Book Description
Barry Lopez asked 45 poets and writers to define terms that describe America’s land and water forms — phrases like flatiron, bayou, monadnock, kiss tank, meander bar, and everglade. The result is a major enterprise comprising over 850 descriptions, 100 line drawings, and 70 quotations from works by Willa Cather, Truman Capote, John Updike, Cormac McCarthy, and others. Carefully researched and exquisitely written by talents such as Barbara Kingsolver, Lan Samantha Chang, Robert Hass, Terry Tempest Williams, Jon Krakauer, Gretel Ehrlich, Luis Alberto Urrea, Antonya Nelson, Charles Frazier, Linda Hogan, and Bill McKibben, Home Ground is a striking composite portrait of the landscape. At the heart of this expansive work is a community of writers in service to their country, emphasizing a language that suggests the vastness and mystery that lie beyond our everyday words.
Customer Reviews:
Home Ground.......2007-07-17
Everything Barry Lopez touches is guaranteed quality reading. "Home Ground" a wonderful reference for understanding various geographical/landscape features. Pulling the reference to same from literature onto the same page as the definition is a brilliant idea. I enjoy opening it and reading it at random and also referring to it to refresh myself on terms.
A Beautiful Book.......2007-05-23
If you have a passion for the land, for the language, for fine writing, for earth's mysteries, and for peculiarities of places; and especially if you like books that are simply well-wrought objects, this is a truly beautiful volume. Trust to accident, and crack it open anywhere - you will be enlightened about some little place or feature you likely never knew existed. A true treasure.
Home Ground.......2007-04-04
The format of this interesting exploration of the landscape lends itself to those occasional free moments when one wants a connection with something of worth. Here is a wonderful blending of history, language and the land. Home Ground deserves a permanent place on the coffee table.
Nature Lover from Portola Valley loves Home Ground.......2007-01-23
I'd recommend this book to anyone who reads widely and loves to discover the derivation of geographical terms pertainig to nature. What is unique about this book is the input from 45 well known writers to define unique American landscape terms. I ordered 3 copies for all my family located in the Pacific Northwest and they agree that this book is a great resource.
Landscapes and Language.......2007-01-12
The book defines (with illustrations) terms used to describe land features, such as barranca, grand bois, quaking bog. It is primarily a book to dip into for fun or to consult as a reference. If you like descriptive terms (e.g., meander scar) or puzzling friends with new words, you will like this book.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
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ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
Josh Bernstein, host of The History Channel's hit series Digging for The Truth, takes readers beyond the cameras for an even closer look at his adventures through some of the most intriguing, remote, and physically challenging locations on the planet as he explores the world's greatest ancient mysteries.
No location is too dangerous, no terrain too rough, no culture too exotic for explorer and survival expert Josh Bernstein. With his unique hands-on approach, he travels the globe, seeking answers to some of the most enigmatic mysteries of the ancient world. Digging for the Truth shares Josh's personal stories, journals, and insights, revealing the risks and dangers of what went on behind the scenes in shooting the show, and the fascinating details about what he uncovers along each adventure. Readers are right in the action as he:
• Discovers who built Egypt's pyramids and learns what secrets may be buried below the Sphinx.
• Follows the trail of the Lost Ark of the Covenant to the remote monasteries and churches of Ethiopia.
• Explores the journey of a potential Lost Tribe of Israel and examines DNA evidence that could make or break their claim.
• Visits the ancient site of Stonehenge, witnesses a Druid ceremony, and learns what purpose the stone circles may have served.
• Sails a Viking ship on a quest to determine if the Vikings landed in the New World five hundred years before Columbus.
• Lives with a remote and mostly naked tribe in the Amazon to search for hidden cities and learn the fate of one of the world's great explorers.
Readers will have access to all the inside details that viewers never see—everything from food poisoning and spider bites to the logistical challenges of shooting in some of the most remote places on earth. Complete with four-color photographs, Digging for the Truth will appeal to fans of the show as well as armchair travel and adventure readers.
Customer Reviews:
Digging for Something Other Than the Author's Ego.......2007-09-24
Maybe I was looking for information about archaeology, but what I received was a non-stop self-aggrandizement of the author. To be honest, I have not been able to get through the whole thing yet, but it's only because I was so disappointed in the part I have read.
Marcia Davis
Behind the scenes of a good tv show........2007-09-12
I really enjoyed this as a TV show when it was on the history channel and was pleased to see a 'behind the scenes' book. For those not familiar with the show, it is different from the usual talking heads feed you facts cable show, because the host really seems to get out and enjoy the work. Scrambling through ruins and up mountains to try and bring the viewer to the site really ads to the Indianna Jones sense of adventure brought by the cowboy hat, don't call it a fedora, wearing host.
This book ads to the serries by looking behind the scenes. Explaining the discomfort of lugging gear litterally over a glacer or dealing with grumpy officials in order to bring the show to the screen. If you've ever done filming or outdoor work, you know how this can go and Bernstien confirms with an almost gleeful sense of fun, that there were almost as many adventures behind the camera as were depicted on film.
If there's a down side to this book it is the nagging feeling that Bernstein isn't being entirely honest with us. Not about the big things but the small ones in his own life. He says he comes from the middle class of New York, but if you know the area and realize he is talking about family homes in the Hamptons and Bedford Hills, Westchester, vacation camps in Aruba and years of study in Israel, you realize he comes from money and either doesn't want to admit that or doesn't realize it. By the time the book has him worrying about ice storms in the alps while the producer is trying to get 'the shot' and everyone else is trying to survive, you're captivated by his style but that early misstep is an ugly distraction early on that stop this from being a 5 star for me. I kept reading and asking myself "Doesn't he know how lucky he is? does he take this for granted?" Anthony Bourdaine in his autobiography admitted early he came from money, got it out of the way and you never gave it another look. Bernstien will hopefully learn from the older tv presenter/turned writers for his next book. There will be another one, right?
Digging for the Truth.......2007-05-18
The book is an interesting and fun look at the series and some of the behind the scenes adventure and tedium that go into making the show. It's a pleasure to read. Josh Bernstein is an explorer and adventurer combining the scientific expeditions of the great age of exploration with the showmanship of Hollywood. This book is great by itslef and an excellent compliment to the TV series.
He's the bomb!.......2007-05-14
The book is great! He really makes what he does look easy and fun. The pictures were great! He's a cutie!!!!!!!!!!!!
good book.......2007-05-14
If you liked the show, the book will give you deeper insight on what goes on behind the scenes.
Book Description
A collection of images and impressions captured by those who have listened to the earth with their hearts --- John Muir, Walt Whitman, Annie Dillard, John Burroughs, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Henry David Thoreau, and more...
The Earth Speaks can be read by individuals in moments of solitude, shared among friends around a trailside campfire, and used by leaders to help their learners develop a love for life and the systems of the earth that sustain it.
Brought to life by the beautiful block prints of Gwen Frostic, this book contains the writings of naturalists and natives, poets and philosophers, plus ordinary people who were able to capture in words some of the magic and meaning of the earth's marvels.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful nature writing.......2007-08-16
This book is appropriate for random reading, mediation and just to experience nature. Many of the selections make the reader appreciate nature more and also be more observant of the small and subtle beauty around them.
Good for Interfaith Worship.......2006-08-28
In designing an interfaith worship service for a scout outing, I was able to use many materials from this book. There are also things in it that are not necessarily suitable for a worship service, but certainly inspirational in respect to Nature and the Earth and our role in preserving them.
An excellent introduction to environmental literature!.......2005-11-02
I read from this book to my 6th grade science class on a daily basis. It introduces them to classic environmental literature and fosters a deep appreciation of our earth.
Awesome peaceful beautiful book.......2000-09-06
I remember at camp our councelors read this a bedtime, and i used sit there and think about what was read. Then at closing ceremony they read a paragraph, this book has a tremendus effect on the way you think about life and the earth when your done reading it. I would recomend this to anyone not just environmentalists.
Lovely, peaceful little book...........2000-08-23
I first bought this book a few years ago when, by good fortune, I was in the middle of Denali National Park in Alaska in cabins with nothing around us for about 100 miles - true wilderness as I have never experienced it before or since. And, to me, this book brings me back to that peaceful, transcendent, truly wild place. I use it as a meditation book in the early morning. I have five that I read - the first four are about peace for me, human person, and they certainly have their place. But this little book I read last because it puts things in perspective and reminds me that I am not the center of anything at all. I buy them in quantity and give them away. It is such a beautiful book. The quotes are outstanding and are from some of our most eloquent naturalists, et al, and the peace that emanates from every reading can only be experienced, not described. It's wonderful.
Book Description
ALAN BOOTH'S CLASSIC OF MODERN TRAVEL WRITING
Traveling only along small back roads, Alan Booth traversed Japan's entire length on foot, from Soya at the country's northernmost tip, to Cape Sata in the extreme south, across three islands and some 2,000 miles of rural Japan. The Roads to Sata is his wry, witty, inimitable account of that
prodigious trek.
Although he was a city person-he was brought up in London and spent most of his adult life in Tokyo - Booth had an extraordinary ability to capture the feel of rural Japan in his writing. Throughout his long and arduous trek, he encountered a variety of people who inhabit the Japanese
countryside-from fishermen and soldiers, to bar hostesses and school teachers, to hermits, drunks, and tramps. His wonderful and often hilarious descriptions of these encounters are the highlights of these pages, painting a multifaceted picture of Japan from the perspective of an outsider, but with
the knowledge of an insider.
The Roads to Sata is travel writing at its best, illuminating and disarming, poignant yet hilarious, critical but respectful. Traveling across Japan with Alan Booth, readers will enjoy the wit and insight of a uniquely perceptive guide, and more importantly, they will discover a new face of an often
misunderstood nation.
Customer Reviews:
Ryokan adventures.......2007-05-16
Alan Booth, an intrepid British writer who came to Japan to live when he was a young man, walked from Cape Soya, in Hokkaido, to Cape Sata, in Kyushu, a journey of approximately 2000 miles. (The Appalachian Trail, which runs from northern Maine to Georgia, is 2174 miles long.) Booth loved Japan and spoke fluent Japanese, but he never ceased being "the foreigner" to the many people he met along the way. As a result, his account of life on the road (he would never accept a lift, to the puzzlement of many Japanese, who couldn't conceive of anyone hiking from one end of Japan to the other) is often pretty funny, particularly when beer is involved or lodgings are scarce, as they sometimes are. In one encounter, a woman at a ryokan lists the reasons why she could not possibly have a room for a foreigner, and he repudiates them point by point, only to have the woman point out that she doesn't speak English: " `I don't suppose that will bother us,' Booth sighs. `We've been speaking Japanese for the last five minutes.'" Don't miss this book.
A Glimpse Into Japan.......2007-04-22
I loved this book. I never really thought I would be into books about travel simply because they are usually so dry. The Roads to Sata is a absolute exception. The dry wit and humor of Alan Booth makes this book a joy to read. As someone very interested in Japan this is a great primer for anyone trying to get a glimpse into the real Japanese lifestyle versus the ones portrayed through the media. There are some very funny moments, some very sad moments and some very real moments, all told through the words of an amazing writer and someone very familiar with the Japanese lifestyle. I will never have the pleasure to meet Mr. Booth, but I have had the pleasure of meeting his daughter. I do suggest you read this book, if you have any interest in Japan at all, it is a definitive handbook.
One man's entertaining journey through Japan.......2006-11-12
British writer Alan Booth decided to walk (he refused any rides!) all the way from the north of Japan to Sata in the south of Japan. He did this in the mid 1980s when Japan was already becoming a powerful economy. Along the way he encounters many odd and interesting people. Being married to a Japanese woman and speaking Japanese he was able to communicate with the natives. I really enjoyed this book because I have lived in Japan for almost ten years and I can relate to most of Alan's experiences. Japan is a country where a foreigner can feel very alone despite being around thousands of people, which is not always a bad thing. So it's nice to share the experiences of other foreigners. One problem that some people may have with this book is that Alan's writing sometimes seems a bit negative or sarcastic at times, but after living in Japan for several years I can understand why.
Spot On Japan.......2006-04-30
My wife is from the southern tip of Honshu. We recently lived there for a year in her ancestors' countryside fishing village.
I ordered this book from Amazon Japan amongst others. Now I'm back in Australia I can tell you it's a book you can read again and again and feel like you are in Japan. Alan Booth was a master at evoking a sense of place, the Japanese sensibility and their unique view on the world. Booth's subtle sense of humour is wonderful. If you only read one book on Japan, or are looking to spend time amongst the natives, then this book is a 'must'.
The country comes alive on every page.......2006-01-17
Unlike some reviewers, I'm not able to comment on the book from an insider's point of view. However, I thoroughly enjoyed this account of one man's travels through Japan. It was something of a miracle to come across this book in late 2005, as the author, a well-known writer on all things Japan in his time, had passed away more than a decade earlier. I'm glad that a friend recommended it to me; I'm glad that I can pass along that recommendation here; and I'm glad that Booth left other works for those of us with a thirst for knowledge on Japan to explore.
Book Description
Here are the most remarkable stories imaginable of maroons, castaways, and other survivors from the 1500s to the present - their moral dilemmas, their personalities, and their influence on society, literature, and art.
Customer Reviews:
Too academic.......2007-09-22
This book dissapointed me in so far as I thought it was too academically written. It failed to capture my imagination.
Thank you, Mr. Leslie........2007-08-14
I have often wanted to write a thank you note to Mr. Leslie for this wonderful book. It is a touchstone for me. I re-read it once in a while to remind myself of the strength of the human spirit, the determination of character and the resourcefulness of our species. It also gives you something to think about when you think YOU are having problems! I appreciate that Mr. Leslie never assigns any of the successful survivals to the intervention of a devine being. To the contrary, scoundrals seem to fair better at the survival game than those who believe they have somewhere better to go. Certainly a keen interest in your own best interests and a refusal to give up on yourself is a factor in most of these stories. In short, this book is a guide book on survival for anyone who is mortal. Add to all this the fact that Mr. Leslie is a very talented writer and researcher, and you have a book that is a great read and refreshing to your soul. Thanks, Mr. Leslie.
Fascinating and well-written.......2007-02-18
This is a gripping account of how castaways and survivors struggle with nature and, sometimes, man. It is a huge book and I agree that the author could have eliminated the last section of the book. Actually, he should have written two books, one of them on the detailed survival of people like Alexander Selkirk and Herman Melville and the other book a short one on modern survivalists.
This is because the last section of the book is a different format than the first much larger section. On the last section, the author provides only brief synopsis of events and facts and most of them are WWII related nature-related survivals. I would have suggested that he expand one of two of the stories and save the others for another book.
However, what I enjoyed most about this book is the author's writing. He often used a turn of phrase that was unique, humorous and subtle. Don't get me wrong - the book is not humorous but the author has inserted a comment or phrase periodically that summed up someone's plight or segued into their next calamity. I found it very enjoyable and would mark the pages because I enjoyed that writing so much.
I enjoy this genre and know that well written books in this genre are a rarity so I gave this book 5 stars. Whether you like this genre or not, you will enjoy this book!
unforgettable and gripping!.......2005-10-26
this is one of the few books i've read that i can't get out of my mind. i keep thinking about the different stories. i lend it out far too often! you don't have to read it all at once; it's a great book to dip into.
Good book, readable and amazing.......2005-09-20
A very good book. The author writes in a way that holds your attention from the begining to end. Almost to the end, because he loses rhythm in the last chapter. But this does not reduce its value.
If you like knowing about how people behave under extreme situations, this is the book.
Book Description
Full of astounding adventures, Sailing Alone around the World is the true story of the first man ever to circle the globe alone entirely by sea. In a little over three years, Captain Joshua Slocum completed the feat many experts believed couldn't be done—and he has the stories to prove it. During his historic voyage, Slocum was chased by pirates in Gibraltar, soaked by a "rain of blood" in Australia, and battered by perilous storms in the open ocean. He also met many famous—and infamous—people along the way, from Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa, to Black Pedro, "the worst murderer in Tierra del Fuego." This absorbing tale, written with humor and poetic eloquence, was first published in 1900 and has remained in print ever since.
Customer Reviews:
Sailing Alone around the World.......2007-03-30
This is a high quality, well constructed book. Your getting much more than you pay for.
THE BEST CLASSIC SINGLE HAND SAILING EVER.......2006-12-11
A must read for everyone. Truly one of the great classics on sailing single handed around the world. And this was during the turn of the last century. Hearing about the ports and native people over 100 years ago, is living history. A must for every sailors library. One of the all time bests. If you pick one book to read about sailing, start here. People will be reading this for a thousand years. Our American Ulyses.
A Classic Sailing Story for All Time .......2005-12-02
It is awesome to read what Joshua Slocum did. His achievement should be celebrated forever. His writing style is not particularly good but the content of the story is unique. All crusing sailors should read this book. Slocum clearly was an outstanding navigator and all around sailor. The section of the book on his adventures going around Cape Horn dealing with the weather, currents, and natives is particularly exciting. This is a story waiting for a Hollywood movie or, even better, a long running TV series.
Customer Reviews:
This book is not meant ...........2006-07-31
to be rushed through while reading it. It is a book meant to be savored, thought-upon and reflected upon. This book is haunting in its thoughts and language as the author travels the backcountry of the Great Smoky Mountains. It is also a book on the re-introduction of the Red Wolf back into its natural habitat. It is also a book that explores the history of the Cherokees, who used to roam over the land and lived off the vast wealth of the forest, mountains and rivers before driven off in the unnatural (or perhaps natural) stem of progress. It is a reflective book meant to be savored over a period of time, as the language of the author is dense, lyrical and very thoughtful. It is a beautiful book. It is a sad book. It is a book meant to capture a time now lost to the mists of time.
I picked this book up while visiting the Great Smoky Mountains last September. Out of the pile of books I bought then, this was the first one I picked up and I put it down after a month since it was too much to read in the midst of a crazy lifestyle. I picked it up again several months later to savor the words and thoughts of this author. Then I put it down again. This last few days, I picked it up since I have a craving to go back to the Mountains and teach my children what has happened in the past and what may happen in the future ~~ and I finished it in two days.
Christopher Camuto is a wonderful naturalist writer and a keen observer. I have only been to the Great Smoky Mountains once and we did your basic touristy things simply because my boys were too young to even hike the regular trails. That doesn't mean that we're not going to eventually because we do want to in the future. We want our children to preserve their heritage, what is left of it. We want them to see the magical wonder of being so close to nature and see the natural beauty of this world. And reading this book helped confirm that "want." Camuto goes back and forth from talking about the Red Wolf program in the Great Smoky Mountains, the Cherokee visions and his own observations while hiking along forgotten trails. They all tie together in a beautiful book that is sure to be treasured.
Need an introduction to Mother Nature and her history? I think you should start with this one. It's an unforgettable journey back through the mists of time.
7-30-06
Have you ever read a book............2005-04-15
Have you ever read a book that you loved reading so much you could not stand to finish? Another Country was such a book for me. I have felt so alone for so long as I have both loved my time in the outdoors and equally mourned the loss of it. Every time I pass a mountain and see the red-dirt scar of a new home perched atop it, every time I see a wooded lot scalped completely clean of all life for a new development, I mourn. Christopher Camuto has helped me feel less alone and helped me more completely appreciate the oft-ignored gift of beauty, variety, and history that the land, the Cherokee, and the wolf give us.
Another Country: Journeying Toward the Cherokee Mountains.......2001-06-27
I've searched for years for just the right book that sums up my feelings for lost wilderness and finally found it with this book. I find Mr. Camuto's contrast with William Bartram's descriptions of the mountains both startling and sad. I've walked these mountains for over 30 years and in just the last 10 have I begun to realize the tragic consequences of overdevelopment and urban sprawl. Mountains and streams once largely clean and pristine now are considered off limits for fishing and drinking and I wonder why we have no love for the complexity of our natural environment. Like a Sand County Almanac, Chris Camuto has begun a modern discussion of the land ethic. An ethic our country, I fear, has so far refused to acknowledge or accept.
Another Country-Journeying Toward The Cherokee Mountains.......2001-01-02
Another Country is a search for the soul of a land almost destroyed. Christopher Camuto writes a powerful narrative describing his exploration of the Cherokee homeland in the appalachians. He seeks communion, a connection he can sense in what is left of the natural landscape and wildness around him. It is as elusive as the dying Cherokee myths, as tangible as the arrowheads and village sites he finds. Camuto refers to the Appalacians as the Cherokee Mountains, their former nomenclature, because it is to the Cherokees they really belong. The rape and exploitation of their land parallels the rape and exploitation of their culture. Camuto's search for a wildness, that now remains only in remnants, is set in counterpoint to the reintroduction of the red wolf into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The most important clan animal of the Cherokee, it is symbolic of the differences between the Cherokee and the early Europeans. One revered its wildness and sought to preserve it. The other despised and killed it. One honored the wolf's home, seeking harmony with the land and its spirits. The other saw something untamed that must be destroyed. The author's journey begins as the wolves are being set free. Like many of the members of this first Canus Rufus release who step beyond their shrinking boundaries, Camuto confronts the vestiges of civilization at almost every turn. Set against continual references to Native-American mythology, and the history of the area, Camuto's book allows the reader to share his insight into the Cherokee view of the world. Unlike many who write about early culture, he does not attempt to steal it as his own. His statement that he is not Cherokee and thus can never totally understand, adds credibility to the objectiveness of his observations. It also demonstrates humbleness of endeavor, a bow of respect to the Cherokee nation. The book is firmly rooted in place as it combines the ethereal with the tangible landscape. Those who cherish wildness and honor those first here, will also treasure this book. In many ways , it is a sad obituary, lamenting that which was, as it examines what is left. The reintroduction of the red wolf represents one small, but hopeful, step in the restoration of that which is lost.
Forgotten history.......2000-10-02
I've hiked and fished the Southern Highlands for years, especially the area in and around the Smoky Mt. National Park. Reading Another Country has shown me this place in a completely new light. He compares these mountains at one point to a palimpsest--a scraped-over parchment on which old texts leave faint traces. This book records Camuto's efforts to track these traces, which of course are quickly vanishing if not already gone. By giving these mountains back their ancient names, by telling stories the Cherokee told their children about their homeland, by delving into the natural and human history of the places he walks, by honoring the memories of the ones who are gone, and by contextualizing the beleaguered efforts to bring the red wolf back to its former ground, Camuto opens up layer upon layer of meaning for us who seek out the last wild places without always knowing why. An unforgettable book.
Book Description
Tracing an awe-inspiring oceanic route from Boston, around Cape Horn, to the California coast, Two Years Before the Mast is both a riveting story of adventure and the most eloquent, insightful account we have of life at sea in the early nineteenth century. Richard Henry Dana is only nineteen when he abandons the patrician world of Boston and Harvard for an arduous voyage among real sailors, amid genuine danger. The result is an astonishing read, replete with vivid descriptions of storms, whales, and the ship's mad captain, terrible hardship and magical beauty, and fascinating historical detail, including an intriguing portrait of California before the gold rush. As D. H. Lawrence proclaimed, "Dana's small book is a very great book."
Download Description
Two Years Before the Mast was praised by Ralph Waldo Emerson as: "a voice from the forecastle. Though a narrative of literal, prosaic truth, it possesses something of the romantic charm of Robinson Crusoe. Few more interesting chapters of the literature of the sea have ever fallen under our notice."
Customer Reviews:
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-16
This is another book that I read aloud to my wife as we set about on our own adventure of "Hobo-ing America" in our little Chevy van.
I was thrilled by the fact that they brought their hides from California to the little tanning and leather processing community of Lowell, Massachusetts. I was raised in Lawrence - just down the road.
I picked up this book because it was a travel adventure about sailing around the world. I didn't know at the time that it was a Classic and that it had changed the life and working conditions for seaman at that time. My dad was also a seamen - at a much later date though. He served as a merchant marine during WWII. My wife and I were harboring the fantasy that after we finished our tour of the USA we might then sail "around the world".
We didn't.
This was a truly great adventure story and it is a true account - not a dramatized rendition. It was dramatic enough as fact. I loved it.
Mr. Dana being the son of a wealthy business man brought a truly conservative approach to the viewing of a sailors life.
William Z. Foster who also gives an account of life aboard commercial wind sailed vessels presents a much harsher view in his book "Pages from a Worker's Life". His account written several decades later also questions the exaggerated conservative notion that "improvements" were actually sustained or made in earnest for the sailors.
The most exciting book ever!.......2007-03-07
If you like adventure and thrill, then Two Years Before the Mast is the book for you. Some parts of this book we will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.
In Two Years Before the Mast Richard Henry Dana went on a ship that was going around the tip of South Americia. From storms in the Atlantic to icebergs in the Pacifac. They were going to California to trade. It was very hard on the sailors.
This book is mostly about adventure an hardships. Richard Henry Dana went on this boat because his eyes hurt because he was reading too much. He took a break but he did not know what lie ahead of him.
I would highly recommend this book because it is very exciting and thrilling. I would recommend thi book to readers that love excitement.
A Must-Have for the Nautical Library.......2007-02-13
Two Years Before the Mast is a genuine classic -- a must-read for anyone interested in ships and the sea and in American maritime history.
A great tale - if you can get through the nautical lingo........2006-09-03
This book is a great tale of both adventure and daily life both on land and sea, if you can make it through the sections full of nautical lingo. For example: "We were going along with studding-sails set on both sides, when, as we came round the point, we had to haul our wind, and took in the lee studding-sails. As the brig came more upon the wind, she felt it more, and we doused the sky-sails, but kept the weather studding-sails on her, bracing the yards forward so that the swinging-boom nearly touched the sprit-sail yard." (page 75).
The book has many pages full of such very detailed description, which I eventually just skimmed, or skipped, with no loss of enjoyment of the rest of the narrative. If the reader can find their own way to navigate the sailing terminology, the rest of the book is fascinating. The author describes daily life on a sailing ship in that age as a mixture of wonderful and horrible experiences. Likewise, he describes, in fascinating detail, what life was like in coastal villages like San Diego and San Francisco when they were just hamlets with a few houses and a church.
Reading this book will give you appreciation for what early settlers and mariners had to endure, and will probably make you appreciate little things like toilets, clean water, dry and warm clothing, and decent food a whole lot more that before you read it. The adventure of "doubling" the Cape Horn crossing is, simply, incredable and it is worth reading the book for this alone.
Chronicles Of An 1835 Merchant Sailor.......2006-08-03
First, Richard Henry Dana was the sole author of Two Years Before the Mast. There are currently a half dozen books in print in which co-authors attempt to share credit for Dana's work. Dana dropped out of Harvard and signed up for a two year voyage as a common deckhand. This class of sailor sleeps in a communal room forward of the main mast called the forecastle, or "focsle," thus the "...before the mast" in the title. Showing the attention to detail which would eventually get him through Harvard and make him a Boston attorney, he kept excruciatingly detailed notes, which he appears to have resisted editing.
At first the reader wonders why Dana wants us to know what ropes are used to hoist, trim, tack, reef, and lower each sail. Moreover why we need to know how to do it in fair weather and in foul. And at night as well as day. We wonder why he wants us to know the monotony of the stale food and the pauper's lifestyle the sailor lives.
We start to get an inkling of the purpose if the realism when Dana describes the brutal and dictatorial regime under which the sailor is governed. The editorialism which creeps gradually into the book shows the brutality with which the sailor is treated. By the end, Dana has evolved into a persuasive advocate for reform. He is not a radical by any means; sailors who act more or less as animals must be handled more or less as animals. Dana's prescriptions are relatively modest, incremental, and thoroughly considered.
We are left with one man's version of Junior Year Abroad, and it shames the frivolity of the contemporary academic traveler. There may be easier ways of learning the handling of square-rigged ships, and there may be more adventurous sabbaticals, but none come with prose approaching photographic realism. And it is Dana's alone, and "co-authors" should be ashamed.
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