Rainforest

Amazon.com

Over the past 16 years Swiss photographer Thomas Marent has traveled all over the world photographing rainforests, from Peru and Ecuador to New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Usually traveling alone, Marent has been known to spend extraordinary lengths of time to get the perfect shot--sometimes 12 days. You can see the results in his first book, Rainforest. The book is his testament--an intimate collection of more than 500 breathtaking animal and plant portraits, and the fascinating stories behind them.

Questions for Thomas Marent

Amazon.com: What inspired you to start taking pictures?

Marent: I used to be a birdwatcher in Switzerland--and soon I was also interested in amphibians, insects, and plants. After a while I thought it would be nice to have pictures of all these beautiful animals.

Amazon.com: Waiting for the perfect shot takes patience and time. How do you decide what images are worth waiting for?

Marent: I mostly focus on the colorful and spectacularly shaped creatures. Sometimes it is a matter of luck to find them, but sometimes I have to know where and when to look for them.

Amazon.com: What photo in Rainforest is your favorite?

Marent: I don't have one favorite--there are many favorites! I especially like the photos of frogs, butterflies, fungi, birds and weird insects.

Amazon.com: What would people find most surprising about the world's rainforests?

Marent: When people think of the rainforest, it's the monkeys, birds, and wild cats that first come to mind. But there are so many small and beautiful creatures. We need to see and appreciate them too--they're just a little harder to find! Many of these smaller creatures have never been seen by most people.

Amazon.com: Do you consider yourself a rainforest activist?

Marent: With the book I want to show to the people the endless beauty of the rainforests. I do hope that it might open the eyes of some people, so that they'll agree that it's worth protecting this fantastic environment.

Amazon.com: Some of the photos in the book, especially some of the insect photos, are really strange and otherworldly. What's your favorite exotic rainforest animal?

Marent: Some of my favorites always were frogs and butterflies, but birds and monkeys as well. And of course the weird-looking insects.

Amazon.com: What's your favorite rainforest?

Marent: In Asia it is Borneo. In Africa it is Madagascar. In Latin America it is Costa Rica and Peru/Colombia. But I also like the Australian and New Zealand rainforests.

Amazon.com: Do you have any advice for amateur nature photographers?

Marent: A tripod is an absolutely must. Try to move to the animals slowly and quietly--it takes some patience. Whenever possible try taking your pictures at the animal's eye level. And it's always important to think about the background when you compose the picture.

Book Description

Thomas Marent, a self-taught photographer who has dedicated half his life to capturing images of rainforest life, tells the story of his journey through these spectacular photographs. Join him as he travels across five continents for an up-close view of the astonishing variety and fascinating behavior of rainforest plants and trees, reptiles, birds, amphibians, insects, and mammals.

Customer Reviews:

Best Rainforest Photographs Anywhere!.......2007-09-15

Without doubt, the best set of rainforest photographs I have ever seen. I live in the tropics (North Queensland, Australia) and am very interested in quality depiction of the subject of rainforest flora and fauna. This book sets a new standard of excellence, especially regarding insect life. This is an important part of the world's record of rainforests, and probably could never be duplicated due to global warming.

Bugs & Stuff.......2007-09-10

If you like big, gorgeous pictures of colorful bugs and frogs, then this is the book for you. You also get some pictures of monkeys and a few flowers and mushrooms too.

Now you can have the world's rain forests and their sounds at your fingertips!!!.......2007-09-04

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This breathtaking book takes the reader on an awe-inspiring five continent tour of rain forest tree and plants, reptiles, birds, amphibians, insect, and mammals.

The book itself can be divided into three components:

(1) Photographs (with informative captions)
(2) Text
(3) CD

The photographs are spectacular and jaw dropping! For over sixteen years, nature photographer Thomas Marent has traveled around the world to achieve the difficult task of recording the diverse, complex, unexplored, and endangered ecosystems of rain forests. In other words, these spectacular color photos capture close-up images of some of the most rarely visited places on Earth.

The photographs are divided into five sections: (1) panorama (2) diversity (3) survival (has three sub-divisions entitled predator, arms and armor, deception) (4) cycles (has three sub-divisions entitled flowers to fruit, lifelines, recyclers) and (5) society.

The number of captioned photos for each section is as follows (these totals are rounded off):

Panorama: 40; Diversity: 20; Survival 170; Cycles: 105; Society: 45. There are also about 10 captioned photos that appear before the table of contents. (TOTAL captioned photos in entire book: 400.)

There is a well-written text that accompanies many photographs giving the reader facts and figures about the rain forests and their diverse plant, insect, and insect inhabitants. (The last chapter of this book entitled "Rainforests of the world" is especially well done.) As well, there are fascinating brief stories and descriptions (in quotation marks) that were said by photographer Marent that accompany some of the photos.

You might be tempted to just look at the photographs with their captions and skip the text. However, you would be cheating yourself. I feel that the comprehensive text should be read to fill in the gaps about rain forests that the photographs do not and cannot provide.

The third component of this mesmerizing book is the 80 minute, 23 track audio CD entitled "Sounds of the Rainforest" inserted into an envelope attached to the inside back cover. Recorded on it are sounds that are unique to the rain forests around the world. On the insertion envelope itself, we're told what the main sound is on eleven of these tracks. More than a quarter of this CD is devoted to the sounds of the Amazon Rain Forest (the world's largest rain forest). (Note that many of the titles on the CD itself (but not on its insertion envelope) are in a foreign language. My favorite tracks are 14 to 16, 20 to 23.)

This CD definitely does "enhance the unique experience of this book."

I should tell the potential buyer of this book that "2% of the royalties from this book are paid to The Rainforest Foundation," a foundation devoted to the long-term protection of rain forests. The singer Sting is a founding patron of this foundation.

Finally, I had some problems with this book. Note that these in no way affect the book's readability but are more "irritations:"

(1) Who wrote the text for this book? From the book's front cover (displayed above by Amazon) it's Thomas Marent. Right? Wrong!! He's responsible for the photographs (and some of his verbal statements are included with the text). On the title page (located on page 2) of this book we have "Thomas Marent with Ben Morgan." If you go to the copyright page there is in small print "Text copyright 2006 Dorling Kindersley [abbreviated DK] Limited." We're also told all images are copyright to Marent.

Thus Ben Morgan, a writer for DK (I think??), is the author of this book. Why is his name not also displayed on the book's cover?

(2) Where did Morgan get all the facts and figures for his text? There is no reference section that tells us.

(3) I almost missed the fact that there's a CD with this book! I just happened to read the back cover and there is a little blurb that tells the reader that there's a CD (but not where it's located). We're only told what the main sounds are on 11 of its 23 tracks. Why? And why are we not told that there's a CD at the front of the book?

In conclusion, this is a unique and stunningly beautiful book about rain forests around the world. I leave you with a list of facts found in a "fact box" entitled "Wealth of the Rainforests" that itself is found in the last chapter of this remarkable book:

(i) One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon River basin.

(ii) Almost all the medicine we use every day come from plants endemic to the rainforest.

(iii) A single pond in Brazil [that holds over half of the Amazon Rain Forest and holds about one-third of the world's remaining tropical rain forests] can sustain a greater variety of fish than is found in all of Europe's rivers.

(iv) If present rates of destruction [of rain forests] continue, there will be no rainforests remaining by 2060.

(copyright 2006; forward; a photographer's passion; 6 chapters; main narrative 360 pages; photographing the rainforest; index; acknowledgements; "sounds of the rainforest" CD)

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Save them!.......2007-08-27

Save the rainforests, in the meantime you will love this book it has the most amazing, beautiful photos in it I highly recommend it! Not just a coffee table book either, this really opens up the true, hidden beauty of the rainforests!

Amazing!.......2007-08-01

The photos are just astonishing. I highly recommend this book. It captures nature's beauty and color and showcases an array of rare animals that you will probably never see yourself.

Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America

Average customer rating:

Insightful overview of tropical ecology
great adventure!
Tropical Nature
Best Intro to the Natural History of Tropical Forests
ENCHANTING DEPICTION OF THE RAIN FOREST

Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America
Adrian Forsyth , and Ken Miyata
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684187108

Customer Reviews:

Insightful overview of tropical ecology.......2007-03-09

I found Tropical Nature to be an interesting and easy read. Organized neatly into 17 chapters and an appendix, each covers a specific a specific species of ecological concept. I found chapter 6, "Listen to the flowers" the most interesting, detailing the different mechanisms plants employ in order to have evolutionary advantages as well as trick other species.

(I read this as a precursor to a may term course at my college where I shall be going to the rain forests of Ecuador)

great adventure!.......2007-01-18

I began reading this book for a class involving tropical studies and travel and I wasn't sure what to expect. This is a great book. Easy read. The book takes a broad yet, also in depth exploration of different *interesting* topics in tropical ecology. Although it is definitely not a scientific text, this book takes you for a wondrous adventure into the tropics.

Tropical Nature.......2006-11-13

This book was great. It is written a bit technically, so it would help to have a science backgroung to fully enjoy it. The literary style is easy to read and the book is difficult to put down. I'm sure that having read this book will enhance my trip to the rain forest. Thanks!!

Best Intro to the Natural History of Tropical Forests.......2006-10-15

Buy this Book! This book is a great read for anybody who is interested in life on our planet. It would make a dandy companion to E.O. Wilson's "The Diversity of Life."

ENCHANTING DEPICTION OF THE RAIN FOREST.......2006-04-10

Among books that aim to express to readers the wonders of the rain forest, this one stands out. In 17 chapters that touch upon different aspects of the rain forest, the authors transmit their own passion for the rain forest and the unique intricacies that make rain forests some of the most precious places on earth.

The book is not written as one coherent whole, but rather as 17 individual chapters or essays. Below is a brief sample of topics:

- the strategy of dung scarabs to capture important proteins
- the symbiotic relationship of sloths with the trees they prefer
- the mimicry some insects have developed to elude their main predators, birds
- the reason why some birds have developed migratory patterns to temperate climates
- the reason why some frogs developed a parental care strategy and even marsupial pouches
- the reason why some trees are hollow
- how parasited species can benefit even in the most unlikely scenarios
- why some plants developed hallucinogenic substances

These are just a few of the topics covered in the book. It is written in a pop science format, so that an interested reader will easily understand and appreciate these and many more concepts. The authors carefully explain the relationships, often comparing the rain forest experience with those of temperate forests. The authors also focus on the possible evolutionary principles involved in adaptations presented.

This is the very best introductory book on the subject. It is designed to excite the reader into learning more and even visiting the rain forest. In the mold of Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Dawkins, Miyata and Forsyth write a masterpiece that will make the reader feel smarter after reading it.

Average customer rating:

Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not

Tropical Rain Forest
Donald M. Silver
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0070580510

Book Description

Bats and big cats. Armies of ants. Squawking parrots. Strangling figs. From the ground up to the tree tops, the tropical rainforest teems with life. Stunning drawings, step-by-step experiments, fun-to-do activities, and fascinating facts abound in this magical exploration of an essential ecosystem, in danger of disappearing forever. Tropical Rain Forest is a new edition to the One Samll Square Series not previously published in hardcover.

Customer Reviews:

Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not.......2002-03-14

The One Small Square series is wonderful: the concept is that you take a hypothetical square foot of an environment- woods, seashore, arctic tundra, rainforest, etc.- and explore it at all levels, from underground to the sky. Each book is extensively illustrated with all of the inter-connected layers of life- from fungus to megafauna- in the Square. On the margin of most of the 2-page spreads are activities that you can do, no matter where you live. Food chains, life cycles & seasons are explored, and the back section has an identification guide to all of the life forms presented in the book.

Customer Reviews:

Ina a Dark Wood: The Fight Over Forests and the Myths of Nature.......2007-01-10

A very well researched and well written account of the "Old Growth Forest" controversy. I strongly encourage students of enviromentalism to read it. It clearly lays out some of the seminal disagreements of forest management that stil plague our forests today.

ignorant and angry but useful.......2005-05-03

Chase's angry critique of "environmentalists" and their myths of nature has its points, but he ignores most of the substantial efforts to manage our ecosystem holistically -- e.g. including land, people, and money. He criticizes "biocentrism" but many of us recognize that human life, for example, is totally dependent on other organisms, E. coli to start. The question is not hierarchy, but interdependence.

Hundreds of pages on what's wrong in my edition, and only two pages that mention possible pathways to the future in the form of the Quincy Library Group and Applegate Partnership.

eye-opening clear analysis that changed my views.......2002-11-28

Until reading "In a Dark Wood" I espoused "politically correct" environmentalist views -- such as "all old growth forests must be saved at any cost from evil logging" -- in a knee-jerk, emotionally charged, self-righteous way, without ever taking the trouble to study or think through what was really at stake, and what premises about reality underlay my views. Alston Chase's thinking on conservation is so clearly presented, so well backed by evidence, so carefully analysed, and so full of good will and integrity, that I find it impossible to read his book without respecting his intentions -- and his conclusions, which challenge everything I had unthinkingly assumed in the past. This is the kind of book that not only addresses concrete problems, such as the political struggle between, say Earth First and Maxxam Corporation, but also inspires the reader to think more deeply, and question his/her assumptions. This is the kind of book I think most self-labeled "environmentalists" -- especially those who come from white, middle class, college-educated backgrounds -- will dismiss prior to investigation, and will never read. If so, it is a sad loss. It's a book that can change your views and help you learn to think better -- and I believe most people would rather not do so, since thinking better might well spoil the dramatic excitement of waging a war of good against evil, nature against humanity. Still, I hope people will read this book. It's one that changed my life.

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (Case Studies in Early Societies)

Average customer rating:

Mayan Royal Rock Stars

Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization (Case Studies in Early Societies)
Arthur Demarest
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521533902

Book Description

Arthur Demarest brings the lost civilization of Maya to life by applying a holistic view to the most recently discovered archaeological evidence. His theoretical interpretation simultaneously emphasizes the brilliant rain forest adaptations of the ancient Maya and the Native American spirituality that permeated all aspects of their daily life. Drawing on data from the latest significant archaeological research in Central America, this new study appeals to those interested in the ecological bases of civilization, the function of the state and the causes of the collapse of civilizations.

Customer Reviews:

Mayan Royal Rock Stars.......2005-03-05

This is a must read for anyone interested in the ancient Maya and why their advanced civilization that had achieved so much under such harsh conditions suddenly collapsed and disappeared for parts unknown. Demarest argues that the collapse was political rather than the most widely accepted paradigm that it was ecological. He concludes that the collapse was due to a proliferation of royal elites competing for power, similar to the present situation in Saudi Arabia. Warfare between these competing elites caused a collapse during a 100 year period that resulted in a depopulation of major cities and a drastic reduction of palace and temple construction. The book is worth reading if only for Demarest's description of the Wizard of Oz type power structure where Mayan royal elites held power through fantastic ritualistic displays that captivated the masses. He describes the Mayan royal elites as a combination of rock stars, evangelical preachers, and circus performers that dressed in elaborate costumes with feathered head dresses, lit fires with pyrite mirrors, and engaged in public displays of blood letting. Demarest even relates the Mayan architecture to theater with temples high above plazas where the masses could observe rituals. The book is easy to read for layman.

The Last Forest: The Amazon in the Age of Globalization

Average customer rating:

A Thoughtful Book on the Amazon
Amazonia in a nut shell
GREAT ANALYSIS OF CURRENT SITUATION IN THE AMAZON
Fair and balanced assessment of the current state of affairs in the Amazon.

The Last Forest: The Amazon in the Age of Globalization
Mark London , and Brian Kelly
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0679643052
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

With a landmass larger than the continental U.S. west of the Mississippi and the richest diversity of plant and animal species on earth, the Amazon has always struck its explorers and would-be exploiters as infinite and largely impenetrable. For decades, anthropologists assumed that permanent human habitation was impossible–but they were wrong. Recently, proof of centuries-old Amazonian civilizations has been unearthed, shifting perceptions of the inhospitability of the rain forest–and providing a precedent for human occupation. Today, as developers and environmentalists clash over the region’s future, the seemingly endless forest is fast disappearing in fires, rampant mineral extraction, rogue logging operations, and encroaching urban sprawl.

Through a series of startling human encounters–interviews with government ministers and environmental crusaders, millionaire ranchers and disenfranchised slum dwellers–Mark London and Brian Kelly, longtime explorers and trailblazing chroniclers of the Amazon basin, trace the region’s transformation. Logging thousands of miles, London and Kelly take readers from the mushrooming shopping malls of Manaus to the pristine rain forest that still seems beyond the reach of civilization, from the ghostly ruins of abandoned factories and failed plantations to the thriving agribusinesses that one day may feed the entire world and change this landscape forever. Again and again, they collide with the same fundamental question: Is it too late to strike a balance in the Amazon between economic sustenance for the twenty-one million Brazilians who live there and protection for the world’s last great forest?

London and Brian Kelly have fashioned a complex, vibrant portrait of a region on the edge of crisis. At once a seductive journey and a searing account of political, environmental, and social tumult, The Last Forest is a masterpiece of contemporary reporting.

Customer Reviews:

A Thoughtful Book on the Amazon.......2007-09-17

The Last Forest is a well-balanced analysis and description of the current plight of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil. This is the second book the authors have produced on the Amazon; their first book on the Amazon was published over twenty-five years ago, when only three percent of the forest was deforested. Currently, twenty percent of the Amazon has been deforested. Their main thesis is that the idea that the Amazon should be left alone is a fallacy, considering some ten million people live there. The book is packed with case studies of lives, cities and towns, and businesses in the Amazon, which helps one begin to grasp the political, economic, and social realities of the region, and to understand why there is no easy solution to preserving the rainforest while at the same time promoting the well-being of those who live in it. The authors do an excellent job of presenting to the reader both the international and Brazilian views of the Amazon, which are often conflicting views. In addition, a good historical background is presented in order to help understand the region today. The book is well-written, which makes for an engaging read. This a very good introduction for anyone interested in the Amazon, and should be read by anyone who will be travelling to the region.

Amazonia in a nut shell.......2007-04-16

In a pithy, mostly engaging first-person account, the book provides an excellent synopsis of the various factors impacting Amazonia, especially Brazil, vis-a-vis economic and social development. The discussion is often framed within the context of protection of the environment and covers a gamut of issues - from political issues to impact of cattle. By largely using a first-person narrative, the book is able to provide a broad view of the different pertinent issues, though one cannot consider its treatment of any of the topics to be comprehensive. Regardless, the book is informative, provides an excellent background on previous research, and is for the most part annotated with excellent notes. One glaring disappointment is the lack of any photographs/plates in the book that could added impact to the narrations. The concluding chapter is fairly "decaf" with no real specific solutions cited to the problems raised. Perhaps thats the point of the book - the problems raised in the book is too complex to solve using traditional approaches. The struggles of a society (and state) as it "modernizes" is highlighted in an excellent manner using the various chapters which have a "stand-alone" feel to it. That lack of tight integration among the chapters adds to the broad view the book tries to paint. A good read.

GREAT ANALYSIS OF CURRENT SITUATION IN THE AMAZON.......2007-04-06

Mark London and Brian Kelly come back to the Amazon after having written about it back in the 1980s. They find a very different world, where they find development alongside with poverty and environmental degradation. The book is centered upon understanding the different regions (states) within the Amazon and the differing dynamics within them. The book will not give definitive answers to the region's problems, but rather paint the picture and suggest directions in which we should move.

A main and important conclusion is the realization that the Amazon is not a pristine jungle without people, but rather that people are an integral part of it, and that any solution needs to take into account the widespread presence of population -- the concept of sustainable development needs to include good living standards for people within the forest. The book also points to some successes in preservation, such as the establishment of the Manaus Free Trade Zone as a means of attracting people away from the interior and providing good living standards.

The book flows from a history of the Amazon as a portuguese colony, to a Brazilian outpost to the center of the rubber world, to present day. A few key players are highlighted, such as Blairo Maggi (governor of Mato Grosso and the largest soy farmer in the world) and Eduardo Braga (governor of Amazonas and responsible for the reduction of deforestation by 53% in the largest Amazon state). It is also a travel book, highlighting the many different places and realities seen by the authors, from the wealthy shopping malls of Manaus to the poor slums of Altamira.

Highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to get a good image of the current status of development in the Amazon and hoping to understand the direction in which the region is moving.

Fair and balanced assessment of the current state of affairs in the Amazon........2007-03-07

More than a quarter century ago authors Mark London and Brian Kelly spent a considerable amount of time in the jungles of Brazil doing research for their 1983 book "Amazon". They wanted to meet the inhabitants of this strange and mysterious territory and discover for themselves just what was happening there. Now some 25 years later London and Kelly have returned to the Amazon to report on how this incredibly vast region and its people have fared during those intervening years. For all intents and purposes "The Last Forest" is a report card on the effectiveness of governmental policies at various levels and how wisely the land is being used by both the business community and the peoples who would call the Amazon home. "The Last Forest" is definitely not another doom and gloom book written by someone with an environmental ax to grind. Rather, this is a scholarly work that seeks to figure out which policies and approaches have been successful as well as those that may not have been. Mark London and Brian Kelly do yeoman work as reporters searching for the real story of the Amazon in 2007. I could detect no real political agendas here.
To most of the developed world the Amazon represents the last vast wilderness area on the planet. Environmentalists in both the United States and Europe are demanding that Brazil protect the rain forests from
significant development. But is this realistic? Those in both the public and private sectors in Brazil are quick to point out that neither the Europeans nor the Americans were willing to adhere to such stringent land use policies as their nations developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For the most part, London and Kelly found that the Brazilian government is really quite sensitive to environmental issues but that they must balance these concerns with the sobering reality that their citizens need to put food on the table and must have jobs to go to. And when one stops to consider just how vast an area the Amazon is are you begin to appreciate how difficult it must be for any government agency to control what goes on there. In "The Last Forest" you will meet some of the leaders in various governmental entities who are charged with managing these complicated problems. You will also be introduced to a number of important business people who will detail the difficult issues they face in trying to make a go of it in such a vast and remote area. Then you will meet some of the ordinary folk and learn about the way they live. Some of these people live in extremely remote areas along the riverways while others struggle to survive in the congested cities. Finally, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the indispensible map of South America that is included at the beginning of this book. I found myself referring to it again and again! When all is said and done you will definitely have a much clearer understanding of this largely misunderstood region of the world.
"The Last Forest" is a thoroughly engaging and highly informative book. While most of us would love to see the jungles of the Amazon remain untouched for perpetuity deep down we know this is simply not possible. The best we can hope for is that all of the interested parties in the region act responsibly and in moderation. I found "The Last Forest" to be great way to get up to speed on these fascinating and complicated issues. Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Pure Mayan Gold
Very Educational and Enjoyable
A concise, yet thorough history of a wonderful food.
Read this one with a Hershey bar!

Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest
Robert Burleigh
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810957345

Book Description

Chocolate milk, chocolate fudge, chocolate frosting on chocolate cake. Children love chocolate, and this book, filled with fun facts, introduces them to the flavor's exotic story. It begins in the rainforests of South America with the bitter seeds of a strange tree. The Aztecs served their human sacrifices chocolate mixed with blood. Conquistadors sent chocolate home to Spain where, sweetened with sugar, it became the rage among aristocrats. But not until 1847 was the first solid chocolate candy made, and only in the past century has the sacred treasure of ancient kings become the popular treat of millions.

Profusely illustrated and meticulously researched, Chocolate accompanies a major exhibition that travels from Chicago's Field Museum to 10 other sites.

Book Description

A delicious story about the history of chocolate with wonderful illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Pure Mayan Gold.......2007-09-06

Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest is one of the most attractive books I've come across in some while. This is far more than a picture book though. Chock full of chocolate history, kids of nearly any age will find this book enticing.

Very Educational and Enjoyable.......2007-07-23

I'd like to first point out that I gave this book 5 stars. Second...Amazon is selling this book at only $3.39 at this writing. This is a REALLY good deal and I'm going to buy the book. Now for my review:

I saw this book on display in the children's section of my local library. It has a very appealing cover to it and the word "Chocolate" written in it's title so...I HAD to check it out.

When I brought it home I thought it would be way to advanced for my 5 year old to be interested in but I wanted to read it myself. It is written for children maybe twice her age but she was VERY interested in the history of her favorite food and remained attentive to the whole book.

There were words and situations I had to give her a background on--such as what an African slave was/is. Unfortuneatly, slaves are still sometimes used in the production of chocolate to this day according to the author Robert Burleigh.

We loved the looks of this book...the lay-out, the yummy chocolate colors, photos, and illustrations are very eye appealing.

We now know a lot about the rainforest cacao (ca-COW) trees, the pods, the seeds and the complicated process that it goes through to become the chocolate we so love. Good thing we live in today's world. We also learned of chocolate's ancient infancy which at times was violent. Cacao was once only for royality and the very rich--not for 5 year old chocolate freaks like the one that lives in my home. We learned a lot and we loved this book!

A concise, yet thorough history of a wonderful food........2006-10-12

Most of us carry out an intense love affair with chocolate. To some, it is a fundamental part of our love affair with another human and to a few, it ignites the passion in their life. This book describes the history of chocolate, and like some foods, one wonders how it was first discovered. Until I read this book, I did not realize how chocolate is made. It is derived from the seeds inside the fruit of the tree and requires a great deal of processing before it reaches the form that we love. This was an interesting book to read, well illustrate it is a concise, yet thorough introduction to the history of one of my favorite foods.

Read this one with a Hershey bar!.......2005-07-07

Chocolate: Riches from the Rainforest tells the story of chocolate. The book begins by discussing where chocolate comes from and who discovered it. It goes on to describe how the ancient Maya and Aztecs drank chocolate regularly and offered it to their gods, and how the Spanish added sugar to chocolate to give it the sweet taste. The book also describes how chocolate making has changed over time and how it is made today. In addition, the book includes a glossary of terms used in the book and an author's note about some of the things he learned while writing the book.

I would recommend this book for ages 10 and 11. Children these ages will enjoy learning about the history of chocolate. I do not feel that this book would be appropriate for younger children due to the discussions of human sacrifices and slavery. I would recommend using this book during the summer as part of a fun segment on chocolate. Having chocolate available for the kids to eat would be ideal because it is difficult to get through this book without craving it. The book is filled with wonderful photographs and illustrations. These pictures add to the story by showing children the plant that chocolate comes from and some of the items that the Maya and Aztecs used to make and consume chocolate. There are also step-by-step photographs detailing how chocolate is made today.

The Gebusi: Lives Transformed in a Rainforest World

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School Book

The Gebusi: Lives Transformed in a Rainforest World
Bruce Knauft
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Companies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0072972637

Book Description

What is it like for a native people of the rainforest to confront features of a modern world? In 1980-82, the Gebusi of Papua New Guinea held elaborate ritual dances and spirit seances, practiced alternative sexual customs, and endured a very high rate of violence. By 1998, however, most Gebusi had been willingly transformed by Christian conversion, schooling, market activity, disco music, sports leagues, and local government. This book vividly portrays both the traditions and the dramatic changes of Gebusi society and culture. Written especially for students, the account uses personal stories and ethnographic examples to connect developments among Gebusi to topics that are widely considered in anthropology courses, including comparative features of subsistence, kinship, economics, politics, religion, gender, ethnicity, and nationalism.

The author lived among the Gebusi for several years, on two occasions. His account of his experience with these fascinating people aims to illustrate issues and topics prominent in undergraduate anthropology courses; provide a dramatic, personal, and well-written story of cultural transformation; and unfold the relation between so-called traditional customs and so-called modern ones. His goal in publishing the ethnography is "to let the Gebusi come alive to readers, to portray their past and their present, and to connect their dramatic changes with those in my own life and those in contemporary anthropology."

Customer Reviews:

School Book.......2007-04-27

I had to read this book for an Anthro class at my University, it was an easy read....very very easy read.

Nature's Green Umbrella (Mulberry Books)

Average customer rating:

Gail should hire an illustrator or a photographer !
An excellent, accurate book

Nature's Green Umbrella (Mulberry Books)

Manufacturer: HarperTrophy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0688154115

Book Description

"A scientifically accurate book which depicts the complex world of rain forests in easily understood text and sumptuous illustrations. The geography, climate and ecology of the rain forest are explained and the illustrations teem with the flora and fauna."--Children's Literature. ??? Customer Reviews:

Gail should hire an illustrator or a photographer !.......2000-07-23

Ms. Gibbons is a WONDERFUL writer. Her drawings, however, are definitely not in the category of her writing. They detract from her books. I am a children's librarian and I have seen time after time that kids will avoid her books because the pictures are so unappealing. This is a shame since the text is usually outstanding. Ms. Gibbons should think about getting an illustrator or a photographer to supply an equivalent to her text. If she were to do this, her books would reach a much greater audience.

An excellent, accurate book.......2000-04-11

This book can be used as an excellent teaching tool. It provides a great introduction to the rainforests, and is full of facts about animals, medicines, and plants that are found in the rainforests.

The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals

Average customer rating:

Health is wealth, knowledge is power!
The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals
Remarkable Book!
Fabulous health source
Excellent Book on the Subject.

The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals
Leslie Taylor
Manufacturer: Square One Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

ASIN: 0757001440

Customer Reviews:

Health is wealth, knowledge is power!.......2007-08-23

God said choose life or death!
God gave us herbs. Use them.
Man gave us pills, avoid them.
Pills kill and herbs cure.
Make your choice.
Pills made my life hard and I almost
submitted to a useless operation.
Desperately, I looked for another choice.
Herbs gave me the answer.
No operation needed, life is good again!!!

The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs: A Guide to Understanding and Using Herbal Medicinals.......2007-03-20

Excellent just what I expected.

Remarkable Book!.......2007-03-20

This book is a must have for every American medicine cabinet. Easy to understand instructions and every thing is broken down in laymens terms. Also, there is informatio on how you can help the rainforest and it's native people. Fascinating!!!!!

Fabulous health source.......2007-03-08

Although I'm not a "greenie," I have been concerned for some time about the wanton destruction of the jungle in South America since so much of our medicinal herbage does grow there. My major concern here is that the soil is not even fertile enough to continue growing grass for cattle after the first year or two, so this destruction is not even truly beneficial for mankind in any way. Ms. Taylor lays down a terrific case for persuading Brazil to stop doing this. Then she gives amazingly organized guidelines for using the herbs which she has found helpful in the Amazon area. Every herbalist needs this book!!

Excellent Book on the Subject........2006-02-25

I am an herbalist who was looking for a good book on Rain Forest Herbs without all the hype that had a least some science it in to complement information about traditional uses. Too many herbal books have either no science behind them or have such reductionist science based on faulty studies and assumptions that the information is usless. I often suspect that hype about the use of such herbs as Maca root is overblown and I needed factual information from a reliable source. I bought this book sight unseen based on some of the reviews and I was not disapointed. It combines traditional use with scientific studies and lots of information about each herb. Naturopathic Physician author Leslie Taylor needs to be congratulated for her contribution to the growing knowledge about Rain Forest Herbs: not only their uses but their preservation instead of exploitation.

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