Category Archives: Non-fiction

1776

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1776

by David Mccullough

1776 is a wonderful book that looks closely at the events surrounding that fateful year that was so important in the formation of the United States of America. The writer is really a great narrator of events and does an amazing job of considering all applicable accounts and presenting the story from all the participants perspectives.

The book covers primarily the wars and maneuvers of the opposing army’s but also includes important information and involvement that the continental congress had.

One of my favorite parts of the book is that it also considers very closely the primary characters that played a part in the military actions and their personal ideas and characteristics. This helped to paint an even more illuminating picture of the events that occurred during this years time.

This book actually covers about 18 months of time, primarily to give important background information leading up to the main events of 1776 and a few major events that occurred in the first few weeks of 1778.

Overall I liked this book. It really clearly illustrates how many times the war was almost won and lost by both sides.

The book is a great piece of work about the revolution of the United States of America. If you want to learn more about this era, then this is a must read. It gets a 4 out of 5.

Last Place on Earth

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Last Place on Earth (National Geographic) (v. 1&2)

Michael Nichols and Mike Fay

This book is a photo book by Nichols, an accomplished National Geographic Photographer, and a journal of writings by Fay that documents a year long journey through the Congo Jungles to document the natural diversity present in an area almost untouched by man.

The book has wonderful writing and the photography is absolutely amazing documenting amazing animals, natural vistas, and the unfortunately carnage and brutality that follows man and the greed we often posses.

I personally own several books of photography and only purchase what I consider to be quite amazing, and this tops all that I have. I highly recommend the quality of the content but also the presentation of it in the folio case that is included. I at first balked at the price (actually for more than a year) but seeing the final product I lament that I waited at all to buy it.

This story was also documented in National Geographic Magazine in a three part series that was presented over a year or so period. I new the work was momentous from the mere glimpse you get from these three separate articles.

So if your interested in Africa at all, this is a must see and read. It does an amazing job at showing the diversity present and what can be potentially lost if it isn’t protected and active preservation practices put into place.

It gets a 5 out of 5 stars.

Unfortunately it is expensive and quite a large product so most bookstores aren’t likely to carry it, especially now that is has been around a while. It is worth the cost, if it holds any interest for you!

Last Place on Earth (National Geographic) (v. 1&2)

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

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Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

By Walter Isaacson

This biography by Isaacson is quite impressive. It explores a wondrous American life that all Americans owe something to. Franklin played an extensive part in the formation of our country and how it is today. He was the only person present at the signing and creation of all our countries important original documents. This books goes into great detail about… Continue reading →

Into the Wild

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Into the Wild

By Jon Krakauer

This is a tale of a young man and his search for his own self and how it ended in his tragic death.

This book follows Chris as he journeys through America experiencing life and trying to discover what is out there for him. If pieces together the little known path that Chris traveled for more than 2 years up to his untimely death by starvation in the Alaska wilderness.

This book isn’t a fiction at all. It analyzes as much as possible the things that influenced the young man and choices he made that led to his end. It also makes the case that Chris didn’t in fact go out to die, but to live and in the process several unfortunate events led to his death.

As with most of Krakauer’s writings there is good research, strong opinions, but also a certain amount of fair objectiveness that leaves the reader to discern for themselves what actually may have occured.

Overall I give it a 4 of 5 stars, and a good read if you dig the documentary investigation type of books.

As always if this review or any other has been helpful please use the link below or in this page to make a purchase through Amazon to support this site!
Into the Wild

Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die

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Fifty Places to Go Birding Before You Die: Birding Experts Share The World’s Greatest Destinations

By Chris Santella

If you a bird watcher this is a destination guide for you! This is a book for bird watchers. If your not a bird watcher and want a gift for this is also for you, but otherwise this review isn’t for you.

Santella talks to the luminaries of the bird watching sport and finds out the most amazing places they have been or would go to bird watch. Included with the recommended destinations are travel ideas and tips, but most of all stories about the places that make them even more incredible.

This book is great, especially of you love to scheme and dream about traveling. It also does quite well at including a variety of destinations, not just destinations most people could never even dream about going. About half of the destinations are in the United States making the book even or useful for the average birdwatcher.

My only negative about the book is that there are only 50 spots, and no real information about each area on a broader scale suggesting other close by hot spots and things that can be done around those destinations. Many places listed are only one hot spot among many. Otherwise this is a great book, and a great starting place for finding an incredible place to go birding!

Rating 4/5.

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Father Knows Less Or: “Can I Cook My Sister?”

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Father Knows Less Or: “Can I Cook My Sister?”: One Dad’s Quest to Answer His Son’s Most Baffling Questions

By Wendell Jamieson

This book is from a dad who decided to find the answers to the questions his inquisitive son had. You get the good, bad and ugly in this book to answer almost all the questions you might expect to get as a parent. Not just that, it offers an introspective into parenting and bigger questions parents will face themselves.

This book is well written and hilarious to read as odd questions and answers roll forth from the mouths of kids and experts.

Fun to read a bit at a time or all the way through, it is a good change from the same old thing you’ve been reading. A must read for everyone.

Rating 5/5.

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Father Knows Less Or: “Can I Cook My Sister?”: One Dad’s Quest to Answer His Son’s Most Baffling Questions

Collapse – Jared Diamond

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Collapse – How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

By Jared Diamond

Collapse is a book for everyone to read. It isn’t a soft fluffy fairy tail but a serious look at the journey of mankind. It considers where we have been, mistakes we have made along with successes and suggest directions we may be heading unless we make some major and minor course corrections.

This book digs deep into why past societies have failed and what led up to those failures. Diamond then considers how the multitude of failures seen in the past, apparent and not, might be sneaking into our own society. The book isn’t a doom and gloom book but does attempt give an honest perspective on where we are as a society, both good and bad.

Overall this book really should be read by everyone, environmentalist or not. It is slow at times because of the depth of information given, but Diamonds story telling ability makes even boring facts come to life and fit into a proper and interesting context.

I give it a must read and rating of 5/5.

Please buy it here to support this site!

Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers

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The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers

By Martin Evening

This book is all about the use pf Adobe’s new program, Lightroom. If you reading this then you probably know at least what that program is and does for photography. This book is in my opinion a great book for the users of Lightroom. It covers all the basics, and gets into quite advanced functions that Lightroom is capable of. This book will really help you get all of your digital photography moving. This program is amazing powerful and simple, and in turn for a book slash technical manual to live up to the great program then you need something that is really good and this is on par.

This book will cover what you need to get started and help you avoid confusion and waisting time in the use of this program. I highly suggest it. In fact this book will be on my bookself when I get the chance to buy it because it will be a good reference for the program that is easier to use than the users manual.

Overall Rating = 4 of 5

Overall it will not be a waste of time and money if your a Lightroom User and will shorten your learning curve.  For me it seemed he could have covered a bit more but overall it was well done.

Some people might actually prefer Scott Kelby’s how to book on Lightroom. I like his books but prefer this one over Kelby’s in this case. It is simply a case of preference for style. Both of these books really will lower the learning curve, but won’t be essential to success. Check out my page for Kelby’s book, or buy it through this link.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers,The (Voices That Matter)

This book is best suited for people using or interested in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. You can buy the program through this link to support this sight.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 1.0 Win/Mac

Everyone else, it is a technical manual that would be a great gift for your loved one who does use the program.

This book is a Technical Computer book that specifically covers the program Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Program.

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The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book: The Complete Guide for Photographers

Here is another link to the program to support this site. This is where I bought the program for myself.