Nov. 15, 1958. An arctic-like blizzard roars out of nowhere across the mild desert terrain of southern Arizona. Boy scouts are feared caught out in the open, perhaps buried under the three to seven feet of snowfall in the mountains. Cowboys urge their horses through the chest high snow, hikers push through monster snowdrifts, and helicopters hover at dangerous altitudes in their struggle to find the boys before they die.

Influenced by poetry such as Testimony by Charles Reznikoff andPaterson by William Carlos Williams, The Sunshine Special by Donovan Hufnagle uses nonliterary documents such as journals, letters, and newspaper articles to interrupt and "negotiate" with his original verse. The poetic narrative follows a traveling eighteen-year-old in the summer of 1920 from Fort Worth to Los Angeles. Francis's exploration of new frontiers is also his exploration into his own internal struggles with family and manhood. In his journal entries, he comments on landscapes, vegetation, and relationships as well as discovers his one and only true love. As Francis explores new areas, eventually exploring Los Angeles, and falling in love, he finds himself wanting and willing to permanently move away from the family. However, interrupting the verse are letters from his sister that juxtapose his pleasure and encourage him to return home.

Having sold more than 40,000 copies of previous editions, this authoritative climbing guide has been completely revised, updated and redesigned for a whole new generation of mountaineers. The original edition of Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, published by RMB in 1991, started a scrambling craze in the Canadian Rockies. No longer was reaching the top of those breathtaking peaks limited only to technical climbers; strong hikers with a sense of adventure found that they too could reach the top of many famous and stunning peaks. Armed with first-hand information, Alan Kane describes over 150 scrambles in a clear, concise format. This includes equipment needed, when to go, how to get there, where to park and what to expect as you work your way to the summit. Photos showing the ascent line complement descriptions that include historical trivia, origins of placenames and summit views. Routes range from off-trail hiking suitable for strong hikers to challenging routes at the low end of technical climbing where use of specific handholds is required on steep, airy terrain. Most ascents are day trips from a major road; many utilize a hiking trail on approach and include some of the most-photographed Rockies postcard peaks. The scramble areas begin in Waterton Park near the US border and continue north through Crowsnest, Kananaskis, Canmore and into the contiguous mountain parks of Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper. An overview of facilities, accommodation and climate is provided for each area. Specific hazards from rock quality to wildlife encounters are mentioned, including advice on scrambling safely. Guidebooks can be dry reading, but Kane’s snippets of humour make the book entertaining as well as useful.

From majestic Redwoods to ancient Western Bristlecone Pines, California's trees have long inspired artists, poets, naturalists—and real estate developers. Verna Johnston's splendid book, illustrated with her superb color photographs and Carla Simmons's detailed black-and-white drawings, now offers an unparalleled view of the Golden State's world-renowned forests and woodlands. In clear, vivid prose, Johnston introduces each of the state's dominant forest types. She describes the unique characteristics of the trees and the interrelationships of the plants and animals living among them, and she analyzes how fire, flood, fungi, weather, soil, and humans have affected the forest ecology. The world of forest and woodland animals comes alive in these pages—the mating games, predation patterns, communal life, and the microscopic environment of invertebrates and fungi are all here. Johnston also presents a sobering view of the environmental hazards that threaten the state's trees: acid snow, ozone, blister rust, over-logging. Noting the interconnectedness of the diverse life forms within tree regions, she suggests possible answers to the problems currently plaguing these areas. Enriched by the observations of early naturalists and Johnston's many years of fieldwork, this is a book that will be welcomed by all who care about California's treasured forests and woodlands.

These articles and book reports have been written in the hope that readers could believe as I do that the world, including our country, is in great danger for multiple of reasons: 1. The spread of adherents to Islam threaten to engulf all persons of different faiths. They are winning through violence but also just by having more babies than every other culture. The leaders of Europe and America refuse to accept how evil this belief system is and how they have only one agendaand that is to have dominion over all nations. 2. Our Constitution has been destroyed by the administration of President Obama and the Supreme Court. He does whatever he wants regardless of the Congress. The Court extended the commerce authority to allow the government to force citizens to purchase a service and allowed the corporations to spend anything they want to affect the outcome of elections. 3. We are drowning in debt but continue to add costly programs, making it even worse without making any attempt to reduce the strain. Military adventures continue without end. Government handouts to the so-called needy have created a permanent underclass of people being supported while not required to put forth effort. 4. The government refuses to take the steps needed to become energy efficient, which could be accomplished easily, thereby freeing us from OPEC. For those of you who dont remember, in the 50s, we exported oil.