Customer Reviews (1)

'The Original Bond' did it again!
In this exciting and hilarious story, Ruskin Bond describes the adventures of 'Grandfather' as he tries to make a Private Zoo!From monkeys to snakes and from Hornbills tobuffaloes, Mr.Bond has created a world of its own.Grandfather bought Toto the monkey from a tonga-driver(A tonga is a small wooden platform with wheels, pulled by horses) .Toto was alittle red monkey with bright eyes. Toto was loved by all in Grandfather's family. But unfortunately, Toto was a very naughty and cheeky creature. he managed to get Grandpa in all sorts of troubles and it was not long before he was sold back to the tonga-driver--for almost half the price!Grandfather also bought a conceited python.It was also very troublesome. The python loved to look itself at the mirror, so Grandpa used its weakness to get rid of it. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
Zoo is the second collection of poems by the successful young British writer, Tobias Hill, to be published by Oxford University Press. Hill's nocturnal, ferret-like eye and emotional stance somewhere between distance and intimacy lend the poems in his new collection a narrative, almost conversational feel.He follows the tracks of rivers and canals, listening to the sounds of the animals in their cages at the London Zoo. Along the way, he treats the reader to the impressions he picks up as if they were bits of interesting rubbish that signify something important. ... Read more

Product Description
Der junge Tierpfleger Josh muss neben seiner Arbeit im Zoo ebenfalls seinen Zwillingsbruder Kevin betreuen. Der sitzt seit einem Unfall im Rollstuhl und ist auf Joshs Hilfe Tag und Nacht angewiesen.
Ihre innige Zuneigung ist stärker, als bei anderen Geschwistern, das merkte auch der attraktive Lukas, der jeden Tag in den Zoo kommt und schon bald Gefallen an Josh gefunden hat.
Nachts vertreibt sich Josh die Zeit als „Callboy“, um Abwechslung in den Alltag zu bringen und den fremden Männerbekanntschaften ebenfalls ein paar Spendengelder für den Zoo zu entlocken.
„Nachts im Zoo“ist eine Mischung aus Krimi und leichtem Drama, dem die außergewöhnliche Beziehung der Zwillinge Josh und Kevin zugrunde liegt.
Mit ebenso leichtem Witz geschildert, bietet der Roman, der hauptsächlich im Territorium des Zoos spielt – und durch die Beschreibung von Tieren und der Arbeit der Tierpfleger stets aufgelockert wird – eine ganzaußergewöhnliche Geschichte. Trotz des schrecklichen Mordfalls gibt es ein Happy End!

... Read more

Product Description

Scientists today believe that God's Universe is essentially infinite.  It contains untold billions of galaxies.  Each galaxy contains billions of stars.  Our Sun is just one of those stars.  It is a mathematical certainty then that there are civilizations on planets out there that are light years ahead of us.  Maybe, some of those alien civilizations have been treating us the same way that we treat inferior species here on Earth. 

Product Description
The Anteater was framed! But if Lucy, the pregnant Giant Anteater from Belize, didn’t kill the man found dead in her enclosure, who did? California zookeeper Teddy Bentley must find the real murderer before her furry friend is shipped off to another zoo in disgrace.
Then another human bites the dust, the monkeys riot, and the wolves go nuts. Things get worse when the snooty folks at Gunn Landing Harbor attempt to evict Teddy from the Merilee, her beloved houseboat.
That’s just the beginning. Her father, on the lam from the Feds for embezzling millions, gets targeted by a local gangster; and Caro, Teddy’s socialiteand former beauty queen mother who loathes Teddy’s dangerous job, starts introducing her toeligible bachelors. But Teddy has already given her heart to Sheriff Joe Rejas, a migrant worker’s son. Caro is not pleased.
Zoo life, animal lore, and the leaky ups and downs of Central Coast California houseboat living create a thrilling backdrop for murder. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (32)

Poorly written, but possibly saved by the setting
Having lived in Germany and Berlin for several years, I devour books written about inter-war period Germany, especially Berlin.

This book starts with an intriguing plot, and main character - former British WWI vet who had a German mother who gave him a leg up on the language. He's a correspondent in Berlin, with anti-war leanings due to his time in the trenches.He has a steamy German movie star girlfriend who recently replaced his German ex-wife.

He's torn between doing his correspondent job, and a chance to help the daughters of a Jewish Berlin doctor to whom he is giving English lessons, as well as spending time with his son by the German ex-wife now living with the ex-wife's new pro-Nazi husband. Should he go to a Hertha FC soccer game with his son, or smuggle to England a valuable stamp collection of the Jewish doctor to give his daughters funding when they leave Germany to England?

You'll have to find out, but essentially a potentially terrific plot with a good setting and imagery goes south fast due to an elementary style of prose and predictable, almost laughably formulaic situations through which the characters adventure across Germany, England, Poland and the Czech border.

Well Written, but slightly cynical and dull
This is a well-written novel which unfortunately lacks a compelling plot, a summary of which you've no doubt read in previous reviews, so I'll omit it here.

I've always been fascinated about pre-war life in Nazi Germany - just how insanity of Nazism slowly crept into the average German's daily existence, etc.However, such details in this book seems scant.

The protagonist, a journalist and former communist, is the stereotypical world-weary cynic, with a heart of gold.

I can't help feeling that the world the author tried to recreate was a bit more complex and shaded.Not a bad airplane read, but ultimately uninteresting.

Worth Reading
I never quite understand why so many reviewers on these Amazon book pages are so harshly negative when posting a review. That especially seems to be the case with a number of the reviews of this book, and frankly, I really don't understand why? Does no one actually read anymore just for the pure sake of entertainment? I'm beginning to feel like I am the last one who does.

With that said, I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was very engaging, very descriptive, and quite suspenseful. I found the characters to be believable and actually found myself enjoying them. I've enjoyed them so much so that I ended up purchasing the two sequels to the book (both of which I read in quick sucession, and enjoyed equally as much) and have just acquired from Amazon UK the fourth installment because I couldn't wait for it to come out in the US. And in all honesty, some of the other books of this genre and period that other readers rave about, I found entirely lackluster... enjoyable reading for entertainment's sake, but nowhere near as engaging as these books. If you liked this book, give Rebecca Cantrell's "A Trace of Smoke" a try too.

Disappointing mistakes
I enjoyed this book except for obvious errors with regard to Berlin, geography and some scenes.An author writing in this genre should get such annoying details correct.At least the editor should have recognized the errors and corrected them.Much as I'd like to read another of his books, I am hesitant to do so.Maybe I'll stick to places that I do not know as well as Germany.

Thriller on training wheels
This novel fits into the fiction category I call Casablanca Lite - the emphasis on Lite. The protagonist in this type of story finds himself surrounded by the evils of Nazi Germany and at first reluctantly and then finally whole-heartedly picks up his sword and fights the good fight.

In Zoo Station, our hero John Russell, is a British journalist - not a cynical and jaded café proprietor - based in pre-WWII Germany who wields a pen and a press pass rather than the above mentioned sword. He has a beautiful German girlfriend - an actress of course - and a son in the Fatherland - and hence he just can't leave Germany - even as things begin to turn Nazi ugly.

In 1939 Russell is hired on the sly by the Soviets to snoop around and write "articles" about Nazi armament plans which Russell also shares with British intelligence. There are train trips, nights in hotels, elegant dinners and some pillow talk - and before the reader can say "letters of transit", our hero is a full-fledged "undercover agent".

The plot here is minimal, the historical context superficial and the characters are one dimensional and wooden. If World War II espionage novels are your cup of tea, you'll be much better served by reading Alan Furst, Philip Kerr and several of the Inspector Troy books by John Lawton.

Pass on this one.

... Read more

Product Description
What's stinkier than dog breath? Hawaii's Calvin Coconut is on a mission to find out!

Hawaii boy Calvin Coconut is a fourth-grade whiz kid: he has convinced his mom to let him adopt a dog. But Mom says Streak smells bad. Especially her breath. To Calvin, Streak’s stink is a good one, but he’s worried. If he doesn’t come up with a way to deal with Streak’s zoo breath soon, Mom might make him give his dog back to the shelter. So when his teacher assigns the class a discovery project, Calvin teams up with his pal Julio to find a way to fix Streak’s bad breath.
Zoo Breath is full of fun . . . and great stinks. Calvin Coconut’s discoveries will delight readers who have grown to love him, as well as those new to this series by Graham Salisbury, with charming illustrations by Jacqueline Rogers.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

ZOO BREATH: A Book for Dog People of All Ages
While I am definitely enjoying reading about Calvin Coconut's adventures in Graham Salisbury's new series of books for younger readers, ZOO BREATH goes beyond simple "small kid time" antics and subtly explores deeper issues such as ways kids relate with absent parents and the parent figures in their day-to-day lives. On one level, ZOO BREATH is a delightful and edifying adventure of a fourth grader living with his single mother; his younger sister, Darci; the teenage daughter of one of Calvin's mother's high school friends and now the live-in babysitter, Stella; and Streak, Calvin's recently acquired dog. Calvin's life includes typical fourth grade challenges such as school projects, responsibilities at home, the irritations of having a sixteen-year-old female in the house ("who could make my dog go away by complaining to Mom"), teasing about girls by his peers, and a mom who he fears will make him get rid of his dog if he can't keep Streak from causing problems at home. These issues will certainly capture Salisbury's younger readers.

This book's conflict revolves a round the challenge of a school science project, and clever Calvin manages to combine his concerns about Streak with his school obligations in a project focusing on kinds of stinky smells. Young readers will delight in the situations Calvin and his assigned project partner, Julio, get into doing their research: attempting to bottle offensive stinks, making a chart to show their ranking of common stinks (toilet hole and dead toad were among the worst, while cat breath and pig breath were less offensive than dog breath), and even trying to use mouthwash and toothpaste to clean up Streak's breath.

ZOO BREATH also subtly explores Calvin's feelings about his biological father and Ledward, his mom's boyfriend, as well as Calvin's developing awareness of girls. These issues, too, are important to many of Salisbury's young readers. In perhaps the most poignant scene in the book, Calvin looks forward to having a good phone conversation with his dad Little Johnny Coconut, now living in Las Vegas, but Dad seems to be in too much of a hurry for Calvin. Shortly after that disappointment, Ledward senses Calvin's letdown and offers: "You ever need to talk about anything, you come see me, okay?" Combined with Ledward's fatherly involvement early in the novel when he includes Calvin and Julio in the installation of the new toilet and "wrapping it up" as a surprise for Mom, Salisbury shows readers that Ledward and Calvin's relationship is a more healthy father and son one than the one between Calvin and his biological father.

As Calvin's teacher Mr. Purdy says at one point in the novel, "Some people are dog people, and some aren't."I would add that ZOO BREATH is a book for dog people of all ages. ... Read more

Product Description
From catching alligators in the reservoirs of New York and capturing giant crocodiles in Venezuela and giant frogs in West Africa to finding mummified human heads in a Bronx apartment, eels on a bus, cobras on the loose, and crocodiles that make change—a memoir of one man’s career working with exotic reptiles and other animals.

After the teenage Peter Brazaitis brought home one creepy crawly creature too many, his stepmother declared, “You are an animal, and you belong in a zoo!” He took her at her word. He went directly from high school in Brooklyn to a job at the Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo, where he stayed for more than thirty years, eventually becoming superintendent of reptiles. He later became curator of the Central Park Zoo, and continues to work with law enforcement as a forensic specialist in the fight to stop illegal importation and slaughter of reptiles for the luxury exotic-leather industry. (His effectiveness at this would earn him the moniker “The Bald-Headed Snake Keeper in the Bronx.”) You Belong in a Zoo! presents the amazing experiences Brazaitis has had in more than four decades of working with wild animals.

Enlightening, funny, and often outrageous, You Belong in a Zoo! is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at zoos, animal people, and some of nature’s most extraordinary creatures.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

You Belong in a Zoo; Tales from a Lifetime Spent witjh Cobras, Crocs, and other Creatures
This is a must read for people with herpetological interests.It's also a great read for people with a love of animals who knew New York from the mid-1950s until now.Peter Brazaitis writes not only with a high degree of expertise about animals but with a wry sense of humor that is both charming and captivating.It's hard to read this without thinking..."Gee...I wish that I'd have met and known him. I'm sure that I'd like him."

I belong in a zoo, too
I'm a total herp nut, so this book was right up my alley.It was easy, interesting reading and read like the author was there talking to me, telling stories about his life and experiences.This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to go into zookeeping, regardless of if they see themselves working with herps or not.Incompitent bosses, visitors you'd like to chuck head first into the [carnivorous animal] exhibit, never enough money, escaped animals...it doesn't matter what species you work with, you *will* encounter all of that and more.All keepers need to have their minds on what they're doing and check the locks and follow directions, and Pete's herp house stories clearly illustrate why and what can happen when you're sloppy.

Fangtastic
As a child, Peter Brazaitis' stepmom told him "You belong in a zoo!" He decided she had a point.

This book is part biography, part recollection of interesting episodes in his career. Brazaitis went on to work at the Bronx Zoo and Central Park Zoo in New York, and his specialty is reptiles.

Many people find scaly animals to be scary or repulsive, but Brazaitis helps to bring some uunderstanding and fondness for them to the reader. He has a talent for storytelling. He raises the tension in a scary story about an escaped cobra. He transports you to a very different kind of society as he describes a trip to capturte goliath frogs in Africa. He brings insight into how zoos are run and how they've evolved. And more than once he gets a lot of chuckles from landmark human stupidity. (Such as the lawyer with a unique idea about the digestive + reproductive systems, or the true pinheads who seem to think venomous snakes make for interesting pets.)

If you're interested in animals, you'll find "You Belong in a Zoo!"to be an excellent read.

Great "Behind the Scenes" Account of Zookeeping
"You Belong in a Zoo" is Peter Brazaitis' tale of his storied career caring for and studying reptiles.Brazaitis' served as Superintendant of reptiles at the Bronx Zoo and as Curator of the Central Park Zoo, and has also acted as an advocate for endangered reptiles through his work to prevent the illegal importation and killing of these animals.Brazaitis of course has a wealth of stories to tell - some humorous, some frightening, and some a combination of the two.After describing 15 foot long King Cobras capable of rising to look a full grown man in the eye, Brazaitis relates the story of his attempt to capture one of these fascinating but deadly creatures by precariously balancing above a pool of crocodiles to reach the ceiling panel where the snake is hiding.Brazaitis' take on reptiles, and animals in general, is interesting. He obviously has a deep respect and admiration for animals, especially the reptiles he has spent a lifetime studying, but his view of animals seems different from that of some of the more radical animal rights activists.One could also argue that Brazaitis' work - especially his work with customs officials to stop the smugggling of endangered reptiles - has done more good than some of the antics of the more extreme members of PETA, for example.Brazaitis writes in an earnest style with some dry wit thrown in, and this style is quite effective in relating the story of his career."You Belong In a Zoo" is an entertaining tale of reptiles and other animals, and an enjoyable autobiography of a man who has obviously "found his niche" in caring for these creatures.

Excellent Reading
This is a great book. I find myself laughing at times, grimacing at others.

The author has a great understanding of snakes and other reptiles. His respect for crocodiles comes across very clearly in this book. He also has a great understanding of human nature and some of the stories he tells are touching and sensitive. Others are hilarious and I laughed out loud while reading this book

The book is well written and enjoyable. It is easy to read and grabs you right from the opening pages. Even when he is lecturing to the reader or providing information, it is done in context and is very interesting.

Well worth every penny.
Enjoy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Best book ever written on 80s alt-Berlin
i lived in west berlin 1983-1984 and find walker's books one of the best ever written on 80s berlin--at least the 80s berlin i knew, schöneberg, kreuzberg, the music scene, the squats. a must-read for any current berliner who has any interest in music, arts, history and politics.

as for the "execable" review below, it is journalism -- no pretenses to fine art. comparisons to beat writers are absurd. i don't know what part or social sector of berlin that reviewer lived in, but he clearly missed the best stuff as seen in the book "zoo station."

walker never wrote the book on Nicaragua as he sadly died in the early 90s.

Ian Walker
August 13, 1952 - December 8, 1990
RIP!

Song of the Shirt
"Zoo Station" is important as a document of the young Left in the West in the 1980s, during a time when the United States was funding vicious wars in Central America and the Soviet Union was preparing tocollapse.Since the Berlin Wall has fallen , few people have had much goodto say about the governments of the former Eastern Bloc countries, and themedia treats the continued existance of a strong communist movement inEastern Germany as an anachronism.Having read "Zoo Station", Iwas able to understand why some people regarded East Germany as a pinnacleof socialist achievement, much more preferable to its capitalist twin inthe West.It is good travel writing, and is both politically andculturally astute.

Walker's life among the Turkish residents of Kreuzbergin Berlin also has helped me understand the predicament of guestworkers inGermany, the country with the highest percentage of resident"foreigners" in Europe.

More than anything, "ZooStation" highlights Walker's skill as a journalist, and it's a shamehe never did publish that book on Nicaragua like he said he would.

One of the Top Ten Worst Books Ever
I first visited Berlin over a quarter of a century ago when, like the author, I was a young man in my 20s. I have lived and studied there. I have crashed out in the tower blocks of the satellite suburbs and walked thesleazy inner-city streets at night. I think I know the place pretty well;Berliner friends tell me I probably know it better than some of the locals!The buzz about the place is alluring and irresistible. Berlin is a city Ilove dearly. I also think I've read most of whatever is worth reading aboutthe place, in both English and German.

Why do I mention all of this?Simply to underline the sheer awfulness of this execrable piece ofwork.

Heavily influenced by 'On the Road', Walker Dean Moriarties his waythrough a Berlin populated by spongers, drop-outs and weirdos whose livesrevolve around dope, booze and 70s soul. Trouble is, he ain't no Kerouac.Of course, part of the city's attraction - as it has been down through theages - lies in its vibrant social mix. In many ways, the people ARE thecity. But really, to read Walker, you'd think they spent half their liveslying in the gutter, stoned and wondering where the next handout was comingfrom.

Walker's book does a disservice to a great and wonderful city.There is no sense of balance or perspective about his work, the'adventures' of the title become predictable and repetitive and the stylesuffers from a painful desire to show us all how ultra-hip he is.

Thisis one of those books that you keep reading simply because it's so bad.Like a rabbit transfixed byoncoming headlights, you can't tear yourselfaway. I wish I could have given it no stars.

description of sybaritic person's view of divided Berlin
Just read while visitng Berlin in 1997.Good historical background of divided city.I enjoyed his perspective of questioning both societies' institutions (he was in his 20's & lived with many other young people who partied & lived a hedonistic poor life in West Berlin.)Excellent background for a 1st time visitor to Berlin.I'd like to find more of author's writing but unable to. ... Read more

Product Description
WHERE NO ONE ELSE DARE VENTURE… 

Zinzi has a Sloth on her back, a dirty online 419 scam habit – and a talent for finding lost things. But when her latest client, a little old lady, turns up dead and the cops confiscate her lastpaycheck, she’s forced to take on her least favourite kind of job: missing persons

An astonishing second novel from the author of the highly-acclaimed Moxyland.

FILE UNDER: Modern Fantasy [Black Magic Noir / Pale Crocodile / Spirit Guardians / Lost Stars] ... Read more

Product Description
Marjorie Williams knew Washington from top to bottom. Beloved for her sharp analysis, elegant prose and exceptional ability to intuit character, Williams wrote political profiles for the Washington Post and Vanity Fair that came to be considered the final word on the capital's most powerful figures. Her accounts of playing ping-pong with Richard Darman, of Barbara Bush's stepmother quaking with fear at the mere thought of angering the First Lady, and of Bill Clinton angrily telling Al Gore why he failed to win the presidency -- to name just three treasures collected here -- open a window on a seldom-glimpsed human reality behind Washington's determinedly blank façade. Williams also penned a weekly column for the Post's op-ed page and epistolary book reviews for the online magazine Slate. Her essays for these and other publications tackled subjects ranging from politics to parenthood. During the last years of her life, she wrote about her own mortality as she battled liver cancer, using this harrowing experience to illuminate larger points about the nature of power and the randomness of life. Marjorie Williams was a woman in a man's town, an outsider reporting on the political elite. She was, like the narrator in Randall Jarrell's classic poem, "The Woman at the Washington Zoo," an observer of a strange and exotic culture. This splendid collection -- at once insightful, funny and sad -- digs into the psyche of the nation's capital, revealing not only the hidden selves of the people that run it, but the messy lives that the rest of us lead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Exquisite
This is the only essay-compilation volume that I have ever read cover to cover. Engaging, illuminating, thought-provoking. I had not known the author until after her death.

The end-piece, about 50 pages dealing with her diagnosis and journey with liver cancer, is the best cancer memoir I have ever read, and I've read more than a few of them.

She was some kind of woman -- tragic that it must be written "was."

A Look at Life and Death
Thanks to editor Timothy Noah, for compiling this collection of his deceased wife's writings - a legacy of getting to the heart of the matter, whether the topic is why feminists didn't flinch at Clinton's flagrant womanizing, to her own unflinching fight against liver cancer.

The book has three sections:
1) Profiles of Washington Insiders, that could have been dry if written by another, but instead sparkle with insights into personality, behind-the-scenes machinations, and human drama;
2) Essays, including one on another feminist fiasco -- makeup advertorials in Ms. Magazine;
3) Time and Chance, memoirs of dealing with a deadly diagnosis and how, as a mother of two young children, she made her final four years as meaningful and as normal as possible. Her final story, "The Halloween of My Dreams," describes how her almost-nine year old daughter dresses in the glitter of a teenage rock star, letting her see into the future that would never be for her as a mother.

This volume is written brilliantly, and more importantly, cuts a searing flash of life-and-death insights into your mind and heart that you won't soon forget.

Very interesting insights into life in Washington, DC
I have given this book to two friends who have enjoyed it.I enjoyed this writer's insight into life in Washington, especially her view with famous people like Al Gore and Barbara Bush.Her own personal stories dealing with her terminal illness were very touching and leave you with feelings that you will never forget.

As good in retrospect
Marjorie Williams wrote political profiles in Washington for a number of years, before her death from liver cancer in 2005.She was a wife, a mother, and a keen observer of the political scene and the players.This book is a collection of her columns, essays, and profiles compiled by her husband, Timothy Noah, after her death.It is a valuable, informative, and poignant legacy.

Among the profiles are people who were largely little known -- e.g., Gwendolyn Cafritz -- outside of Washington social circles, and those who were in the headlines daily at one time or another -- e.g., Bill Clinton -- and about whom much is known, but not all.Others, such as Jeb Bush, are familiar but mysterious figures.These are not profiles that flatter or ignore the faults which, had many voters known, might have given pause at the polls.

Another aspect of this collection are essays about Williams, her family, and in the end, her diagnosis of cancer.The ensuing battle to know all, to survive the disease, is poignant and tells much about her and her relationship with her family, with life, and finally with death.One might call the book schizophrenic in this regard.However one views the differing subjects, it is an interesting read, especially in retrospect, after all has been said and done in this people's lives.

Yet many of them live on, as in the case of Bill Clinton, who along with George Bush, just won't go away.Women should read the essay on the confirmation of Justice Clarence Thomas and the pilloring of Anita Hill, even by the women and their groups that should have supported her.There are still lessons to learn here, people and events of which we should be reminded.

People who read and enjoy this book might also enjoy The Nine by Toobin or Losing the News by Alex Jones.

A wonderful Book!
What an entertaining book written by an extremely bright and talented person.Her insight into politics and Washington D.C. were spot on and very entertaining!She tells great stories, sad we lost her too soon.Thankful her husband put this book together - it's a great tribute to Ms. Williams. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduction by Sheldon Glashow "A great little book, and if every physics textbook were like this, physics classrooms would be crowded." Scitech Book News With hardly a mathematical formula, Ms. Schwarz clearly explains the substance of elementary particle physics. The book guides readers through the subatomic "zoo" populated by some of the most dramatic discoveries of modern science--notably, quarks, leptons, and the basic forces that govern their interactions. Most important, this tour is conducted in terms that are easily understood--even by readers who have no prior particle physics background. Each chapter in this book begins with an overview of concepts and ends with a summary and self-tests to help teachers gauge students' understanding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Perfect Condition
The book was in mint condition.It's a great GRE review for general particle physics knowledge.
- short read
- simple examples and problems at the end of each chapter (with solutions)
- recommended for the novice and undergrad physics major for test prep

Good for the layman
If you're unfamiliar with the world of particle physics I think this book is a good read. Despite some reviewers distaste with the student essays, I find the story telling aspect of the book helps the reader gain a more clear and concise perspective of what they are explaining. It seems easier to take in information when it is in story form over just straight facts layed out. Maybe I'm just childish, but oh well. This book will give you a basic understanding of basic particles, without overwhelming you with information that will in most cases just confuse the beginner. My only qualms is it's short and slightly dated (pre CERNs Large Hadron Collider).

A very good supplementary reading for high school students
A clear and concise introduction to particle physics.High school students who are interested in knowing more about particle physics will find this book very useful.Good to have one in a school library.

Don't waste your money.... or your time.
This book has some value, hence 2 stars not one. But slogging through student essays on how quarks date (really!)is insufferable.

Get Gordan Kane's "The Particle Garden" and get more.

Very Helpful Book
I have found this book simple and straightforward.It is a great introduction that cuts out unnecessary detail and introduces students to the basic facts they need to know.I give this book to both undergraduateand graduate students who join my High Energy Physics research group. Though it is aimed at a more general audience, I find that it is a nicefocused introduction and confidence builder for my research students. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A book filled with outloud chuckles!
I have an almost three year old and we found this story at the library and she LOVES it!Our daily storytimes are wonderful and only two days after getting the book, she can predict which animal is next and loves to repeat Nurse Beluga's phrase, "This is a hospital, not a zoo!"Its a great story for adventure and whimsy, even if you do not have a child in the hospital to worry about.

Hospital silliness for your kids
A simply wonderful book. Being in a hospital is tough for a child.This book puts a wonderful twist on hospital stays.A well written, wonderfully illustrated book.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
A moving, vividly rendered novel from the late author of The Basketball Diaries.

When poet, musician, and diarist Jim Carroll died in September 2009, he was putting the finishing touches on a potent work of fiction. The Petting Zoo tells the story of Billy Wolfram, an enigmatic thirty- eight-year-old artist who has become a hot star in the late-1980s New York art scene. As the novel opens, Billy, after viewing a show of Velázquez paintings, is so humbled and awed by their spiritual power that he suffers an emotional breakdown and withdraws to his Chelsea loft. In seclusion, Billy searches for the divine spark in his own work and life. Carroll's novel moves back and forth in time to present emblematic moments from Billy's life (his Irish Catholic upbringing, his teenage escapades, his evolution as an artist and meteoric rise to fame) and sharply etched portraits of the characters who mattered most to him, including his childhood friend Denny MacAbee, now a famous rock musician; his mentor, the unforgettable art dealer Max Bernbaum; and one extraordinary black bird. Marked by Carroll's sharp wit, hallucinatory imagery, and street-smart style, The Petting Zoo is a frank, haunting examination of one artist's personal and professional struggles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awesome Animal and Word Fun!
The pictures in this book are incredible and the number of wildlife species included is a phenomenal. Each page challenges young children to find animals who's names begin with the featured alphabet letter, but don't worry about being bored when you are looking for things such as "a greedy giraffe gobbling grapes in the garden"! There are so many fun word and animal games to be played with this book that finding the ones featured in the questions is just the beginning. Kids and adults will be challenged to figure out what bird begins with "M" (magpies!) or what kind of monkey starts with an "A" (an ape!). My 15 month old son loves looking at the animals in this sturdy board book and I know it will be a family favorite for years! I plan to try and find more copies for all the nieces and nephews! ... Read more

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the real national zoo!

Customer Reviews (78)

Truth for our times
Dr. Savage once again tells it like it is, but adds a touch of humor by comparing some of our worst celebs and politicians to types of animals.

childish, slanted
This book is something a sixth grader with a buddy who can barely draw would put together and think he was being funny. Michael Savage ( true last name Weiner) pretends to put a Latin scientific name to various people he attacks, names that are related to assorted animals.While his mocking is based on the various public crap each notable person he targets for ridicule, the overall effect is not humor at the absurdity of these folks but Mikey acting superior to them all.

As it is with other Michael " Savage" books, or for that matter ANY book by the assorted yappers like Hannity, Coulter, Medved, Beck, you name it, the best attitude is to take whatever he writes with a salt lick handy. They all have an agenda, a role to play and pander to so they call, Savage included, can get the money from the suckers who buy into their "expertise".

If you want humor George Carlin. Lewis Black or Robin Williams are better. Michael Savage/Weiner isn't as funny as he thinks he is. This wasn't funny it was just some childish personal attacks using bad mockery. Molly Ivins he isn't.

Great Book lots of details you will not find in the lame stream news
I received this book as a gift and enjoyed it. I was shocked how corrrrrupt our government reps really are. There are a lot of facts that Michael presents that you can verify. I cant believe what Barbara Boxer gets away with! He is not a one sided attack either he goes into flaws with GW Bush too.

Not an original idea
Google this title:
"Mr. Punch's Animal Land"
(it's available and downloadable at Open Library)

It is a book by E. T. Reed, a British author, published in 1898.

Is it possible Savage found this and used it as a template?

American fascist
Savage has rightly been banned from entering Britain because of his hate-filled diatribes against everybody not exactly like him.
In reply, he has now called on all Americans to boycott all British goods - so he has proved that he is no friend of Britain.
With Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, he hates democracy: they are in truth modern fascists. ... Read more