This Months Books and Videos
June-July 2005
This is an article from WaveLength Magazine, available in print in North America and globally on the web.
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Compact Guide to British Columbia Birds Lone Pine Publishing, 2005 ISBN 1-55105-471-X,192 pp, color illustrations, $12.95 Cdn This field guide profiles 83 of the most common birds to be seen in BC. Each 2-page spread contains a detailed illustration of the species, a photo of the bird’s egg, and identification, nesting and behavioral information in paragraph and point form. The entries are grouped and color coded and all the birds are shown in a handy comparative reference chart. A glossary, index and checklist of 363 species regularly occurring in BC are also included. The size, format and sturdy construction of this guide and the detailed coverage of each of the species included, make it an excellent field guide, although not a comprehensive guide to all the birds of BC. |
Seasons with Birds by Bruce Whittington, illus. by Loucas Raptis Touchwood Editions, 2004 ISBN 1-894898-21-4, 168 pp, color & b/w illustrations, index, $26.95 Cdn, $19.95 US Bruce Whittington has crafted a series of essays to follow the months of the year and significant corresponding events in the bird world. The result is a beautifully written, illustrated and formatted book that could be savored bit by bit through the year or enjoyed all at once. Not meant to be an identification guide, this is a compilation of Whittington’s personal experiences and research, and is meant to tempt you to spend more time getting to know the wonders of real birds in their natural habitats. You will be entertained, touched and informed by Seasons with Birds. |
The San Juan Islands: A Dreamspeaker Cruising Guide vol.4 by Anne & Laurence Yeadon-Jones Raincoast Books, 2005 ISBN 1-55192-807-8, 160 pp, color photos and illus., index, $49.95 Cdn, $39.95 US, This fourth in an excellent series of coastal cruising guides provides comprehensive information for a mariner’s exploration of the San Juans. The details of anchorages, marinas, parks, points of interest, charts, etc. are beautifully presented with color photos and Laurence’s hand drawn charts. |
The Trailside Cookbook by Don and Pam Philpott 2005 Firefly Books, 2005 ISBN 1-55297-952-0, 144 pp, color photos, index, $19.95 Cdn,, $15.95 US More than just a cookbook filled with delectable recipes for campers and hikers (you needn’t eat only dried food and canned beans), The Trailside Cookbook includes lots of practical information and advice for living in the outdoors, including weather forecasting, nutrition and food planning, cooking methods and equipment, foraging, and packing. Great color photos add to the appeal of this handbook/ cookbook. |
Kayaking the Inside Passage: A Paddler’s Guide from Olympia, Washington, to Muir Glacier, Alaska by Robert H. Miller 2005 The Countryman Press, 2005 ISBN 0-88150-642-7, 512 pp, maps, b/w photos, $28 Cdn, $18.95 US Paddling the 1,300 mile Inside Passage along North America’s Pacific Northwest coast is an ambitious undertaking for even the most experienced kayaker. This guide is an indispensable resource for anyone contemplating the challenge. It gathers essential information from many sources—most importantly, the author’s personal experience—and includes an extensive bibliography to supplement the material provided. Miller divides the coast between Olympia and Alaska into five sections, devoting a chapter to each, and so even if you’re not prepared to paddle the whole way, Kayaking the Inside Passage will help you plan shorter trips. Maps with page number notations to indicate where important information can be found are a useful addition to the text. Appendices provide other valuable resources. |
by Kevin Callan The Boston Mills Press, 2005 ISBN 1-55046-450-7, 320 pp, color photos, $24.96 Cdn, $19.95 US www.bostonmillspress.com www.fireflybooks.com Author Kevin Callan is a 20-year veteran of outdoor expeditions. The Happy Camper is a compendium of absolutely everything that he has gleaned from his own and his friends’ experiences in the wilderness—planning, packing, cooking, first aid, kids, pets, knots, paddling—really, he covers all the bases! Complete with lots of color photos (some instructive, some hilarious), this is a great guide for anyone who loves to live outdoors, even if it is only on weekends and a few weeks in the summer. There is even a chapter on ‘Cold Camping’ for the intrepid among us who choose to camp in the winter. Unless you are 20-year camping veteran yourself, you will find plenty in The Happy Camper to help make your wilderness experience safer, ‘greener’ and more enjoyable. |
The Happy Camper: An Essential Guide to Life Outdoors