National Audubon Society Regional Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States (National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States)

Average customer rating:

A great wildlife overview for casual naturalists

Surprisingly useful

A decent - albeit basic - field guide

Flora and Fauna Detailed in Rich Field Guide

The one book to carry in the woods.

National Audubon Society Regional Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States (National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States)
Chanticleer Press Inc.
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

National Audubon Society Regional Guide to New England (National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England)

National Audubon Society Regional Guide to the Southeastern States: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South ... Field Guide to the Southeastern States)

National Audubon Society Regional Guide to the Rocky Mountain States (National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Rocky Mountain States)

National Audubon Society Regional Guide to the Pacific Northwest (National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest)

Designing Field Studies for Biodiversity Conservation

ASIN: 0679446826
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Amazon.com

Intent on preserving threatened bird species, George Bird Grinnell (that being his given name, and no reflection of his interests) first formed the Audubon Society in 1886. It disbanded in 1888, re-emerged in Massachusetts in 1896, and by 1905 the various fledgling state societies coalesced into the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals. As it has more than 100 years of experience cataloguing and protecting United States wildlife, it's no shock that its field guides are so superb.

The Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States, covering the flora and fauna of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland, as well as Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia, contains concise and informative descriptions alongside beautiful photographs identifying over 1,000 of the region's wildflowers and trees, mushrooms and algae, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects, and mammals. There's also a natural-history overview, explaining relevant geology and ecology, wildlife habitats and rock varieties, weather patterns and the night sky to be seen in each season. From Saltmarsh Cordgrass and Purple Sea Urchins to White-Winged Scoters and Meadow Voles, the field guide beautifully catalogues the various existent species, as well as introducing more than 50 of the region's parks, reserves, beaches, forests, and wildlife sanctuaries in which to explore, Audubon field guide at the ready. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States belongs in the home of every Mid-Atlantic resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains:

An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;

A complete overview of the Mid-Atlantic region's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns, and the night sky;

An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.

The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 18 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as more than 100 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

For everyone who lives or spends time in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington, D.C., there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States.

Customer Reviews:

A great wildlife overview for casual naturalists.......2005-11-13

This is a field guide that's fun to read. It covers everything from trees to mammals. I got it when my son was a preschooler and he had a great time leafing through it. He learned a surprising amount. Obviously it's not for serious birders or someone who wants to identify insects, but that leaves a lot of us. The binding is unfortunately rather fragile; don't expect it to hold up to years of heavy usage. If you're interested in wildlife, go ahead and enjoy this book. You can get something more durable and focused later on, once your interests have developed.

Surprisingly useful.......2004-11-09

The strength of this guide is definitely its breadth, not its depth. This is an asset for curious people who don't want to lug around 10 separate identification books for plants, insects, snakes, etc. It also makes it more readable than your average single-subject field guide; my husband has read it cover-to-cover!

We discovered this book on a friend's bookshelf and after we gave it back we kept finding ourselves wishing we had it along on hikes. Although we are fairly knowledgeable, outdoorsy people, but there's always something new we want to look up. Now that we have our own copy, we pack this book when we want to travel light, and it has been surprising how many times we could find what we were looking for, or come close enough to greatly speed further research when we got home.

A decent - albeit basic - field guide.......2002-08-13

This book is a good introductory field guide to the region. As expected from an Audobon Society book, the photographs are top-notch. Sections on topography, habitats, the night sky, and area parks and preserves are particularly helpful. The flora and fauna identification sections don't go into a lot of detail, but will allow you to identify most common plants and animals. I can see where this would be helpful to scouts and young adults in particular.

However, I was disappointed that the book wasn't a bit more comprehensive. Obviously, as a portable field guide, it can't cover every single species. But in our area (northern Virginia) we have so many more butterflies and other insects that this book simply does not include. In some cases, I had to refer to the Audobon Field Guide for *Florida* to find a particular species. And with crayfish all over the creekbeds of this area, their omission under the crustacean section just seems strange.

That said, I would still recommend this book as a basic field guide. It does provide good background information on the area, and the photos are spectacular. Just don't expect to identify everything you see with it -- you'll need to do further research on your own.

Flora and Fauna Detailed in Rich Field Guide.......2002-07-15

I bought this book to take on family hikes. Whether your interests are as general as that, or whether you are inclined toward serious plant/animal identification, this book should be helpful.

It is oriented toward quick identification. The pictures are clear, colorful, and though small, should enable many matches out in the field. Although the write-ups are brief, and don't go much further beyond identification and some basic facts like location, there are occasionally some additional helpful information. For example, the section on mushrooms clearly identifies which ones are poisonous and deadly poisonous.

The book has some additional chapters on parks in the region. It is well organized. I would imagine that for weekend walkers, this field guide might be the only one you'll ever need.

The one book to carry in the woods........2000-02-29

This series has answered a long outstanding need ... an one volume field guide that you can actually carry into the field. As a birder, I still carry a more detailed bird guide such as National Geographic or Peterson's. But I'm always running across a flower or tree or animal I'm curious about. This guide is the ideal second volume carry with you since it explains the the most common things you'll run across in areas other than your primary interest. Another valuable use is for leaders of youth groups, such as Scout leaders. As a Scout leader myself, I'm always being asked by the boys to help them identify a salamander or other animal. This guide allows you to do this in the field wihhout having to carry a whole library of field guides in your pack. In addition, by being regional guides they eliminate the things you won't find in an area, such as saguarro cactus in New Jersey. In sum, the appropriate book from this series is a good reference to carry with you as you explore the outdoors in your part of the USA.

Book Description

Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guides, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of America's most spectacular destinations. Compass Arizona covers everything there is to see and do -- plus gorgeous full-color photographs; a wealth of archival images; topical essays and literary extracts; detailed color maps; and capsule reviews of hotels and restaurants. These insider guides are perfect for new and longtime residents as well as vacationers who want a deep understanding of Arizona.

Customer Reviews:

Visit this beautiful state with a good guide.......2004-10-30

The Fodor Compass America Guide on Arizona was excellent. The book was uniquely organized with the first three chapters devoted to the dramatic Arizona landscape of deserts, mountains, and canyons. There are two chapters on the history of Arizona, honoring the early people who inhabited the area as well as recogizing the Hispanic missionaries, priests, and settlers. Because vast parts of Arizona belong to the Navajos, Apaches , Yavapais, Hopis, and smaller tribes, the book includes plenty of information about the native American people in this state. The book then covers the two large inhabited areas, Phoenix and Tucson. I found the book to be full of useful tips and practical information. The maps were very good, showing the deserts, the grand canyon, the Spanish Colonial settlements, the Native American reservations, and the larger cities. Also included was a section on the desert plants. The sections on the Grand Canyon were very helpful. We decided to hike to the bottom of the Canyon on the Bright Angel trail. We spent the night at the Phantom Ranch (which had hot showers). The following morning we hiked back up the Kaibab trail. This was an amazing experience. The book was very helpful as we explored Frank Lloyd Wright's home and architectural school/business in Scottsdale. This compound of buildings hugging the desert floor is worth a visit. Hold onto the steering wheel of your car on the twisting roads in the copper mining towns like Bisbee and Tombstone. I bought superb copper ore specimens - beautiful greens and blues. The Mexican atmosphere of Nogales, a border town, is nice. Nogales means "walnut" in Spanish but unfortunately the old walnut groves have long been chopped down. A special city is my opinion is the the wonderful multi-ethnic college town of Tucson. You might be surprised at the dramatic differences between Phoenix and Tuscon. It is hard not to fall in love with Tuscon with its mixture of cultures and peoples in a relaxed atmosphere. Whereas in Phoenix you see sprinklers trying to water struggling lawns, in Tucson the inhabitants are more likely to have desert gardens which waste far less water. I found the Fodor guide to be excellent and would strongly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

Great Organization!
The Best of the Best
Fantastic!

Compass American Guides : Arizona
Lawrence W. Cheek
Manufacturer: Compass America Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0679004327
Release Date: 1999-09-28

Book Description

Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guides, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture and character of America's most spectacular destinations.  Covering everything there is to see and do as well as choice lodging and dining, these gorgeous full-color guides are perfect for new and longtime residents as well as vacationers who want a deep understanding of the region they're visiting.

Outstanding color photography, plus a wealth of archival images
Topical essays and literary extracts
Detailed color maps
Great ideas for things to see and do
Capsule reviews of hotels and restaurants
About the Author

Lawrence W. Cheek worked for the Tucson Citizen for 14 years as a reporter, music and architecture critic, essayist, and Saturday editor.  He then edited Tucson's City Magazine, a free-ranging monthly that comprised investigative reporting, politics, popular culture, and the arts.  His work frequently appears in Arizona Highways magazine, which also has published three of his books: Scenic Sedona, Photographing Arizona, and A.D. 1250: Ancient People of the Southwest.  In addition Mr. Cheek is also the author of Compass American Guide: Santa Fe.

About the Photographers

Michael Freeman is a noted photographer and writer who has traveled all over the globe for book and magazine publishers, both British and American.  His work has appeared in the Sunday Times of London and Smithsonian magazine.  Most recently, for the large-picture format book Angkor, he has undertaken the first study of this ancient Cambodian city in two decades.

Kerrick James's photography is enriched both by his lifelong love of geology and mineralogy and by his admiration for American writers such as Edward Abbey and Mark Twain.  A scholarship to study mining engineering in New Mexico introduced him to the SOuthwest, and today his territory is the American West, northern Mexico, and Hawaii.  His work appears in travel magazines, school texts, and guidebooks.  He lives in Arizona with his wife, Theresa, and their two sons, Shane and Royce.

Customer Reviews:

Great Organization!.......2003-06-22

I really like the way this book is organized. There are sections such as "Desserts" and "Canyons". When I went to Arizona the last time, I wanted to visit desserts, and I wanted to hike some Canyons, so I could simply read these sections and learn pretty much everything I wanted to know, rather than piece this information together as other travel books make you do (since they are usually organized by area). The organization also allows you to skip information such as "Art" and "History". Of course in the end I ended up being interested in these sections after all, so I read them in the care while I was there. And once again, I could focus on these sections rather than finding this information organized by area.

Long story short: I really like reading about an area by topic of interest, rather than by location. It makes travel planning much easier. Of course, your need may be different (you may be in a certain town and want to figure out what to do for instance...). In that case, this book still is useful (it DOES have short sections on individual locations), but there are other books I use for that type of research.

Overall, I can highly recommend this book. In fact, I will order some of the other books from this series for different states.

The Best of the Best.......2000-03-10

Compass Guides are the best series I have ever read. They are literate and beautifully illustrated, laid out well and very logical to use. Of the Compass Guides I've read, Cheek's Arizona is the best (followed closely by his Santa Fe Guide).

He writes with wit and style. He's not afraid to share his opinion, but never takes for granted that his is the only viewpoint. He also adds a human element that few other guides offer. Frequently you'll find sidebar articles that introduce you to a person whose story particularly illustrates the idea or place in question.

I lived in Arizona for 4 1/2 years. This is the guide that I used to learn the state. I would recommend it to anyone. When my wife and I married in Sedona, Arizona we sent copies of this book to our relatives to acquaint them with the wonderful place they'd be visiting. All who read it were delighted. You'll be, too.

Fantastic!.......1998-10-07

This book is incredible. It gives all kinds of details ranging from local interest and lore to general information about the state. It reads like a novel and yet is very informative. Even if you have no intention of ever visiting Arizona, this is still a wonderful book to read and the photographs are breath-taking.

Average customer rating:

Compass American Guides : Arizona

Manufacturer: Fodors Travel Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0685666212

Average customer rating:
The Twenties: An Illustrated History in Colour 1919-1929
R. J. Unstead
Manufacturer: Silver Burdett Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0382060946

Book Description

In this study of arthropod predador-prey systems Michael Hassell shows how many of the components of predation may be simply modeled in order to reveal their effects on the overall dynamics of the interacting populations. Arthropods, particularly insects, make ideal subjects for such a study because their generation times are characteristically short and many have relatively discrete generations, inviting the use of difference equation models to describe population changes. Using analytical models framed in difference equations, Dr. Hassell is able to show how the detailed biological processes of insect predator-prey (including host-parasitoid) interactions may be understood.

Emphasizing the development and subsequent stability analysis of general models, the author considers in detail several crucial components of predator-prey models: the prey's rate of increase as a function of density, non-random search, mutual interference, and the predator's rate of increase as a function of predator survival and fecundity. Drawing on the correspondence between the models and field and laboratory data, Dr. Hassell then discusses the practical implications for biological pest control and suggests how such models may help to formulate a theoretical basis for biological control practices.

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Parasitoid Population Biology

Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Population Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0691049815

Book Description

Extraordinary in the diversity of their lifestyles, insect parasitoids have become extremely important study organisms in the field of population biology, and they are the most frequently used agents in the biological control of insect pests. This book presents the ideas of seventeen international specialists, providing the reader not only with an overview but also with lively discussions of the most salient questions pertaining to the field today and prescriptions for avenues of future research.

After a general introduction, the book divides into three main sections: population dynamics, population diversity, and population applications. The first section covers gaps in our knowledge in parasitoid behavior, parasitoid persistence, and how space and landscape affect dynamics. The contributions on population diversity consider how evolution has molded parasitoid populations and communities. The final section calls for novel approaches toward resolving the enigma of success in biological control and questions why parasitoids have been largely neglected in conservation biology. Parasitoid Population Biology will likely be an important influence on research well into the twenty-first century and will provoke discussion amongst parasitoid biologists and population biologists.

In addition to the editors, the contributors are Carlos Bernstein, Jacques Brodeur, Jerome Casas, H.C.J. Godfray, Susan Harrison, Alan Hastings, Bradford A. Hawkins, George E. Heimpel, Marcel Holyoak, Nick Mills, Bernard D. Roitberg, Jens Roland, Michael R. Strand, Teja Tscharntke, and Minus van Baalen.

Book Description

This book is intended as a chemistry text for a one-semester course on inorganic reaction mechanisms at the advanced undergraduate or graduate level. Introductory chapters concentrate on the collection and interpretation of kinetic data. The chapter on substitution reactions begins with the
Langford and Gray classification system and focuses on a sensible approach to mechanistic discussions. Current experimental and theoretical information on solvent exchange reactions is emphasized for substitution on labile systems. Standard stereochemical change processes are discussed, along with a
simplified approach to symmetry rules for fluxional organometallic systems. The area of organometallic reactions attempts to bring together and generalize the current work on a variety of common reactions in this area, including C-H activation and a selection of catalytic processes. Electron
transfer reactions are discussed in terms of current modifications of Marcus' theory and ideas about bridging ligand effects, including intravalence electron transfer. In inorganic photochemistry, the general factors affecting quantum yields are discussed, with applications to cobalt (III), chromium
(III) and rhodium (III) systems, along with flash photolysis and matrix isolation studies in organometallic photochemistry. Selected bioinorganic systems are discussed in detail. The text includes over 500 references to original literature through 1990, and sample problems for each chapter.

The Mechanisms of Reactions at Transition Metal Sites (Oxford Chemistry Primers, No 10)

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The Mechanisms of Reactions at Transition Metal Sites (Oxford Chemistry Primers, No 10)
Richard A. Henderson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Inorganic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0198557469

Book Description

Understanding the mechanisms of the reactions at transition metal sites is a key component in designing synthetic methods, developing industrial homogeneous catalysts, and investigating metalloenzymes. These mechanisms are therefore an essential component of undergraduate courses. The author here provides a broad-based and systematic guide through the fundamentals of transition-metal mechanistic chemistry, including substitution, electron transfer, and reaction of ligands.

Inorganic and Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms

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Inorganic and Organometallic Reaction Mechanisms
Jim D. Atwood
Manufacturer: Wiley-VCH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Inorganic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0471188972

Book Description

This title provides detailed coverage of classic inorganic reaction mechanisms and organometallic reaction mechanisms. The coverage of the mechanisms expected for reactions of transitions metal complex includes the kinetic studies used to differentiate possible mechanisms. This combination of coordination complexes and organometallic complexes is unique to this title. Describing how transition metal complexes react and the type of data used to determine how complexes react, this work provides excellent introductions, extensive problems, and thought-provoking summaries in every chapter. Complete with excellent references, this second edition has been updated with new problems and increased information on NMR techniques, dissociative reactions of square-planar complexes, seventeen-electron complexes, organometallic transfer, and oxidative-addition and reductive-elimination reactions. The only current text on inorganic mechanisms, this book is ideal for students and chemists who deal with inorganic and organometallic reagents.

Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms (Specialist Periodical Reports)

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Inorganic Reaction Mechanisms (Specialist Periodical Reports)
Alexander McAuley
Manufacturer: Royal Society of Chemistry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Kinetics and Mechanism of Reactions of Transition Metal Complexes, 2.rE

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Kinetics and Mechanism of Reactions of Transition Metal Complexes, 2.rE
Ralph G. Wilkins
Manufacturer: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Inorganic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Metals | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This thoroughly revised and updated edition of one of the classics of kinetics text books continues the successful concept of the 1974 edition: In its first part, a simplified approach to the determination of rate laws and mechnisms is given steadily working up to complex situations. In the following chapters the principles developed there are extensively used in a comprehensive account of reactions of transition metal complexes, including reactions of biological signifacance.

The text is illustrated by numerous figures and tables. Points of further interest are highlighted in special insets. 140 problems, taken from the original literature, enable the student to apply and deepen his newly acquired knowledge and make the book highly useful for courses in inorganic and organometallic reaction mechanisms. Furthermore, a wealth of over 1700 references renders it an indispensable work for the active researcher.

Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions

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Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Inorganic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

The current volume covers electron transfer reactions, substitution and relation reactions, and reactions of organometallic compounds.

Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions, Volumes 1-8.

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Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions, Volumes 1-8.
M.V. (ed), Twigg
Manufacturer: Plenum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JI2HPE

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Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions
M. V. Twigg
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSVM0A

MECHANISMS OF INORGANIC AND ORGANOMETALLIC REACTIONS VOLUME 1

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MECHANISMS OF INORGANIC AND ORGANOMETALLIC REACTIONS VOLUME 1
MV Twigg
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS7VDC

Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions Volume 8 (Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions)

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Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions Volume 8 (Mechanisms of Inorganic and Organometallic Reactions)
Editor-M.V. Twigg
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSMZ8S

Book Description

Advanced Mathematics and Mechanics Applications Using MATLAB, Third Edition features extensive revisions that bring this bestselling text thoroughly up to date with MATLAB 6.x, especially with its graphics and animation capabilities. It incorporates new material on time-dependent solutions of linear partial differential equations, a new chapter on eigenvalue problems, and more than 300 pages of MATLAB solutions to important applications. The authors provide an abundance of new physical examples related to heat conduction, inviscid fluid flow, geometrical properties, stress analysis, and multi-dimensional optimizations. The source code for all of the programs presented is freely available for download from the CRC Web site.

Customer Reviews:

Turned MATLAB loose on a variety of engineering problems.......1999-11-19

This book begins with an introduction to MATLAB, language and graphics. I found this useful (fprint instead of disp, for example). Many engineering problems are set up and solved using MATLAB functions and m-files Applications of Fourier Series, the Dynamic Response of Second-Order Systems, and problems in ordinary and partial differential equations are presented. Many of the problems are specialized (consider the forced vibration of a pile embedded in an elastic medium, for example). Overall I liked the book, it presents a brief overview of the mathematics upon which each problem is based, and the m-files are well documented. I'm using it in an Applied Mathematics class.

Average customer rating:

A terrific, timeless classic ...

amazing sports novel

A chess story that transcends the sport

Like Glue

If you're not a chess player .....

The Queen's Gambit: A Novel
Walter Tevis
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Defense

The Immortal Game: A History of Chess

The Royal Game & Other Stories

The Hustler

The Man Who Fell to Earth (Del Rey Impact)

ASIN: 1400030609
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Book Description

Eight year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by all appearances unremarkable. That is until she plays her first game of chess. Her senses grow sharper, her thinking clearer, and for the first time in her life she feels herself fully in control. By the age of sixteen, she’s competing for the U.S. Open championship. But as she hones her skills on the professional circuit, the stakes get higher, her isolation grows more frightening, and the thought of escape becomes all the more tempting. Engaging and fast-paced, The Queen’s Gambit speeds to a conclusion as elegant and satisfying as a mate in four.

Customer Reviews:

A terrific, timeless classic ..........2007-09-01

this book is as brilliant as the main character that it protrays ... sharp and resounding, the characters and storyline lift off the pages ... rather than a fictional story, it reads like a staccato of newspaper articles that seem real, upon which you feel sad, thrilled, and marvel at the dexterity with which Tevis writes this brief masterpiece on the game of chess ... you cannot imagine the excitement of chess, journeyed from the basement of an orphanage onto its grandest stage against the Russians, until you see it through Beth Harmon's eyes, which is expertly captured through the penmanship of Tevis ...

chess will exist for ages to come ... as long as chess endures, so should this book ... BTW, you do not have to be a fan of chess to enjoy the elegant prose and contents of this story ...

highly recommended ... ;-)

amazing sports novel.......2007-06-29

Although Walter Tevis is perhaps better known for his two novels about pool, The Hustler and The Color Of Money, both of which are very good books, The Queen's Gambit outshines both of them.

Tevis has a beautiful narrative style that manages to be both taut and fluid at once. That clear, sharp voice carries you right through the novel so easily it's less like reading than like gliding through the story in a boat, watching events unfold around you. What Tevis really is is a sports writer, someone who can convey to his readers the tension, the anticipation, and the joy in excellence a sportsman who truly lives for his sport feels every time he plays. It's why you can read this novel and love it even if you don't play chess well. So long as you know what it's like to play a game and play it well, to train long and hard so you can beat out your opponent in the most elegant possible way, you can understand what makes Beth Harmon want to win and keep winning, no matter what it costs her in the end, because all that really matters for her is the exhilaration of outmaneuvering her opponent, spotting the weakness in his attack, and finding a way to use that weakness to win the game. Every other high and every other emotion pales in comparison with the feeling of winning. And if you don't know what it is to feel that way about a game, you will by the end of this book.

Pick up a copy if you can. It's been a long time out of print, and it's hard to find in libraries, but it's worth every dollar of the $12-14 you'll pay for it.

A chess story that transcends the sport.......2007-06-13

This is one of those rare sports stories that transcends the sport it discusses. It's the story of Beth Harmon, a child chess prodigy who was "discovered" by the janitor in her orphanage. She's a richly-drawn character, with a suite of personal problems including substance abuse. The result is a compelling story of a "heroine."

Tevis does a great job dealing with the central challenge - - how do you make chess exciting for readers who aren't international masters, and may not play chess at all? His solution is brilliant. He tells the story of chess games not in terms of moves but in terms of Harmon's feelings - - "that rook is annoying" or intentions - - "getting the bishop in the middle would wear him down." This puts the emphasis on people and plot, without getting bogged down in grandmaster-level chess.

That said, Tevis doesn't quite get the chess world right. Even child prodigies have to work their way up the ranks more - - think of, say, Yasser Serawan. Nor does he have the economics of the chess world right. Harmon depends on tournament prize money, but that's not where the real action is in professional chess. Exhibitions can be lucrative, as can other appearances as well as articles and books (as feature or as author). Obviously, prize money makes for a more dramatic story, but given Harmon's personality, making a slog of the more mundane part of the chess biz would have strengthened plot, characterization, and verisimilitude.

Nonetheless, it's a quick-paced, impressive novel.

Like Glue.......2007-05-17

It's hard to put this book down.
If you have played chess you will enjoy this book.

If you're not a chess player ............2007-01-08

you'll probably enjoy this book much more than someone who has played in tournaments and understands the chaotic and often irrational psyche of a single-minded player.

I saw this book on a "must read" list and being a chess enthusiast, I had to read this book. In short, the story is compelling but not convincing. The author tried to write on a subject that he didn't really have a first hand feel for. In the book Word Freak, you could see the author changing his viewpoints and attitudes as he became more and more involved with top notch Scrabble players. If Walter Tevis had done the same thing, the book would have turned out much differently.

For the non-chess playing reader, they have no alternative but to believe what Tevis writes and creates in their mind. For someone that knows and has seen the neurotic chess player, his depiction just don't work quite right. In the end, I don't believe that Tevis created the sudden rush of an overnight genius. His writing attempted a psychological treatment but ended up as entertainment instead of a truly "psychological thriller" as the back cover guarantees.

All in all, if you want an interesting read, this is okay. If you really want to understand the psyche of a chess player, start by attending a tournament and staying up until 2 in the morning while guys play speed chess and forgot that their ride left three hours ago.

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