Elephants Books

well, not quite a needle....actually a national park in Nepal, but the tracking of the largest Asian elephant ( 11 feet at the shoulder, 22 " foot diameter ) in order to document its existence, and in so doing hopefully ensure its safety by giving it a 'national identity' did not prove an easy task ! An excellent read .. couldn't put the book down !

I am using the Tusk Fairy for my computer project. Its going to be a huge success I know. Every little kid will like this book. The downside- they may want an elephant toy for themself!! :)

Isaac, an emissary for Charlemange, is sent
to Baghdad to bring tidings of peace to
the Caliph. The Caliph accepts with the
return offering of Abulabaz the elephant.
Isaac must now find his way back to
France--with the elephant. Together the
two travelers manage to finish their
journey and become fast friends in the
process.

Manson relies on a delicate, conspiratorial
voice to convey the thoughts and apprehnsions
of both Isaac and Abulabaz, allowing the
reader to gain insight into both beings'
perspectives. His bright colored pencil and
watercolor illustrations add clever details
to the text, such as Isaac and Abulabaz
peering at each other out of the corners
of their eyes upon their first meeting.
Manson also incorporates important cultural
details by accurately representing cultures,
clothing, and settings. The combination of
voice and artwork makes Two Travelers an
apporchable, friendly book appropriate for
young children.

Fantastic book, well made and bound and a old book shop look. I loved uncle when i was young my favorite was Uncle and the treacle trouble and im hoping they will bring this out in the same format. Uncle is a great book for children and adults to read and the illustrations by quentin blake are excellent - if you like uncle you'll love walter moers!

Jacques Cousteau will forever remain the man who gave the world scuba diving. Whilst both his work and his films are legendary, several of his early books have stood the test of time to provide the reader with a relevant insight into marine creatures - even though the book itself may have been published over 30 years ago.

Three of Cousteau's finest books were; Dolphins, Shark (Splendid Savage of the Sea) and The Whale (Might Monarch of the Sea) and these now come together in this 3 book set.

Packed with page after page covering all aspects of Dolphin life and behaviour, the first book is as relevant today as it ever was. There is much here for anyone with an interest in these attractive creatures and I would suggest no scuba diver's bookshelf is complete without a copy.

For many years the Shark was perceived as everything that was evil and frightening as far as the sea was concerned. No book about this splendid creature was complete without that section on Shark Attack. Not even the Lions of Africa or the North American Grizzly Bear got such a fearful press. Today, of course, the Shark is endangered and - suddenly!, we are all worried about the Great White and it's other equally magnificent cousins. Only now do we realise how Cousteau was ahead of his time with that same message.

Finally we come to the Whale. I have often wondered what the great Jacques Cousteau and his team would have achieved had they possessed today's underwater photographic equipment and technology - but then I took another look at some of the photographs in this book. The Humpback Whales, a mother and calf and other examples, are all of a standard which would be described as outstanding - today! This is not just another book about Whales written by an expert. This is a book which also includes all the personal encounters with these might leviathans. It is those personal encounters which give this book the edge over anything written by others.

Not only that, each book is an excellent read.

NM

The premise of this book is that "spread" and the business of
"spreading good practice" as we continue to apply it in healthcare, may be a large part of why "spread" doesn't happen.
Each chapter looks at a critical issue, looking at its presenting symptoms, describing it in a bit more detail, then suggesting treatment option, hints at preventing future occurrences and giving an idea of the prognosis.

If you're looking for an alternative and occasionally irreverent view, then read on. This is a personal account reflecting on many years worth of consulting practice, mistakes included.

My fourteen-month-old has no patience for books with lots of words, so this book is perfect for her. Every two pages there is one word and a vividly colored illustration. The pictures really interest her. On one page Olaf and Venus play in a fountain (even shoppers need a break), and my daughter got very excited when we saw a large fountain at a shopping mall so I think she made the connection! Lots of fun to read over and over and over again.

Hey, this is a short and quick story for kids! It's a shortened edition of the Dumbo story starring Dumbo and Timothy Mouse. Dumbo is teased and taunted and then is cast in the circus as baby who must jump from the window of a burning building. He always ends up in a tub of water to the laughs and jeers of the spectators. However, those big ears of his which have been his liability eventually become a blessing. Dumbo can fly. When he is unsure of his abilities, Timothy is there to assure him: "you can do anything, if you only believe you can." Obviously, this is a positive and winning message for children.

This is one of the later Pogo collections, copyright 1966. As such, most of it is pointed political satire, more targeted towards whole attitudes and movements than individuals. Some of the old dragons, like the Klan, have very nearly been slain today, so Kelly's crusade against them may look like tilting at windmills to today's reader. In the early 60s, though, they were real threats worthy of all the worst that could be thrown at them. And Kelly did his very worst.

Maybe it won't look like much to current, media-jaded readers: Kelly's attacks foretold the "velvet revolution" of Eastern Europe. His most biting weapon against the Klan, for example, was a simple cold shoulder. "If you do that, go away to do it. Just go away." It's touching, and an encouraging reminder that you don't have to be a front-page hero to fight injustice. Simply standing firm against it works too, and maybe more effectively.

Other pieces include pointed parables in "Prehysteria," "Mouse into Elephant," and "Whose God is Dead?" And, in an unusual offering, Kelly presents "The Computer Commuter," a story in text with illustrated highlights. (If you've ever encountered the 'quants' of high-powered trading, it's especially funny.) And, of course, Kelly punctuates the collection with off-key lyrics and alliterative but baffling doggerel, the best since Charles Dodgson set his pen down.

//wiredweird

Water For Elephants
by Sarah Gruen
OK, Folks... I have to start by asking a question. You know how sometimes there's so much talk about a popular movie and everybody tells you that "it's such a good movie, you've got to go and see it?" Then you go, but in the back of your mind, you're expecting it to be "soooo funny" or "soooo good." Well, that's kind of how I started this book; I was thinking that it was going to be such a great book. Now, I'm not saying that it wasn't a great book. It was a very good book. But, I felt a bit let down because I was expecting it to be more than it was. This was really unfair to the book as I started it with a pre-conceived eye. I mean, the back of the book said "riveting" and was reviewed by Stephen King!

With that being said, this is a good book. It's a story told by a 90+ year old man who is in a retirement home/assisted living facility when he sees that the circus came to town outside the window. Turns out, he had worked in the circus back in his day (the time of alcohol prohibition and the depression). Throughout the book, the reader is brought to understand about his experience with the circus as well as where is life is now. You pain for Jacob, the main character, being left in this retirement home by his family as they were busy being more caught up in their own lives, which makes you wonder with 5 kids why none of them could get over themselves and take care of Jacob.

In any event, Jacob's journey with the circus commences when his parents are suddenly killed in an accident. Jacob, then attending Cornell and studying to be a veterinarian, is so grief stricken that he cannot complete his final exams. He discovers that he has no home to return to as his parents mortgaged the house for his education and the bank has repo'd it. Jacob finds his way to the train tracks and jumps a train... ends up being a circus train. Over time, the circus characters are introduced and Jacob is retained by the circus to act as their vet.

There is a love story here. Marlena, the sequined gal who leads the liberty horses, becomes the woman of Jacob's virgin dreams (yes, he's a virgin). However, there is a big obstacle to Jacob's love... Marlena's husband August ("Auggie"), who is certifiably insane. August is a wife and animal abuser and the reader grows to hate this jerk with every growing chapter. Big Al, the owner of the circus, is not much better and the reader really empathises with the circus workers and performers... not to mention those poor animals. An elephant, Rosie, soon joins the traveling circus. I don't want to tell too much about Rosie for those who have yet to read the book. But, I love Rosie... but, then again... I love elephants (have a collection in my bedroom).

I don't want to disclose the ending, nor my opinions on it, for those who still have yet to read it. It was a decent ending, but I didn't find it that surprising nor all that fulfilling. Overall, the book was a bit predictable and I got bored when the chapters went back to Jacob in the hospital, current day. I actually would recommend the book, but I wouldn't give it a ton of hype ahead of time.... rather, just let the reader form its own opinion about the novel.

The author, Sara Gruen, has some very interesting questions at the end of the book. In addition, the interview with the author, also at the end, was a good read. You learn about Sara's journey into developing this story out of old photos of traveling circuses.

My favorite quote:

"The lot is covererd in long grass, but it's brown and trampled, crispy as hay. At the edges, near the tracks, tall weeds have taken over - tough plants with stringy stalks, small leaves, and compact flowers. Designed to waste energy on nothing by getting their blooms up towards the sun."

I've had those days where I do nothing but exert all of my energy for that one little moment of noticablility... only to have nobody see it at all.

On the "Out of Ten Scale" I'd give it a 7.5 stars.... or, maybe an 8.

This book can be purchased at Amazon.Com by clicking here.