when the tension between the local and the global requires that we reconsider our multiple roots and porous place-identities, Italy and the Environmental Humanities builds a creative critical discourse and offers a series of new voices that will enrich not just nationally oriented discussions, but the entire debate on environmental culture.

Hike the AT, and Get to Know Its Nature The Appalachian Trail's soaring elevations and precipitous terrain are complemented by lush vegetation, abundant wildlife, and some of the most beautiful views in the world. You can conquer part or all of the AT on foot. Along the way, immerse yourself in its nature. Leonard M. Adkins has thru-hiked the AT five times, and he has spent countless hours studying it. Now, he's sharing his expertise with you. Nature of the Appalachian Trail is an overview of more than 2,000 miles worth of information! There's no need to shoulder dozens of different books in your backpack. This comprehensive naturalist's guide includes a look at the mountains' history, a study of the land's geology, and detailed information about the trail's birds, mammals, trees, flowers, reptiles, amphibians, and more. Inside you'll find: Complete overview of the entire trail Detailed guide to its flora and fauna In-depth discussion of the region's history and geology Expert insights from a professional naturalist Nature of the Appalachian Trail is your visitor's companion to unbroken forest from Georgia to Maine. It is applicable to the states of Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia.

From Maine's Acadia National Park to Kentucky's Natural Bridge State Park Nature Preserve, this volume provides a snapshot of the most spectacular and important natural places in the East and Northeast. America's Natural Places: East and Northeast examines over 50 of the most spectacular and important areas of this region, with each entry describing the importance of the area, the flora and fauna that it supports, threats to the survival of the region, and what is being done to protect it. Organized by state within the volume, this work informs readers about the wide variety of natural areas across the east and northeast and identifies places that may be near them that demonstrate the importance of preserving such regions.

Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction Finalist for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography "An exhilarating romp through Orwell's life and times and also through the life and times of roses." -Margaret Atwood "A captivating account of Orwell as gardener, lover, parent, and endlessly curious thinker." -Claire Messud, Harper's "Nobody who reads it will ever think of Nineteen Eighty-Four in quite the same way." -Vogue A lush exploration of politics, roses, and pleasure, and a fresh take on George Orwell as an avid gardener whose political writing was grounded by his passion for the natural world "In the spring of 1936, a writer planted roses." So be-gins Rebecca Solnit's new book, a reflection on George Orwell's passionate gardening and the way that his involvement with plants, particularly flowers, illuminates his other commitments as a writer and antifascist, and on the intertwined politics of nature and power. Sparked by her unexpected encounter with the roses he reportedly planted in 1936, Solnit's account of this overlooked aspect of Orwell's life journeys through his writing and his actions-from going deep into the coal mines of England, fighting in the Spanish Civil War, critiquing Stalin when much of the international left still supported him (and then critiquing that left) to his analysis of the relationship between lies and authoritarianism. Through Solnit's celebrated ability to draw unexpected connections, readers are drawn onward from Orwell's own work as a writer and gardener to encounter photographer Tina Modotti's roses and her politics, agriculture and illusion in the USSR of his time with forcing lemons to grow in impossibly cold conditions, Orwell's slave-owning ancestors in Jamaica, Jamaica Kincaid's examination of colonialism and imperialism in the flower garden, and the brutal rose industry in Colombia that supplies the American market. The book draws to a close with a rereading of Nineteen Eighty-Four that completes Solnit's portrait of a more hopeful Orwell, as well as offering a meditation on pleasure, beauty, and joy as acts of resistance.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900's and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.