Science fiction becomes reality in this Jurassic Park-like story of the genetic resurrection of an extinct species - the woolly mammoth - by the best-selling author of The Accidental Billionaires and The 37th Parallel. "With his knack for turning narrative nonfiction into stories worthy of the best thriller fiction" (Omnivoracious) , Ben Mezrich takes us on an exhilarating true adventure story from the icy terrain of Siberia to the cutting-edge genetic labs of Harvard University. A group of young scientists, under the guidance of Dr. George Church, the most brilliant geneticist of our time, works to make fantasy reality by sequencing the DNA of a frozen woolly mammoth harvested from above the Arctic Circle and splicing elements of that sequence into the DNA of a modern elephant. Will they be able to turn the hybrid cells into a functional embryo and bring the extinct creatures to life in our modern world? Along with Church and his team of Harvard scientists, a world-famous conservationist and a genius Russian scientist plan to turn a tract of the Siberian tundra into Pleistocene Park, populating the permafrost with ancient herbivores as a hedge against an environmental ticking time bomb. More than a story of genetics, this is a thriller illuminating the race against global warming, the incredible power of modern technology, the brave fossil hunters who battle polar bears and extreme weather conditions, and the ethical quandary of cloning extinct animals. Can we right the wrongs of our ancestors who hunted the woolly mammoth to extinction - and at what cost?
ATRIA Books
|
9781501135552
|
Audiobook
The Great Transition
By Brown, Lester R.
The great energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way. As oil insecurity deepens, the extraction risks of fossil fuels rise, and concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled by oil, natural gas, and coal is being replaced with one powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The Great Transition details the accelerating pace of this global energy revolution. As many countries become less enamored with coal and nuclear power, they are embracing an array of clean, renewable energies. Whereas solar energy projects were once small-scale, largely designed for residential use, energy investors are now building utility-scale solar projects.
W W Norton
|
9780393350555
|
Paperback
Our Dogs, Ourselves
By Horowitz, Alexandra
From Alexandra Horowitz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inside of a Dog, an eye-opening, informative, and wholly entertaining examination and celebration of the human-canine relationship for the curious dog owner and science-lover alike.We keep dogs and are kept by them. We love dogs and (we assume) we are loved by them. We buy them sweaters, toys, shoes; we are concerned with their social lives, their food, and their health. The story of humans and dogs is thousands of years old but is far from understood. In Our Dogs, Ourselves, Alexandra Horowitz explores all aspects of this unique and complex interspecies pairing. As Horowitz considers the current culture of dogdom, she reveals the odd, surprising, and contradictory ways we live with dogs. We celebrate their individuality but breed them for sameness. Despite our deep emotional relationships with dogs, legally they are property to be bought, sold, abandoned, or euthanized as we wish. Even the way we speak to our dogs is at once perplexing and delightful. In thirteen thoughtful and charming chapters, Our Dogs, Ourselves affirms our profound affection for this most charismatic of animals - and opens our eyes to the companions at our sides as never before.
Scribner
|
9781501175008
|
Hardcover
The Meaning of Birds
By Barnes, Simon
A gorgeously illustrated and enchanting examination of the lives of birds, illuminating their wondrous world and our connection with them. One of our most eloquent nature writers offers a passionate and informative celebration of birds and their ability to help us understand the world we live in. As well as exploring how birds achieve the miracle of flight; why birds sing; what they tell us about the seasons of the year and what their presence tells us about the places they inhabit, The Meaning of Birds muses on the uses of feathers, the drama of raptors, the slaughter of pheasants, the infidelities of geese, and the strangeness of feeling sentimental about blue tits while enjoying a chicken sandwich. From the mocking-birds of the Galapagos who guided Charles Darwin toward his evolutionary theory, to the changing patterns of migration that alert us to the reality of contemporary climate change, Simon Barnes explores both the intrinsic wonder of what it is to be a bird -- and the myriad ways in which birds can help us understand the meaning of life.
Pegasus Books
|
9781681776262
|
Hardcover
Are We Screwed?
By Dembicki, Geoff
A declaration of independence, and a call for systemic change, from the generation that will be most impacted by climate change.If anyone doubted the potential political power of the Millennial generation, Bernie Sanders' campaign put it in the spotlight. Are We Screwed makes clear that the ardor for change defines this generation, especially when it comes to climate change, and they are willing to consider options that their elders might think nave and impractical, rejecting a capitalism that cares only about profit and a political system riven by false ideology. In telling the stories of his contemporaries around the globe, in describing how they think and the many ways they are already effecting change, Geoff Dembicki documents a historic shift in values and a corresponding re-thinking of how social change can happen.As of this year, the millennial generation (18- to 34-year-olds) will become North America's largest demographic. It is also the generation that has lived with the looming reality of global warming and will be most affected by its impacts. In vividly reported dispatches from Beijing to Paris, from San Francisco to New York, Dembicki examines what millennial responses to climate change look like and how they are shaping our future. He also provides an essential perspective on how climate change is intensifying generational tensions and shifts in society. In the process, a portrait of a generation emerges that goes a long way toward re-branding it in ways that are positive and full of hope for the future.
Bloomsbury USA
|
9781632864819
|
Hardcover
The Sugar Season
By Whynott, Douglas
A year in the life of one New England family as they work to preserve an ancient, lucrative, and threatened agricultural art--the sweetest harvest, maple syrup . . .
How has one of Americas oldest agricultural crafts evolved from a quaint enterprise with "sugar parties" and the delicacy "sugar on snow" to a modern industry?
At a sugarhouse owned by maple syrup entrepreneur Bruce Bascom, 80,000 gallons of sap are processed daily during winters end. In The Sugar Season, Douglas Whynott follows Bascom through one tumultuous season, taking us deep into the sugarbush, where sunlight and sap are intimately related and the sound of the taps gives the woods a rhythm and a ring. Along the way, he reveals the inner workings of the multimillion-dollar maple sugar industry. Make no mistake, its big business -- complete with a Maple Hall of Fame, a black market, a major syrup heist monitored by Homeland Security, a Canadian organization called The Federation, and a Global Strategic Reserve thats comparable to OPEC (fitting, since a barrel of maple syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil) .
Whynott brings us to sugarhouses, were we learn the myriad subtle flavors of syrup and how its assigned a grade. He examines the unusual biology of the maple tree that makes syrup possible and explores the maples -- and the industrys -- chances for survival, highlighting a hot-button issue: how global warming is threatening our food supply. Experts predict that, by the end of this century, maple syrup production in the United States may suffer a drastic decline.
As buckets and wooden spouts give way to vacuum pumps and tubing, we see that even the best technology cant overcome warm nights in the middle of a season--and that only determined men like Bascom can continue to make a sweet like off of rugged land. Read more Continue reading Read less REVIEW
What began as a curious search to uncover the mechanics and marketing of maple syrup turns, in his calm telling, into a case study of how venerable family enterprises deal with an uncertain future Parts of this tale recall John McPhees fact-laden reports about our earth and those who seek to comprehend its hidden components."
Winnipeg Free Press, 3/1/14
There are many flavours in this affectionate look at the maple-syrup industry in the United States, along with a light taste of the Canadian flow The Sugar Season includes nostalgia, family histories, business competition, technological development, the free-market approach of the U.S. (compared to the marketing-board approach of Quebec) and, as a disturbing subtext, environmental concern The Sugar Season does a good job of taking us from the days of tin buckets and wooden spouts to vacuum pumps and tubing, also providing readers with a look to the future [Whynott] makes you pause and appreciate a nibble on a maple leaf sugar candy."
Saveur, 3/6/14
A closely observed portrait of a largely unknown worldone that is full of interesting characters who have devoted their lives to transforming an intensely seasonal crop into a global commodity its a smart, engrossing read that gives this sweet cropone of Americas oldest agricultural productsits full due."
Whynott examines both the complicated past of the maple syrup industry and questions about its future In a world where one barrel of syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil, Whynotts descriptions of black market dealings and syrup heists highlight the value of this sweet crop Balancing the global history of the maple syrup trade with its local impact, The Sugar Season immerses readers in a reading experience both historical and personal in nature."
Publishers Weekly, 2/21/2014
This inside look at the ups and downs of the maple syrup industry over its year-long harvesting and production cycle will be fascinating to anyone interested in the modern food industry, the effect of global warming on agriculture, and just how that sweet syrup got from a stand of sugar maples to the breakfast table Enlightening and alarming."
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 3/9/14
Tells the story of the annual sap run, when the cycle of warming daytime temperatures and nighttime freezes triggers the movement of sap in the sugar maples. Despite growth and technological advances, it remains such an elemental storyof trees and their biology, of children working alongside grandparents, of steam and sparks in the sugar house in the overnight boiling down of the sap Lyrical history, geography and insights into family life centered around a demanding business."
Beverly Citizen, 3/15/14
[A] fascinating exploration of the maple syrup industry Part business case study and part John McPhee nonfiction adventure into the depths of a subjectas told by a host of driven, devoted and talented characters. Whynotts comprehensive lay of the land includes climate change, the transformation of syrup production into a bankable industry, the interdependent community of syrup makers, the forests and their health, the process of making syrup and the complexity of the syrup itself."
Easthampton Valley Advocate (Ma) , 3/13/14
Shows the business of maple sugaring as a sophisticated, complex industry, subject, like all industries, to market forces and circumstances beyond producers control."
Toronto Globe and Mail, 3/22/14
Provides keen insights into this particular branch of modern agriculture, and makes a strong case for maple syrup as a bellwether for the continents environmental health."
The Writer, May 2014
An in-depth contemplation of the maple syrup industry."
Boston Globe, 3/5/14
A wide-ranging look inside the maple syrup business Whynott skillfully explains how maple syrup gets made, how vitally important weather is, and how global warming may threaten the industrys future Whynotts engaging book offers a skillful and fascinating peek behind the curtain of one of the regions oldest and most beloved traditional industries
Da Capo Press,
|
9780306822049
|
Hardcover
The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries
By Prothero, Donald R.
The theory of evolution unites the past, present, and future of living things. It puts humanity's place in the universe into necessary perspective. Despite a history of controversy, the evidence for evolution continues to accumulate as a result of many separate strands of amazing scientific sleuthing.In The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries, Donald R. Prothero explores the most fascinating breakthroughs in piecing together the evidence for evolution. In twenty-five vignettes, he recounts the dramatic stories of the people who made crucial discoveries, placing each moment in the context of what it represented for the progress of science. He tackles topics like what it means to see evolution in action and what the many transitional fossils show us about evolution, following figures from Darwin to lesser-known researchers as they unlock the mysteries of the fossil record, the earth, and the universe.
Publisher: n/a
|
9780231190367
|
Hardcover
Reading the Rocks
By Maddox, Brenda
A rich and exuberant group biography of the first geologists, the people who were first to excavate from the layers of the world its buried history. These first geologists were made up primarily, and inevitably, of gentlemen with the necessary wealth to support their interests, yet boosting their numbers, expanding their learning and increasing their findings were clergymen, academics - and women. This lively and eclectic collection of characters brought passion, eccentricity and towering intellect to geology and Brenda Maddox in Reading the Rocks does them full justice, bringing them to vivid life. The new science of geology was pursued by this assorted band because it opened a window on Earth's ancient past. They showed great courage in facing the conflict between geology and Genesis that immediately presented itself: for the rocks and fossils being dug up showed that the Earth was immeasurably old, rather than springing from a creation made in the six days that the Bible claimed.
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
|
9781408879603
|
Paperback
Another Good Dog
By Achterberg, Cara Sue
When Cara felt her teenaged children slipping away and saw an empty nest on the horizon, she decided the best way to fill that void was with dogs - lots of them - and so her foster journey began. In 2015, her Pennsylvania farm became a haven for Operation Paws for Homes. There were the nine puppies at once, which arrived with less than a days notice; a heart-worm positive dog; a deeply traumatized stray pup from Iraq; and countless others who just needed a gentle touch and a warm place to sleep. Operation Paws for Homes rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in the rural south and shuttles them north to foster homes like Caras on the way to their forever homes. What started as a search for a good dog, led to an epiphany that there wasnt just one that could fill the hole left in her heart from her children gaining independence - she could save dozens along the way. The stories of these remarkable dogs-including an 80-pound bloodhound who sang arias for the neighbors - and the joy they bring to Cara and her family (along with a few chewed sofa cushions) fill this touching and inspiring new book that reveals the wonderful rewards of fostering. When asked how she can possibly say goodbye to that many loveable pups, Cara says, "If I dont give this one away, I cant possibly save another."
Pegasus Books
|
9781681777931
|
Audiobook
In Search of the Canary Tree
By Oakes, Lauren E.
The surprisingly hopeful story of one woman's search for resiliency in a warming worldSeveral years ago, ecologist Lauren E. Oakes set out from California for Alaska's old-growth forests to hunt for a dying tree: the yellow-cedar. With climate change as the culprit, the death of this species meant loss for many Alaskans. Oakes and her research team wanted to chronicle how plants and people could cope with their rapidly changing world. Amidst the standing dead, she discovered the resiliency of forgotten forests, flourishing again in the wake of destruction, and a diverse community of people who persevered to create new relationships with the emerging environment. Eloquent, insightful, and deeply heartening, In Search of the Canary Tree is a case for hope in a warming world.
Woolly
By Mezrich, Ben
Science fiction becomes reality in this Jurassic Park-like story of the genetic resurrection of an extinct species - the woolly mammoth - by the best-selling author of The Accidental Billionaires and The 37th Parallel. "With his knack for turning narrative nonfiction into stories worthy of the best thriller fiction" (Omnivoracious) , Ben Mezrich takes us on an exhilarating true adventure story from the icy terrain of Siberia to the cutting-edge genetic labs of Harvard University. A group of young scientists, under the guidance of Dr. George Church, the most brilliant geneticist of our time, works to make fantasy reality by sequencing the DNA of a frozen woolly mammoth harvested from above the Arctic Circle and splicing elements of that sequence into the DNA of a modern elephant. Will they be able to turn the hybrid cells into a functional embryo and bring the extinct creatures to life in our modern world? Along with Church and his team of Harvard scientists, a world-famous conservationist and a genius Russian scientist plan to turn a tract of the Siberian tundra into Pleistocene Park, populating the permafrost with ancient herbivores as a hedge against an environmental ticking time bomb. More than a story of genetics, this is a thriller illuminating the race against global warming, the incredible power of modern technology, the brave fossil hunters who battle polar bears and extreme weather conditions, and the ethical quandary of cloning extinct animals. Can we right the wrongs of our ancestors who hunted the woolly mammoth to extinction - and at what cost?
The Great Transition
By Brown, Lester R.
The great energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way. As oil insecurity deepens, the extraction risks of fossil fuels rise, and concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled by oil, natural gas, and coal is being replaced with one powered by wind, solar, and geothermal energy. The Great Transition details the accelerating pace of this global energy revolution. As many countries become less enamored with coal and nuclear power, they are embracing an array of clean, renewable energies. Whereas solar energy projects were once small-scale, largely designed for residential use, energy investors are now building utility-scale solar projects.
Our Dogs, Ourselves
By Horowitz, Alexandra
From Alexandra Horowitz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inside of a Dog, an eye-opening, informative, and wholly entertaining examination and celebration of the human-canine relationship for the curious dog owner and science-lover alike.We keep dogs and are kept by them. We love dogs and (we assume) we are loved by them. We buy them sweaters, toys, shoes; we are concerned with their social lives, their food, and their health. The story of humans and dogs is thousands of years old but is far from understood. In Our Dogs, Ourselves, Alexandra Horowitz explores all aspects of this unique and complex interspecies pairing. As Horowitz considers the current culture of dogdom, she reveals the odd, surprising, and contradictory ways we live with dogs. We celebrate their individuality but breed them for sameness. Despite our deep emotional relationships with dogs, legally they are property to be bought, sold, abandoned, or euthanized as we wish. Even the way we speak to our dogs is at once perplexing and delightful. In thirteen thoughtful and charming chapters, Our Dogs, Ourselves affirms our profound affection for this most charismatic of animals - and opens our eyes to the companions at our sides as never before.
The Meaning of Birds
By Barnes, Simon
A gorgeously illustrated and enchanting examination of the lives of birds, illuminating their wondrous world and our connection with them. One of our most eloquent nature writers offers a passionate and informative celebration of birds and their ability to help us understand the world we live in. As well as exploring how birds achieve the miracle of flight; why birds sing; what they tell us about the seasons of the year and what their presence tells us about the places they inhabit, The Meaning of Birds muses on the uses of feathers, the drama of raptors, the slaughter of pheasants, the infidelities of geese, and the strangeness of feeling sentimental about blue tits while enjoying a chicken sandwich. From the mocking-birds of the Galapagos who guided Charles Darwin toward his evolutionary theory, to the changing patterns of migration that alert us to the reality of contemporary climate change, Simon Barnes explores both the intrinsic wonder of what it is to be a bird -- and the myriad ways in which birds can help us understand the meaning of life.
Are We Screwed?
By Dembicki, Geoff
A declaration of independence, and a call for systemic change, from the generation that will be most impacted by climate change.If anyone doubted the potential political power of the Millennial generation, Bernie Sanders' campaign put it in the spotlight. Are We Screwed makes clear that the ardor for change defines this generation, especially when it comes to climate change, and they are willing to consider options that their elders might think nave and impractical, rejecting a capitalism that cares only about profit and a political system riven by false ideology. In telling the stories of his contemporaries around the globe, in describing how they think and the many ways they are already effecting change, Geoff Dembicki documents a historic shift in values and a corresponding re-thinking of how social change can happen.As of this year, the millennial generation (18- to 34-year-olds) will become North America's largest demographic. It is also the generation that has lived with the looming reality of global warming and will be most affected by its impacts. In vividly reported dispatches from Beijing to Paris, from San Francisco to New York, Dembicki examines what millennial responses to climate change look like and how they are shaping our future. He also provides an essential perspective on how climate change is intensifying generational tensions and shifts in society. In the process, a portrait of a generation emerges that goes a long way toward re-branding it in ways that are positive and full of hope for the future.
The Sugar Season
By Whynott, Douglas
A year in the life of one New England family as they work to preserve an ancient, lucrative, and threatened agricultural art--the sweetest harvest, maple syrup . . . How has one of Americas oldest agricultural crafts evolved from a quaint enterprise with "sugar parties" and the delicacy "sugar on snow" to a modern industry? At a sugarhouse owned by maple syrup entrepreneur Bruce Bascom, 80,000 gallons of sap are processed daily during winters end. In The Sugar Season, Douglas Whynott follows Bascom through one tumultuous season, taking us deep into the sugarbush, where sunlight and sap are intimately related and the sound of the taps gives the woods a rhythm and a ring. Along the way, he reveals the inner workings of the multimillion-dollar maple sugar industry. Make no mistake, its big business -- complete with a Maple Hall of Fame, a black market, a major syrup heist monitored by Homeland Security, a Canadian organization called The Federation, and a Global Strategic Reserve thats comparable to OPEC (fitting, since a barrel of maple syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil) . Whynott brings us to sugarhouses, were we learn the myriad subtle flavors of syrup and how its assigned a grade. He examines the unusual biology of the maple tree that makes syrup possible and explores the maples -- and the industrys -- chances for survival, highlighting a hot-button issue: how global warming is threatening our food supply. Experts predict that, by the end of this century, maple syrup production in the United States may suffer a drastic decline. As buckets and wooden spouts give way to vacuum pumps and tubing, we see that even the best technology cant overcome warm nights in the middle of a season--and that only determined men like Bascom can continue to make a sweet like off of rugged land. Read more Continue reading Read less REVIEW What began as a curious search to uncover the mechanics and marketing of maple syrup turns, in his calm telling, into a case study of how venerable family enterprises deal with an uncertain future Parts of this tale recall John McPhees fact-laden reports about our earth and those who seek to comprehend its hidden components." Winnipeg Free Press, 3/1/14 There are many flavours in this affectionate look at the maple-syrup industry in the United States, along with a light taste of the Canadian flow The Sugar Season includes nostalgia, family histories, business competition, technological development, the free-market approach of the U.S. (compared to the marketing-board approach of Quebec) and, as a disturbing subtext, environmental concern The Sugar Season does a good job of taking us from the days of tin buckets and wooden spouts to vacuum pumps and tubing, also providing readers with a look to the future [Whynott] makes you pause and appreciate a nibble on a maple leaf sugar candy." Saveur, 3/6/14 A closely observed portrait of a largely unknown worldone that is full of interesting characters who have devoted their lives to transforming an intensely seasonal crop into a global commodity its a smart, engrossing read that gives this sweet cropone of Americas oldest agricultural productsits full due." Whynott examines both the complicated past of the maple syrup industry and questions about its future In a world where one barrel of syrup is worth more than a barrel of oil, Whynotts descriptions of black market dealings and syrup heists highlight the value of this sweet crop Balancing the global history of the maple syrup trade with its local impact, The Sugar Season immerses readers in a reading experience both historical and personal in nature." Publishers Weekly, 2/21/2014 This inside look at the ups and downs of the maple syrup industry over its year-long harvesting and production cycle will be fascinating to anyone interested in the modern food industry, the effect of global warming on agriculture, and just how that sweet syrup got from a stand of sugar maples to the breakfast table Enlightening and alarming." Minneapolis Star Tribune, 3/9/14 Tells the story of the annual sap run, when the cycle of warming daytime temperatures and nighttime freezes triggers the movement of sap in the sugar maples. Despite growth and technological advances, it remains such an elemental storyof trees and their biology, of children working alongside grandparents, of steam and sparks in the sugar house in the overnight boiling down of the sap Lyrical history, geography and insights into family life centered around a demanding business." Beverly Citizen, 3/15/14 [A] fascinating exploration of the maple syrup industry Part business case study and part John McPhee nonfiction adventure into the depths of a subjectas told by a host of driven, devoted and talented characters. Whynotts comprehensive lay of the land includes climate change, the transformation of syrup production into a bankable industry, the interdependent community of syrup makers, the forests and their health, the process of making syrup and the complexity of the syrup itself." Easthampton Valley Advocate (Ma) , 3/13/14 Shows the business of maple sugaring as a sophisticated, complex industry, subject, like all industries, to market forces and circumstances beyond producers control." Toronto Globe and Mail, 3/22/14 Provides keen insights into this particular branch of modern agriculture, and makes a strong case for maple syrup as a bellwether for the continents environmental health." The Writer, May 2014 An in-depth contemplation of the maple syrup industry." Boston Globe, 3/5/14 A wide-ranging look inside the maple syrup business Whynott skillfully explains how maple syrup gets made, how vitally important weather is, and how global warming may threaten the industrys future Whynotts engaging book offers a skillful and fascinating peek behind the curtain of one of the regions oldest and most beloved traditional industries
The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries
By Prothero, Donald R.
The theory of evolution unites the past, present, and future of living things. It puts humanity's place in the universe into necessary perspective. Despite a history of controversy, the evidence for evolution continues to accumulate as a result of many separate strands of amazing scientific sleuthing.In The Story of Evolution in 25 Discoveries, Donald R. Prothero explores the most fascinating breakthroughs in piecing together the evidence for evolution. In twenty-five vignettes, he recounts the dramatic stories of the people who made crucial discoveries, placing each moment in the context of what it represented for the progress of science. He tackles topics like what it means to see evolution in action and what the many transitional fossils show us about evolution, following figures from Darwin to lesser-known researchers as they unlock the mysteries of the fossil record, the earth, and the universe.
Reading the Rocks
By Maddox, Brenda
A rich and exuberant group biography of the first geologists, the people who were first to excavate from the layers of the world its buried history. These first geologists were made up primarily, and inevitably, of gentlemen with the necessary wealth to support their interests, yet boosting their numbers, expanding their learning and increasing their findings were clergymen, academics - and women. This lively and eclectic collection of characters brought passion, eccentricity and towering intellect to geology and Brenda Maddox in Reading the Rocks does them full justice, bringing them to vivid life. The new science of geology was pursued by this assorted band because it opened a window on Earth's ancient past. They showed great courage in facing the conflict between geology and Genesis that immediately presented itself: for the rocks and fossils being dug up showed that the Earth was immeasurably old, rather than springing from a creation made in the six days that the Bible claimed.
Another Good Dog
By Achterberg, Cara Sue
When Cara felt her teenaged children slipping away and saw an empty nest on the horizon, she decided the best way to fill that void was with dogs - lots of them - and so her foster journey began. In 2015, her Pennsylvania farm became a haven for Operation Paws for Homes. There were the nine puppies at once, which arrived with less than a days notice; a heart-worm positive dog; a deeply traumatized stray pup from Iraq; and countless others who just needed a gentle touch and a warm place to sleep. Operation Paws for Homes rescues dogs from high-kill shelters in the rural south and shuttles them north to foster homes like Caras on the way to their forever homes. What started as a search for a good dog, led to an epiphany that there wasnt just one that could fill the hole left in her heart from her children gaining independence - she could save dozens along the way. The stories of these remarkable dogs-including an 80-pound bloodhound who sang arias for the neighbors - and the joy they bring to Cara and her family (along with a few chewed sofa cushions) fill this touching and inspiring new book that reveals the wonderful rewards of fostering. When asked how she can possibly say goodbye to that many loveable pups, Cara says, "If I dont give this one away, I cant possibly save another."
In Search of the Canary Tree
By Oakes, Lauren E.
The surprisingly hopeful story of one woman's search for resiliency in a warming worldSeveral years ago, ecologist Lauren E. Oakes set out from California for Alaska's old-growth forests to hunt for a dying tree: the yellow-cedar. With climate change as the culprit, the death of this species meant loss for many Alaskans. Oakes and her research team wanted to chronicle how plants and people could cope with their rapidly changing world. Amidst the standing dead, she discovered the resiliency of forgotten forests, flourishing again in the wake of destruction, and a diverse community of people who persevered to create new relationships with the emerging environment. Eloquent, insightful, and deeply heartening, In Search of the Canary Tree is a case for hope in a warming world.