Product Description
Sally Bee's story of survival and recovery from three heart attacks in a week at the age of 36 is nothing short of a miracle. Sally attributes much of her remarkable survival to her delicious and achievable healthy eating plan, which she and her whole family enjoy. Now, in this beautifully illustrated cookbook, she shares her secret with you, and it might just save your life.Sally believes in living a full life, and that includes eating delicious food with all the family. She shares not only clean, vibrant recipes, but also her versions of comforting classics we all love. Even desserts! We all know the principles of eating a healthy diet, but actually translating that knowledge into an easy and affordable meal can be a challenge in a busy world. The Secret Ingredient meets that challenge head-on with gorgeous, tasty recipes that will feed the whole family, and tempt even the most novice cook.Sally tells her inspirational story throughout, and gives encouragement and support for changing your eating habits, and those of your children, without feeling deprived and in a way that works for life. She's living proof. ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive biography, now updated to include the tragic death of Maurice Gibb in February 2003. Most famous for having created the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb have also written countless hits, both for themselves and others, and this new edition contains a list of every song written and recorded by them. This extensively researched biography covers four decades from their early days in Manchester and the Isle of Man before the family emigrated to Australia and returned to London to find fame in 1967. Over the years the Bee Gees career has mixed triumph and tragedy in equal measure and this biography covers it all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (42)

Bee Gees Book
I was pleased with the size and content of the book as well as the condition I received it in; it was well worth the price and it arrived in a timely manner.

A great book for all Bee Gees fans.
This book entitled, The Bee Gees: Tales of the Brothers Gibb, would be a great gift for anyone that has enjoyed the Bee Gees and their music. The tell-all book has a lot of interesting facts and information about all of the brothers(including Andy). Also, in the back of this very large book, there is a section where all of their songs are listed and credited to their authors. It's a very easy and enjoyable book to read and have in your possesion.

Boring
I started this book 2 years ago and I still haven't finished it.Is there anything known about the brother's personalities? It certainly isn't in this book.How about their peak period? Did nothing exciting happen to them? The book is boring. This is not a biography, not even a discography.

Tales of the Brothers Gibb
This was a gift to my daughter, she said it was great.

BOOK REVIEW
THE BOOK WAS JUST WHAT IT PROMISED TO BE- A COMPREHENSIVE STORY ABOUT THE LIFE OF THE BEE GEES. ... Read more

Product Description

With spectacularly beautiful colour photographs and an easy understandable text The Buzz about Bees tells the story of honeybees in a new perspective. Based on the latest data, notably from his own research group, Jürgen Tautz provides a wonderful insight into the realms of bees.

In contrast to the view of bee colonies as perfect societies of selfless individuals ruled by a queen, Tautz introduces them as a "superorganism", a self organizing and complex adaptive system based on a network of communication; a fascinating result of evolution – a mammal in several bodies.

The entire range of astonishing bee activities is described. Remarkable action photographs never shown before present bees busy with cell cleaning, caring for the brood, serving in the queen’s court, visiting flowers, receiving nectar, producing honey, comb building, entrance guarding, heating and cooling. Spotlights include bees grooming, swarming, fighting, telephoning, sleeping and communicating by high-toned beeping, scents and dances.

Customer Reviews (17)

Good for novices
I picked this up hoping to obtain some new information. Unfortunately, this book was aimed much more towards people who aren't as informed in the subject as I am (I'm an entomologist who works in bee colonies). I sat down and read through the 300 pages in one evening, then promptly donated it to my university's library. Don't get me wrong, if you are clueless about bees or have a mere passing knowledge, this book is probably great for you. For those of you who want something a little more advanced and technical in entomology, I'd suggest The Ants or The Superorganism: The Beauty, Elegance, and Strangeness of Insect Societies.

However, if you feel like exploring the lighter side of entomology (while still incidentally learning something, Ninety-nine Gnats, Nits, and Nibblers, Buzzwords: A Scientist Muses on Sex, Bugs, and Rock 'n' Roll. And, even though only about half the creatures mentioned are insects, I'd be remiss in not mentioning one of my favorite reads (and one of he ultimate books to gross out the faint of stomach), Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to All Creation: The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex.

If you don't like book or any of the others I may have recommended, please don't let that dissuade you from the most noble of fields: entomology.

Peace, Love, Krisko

I give this book the best buzz possible
Excellent writing, superb pictures.This book covers the current thinking about bees and superoganisms in a manner accessible to anyone.Enjoy!

Tautz' Et Al's Book a Must for Those Interested in Bees
Last year at the Florida State Beekeepers Association meeting in Monticello, Florida, attended by folks from over the United States, I had the privilege of meeting Dave Westervelt, a Florida State Apiary Inspector who shared with me a most remarkable book.I was so impressed by the 5 minute conversation I had with him about it I went to W.W. Kelly's folks, the Priddys and bought the thing.I'd have bought it from Amazon if it had not been available on-site.

Just now I'm finally getting it together to read it.It's called The Buzz About Bees by Jurgen Tautz.The 'U' in Jurgen has 2 dots over it.I don't know what that's called in English and my German is nonexistent.

The book has some of the most remarkable photographs I have ever seen and I'm sure you'll agree if you see them for yourselves they will blow you away.Helga Heilmann made photographs that are so incredible you'll feel as though you're inside the box without a veil!Remarkable!A truly accomplished photographer the envy of all us 'wannabes.':-D

In the book, a web site in Germany is given [...] and on it if you hunt around, you can find an English translation version in addition to the German.These folks have live web cams on their site.Have a look.I'm sure you'll agree it's an awesome site and truly wonderful they are sharing it with the world, especially considering the world faces if our bees go the way of the dinosaur.

In short Dave was not exaggerating when he spoke of this book.If you've ever read E.O. Wilson's work, Jurgen Tautz's is in the same spirit and continues in a wonderful evolutionary manner of its own.

Talk about radical ideas, Tautz puts forth some of the most compelling arguments for bees, viewed outside their phylogenetic schema and in an environmental paradigm, being on a par with mammals!If humanity can listen and pay attention to guys like him and E.O. Wilson, the world will be a far better place.

This book is a must for anyone interested in bees or insects or nature!5 Stars!This book is well worth the purchase.You'll gain so much from reading it.The Buzz about Bees: Biology of a Superorganism

Outstanding reference
As a hobbyist beekeeper I've got lots of bee books and regularly read beekeeping periodicals, but haven't seen anything like The Buzz about Bees.While this isn't a beekeeping manual, there is much in here that has helped me better understand exactly what my bees are up to, how they experience me and my intrusions into their nests, and how I can help them thrive.Up-to-the-minute studies of bee cognition and behavior, vision, sense of smell, and communication are presented clearly, and the translation from the German is good.The photography is as outstanding and unusual as the text.This book isn't inexpensive, but you won't regret having purchased it.

Easy and Great
I"ve been studying honeybees, along with publishing research, and I think that Tautz gives a good kick off point for all researchers. And he also does a fine job of informing readers of all aspects of the honeybee. It is an extremely easy read, and I recommend this to all ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Grace Pundyk loves honey....
Grace Pundyk's "The Honey Trail" is as much travelogue as it is a narrative about beekeeping and beekeepers.Taking a fresh and different approach to the world of bees and honey, Pundyk journeys to ten different countries, each of which has its own beekeeping traditions and practices.

Pundyk is in search of the holy grail, the best and most flavorful honey, the unique honey that each of her chosen countries can produce.You will journey with her to the desert in Yemen, the rainforest of Borneo, a remote alpine village in northeastern Turkey, the interior forest of Tasmania, mangrove swamp in Florida's panhandle and to remote places in Russia and China.

Her natural curiosity, love of travel, ability to sniff out beekeepers wherever she goes and come up with unusal varieties of honey, Pundyk kindly brings you along for the ride.

Along the way, Pundyk brings out the key and central issues for beekeepers, pollination, honey production, marketing and distribution practices.Serious issues and topical concerns are presented in such a way that "The Trail of Honey" reads more like a novel or detective story.It is a clever and effective writing style that keeps the reader fully engaged.Sleuthing is fun! No textbook on beekeeping could be as factually informative and continue to sustain such interest.

Crack open "The Trail of Honey," take a ride in your armchair and journey with Grace to ten different countries.You will be glad you did.



... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / General; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

obedience is taught and caught
This book presents realistic stories in an easy to read format.
Warm family relationships are apparent and grandma's stories always have a significant lesson for young readers and reminders for older readers. For every choice one makes, whether a careless choice or a careful choice, there are consequences. Love of neighbor in making choices and seeking forgiveness when mistakes and resulting consequences harm others are two themes repeated throughout.

A Hive of Busy Bees
DON'T BUY THIS BOOK if you want "fluff"!My 8 yr.old and I loved this book.We need more books that teach "Bee Obedient, Bee Polite, Bee Content, Loving, Prayerful, Grateful, Truthful," etc. It is a great conversation starter about things that matter in life.It deals with the circumstances of our actions and other issues that can make us better people. But, as I said earlier, "if you want "fluff", don't buy it".

very scary book
I was given this book by my grandmother as a child. Nearly thirty years later, I still remember how very scary it was to me. It teaches life lessons with a heavy, heavy dose of guilt. In one story, a little boy does not do the chores his mother wants him to, and goes fishing instead. He comes home to find his mother has done all the chores, and IS NOW DEAD! In another, a little boy does not close the gate as he is asked to, and his little sister gets trampled by horses and is in a wheelchair for life as a result of his irresponsibility. Come on now! I found the book to be traumatizing.

A must for every family with young children!
My children adore this book.I recently found there is a sequel entitled, "Another Hive of Busy Bees" -- I can only hope that is more of the same gentle, thoughtful and character-building stories.

A book your children will read again and again
In the search for wholesome books to enrich my daughter's library, I, on a wing, ordered this book. We read it together two years ago, a chapter a day.Of all the books on her shelf, this book is the one that she turns tofor that familiar relationship between a favorite story and the desirewe've all had to actually be in the story.

Don and Joyce spend a summerat their grandparents' farm, learning about life through Grandma'snightly"Bee" stories.

Each tale illustrates a different charactertrait needing development in the children that day..."Bee Polite"tells the story of two children who learn the sting of this bee as theyfollow the crowd throwing stones at an elderly lady walking along the road,only to later be introduced to this same lady as their grandmother, whomthey've never had the opportunity to meet in person.

"BeeCareful" describes a tree that in its early years of development had abranch tied into a knot by a young boy, unnoticed by the adults until somuch time had passed by that the knot could not be untied.Through thedetails of this story, Don and Joyce learn how listening to the buzz ofthis bee can help them prevent future trouble by being careful...choosingwisely the words they speak and the actions they take as youngsters.

Ihighly recommend this book for old and young alike! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent Choice
This book is great.It is for older children.The photography is excellent and full of a lot of good information on the bee problems. I would highly recommend this book.

The Hive Detectives
I knew a bit about bees and the current predicament before I read this beautiful and informative book, but my appreciation has grown so much. After reading about bee habits and bodies and needs, my gardening has changed. I look at the bees as friends. I watch them closely. And feel so so glad that they're around.

I hope this book will be read by many, who will also come to be more thankful for the bees in our lives, and help make the world a safer place for them.

Richie's Picks: THE HIVE DETECTIVES
"Wind, rain, spiders, and other animals can pollinate plants, but nothing does the job as efficiently as the honey bee.Some crops, such as almonds, are so dependent on honey bees that they couldn't be produced without the help of commercial beekeepers.Every February, more than half a million acres of almond trees bloom in California, and beekeepers from around the country truck in more than one million bee colonies to do the pollinating.
"Other crops depend on commercial honey bees too.In addition to California almond trees in February, Dave's bees pollinate Florida citrus trees in March, Pennsylvania apple trees in April and May, Maine blueberry bushes in June, and Pennsylvania pumpkin plants in July.
"'The biggest thing about bees is not honey,' says Dave.'It's that your food supply depends on them.'"

When I was little and I had a nose stuffed with snot and a throat filled with sandpaper, my mom would squeeze some fresh lemon into a big mug, add a spoonful of honey and fill it with hot water.I'm thinking that honey's sweet role in being a comfort to me when I was feeling really miserable is one reason why I am still so fond of it today.Concerned about the degree to which refined sweeteners were being added to nearly all processed foods (Yes, I read a book about it.),I've avoided eating food and beverages containing white sugar and/or corn syrup since the Seventies.But I do like to keep a container of honey around for when I bake.

As Loree Griffin Burns explains in THE HIVE DETECTIVES, big-time commercial beekeeper Dave Hackenberg trucks all of his bees to Florida in the winter."Instead of clustering in a hibernation-like state, which is how bees survive frigid northern winters," each of the 150 million bees living amongst Dave's 3,000 beehives keep busy as...err...bees, "maintainingtheir hive, rearing young, and collecting nectar and pollen" (as well as availing themselves of the sugar syrup and protein patties with which they are supplemented in the leaner months).

"Dipping into the flower zone
Soaking up directions
Finding our ways in the dark..."
-- Naomi Shihab Nye from "Honeybee"

But as became big news in 2006, twenty million of Dave's buzzing pollinators vanished without a trace that winter.And, as Loree Griffin Burns was explaining to me when we conversed at the NCTE convention last fall, she recognized news of the bee problems as a potential ecological and food supply disaster in the making, and decided she needed to take a closer look at what was being discovered in the scientific community about these mysterious disappearances.

Since that conversation, I have been waiting impatiently all winter for a chance to read and view what Loree learned from researchers about this Colony Collapse Disorder.

What conditions did the hive detectives discover?

"Among this 'stuff' were striking changes in the way the bees' internal organs looked under the microscope.Dennis found swollen, discolored, and scarred tissues and organs throughout the bodies of bees from CCD hives.The CCD bees also contained evidence of yeast, bacteria, and fungal infections, often all in the same bee.These abnormalities weren't seen in bees from healthy hives."

What is causing these abnormalities?

As the hive detectives compared evidence from hives that suffered CCD to evidence from healthy hives, the results remained unclear as to what factors are separately or collectively responsible for this Colony Collapse Disorder.The pests that many in the beekeeping community immediately suspected of triggering the CCD are apparently not the problem.Nor, it seems, are viruses.There was also no significant difference between the levels of pesticide residue found in the pollen and wax samples from the hives that had been victims of CCD versus the healthy hives.

The investigation continues.

But what stuns me in reading THE HIVE DETECTIVES is that across the board -- in healthy hives and in dead hives -- high levels of pesticides are being found in pollen and wax samples.These pesticides include those employed by the beekeepers themselves to rid bees of certain mites and all the latest pesticides employed by the farmers who are growing the crops being pollinated by the bees:

"The first surprise was how common chemicals were; Maryann found them in almost every sample she tested, whether it came from a CCD hive or a healthy hive.Of 208 pollen samples, only three were completely chemical-free.
"'It was shocking to us to find, on average, five pesticides in each pollen sample,' said Marann.'In one sample we found seventeen different pesticides.
"Perhaps even more shocking was that the chemicals found most frequently -- and at the highest levels -- were those that beekeepers themselves put in the hive to protect their bees from Varroa mites.Somehow these beekeeper-applied chemicals were finding their way into the pollen the bees stored in the hive."

So, does this mean that I am ingesting a chemical feast every time I put together a batch of carob fudge brownies or oatmeal raisin cookies containing honey?Whether or not the honey comes to contain concentrated levels of these pesticides is a question that Loree does not directly address in the book, but is the question that has me thinking hard about my continued use of honey.

My biggest fear from reading this book is that Rachel Carson is long forgotten, that our silent spring is coming, and that 2006 was just a dress rehearsal for an even larger CCD disaster that will critically and irreversibly impact the human food supply.I continue to not understand why those of us who seek to eat in a manner that puts less pressure on an ecologically stressed-out planet are so often characterized as being radical, while the employment by multinational food production companies of new pesticides as foundational tools in their monocultural excesses -- a process by which the public and Mother Earth have become the laboratory rats on whom these brave new chemicals are being tested -- is perceived to be the honest work of mainstream down-to-earth American farmers.

Ellen Harasimowicz's photographs are vivid and revealing; and Loree Griffin Burns' text is clear, engrossing, and easy to follow.Given the ease to which the next epidemic of Colony Collapse Disorder might so quickly plunge us all into the midst of a planetary food supply catastrophe, THE HIVE DETECTIVES is certainly the most important children's book I have so far read this year. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Useful Study Guide
This book is a guide just as the title says. It does not contain geographic details. Only a strategy book. Still very useful and informative.
Shipped promptly. Book looks new. Excellent seller.

Its ok but not the best
It is an ok book but I agree with the previous review that you are better off buying the other book.

Not really worth the New price.
You're better off investing in Rosenberg's The Geography Bee Handbook.More material, better advice, more prep. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Stamped With Genius
I bought the book to study for my school Geography Bee. I recieved the bok the next day and began reading it. The book is arranged in alphabetical order for all 193 countries. My school geography bee was less than a month away when I started studying but it paid off. I won my school geography bee with ease. Later that week Itook the Qualifying test for state level. After my principal sent in my test i checked my answers and had a great score. This book is a great study tool for any kind of geography.

Very good book
I read this book and found it very informative. One of my friend's son used this along with National Geographic Bee Study Guide, Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook and the mygeotrivia website to prepare for the Geography Bee contest.

Commonly available facts, but a carefully pared down set - Afghanistan to Zimbabwe is a usefully bare reference.
There is some controversy about "Afghanistan to Zimbabwe".Is it an awesome study guide that can help you win the national geobee or is it a stripped down book of commonly available information with absolutely no additional content.Well, it's actually both those things.There isn't any content here about how to study or what the bee will be like.There are no practice questions or advice about tactics except the one laid out in the into an implicit in the bones of the book:choose a limited set of information about each country and then learn that set for every country.That's what this book is - a short list of facts about each and every country.Commonly available information, to be sure.

What Wojtanik brings to the table is his choice of which facts he thinks are salient.Only peaks over 8,000 feet are worth learning, for example.There are the basics - population, density, capital, size, economic highlights, disasters, rivers, lakes, highest lowest etc... and that's it.Certainly this brevity is useful.I noticed, however, that the winning question of a later national bee (Which Vietnamese city is located on a river of the same name?A:Hue) isn't covered here and this study guide wouldn't have won it for you that year.That being said - there certainly is a place for this book as raw material for cramming.If you are looking for a book that combines some reference information with study guides, advice, and sample questions, check out "The Geography Bee Complete Preparation Handbook: 1,001 Questions & Answers to Help You Win Again and Again" by Matthew T. Rosenberg.

Somewhat useful, but I could have written this....
I purchased Afghanistan to Zimbabwe last year along with other study resources before the bee season. I use it often, now that I'm preparing for the State bee, but as I look through it I realize that everything in the book is from an almanac or World Factbook. There is no information in the book that takes more than a tiny bit of researching, it seems like the author copied it right out of the almanac. Come to think of it, Icould write something like this, and I've never won the National Geographic Bee. Afganistan to Zimbabwe has limited information, although I must say it is still useful and I can't say putting this book together was easy. It is asomewhat helpful but very unessential study guide.

OK but...
Thought it was interesting that all of the other reviews are by kids who know Andrew personally...

This book was bought for my school library and I quickly realized that all of the information given is available in almost any encyclopedia or website. Token details on each country and while the information is there and in one place, it really isn't worth the purchase price.

I showed it to our geography teacher and he basically said that it was OK, but certainly not something he would use a lot. ... Read more

Product Description
Winner of 2 Benjamin Franklin Awards, the International Gallery Award and name "Most outstanding Children's book" at the Mom's Choice Awards!

Recommended by the Dove Foundation, Children's Book Watch and many other professional reviewers.

Ashley wants to give up in the face of a challenge, but with Ruby Lee's encouragement she learns to face her fears and she grows as a result.

This critially acclaimed, international award winning, best seller encourages children to face life's challenges with courage and faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A book that will fill the fertile mind of any little girl with hope, confidence and faith!
Ruby Lee is a precious story that includes enchanting illustrations. A simple and powerful story, Ruby Lee will fill the fertile mind of any little girl with hope, confidence and faith. As a family counselor I know how essential it is to give our children a steady diet of encouragement--this book provides a healthy dose of encouragement and more!

Kelly Nault - Author of "When You're About To Go Off The Deep End, Don't Take Your Kids With You"

RUBY LEE THE BUMBLEBEE
is a book of discovery. For a child, it holds the delights of an afternoon in Mrs. Wagner's garden of flowers and the small creatures that dwell in a place of nature. A young girl Ashley shares her pleasure with her friend and a wise bumblebee named Ruby Lee who, much to Ashley's surprise, talks to her. Mrs. Wagner asks Ashley to help her by potting some flowers for her patio, but Ashley is afraid she will do it wrong. Left with her uncertainties, Ruby Lee enters her world and convinces her "Ofcourse you can pot those flowers for Mrs. Wagner. You are a talented and bright young lady." Taking Ruby Lee's advice, Ashley finishes the job and realizes how good it feels to know "She had done it!". When Mrs. Wagner returns to the patio, she is very pleased with Ashley's efforts and tells her that by believing in herself, she can do anything
Author Dawn Matheson has written a stunning children's book with illustrations by Pamela Barcita that offer surprises on every page. Its message is gently but simply told. A glossary defines in children's language, any words that might not be in their vocabulary. Page numbers for a parent's easy reference lists Ruby Lee's bits of wisdom.This book is meant for a parent to read aloud to a child,pointing out the many details of each illustration or for a child to browse through,enjoying not only the busy pictures,but the warm story of a little girl and a wise bumblebee. Patricia Linder, author: Row, Row,Row Your Boat and The Lady and the Tiger.

Must Have Picture Book
Many people dismiss the humble bumble bee without considering its remarkable accomplishment: its ability to fly despite having bodies too big for their wings!Wisely, Ashley listened to Ruby Lee, the very wise bumble bee as she faced a task she thought was daunting.

When Mrs. Wagner asked Ashley to plant flowers, Ashley was afraid her efforts would not be good enough.Then she heard Ruby Lee whispering to her from the butterfly bush.Ruby Lee told Ashley to `bee-lieve' in herself and she could accomplish anything.Following Ruby Lee's example, Ashley courageous faced her challenge-and succeeded.

Ruby Lee's heartwarming wisdom is confidence and self-esteem building for all children.The beautiful and expressive language is complimented by fantastic illustrations that take the reader directly into Mrs. Wagner's wonderful garden.

Those who enjoyed "Ruby Lee" might also enjoy "Families are Forever", another picture book that empowers young children as they navigate their unique place in the world.Young Rain learns the true meaning of family in wonderful book about celebrating and respecting all people and families.Books like "Families are Forever" and Ruby Lee celebrate what it is to be human and how we can change the world-if we reach out and grasp opportunities.

Learning through Nature!
What a wonderful gift!Dawn Matheson and Pamela Barcita have presented a beautiful treatise on the gaining of confidence.Mrs. Wagner's garden is the perfect place to learn the ways of nature, through the gifts of a loving God.
How many times in our ordinary lives have we felt we were a bumble bee?Given a task much greater than we; for we have wings far too small for our body!This book shows the possibilities for all of us; have faith and soon confidence will follow.
I highly recommend this book for the quality of its production and the beauty of its message.Dawn Matheson's story and Pamela Barcita's illustrations hold the readers attention, making each page a delight.

Readers, who enjoy Ruby Lee, may also enjoy "The Ballad of Blue Eagle."An adventure story about the animals living in Peaceful Valley and how they are protected by Blue Eagle!

Fun Book With Great Message For Kids
I work in a children's library and am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Ruby Lee has beautiful illustrations and a story line that keeps the children's attention as well as inspires them to "believe in themselves". It is a wonderful spring board for discussion in believing in yourself and telling yourself "you can do it!" I have always liked fun books that also give a message children can relate to, and this is one of them.

Judy Snider ... Read more

Product Description
An investigation into the mysterious case of the vanishing honeybee.From Los Angeles to London, from Slovenia to Taiwan, honeybees are dying. What is behind the catastrophe?

Writers and beekeepers Benjamin and McCallum have traveled across Europe and North America investigating the plight of the honeybee, which is disappearing across the globe at an alarming rate. From commercial almond farmers in California to local honey cultivators in the English countryside, all suffer from lonely hives that are filled with baby bees where all the adults have disappeared.

The loss of our black-and-yellow pollinators would mean the end of agriculture as we know it, threatening our civilization and our way of life, as a third of what we eat and much of what we wear is directly dependent on bees. Addressing different causes for this growing catastrophe, A World Without Bees will both enthrall readers and spur them to action.

"If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left."—Albert Einstein 12 color photographs ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

To bee or not to bee. Is that really the question?
Alison Benjamin and Brian McCallum are two British reporters and amateur bee-keepers. Benjamin works for the British daily paper The Guardian. Their book "A world without bees" was published earlier this year, and deals with the mysterious mass deaths of honeybees all around the world, the so-called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). While some people belive that CCD doesn't really exist, for instance the current Wikipedia writer on the subject, others consider it a serious, global threat to bee-keeping. Benjamin and McCallum certainly belong to the latter camp, claiming that one third of US beehives and two-thirds of those in France have been wiped out by this mysterious condition. Most scientists seem to agree that CCD does exist, but so far no good explanation have been offered, at least none everyone agrees with. The two authors have interviewed researchers who blame pesticides, fungicides, the varroa mite, climate change, new viruses, or even mobile phones (that's a fringe position). Indeed, CCD could be a combination of several different factors. Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV for short) is a prime suspect, but correlation is not necessarily the same thing as causation. Perhaps something in the environment is causing bees to loose their resistance to killer viruses?

The authors own position isn't entirely clear-cut, but their favorite hypothesis seem to be loss of genetic diversity. Most honeybees around the world apparently belong to the same group of Mediterranean subspecies, and the same goes for feral honeybees. These have interbred with wild honeybees, creating a situation in which the honeybee gene pool is virtually the same the world over. When the varroa mite struck, and developed resistance to pesticides, millions of honeybees quickly succumbed - their gene pool was too narrow to develop defenses against the parasite. Benjamin and McCallum therefore strongly supports conservation efforts aimed at preserving local subspecies of wild honeybees. They mention a particular attempt in Denmark, and describe the conflicts this has created between different factions of bee-keepers (the local bees are less productive than the Mediterranean breeds).

The bee-keeping industry seems to take the opposite position from that of the authors: the industry wants to genetically engineer a resilient, resistant and high-productive superbee. The authors fear that this will narrow the gene pool even more. What happens if (or when) the superbee is challenged by an equally resilient superbug?

The book then describes the chilling effects of a world without honeybees. If you think only the honey would disappear, think again! Many important crops are dependent on honeybees for pollination, including alfalfa, apples, almonds, cotton, citrus, soya beans, onions, broccoli, carrots, sunflowers, melons, blueberries, cherries and pumpkins. A world without bees would be a world without fruit, vegetables, juice, health food (the soya) or clothes (the cotton). Alfalfa is used as cattle feed, so a world without bees would also be a world without meat! To drive home the point, the two authors have visited California, where the highly profitable almond orchards are pollinated by honeybees from all over the United States, driven there on enormous trucks. If the honeybees would be wiped out by CCD, an entire industry would be gone. Already today, food prices are going up, due to ethanol production and other factors. CCD doesn't exactly help...

One solution to the crisis mentioned in the book is to use other insects as pollinators, including solitary bees and bumblebees. There are several research projects to that effect in the US. Meanwhile, habitat change have driven bumblebees to near-extinction in some areas, and other insects live too far away from agricultural land to be of much use. Once again, the authors feel that a more environmental-friendly policy is the bottom line.

Is the author's alarmist perspective true? No idea. Until I picked up this book, mostly by chance, I never even heard of CCD. (Of course, I have heard of the varroa mite.) However, Alison Benjamin and Brian McCallum have written an easy-to-read introduction to the issue, after talking to both scientists, migratory bee-keepers, almond growers, and even conspiracy theorists. I recommend the book, and call on everyone to continue researching the topic.

Unique, valuable, objective. A fantastically GOOD book.
I read this wonderful book in one very long sitting; I really could not stop once I started. Having grown up surrounded, in my immediate family,by the 1950's acute nature-awareness of the early Soil Association days of Bob Waller and Harold Horne et al, it was like deja vu to me.
The authors have been very disciplined in producing a really worthwhile book; it is almost perfectly objective, and therefore above cheap criticism. They have worked immensely hard to source a huge amount of sound material, and they have taken the trouble to understand it thoroughly before using it in their book. And the mystery at issue is no less than how terrifyingly detached from truth we are becoming, and how little we now understand our own misery and poverty of life in the midst of all our illusion of ease; how deprived of reality we have already become.
Read it! In the morning, the evening, on the train, in the bath, but read it. It is more real than most other stuff you will find on printed paper or glowing on a monitor any day of the year. ... Read more

Product Description
London. 1926. One war is over, another is beginning, and murder is sealed with a kiss....

At midnight she was ravishing: a tall redhead wearing emeralds and a low-cut dress. An hour later, in her room at the Ritz, she was dead, the jewels torn from her bludgeoned body. Thus begins Barbara Cleverly’s ingenious novel, another masterpiece of suspense from the CWA Golden Dagger Award—winning author.

With the help of a former comrade-at-arms and a society girl turned constable, Scotland Yard Inspector Joe Sandilands enters into the private world ofDame Beatrice Jagow-Joliffe–a hive of state secrets and sexual extravagance.

But as The Dame’s affairs are exposed, the case takes a sudden, strange turn. Because what Sandilands is about to discover are deceptions that go far beyond salacious scandal to betrayals that strike at the heart of a nation . . . and the ruthless heart of a killer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Another great Sandilands mystery
I've read all of the Joe Sandilands mysteries and am waiting anxiously for the next one. Barbara Cleverly just gets better with each installment. I loved her India novels and was afraid I wouldn't like it as well when she moved Joe to England and later France, but that wasn't the case. This one, set in London in 1926, involves the murder of a society dame that appears at first to be a simple robbery but soon morphs into something more sinister. Joe Sandilands works with two police officers -- one a woman, a rarity in those times -- to wade through the riptide of conflicting evidence. This book introduces a charming young character who will figure more prominently in the next novel. I didn't have a problem with reading them out of order. Cleverly's novels are a fascinating glimpse into the Roaring 20s, but also into the aftermath of WWI and the literal and psychological devastation it wrought on a generation of men and women. I highly recommend this book and the rest of the Sandilands series.

Enjoyable read
This was the second Joe Sandiland's mystery I read. The 3++ rating is only due to this book being less satisfying than the first of the series. The author creates what I imagine to be a wonderful period atmosphere. There is a naivete about the books, at the same time many of the characters exhibit a certain decadence. There are twists and turns enough to keep your interest. Nonetheless, it was like eating a large piece of pie with lots of whipped cream ... delicious, but not quite satisfying. I will probably read others in the series despite some reservations.

"Someone's Been Playing Blind Man's Bluff with Me All Along!"
Allow me to explain the title of this book: technically, it's the name of a cocktail that one of the characters drinks during the course of the story, but the more symbolic nature of the "bee's kiss" refers to the fact that a honey bee cannot survive after it stings an opponent - by striking out, it effectively kills itself. Such is the case of one of the several victims in this intriguing, historically-based and ultimately thought-provoking mystery.

There have been several books starring Joe Sandilands already, the first being The Last Kashmiri Rose (Joe Sandilands Murder Mystery), but this is the first installment that takes place outside of India; instead transporting Sandilands back home to London and Scotland Yard. Set between the two World Wars, Cleverly conveys the atmosphere and turmoil of the 1920s extremely well, creating a vivid backdrop dotted with fun historical tidbits dotted throughout the narrative.

Joe Sandilands is called into the Ritz Hotel in order to investigate the sudden and brutal death of Dame Beatrice Jagow-Joliffe: a vivacious forty-something year old heiress, who played a prominent part in the last World War with her organization of a group of women trained in code-breaking and her involvement in the Wrens (the Woman's Royal Navy Corps).

Yet despite her social reputation and the good deeds to her name, it doesn't take long for Sandilands to discover that there are less-than-reputable elements to her life; including a mother and brother that despised her, a younger lover, and a bitter lady's companion. It isn't long before he realizes that the initial conclusions made concerning her death (that it was a burglary gone wrong) are misguided, and he sets out to find the real reasons for her death.

Teamed up with a young policewoman named Matilda "Tilly" Westhorpe who is called in to shed light on some of the more feminine aspects of the case, and Bill Armitage, a plain-clothes policeman who was staking out the hotel for a cat burglar on the night of Beatrice's death, the three of them begin to poke into a mystery that involves political turmoil, blackmail, scandal, double-crosses - all that juicy stuff. But when Sandilands is ordered by his superiors to drop the case, he begins to suspect that there was much more to Beatrice's murder than meets the eye...

The thing that makes Cleverly's novels stand out from the average detective novel is the ethical dilemmas that make for shades-of-grey characters, ambiguous morals and often a bittersweet conclusion. To say anymore would give several twists away; suffice to say, the end of most of Cleverly's books will leave you wondering: "What would *I* do in that situation?"

Strewn throughout are little portraits of life in this particular time and place, giving the sense that Joe Sandilands (as well as all the other characters, no matter how brief their appearance in the story was) have a life outside the crime that needs to be solved. I can't wait to start reading another Cleverley novel...

Good Post WWI Mystery
One of the founders of the Women's Royal Navy Corps is found murdered.Joe Sandilands of the London Metropolitan Police is the investigator until he is told the case has been solved, but that doesn't stop Joe.Cleverly succeeds in recreating the years between the world wars when Britain's class sytem still mattered.Quick, enjoyable read.

well written, but slow
This book was recommended by a member of our book club.It was the March selection.I had a hard time finishing it.It moved slowly and took too long to peak my interest.

I love Masterpiece Theater when there are English dramas and mysteries. I think this would make a good one.But about 3/4's of it would have to be cut out.

Ms. Cleverly is a very good writer, but many of the British idioms were unfamiliar to me. This made it a little hard to read.

But you may want to give it a try.Some members of the our book club liked it.



... Read more

Product Description
Billy can be very difficult to please. Show him something very tall or very small, and he’ll say, "whatever." Let him play in the bounciest moonwalk, and he’ll shrug, "whatever." Take him for a ride in the smokiest train or the speediest space ship – it doesn’t matter, Billy’s reaction is always the same. What might the surly boy say if a hungry tiger came by, and his nonchalant dad gave Billy a taste of his own medicine? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Excellent book for kids with humor and attitude
A fresh take on Maurice Sendak's "Pierre" (whose catch-phrase was, "I don't care!").William Bee's illustrations and tone are sharp and witty.Yes, the central character gets eaten by a tiger.Yes, his father responds with, "whatever."Yes, many kids will recognize themselves in the main character's difficult-to-impress attitude, and most kids will respond with delight and laughter and a dawning recognition of how their attitudes look and feel from others' perspectives.A great little book both for entertainment and personal growth.I also recommend William Bee's "Beware of the Frog" for fantastic illustrations and a charmingly creepy little story that begs to be read aloud -- the text lends itself to creative storytelling.

Make a choice!
I purchased this book for my son... it seems that whenever he is asked for his opinion, from what he would like for dinner towhat he wants to be when he grows up, he answers, " I don't know." This great book uses strong, primary colored minimal artwork and a repetative pattern of a dad trying to elicit a response from his son ( something other than "whatever.") The dad tries all sorts of ideas, but the boy still reacts indifferently to small and big things.... until he is eaten by a tiger.... to which the dad replies, "whatever" the same answer the dad has been getting from the son....This is like a modern day Aesop's fable... a way to teach without being "preachy" and it's a fun book!
Some reviews stated it was not for younger children because of the ending... The first rule of reading aloud is to PREVIEW the book before reading it... to get an idea of what it's about, where would be some good stopping points to talk about the storyline, discuss pictures, what words would be good for changing the tone of voice for emphasis, etc...

Funny Picture Book for Older Children
This book is boldly illustrated and sarcastically funny.In response to the reviewer above - this book is clearly marketed and meant for older children, so, it's not meant for a 2 year old.That doesn't mean though the older children won't find it hi-larious, but "whatever."

Only gave it a 1 because there was no ZERO option.
Horrible book not suitable for children - unless you are fine with children's book's that end with a tiger eating the child and the father walking away saying "Whatever". (Literally this is how the book ends - quite a shock as I was reading it as a bedtime story to my 2 yr old son).

The author must be some sick person who never got enough love as a child. The type of person that should NOT be writing children's books.

I actually can not believe this thing ever got published.

again! again!
My 2 1/2 yr. old daughter cannot get enough of this book. Actually, it is the only book she asks for and will sit down for. Laughter every time.
I hope William Bee writes more books!! ... Read more

Product Description
Roman, a slave to Wulfgar, is less than pleased when the thane acquires a new pet: the beautiful and prideful Aron. Aron has never been with a man and has no wish to be now, but when he is claimed as a thrall to pay his father's debt, his choice in the matter is lost.Captured from Roman-held Londinium four years prior, Roman has learned that life as Wulfgar’s bedslave can still be sweet. He is intrigued, threatened, and ultimately frightened by Aron and his feelings for the young man as they are thrown together by both cunning plan and charmed circumstance.Roman and Aron will form a bond greater than any other claim upon them and determine that whatever the cost, they will find a way to be happy—even if that means risking their lives to find freedom together.Read more about Wulfgar in the spin-off novel Lotus in the Wild. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Delight, but a tad bit Long
How to describe Bee Among the Clover? Now personally, I consider myself an M/M Romantic, meaning I love my main-men to share only between each other in the books I read. Not so much here.

Aron is tricked into a year of servitude as thrall to Wulfgar, little does he will become a bed slave to the large Lord. In comes Roman, the dark haired quiet and beautiful slave who cant help but feel empathy for Aron & his predicament. I have to say, the first night Aron must spend in Wulgar's bed made me a wreck. He's an athletic looking blond young man who is a "virgin" and his first night in Wulgar's castle he is basically rutted upon a drunk Wulfgar, we don't actually witness the coupling but instead 'hear it' from Roman's point of view who happens to be sleeping by Wulgar's bed.

After a long three weeks of the same thing, where Wulfgar has come to relish Aron's body in bed, he finds that despite a vigorous coupling Aron is still resisting him. He therefore invites Roman back into his bed for a threesome. Roman is intelligent, he wasn't a slave all his life as Aron had originally thought him to be he was in fact the son of a rich man who had found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. So besides being a bed slave to Wulfgar he also happens to deal with the dealings of important financial matters. He originally is glad at the fact that Aron has taken his place in Wulfgar's bed even if he is a little afraid that he might lose his Master's favor and lose his protection. But after their three-way Aron finds himself responding to Roman in a way he has never responded to Wulfgar and never will. They form a bond, despite Roman's distant attitude in the beginning. As Aron pursues Roman relentlessly they begin to form a bond, one that ultimately leads to love.
But things are not easy, Roman is a slave forever to be under Wulfgar's command, and Aron cannot see himself chained for so long even as his year of servitude is just beyond his grasp. Things turn dangerous when a guard has only bad intentions towards Roman wanting to make him submit as revenge. When Aron decides he cannot continue being chained to Wulfgar Roman makes a dangerous choice, to help him escape. Yet things only begin to escalate after that, as the two lovers will share the burdens, the hurt, the betrayals, the punishments--trying to come together with their love and freedom intact.

I have to say that "Bee Among the Clover" is so erotic, the authors understand the nature of lust and sex and its very sexy. Roman and Aron were a joy. Wulfgar, who would have been considered the "bad guy" is really not, we actually have another villain. Wulfgar just happens to have a penchant for beautiful young men and a lust and drive that wont quit. What did bother me was towards the end, where Roman who has gained his freedom must sleep every night through the couplings of Wulfgar and Aron because Aron must continue to serve Wulgar until his year is up, which I personally found a little distasteful. The idea of introducing "magic" towards the end in the figure of Cate is also a little too much, I wish the authors could have found a way to omit that and figure out another way to resolve things. The story did get a little repetitive and dare I say...a little boring/long? But great concept and great writing, I would recommend this story to M/M fans, but I thought it better to warn all that even if this does come with a happy ending and Aron and Roman come together in the end, there is a lot of sex scenes where either these two have sex, these three have sex or its an Aron and Wulgar session.

You'll Love It
Originally Posted at: [...]

Even between hearts meant for each other, the hidden pain, the unspoken hurt, can do far more damage than words spoken in anger. This thought is at the core of Ms. Sutherland and Ms. Labbe's engaging collaborative effort. Clashes of wills, of culture, and of perception drive a story of hopeless love, betrayal and, above all, miscommunication.

Set in early Britain at approximately the time when the Romans are beginning to consolidate their military power and, hence, are pulling out, this is a refreshing change from the majority of historicals, which take place post-1700. Having grown up on Rosemary Sutcliffe and attempts to place King Arthur in historical context, I was excited to see such a piece. Historicals are in the details, and this one does not disappoint. The mead hall and its fortifications are well drawn, the technology appropriate. One could smell the woodsmoke and male-dominated (mostly unwashed) air of the place. While it is debatable whether the Norse/Teutonic people had established kingdoms prior to the Roman withdrawal, I'm willing to allow the possibility since the rest of the scene setting is done so well.

Of the three principles, Roman is by far the most sympathetic. He has been the victim of a common practice of the time, forced into slavery as the result of a raid. While he is the son of a powerful family, he is intelligent and adaptable, and has carved a valuable place for himself in the thane, his owner's, household. His emotional scars run deep, though, and he has withdrawn into himself, unable, to large extent, to voice his desires and fears.

The thane, Wulfgar, is a powerful, rough-hewn warrior, just the sort to keep a bunch of rowdy Norsemen in line. He keeps slaves but it was common practice at the time, throughout most of Europe. It's quickly made clear to the reader that while he has a temper, Wulfgar is not an evil man. He expects the people beholden to him to deal with him honestly, he tries to be just, and he does try, in his own way, to take care of Roman and to please him. And, let's face it, as the dominant force in the bedroom, he's darn sexy.

The last male in this interesting triad is more problematic. Aron is a selfish, arrogant brat. I'm sure there are readers who would disagree with me, but the more I turned the story over, the more I reached that conclusion. Roman's inability to express himself certainly led to misunderstandings, but it is Aron's need to have what he wants, now, without consequences, that causes all the true harm and near tragedy. If there is a flaw in this story, it's the fact that Aron fails to undergo much of a change. He comes to certain understandings, yes, but he never really blames himself (or at least not for long) for anything that happens. (Roman, on the other hand, takes responsibility for everything.) His broken promises, his oath-breaking, are somehow Wulgar's fault, and he remains obstinately bitter towards the thane to the very end, no matter how many times Wulgar rescues them or forgives them. That being said, one can never accuse the writers of having Aron act out of character.

Oddly enough, my inability to find much to like about Aron did not spoil the story for me. There is still a sweet tenderness in Aron and Roman's courtship, and a poignancy in the hopelessness of their situation. The detailed portrayal of this unsettled time period, a well-drawn cast of characters, and the desperate hope that, somehow, all will be well in the end more than keep the reader's attention. There are plenty of historical novels out there - few are as adept at transporting the reader as this one. As a side note - I had some concerns in the end about Wulfgar, but I see there's a sequel just for him. I'm looking forward to it.

A good plot but the angst is overwhelming, could not enjoy it...
I love master/slave relationship, but without too much cruelty please. There is a freshness in this story as we have a new bed slave falling for the current bed slave (as Jem says), both ensnared by the same barbaric master. There is a good plot here and I enjoy the story in the beginning. However as the story progresses I find it a bit too wordy going round and round the same issues and misunderstandings between Aron and Roman. And it gets to be depressing as the angst and heartaches simply overwhelm. I could not enjoy it, finding myself exclaiming in frustration as another misunderstanding occur. Just too much "beating on the chests for these 2 men" in their journey to a HEA. Thankfully the writers have given us such a charming and delightful sequel in "Lotus in the Wild", which I strongly recommend.

lovely romance
This book surprised me.The synopsis made it sound like another medieval slave falls for his new master story.Nothing wrong with that, of course (I've enjoyed many such "romances"), but it never hurts to get more than you're expecting.The authors gave it a less common take which I enjoyed far more.New slave falls for the current slave!This makes the tale more believable for me, since a relationship based on coercion doesn't scream romance.I enjoyed the book from the start, but it really started to suck me in about a third of the way.The characters started to come alive off the page and I was suddenly immersed in their tale.

The setting is Britain, sometime during the Roman Empire.Wulfgar is a thane perusing his vassals, when he notes a particularly prosperous crofter who shorted him on his tithe.The crofter's son Aron steps forward to face the music, and the very real possibility that Wulfgar will burn his home down.Instead, Wulfgar offers a terrible choice - his family faces the winter with next to nothing, or he spends the next year as Wulfgar's thrall (something of an indentured servant).Accompanying the thane is Roman, a slave.Roman is something of a mystery - how did he come to be a slave when he is so obviously educated?Why does he seem to enjoy the attentions of the thane?As Aron becomes accustomed to his new role, he begins to ask these questions himself and in the process he rattles Roman to his core.

This is a romance, so the two fall in love, but the obstacles facing them go beyond the angst found in most M/M romances - though there is a fair share here too.Aron will have his freedom in a year while Roman faces a future of perpetual slavery without the one who stole his heart.Though Aron and Roman are the main characters, Wulfgar's role is more than just master.He plays an important role in the romance, and his character is completely three-dimensional.In fact, all three are fully realized, and likeable (even the thane!).They are realistic for their time and setting.The plot is well developed, with some of the usual themes, but also unlikely twists and even a slight supernatural element.There is a fair amount of sex (they are both bed slaves after all), but I wouldn't classify this as erotic romance.The sex is explicit, but not nearly as graphic as in many M/M romances and it fits into the storyline.The authors spend a lot of time building the relationship between Roman and Aron, and there was a lot of character development.Overall, it was an excellent novel that I am grateful is available in print.I can't wait for the sequel, "Lotus In The Wild" when it is available this spring.Highly recommended!

Bee Among the Clover
In the 5th Century, Britain is a harsh country with thanes controlling their own small piece of the land while smartly surrounded by their warriors.Meanwhile, backbreaking work is done by free men or thralls, still free but obligated to their thane for set time periods and slaves, owned forever.

One such thane is Wulfgar, cousin to a king who lives in the northern lands.Wulfgar owns a large tract of land and controls many lives including the young man he snatched from property near Londinium about four years ago.Roman was born free, the son of wealthy parents but unfortunately for him he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.Wulfgar has no intention of ever giving up his handsome bed partner.

While visiting a farmstead over missing payments Wulfgar, his men and Roman who is along to record transactions meet the manager's son named Aron, a comely, well meaning hot head.Shrewd thinking and guile put Aron in Wulfgar's bed by day's end, no longer free he is a thrall for the term of one year.Lives will be changed irrevocably once Aron joins the household, especially for the slave Roman.No one could have foreseen the events that follow for the three men. There lives will never be the same.

Bee Among the Clover is sure to tug your heart strings in the best possible way!Readers of Bee Among the Clover are presented with a tale full of adventure, loads of sensual encounters and the possibility of true love between Roman and Aron.I really enjoyed Bee Among the Clover but the characters many communication issues were too numerous for me.Heavy on characterization and lighter on scenic/historical description, Bee Among the Clover is a lovely romance, very entertaining and totally hot!

Lisa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Pleasure reading
Using with an autistic child on or about 3rd grade level.He enjoys this whole series very much. ... Read more

Product Description
Few insects are more important than bees, wasps, and ants. They maintain the garden’s biological balance, fertilize vegetables, fruits, and flowers, and recycle nutrients within the soil. It’s no exaggeration to say that a garden can’t be understood without an understanding of its insects.

Bees, Wasps, and Ants explores the importance of the Hymenoptera and explains how gardeners can encourage (or discourage) them in the garden. Part One includes a summary of their biology and a tour of what role they play in each part of the garden. Part Two takes a closer look at the individual groups within the family, including sawflies, horntails, woodwasps, parasitic wasps, predatory wasps, bees, and ants.

Bees, Wasps, and Ants is sure to persuade even the most insectphobic reader to invite these fascinating creatures into their gardens.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great introduction to a feared and misunderstood group of insects
I absolutely love this book and find it to be a most valuable guide to a much-feared group of insects. As a shutterbug new to macro photography of insects, I have become immersed in a world most people ignore unless they are frightened by an aggressive Hymenopteran. The photos in this book are first rate and have helped me with identification of my own tiny subjects. As the author points out, this is not a field guide per se, but a sound introduction to the natural history and biology of these insects.Their roles in nature are complex and fascinating. This book is aimed at serious students of insect life and garden enthusiasts. The writing is clear albeit somewhat technical at times, which is to be expected as it is a science book. The author is especially good on the Parasitoid Wasps, the main focus of his own professional work in the field. If you enjoy above average science books and have an interest in gardening or insect photography you should get yourself a copy of this book. ... Read more

Product Description

In Honey Bees: Letters From the Hive, bee expert Stephen Buchmann takes readers on an incredible tour. Enter a beehive--one part nursery, one part honey factory, one part queen bee sanctum--then fly through backyard gardens, open fields, and deserts where wildflowers bloom. It's fascinating--and delicious!

Hailed for their hard work and harmonious society, bees make possible life on earth as we know it. This fundamental link between bees and humans reaches beyond biology to our environment and our culture: bees have long played important roles in art, religion, literature, and medicine--and, of course, in the kitchen.

For honey fanatics and all who have a sweet tooth, this book not only entertains and enlightens but also reminds us of the fragility of humanity's relationship with nature.

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Unmasking Social Convention
Mandeville does a sterling job in unmasking social convention. His fable, upon which he provides his own commentary, stripes the outer layers of social convention from the reader and examines man from the perspective of his basic selfishness.

Mandeville has been criticized by many, whom he recognized, that have not even read his works. His work is still now largely neglected and unread., partly due to the quaintness of his 18th century writing style. But what a treasure awaits those who have the patience and perseverance to read this delightful work of ruthless honesty.

For example, Mandeville describes marriage mainly in terms of lust, not much different from the modern evolutionary psychologists. Prostitution is defended in pragmatic terms in that it 'protects' the family! Rulers who devote more time to the outward trapping of power and neglect such things as an adequate defense or police system come in for a serving. And on and on it goes ...

Mandeville is important in that the likes of Hume and Adam Smith were not only aware of his work, but influenced, in a positive way, by it. Mandeville, in terms of the development of our understanding of morals and society, cannot be neglected.

If you want to look society... and ourselves... honestly in the face, then this is the book.

My advice is buy the Libery Fund 2 volume edition

Interesting
I first read an extract from this in second year English in university, and thought the author had some interesting ideas. Although the blurb casts the book as part of the great age of 17th-century English satire, it's more of a straight critique of society than a sarcastic diatribe, and probably doesn't warrant comparison with say, Swift's A Modest Proposal.

From what I can remember, the book is all about the changes taking place in society at the time, especially with the growth in the importance of commerce. Much of it concerns hypocrisy and some moral paradoxes that seem to go unnoticed. Mandeville's starting-point is to liken society to a hive, wherein the behaviour of the bees, though individually selfish, aggregates to form a kind of common good. The book was banned by the Grand Jury of Middlessex, and I suspect that much of the controversy resulted from readers mistaking description for prescription. In other words, people seem to have concluded that Mandeville was saying that this is how society ought to behave, whereas he was merely making observations.

His ideas are interesting, but I can't agree with all of them. One egregious error occurs when he makes the sweeping generalisation that morality is frequently selfishly motivated, using the following argument. Most people, if they see a baby falling from a high window, will rush to try and save it, not out of the child's interests, but merely to spare themselves the pain of seeing the child injured or killed. The next obvious question never seems to enter Mandeville's mind: if people are truly selfish, how would they have developed the empathy to feel the child's pain that strongly to begin with? So: a good commentator but perhaps not a brilliant thinker. ... Read more

Product Description
The Mason-Bees is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Jean-Henri Fabre is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Jean-Henri Fabre then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good Old-fashion Bee-havior
The Mason-Bees written by J. Henri Fabre.The book was published in 1925 by Garden City Publishing Company in Garden City, New York.It was translated by Alexander Teixeira De Mattos, who was a fellow of the zoological society of London.The book contains a total of 315 pages not including the introduction. J. Henri Fabre was a teacher of chemistry and physics.He devoted his life to the study of insects.He wrote many other books including: The life of the caterpillar, The life of the Spider, Animal life in field and Garden, Life of the fly and The Insect world J. Henri Fabre.
The Mason-Bees starts out as a story about a teacher, who as part of his teachings brings his students out into the field for field experiments.The curiosity of his students on bees inspires his own mind into the workings of the bees in his area.This spark inspires him to start the study of his bee subjects.He begins to tell the reader of his observations, experiments, and study into other insects and animals that relate to his study of bees.
The author starts by telling the readers of his daily and general observations of bees.He goes into great detail of the complexity and strength of the nests that are built by the bees in his hometown.He describes to us the process they go through in the reproduction process.The building of the nest, the gathering of food, the laying of the eggs and defense were written in detailed. The classification of the different bees observed was also given by the author.
In order to learn more about the bees, the author begins his experiments with the removal of the bees from their nest.He wanted to see if the bees would be able to find their way back from a distance of about two and a half miles.He does this by marking the bees and letting them go to see if they would find there way back.These experiments showed that most of the bees were able to find their way back.He did many more different types of experiments on the bees in order to supplement his theory on their behavior.Most of his experiments were centered on finding out how they are able to find their way back to their nest.
The author also relates his studiesthrough the study of other insects like ants and parasites of the bees and even cats.His main aim was to find out more about the instinct of the bees being able to find its home from great distance.He takes suggestion from general people (non- scientist) and from the great Charles Darwin himself as part of his process.He goes on to show how the suggestions from all these people didn't work and how he learned from them.
The book was very well written and easy to understand for a reader, who does not have a lot of knowledge on bees.It was interesting to see the perspective of a scientist studying insects in the late 1800's.The author was a reliable scientist because he did not jump to conclusions quickly but did more experiments to prove a lot of his statements.He shows this by getting help and opinions from other people in his study.The book does provide knowledge but it is a little outdated due to all the information that we have now on bees and insects in general.The author does however impose his own opinion on mimicry and parasites to the readers in this book.Overall, the book was great because it provided a lot of information but also has entertainments value.It was not straight through about bees but also was about other insects and even cats out of all things.
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Product Description
Now in 11 languages worldwide, To Bee or Not to Bee is the story -- clever and spiritually sophisticated -- of a worker bee who, with the help of a newfound friend, finds fulfillment amidst the mindless tedium and chaos of life in a honeybee colony. Imagine yourself in that stifling existence -- build the hive, forage, feed the larvae, store honey and pollen, sleep. Repeat. Throw in some curiosity and spiritual yearning and you get this clever and heartful inspirational allegory. Magically illustrated by award-winning artist, Laurie Barrows, To Bee or Not to Bee is the story of Buzz Bee's search for God. What he ends up finding is himself. Hmmm. Peppered with aphorisms and laced with wit and humor, To Bee or Not to Bee teaches that the only way out is in, that the greatest present is the present, and that life is a journey from I to we. No matter what your spiritual path, this touching tale will leave a smile on your face and a glow in your ! heart. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

An important allegory
What a great little story. I finished this short book in a few hours, and I'm so glad I came across it in the first place. It's the story of a Buzz Bee, and it begins with his lack of contentment with everything - life, work, relationships with his fellow bees, etc. He knows there is something "more." One day he happens upon Bert, a bee who is practicing being still (meditating) by a stream. Bert takes Buzz under his wing (another cute pun!) and teaches him the ways of enlightenment. These ways are very often frustrating and painful for Buzz. Eventually, though, he finds his way.

I really needed this story at this time in my life, because I feel that I fell deeply into what the author describes as the "Divine Detour." I became obsessed, like Buzz, with God, and thinking that God WANTED me to be obsessed with Him! (Right??) This story helped clear that up a bit.

It's full of wonderful inspiration and absolutely true quotes, such as "Themind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I will keep coming back to this book. It's short enough to read again, and I definitely will do so. Highly recommended, no matter where you are on your spiritual journey.

Learn a bit about Bees and a lot about Life
A wonderful story of the journey of Buzz, abee who is searching for answers.

Often times in life, we find ourselves asking questions about our own lives, looking for answers, trying to understand the reason and purpose.Have you ever thought, there must be a better way?Written in a story format, this book takes you on a journey, gives you advice and suggestions that may help you to answer some of your own questions.

It is a great book to share with people of all ages and you will find it contains many wonderful words of wisdom. We highly recommend this book.

Great Motivational Book
I stumbled upon this book at the bookstore while trying to find some books for spirtiual growth.This book hit the spot and I couldn't put it down!I recommend this to anyone who is confused about religion or spirituality as well as those people just feeling like they don't quite fit in.Very great Book! :)

Sweet Tale of Spiritual Awakening
John Penberthy has written a lovely story about the importance of learning to still the mind and access the wisdom we each have deep inside. TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE tells a story from the vantage point of ahoneybee named Buzz. Buzz deals with issues of feeling rejection, isolation, and confusion from those who admonish him for "beeing" different. TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE is full of such plays on words, yet this light-hearted approach to what could otherwise be a heavy, serious topic about spirituality is just the right touch for a book whose genuine intent is to remind us who we truly are.

I love the way the wise old mentor bee, Bert, provides Buzz with guidance, wisdom, and support, and the way the various crises facing the honeybee colony set the stage for some far-reaching decisions to be made. I was amazed to see how the various problems facing the bees so closely parallel human concerns and issues, and delighted to see how Buzz recognizes opportunities to come to peace with "beeing" himself regardless what other bees might say or think. A crisis involving the hive occurs when a marauding bear named Boris provides the colony with incentive to go to war... while Buzz contemplates a more peaceful vision of the hive's future.

Discover all you can bee in this charming tale... you will bee amazed!

There's More to Life Than Just Making Honey
Buzz Bee is having a great day! That is, he's having a great day until he starts thinking! Why do we have to do the same old work the same old way? Is there a better way? Why do we all have to be the same? Are we really better than those small ants and how do you know they're not as good as we are? Why does anyone have to be "better?" On and on, Buzz's questions go and others are beginning to see him as not only different but just plain weird?

What is Buzz to do or not do? Just as he seems at the very lowest point of despair, he meets an older bee, Bert. Their conversations and ruminations about love, work, death, God, religion, sameness, difference and just "being" pepper these 140 pages with a fascinating dialogue that's bound to touch every reader's mind, heart and spirit!

For Buzz is about to really enter a spiritual journey that he could never have imagined before meeting Bert. Attracted to and repelled by what he hears, he can neither conform to or ignore what he hears from this older bee who is his greatest friend.

He must go on his own journey to find out the truth or whatever else just "is!"

Sound familiar? This is a simple yet profound story effectively told and accompanied by lovely drawings that parallel the story to deeply affect the reader. To Bee or Not to Bee is a quick, lovely, powerful and unforgettable read!

Highly recommended for readers of all ages!

Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on March 5, 2008

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Product Description
New observations on the natural history of bees is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by Franeºois Huber is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of Franeºois Huber then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more