Books From Hancock House Publishers

 

Recently I got in these five books from Hancock House Publishers:

 

1) Ellis, David H.. Enter the Realm of the Golden Eagle. 2013. Hardbound: 496 pages. Price: $59.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Seventeen years in the making, this anthology offers a treasure trove of literary quotes and compelling stories by dozens of scientists, falconers, and adventurers. With over 400 illustrations by 21 photographers and 15 artists, and more than 100 accounts by 48 authors representing 20 nations, this book will appeal to both the generalist and the academic. Focusing on teaching everyone to value the eagle and the vast open habitats it needs to survive, and the creatures that share its world, this unique work both celebrates the eagle and attunes readers to the challenges facing this species in the modern world. Along with legendary stories from antiquity are chapters on trained eagles hunting large quarry such as gazelle, deer, foxes, wolves, and even man; eagle research and intelligence; and the eagle in the legend and lore of native peoples worldwide, including the acts by North American First Nations people to obtain coup feathers. An additional chapter outlines ways to capture eagles, including the use of helicopters. The book concludes with chapters on three special trained eagles. This book is specially designed to lure readers back into the natural world. 

 

2) Holland, Glen. Encyclopedia of Aviculture. 2007. Hardbound: 832 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The most up-to-date and detailed compilation of world wide Avicultural species recorded to date. Initiated as a book on African birds that feature in private avicultural and zoological collections around the globe, it soon became apparent that much of the information gathered pertained to aviculture worldwide. Recognized avicultural experts worldwide have contributed to make this a truly international avicultural handbook. A wide variety of valuable species are held outside of managed species programs and it is essential that we maximize the breeding potential of these species to ensure they contribute to long-term self-sustainable populations. In this book the aviculturist is provided with proven, practical methods for the successful management and propagation of most of the families of birds in the world. Species accounts vary from the world's largest, the ostrich, to the diminutive hummingbirds and waxbills and include avicultural rarities, such as Congo peafowl, kiwi, saddle-bill storks, bee-eaters, swallows, and red siskins. Vital, practical components for avicultural success that are universally applicable to a wide range of species, such as diets, compatibility with other species, habitat requirements, incubation, and hand-raising techniques are included. Aviculturists today are faced with the challenge of establishing captive-bred strains that are no longer reliant on replenishments from wild stock, while helping to reduce the current rate of species extinctions. 

 

3) Petrovskaya Wayne, Kyra. Quest for Empire: The Saga of Russian America. 1986. Hardbound: 415 pages. Original Price: $22.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Unavailable but it's a novel about the Russian period in Alaska.

4) Klem, Jr., Daniel. Solid Air: Invisible Killer- Saving Billions of Birds from Windows. 2021. Paperback: 222 pages. Price: $24.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Birds behave as if sheet glass is invisible to them. They kill themselves striking clear and reflective panes in all types and sizes of human-built structures the world over. The killing is indiscriminate, taking the fit and unfit species, of any age category- both common and of conservation concern. Window-kills occur in the billions worldwide annually. The victims are always unintended, unnecessary, harmless, and have no voice or other means to protect themselves.

     The science documenting this significant scale of loss has been known for decades, but only recently have meaningful efforts to address the problem occurred. Here, Dr. Daniel Klem, Jr., describes and summarizes the challenges and solutions to this important conservation issue for birds and people that can be used by, among others, architects and developers, legislators, legal professionals, urban planners, and homeowners alike.

     Unlike the complexities of other environmental challenges, such as climate change, this important conservation issue for birds and people can be solved, and the means to do so are described within the pages of this work to guide this worthy effort.

     The author's 44 years of scientific research have revealed answers to create proven bird-safe products for sale. This book ultimately tries to make the case that such a commitment is worthwhile and needed.

 

5) Bell, Robert C.. Out of the Lyme Light and Into the Sunlight: Birding as Therapy for the Chronically Ill. 2022. Paperback: 180 pages. Price: $26.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Out of the Lyme Light and into the Sunlight tells of the journey undertaken by the author, Bob Bell, after developing a bizarre set of increasingly debilitating symptoms, eventually leading to a diagnosis of Lyme disease. He describes his experiences, including the various allopathic and complementary medical treatments he received, and his frustrations in dealing with a skeptical Canadian medical system, which resulted in him seeking out-of-country medical treatment.

     Amidst an exhausting barrage of medications, fiery nerve pain, overwhelming fatigue and chronic pain, Bob turned to his love of nature and discovered the therapeutic benefits of birding to his health. He reflects on birding as his ideal therapy for dealing with both chronic disease and chronic pain, and provides tips on how to begin birding, and enjoy it, too, regardless of one’s physical ability.

     This book is the result of the author’s desire to make this potentially life-changing hobby accessible to everyone, and to give hope to those seeking to feel better.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS: Of these five books, I like the first two the best, although the author of the third book, Kyra Petrovskaya Wayne (1918-2018), led an interesting life including being a sniper during the siege of Leningrad in World War II.