A naturalist and adventurer discusses the personalities and quirks of thirteen animals who have profoundly affected her, exploring themes of learning to become empathetic, creating families, coping with loss, and the otherness and sameness of people and animals.

"An enthusiastic bee-loving narrator tries to convince a bee-phobic friend that our fuzzy, flying neighbors are our friends--we should all give bees a chance!"--

It had been nearly a century since elephants had lived in Southern Zululand, South Africa, where Lawrence Anthony founded his Thula Thula wildlife reserve. Yet one day a phone call changed all that. A troubled, unpredictable herd needed a new home. In order to save their lives, Lawrence took them in, and in the years that followed found that they had a lot to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom. He tells of hair-raising fights with poachers,...

"Roddy Scheer reveals 33 forest, wetland, outcrop, alpine, waterfall, and fossil-laden ecosystems across Oregon and Washington, with a view to including those that showcase landscapes which are truly exquisite or reveal something quintessential about the area's natural history or ecology. All will be easily accessible from roadsides, though lesser known so promote a feeling that a true expert on the region is guiding the reader through some of its...

Ehrenreich's core philosophy holds that aging people have the right to determine their quality of life and may choose to forgo painful and generally ineffective treatments. She presents evidence that such tests as annual physicals and Pap smears have little effect in prolonging life; investigates wellness trends, including mindfulness meditation; and questions the doctrine of a harmonious "mindbody" and its supposed natural tendency to prolong life....

"As Dana Lewis settles into a quiet life of tofu this and tofu that, murder a la carte is the last thing she wants on her plate. But when she learns about the death of Monster Truck driver Bobby Joe Jones, frequent philanderer and boyfriend to Dana's sister, Ashlee, she has no choice but to wipe up the mess. Especially when witnesses last saw Ashlee angrily up in Bobby Joe's grill at the fairgrounds. With dizzying speed, Dana's life skids out of control....

Three girls follow their grandmother into her garden, where they examine her collection of rocks, crystals, shells, and meteorites and learn about the marvels they reveal.

Provides family-friendly recipes, featuring natural foods, and offers advice on meal-planning with seasonal sample menus and shopping lists.

"As if Annie Dillard walked into THE WORLD WITHOUT US: a beautiful, lyrical exploration of the places where nature is flourishing in our absence. Some of the only truly feral cattle in the world wander a long-abandoned island off the northernmost tip of Scotland. A variety of wildlife not seen in many lifetimes has rebounded on the irradiated grounds of Chernobyl. A lush forest supports thousands of species that are extinct or endangered everywhere...

"A fun, engaging, and full-color field guide to the marine life in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia"--Provided by publisher.