North American wildlife is under siege. First came the hunters, who spread across the continent killing animals for food and clothing and because they were dangerous. Then came the developers, who continue to chip away at our wilderness at a rate of over a million acres per year. It wasn't until 1903 that the first North American sanctuary specifically aimed at protecting animals was established. Today, the continent is peppered with thousands of public and private refuges -- green islands of hope for wildlife. These sanctuaries have saved species like whooping cranes and trumpeter swans from extinction and allowed others like American bison and Canada geese to recover in number. Islands of Hope visits ten preserves in four North American countries. At Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, Phillip Manning examines the dependence of one of nature's farthest-traveled animals -- the red knot -- on one of its oldest and slowest -- the horseshoe crab. At El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Preserve, he tells of the impossible migration of a creature that weighs one-fiftieth of an ounce -- and the equally captivating story of the human effort that tracked the eastern monarch to its wintering ground in Mexico. At the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, he describes the effort to bring back not only North America's largest land animal -- the American bison -- but also an entire landscape as it existed hundreds of years ago. At Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, he tells of the pronghorn antelope and its stalker, the coyote, and the dilemma faced by those humans who would manage -- or not manage -- relations between the two. Behind Manning's fascinating accounts lies the serious purpose of learningwhat makes these ten preserves successful. Islands of Hope investigates the animals and ecosystems that the sanctuaries protect; it talks with people who run the preserves to discover how they use conservation laws and the science of ecology in their work; it examines how refuges are created; and it explores the threats still facing North America's sanctuaries.

With thousands of migrants attempting the perilous maritime journey from North Africa to Europe each year, transnational migration is a defining feature of social life in the Mediterranean today. On the island of Sicily, where many migrants first arrive and ultimately remain, the contours of migrant reception and integration are frequently animated by broader concerns for human rights and social justice. Island of Hope sheds light on the emergence of social solidarity initiatives and networks forged between citizens and noncitizens who work together to improve local livelihoods and mobilize for radical political change. Basing her argument on years of ethnographic fieldwork with frontline communities in Sicily, anthropologist Megan Carney asserts that such mobilizations hold significance not only for the rights of migrants, but for the material and affective well-being of society at large.

While our politicians argue, the truth is that climate change is already here. Nobody knows this better than Indigenous peoples who, having developed an intimate relationship with ecosystems over generations, have observed these changes for decades. For them, climate change is not an abstract concept or policy issue, but the reality of daily life.After two decades of working with indigenous communities, Gleb Raygorodetsky shows how these communities are actually islands of biological and cultural diversity in the ever-rising sea of development and urbanization. They are an “archipelago of hope” as we enter the Anthropocene, for here lies humankind’s best chance to remember our roots and how to take care of the Earth.We meet the Skolt Sami of Finland, the Nenets and Altai of Russia, the Sapara of Ecuador, the Karen of Myanmar, and the Tla-o-qui-aht of Canada. Intimate portraits of these men and women, youth and elders, emerge against the backdrop of their traditional practices on land and water. Though there are brutal realities—pollution, corruption, forced assimilation—Raygorodetsky's prose resonates with the positive, the adaptive, the spiritual—and hope.

The breathtaking wilderness next door Located above the dense population centers of northern Michigan and New York, the province of Ontario hosts vast areas of primal wilderness. Islands of Hope celebrates the preservation of the raw nature of these areas in word and picture. The book features 130 spectacular photographs that capture the spirit and essence of the northern wilderness. The photographs are by such first rate nature photographers as Freeman Patterson and Courtney Milne. Forty-three contributions by writers describe the magic and beauty of specific sites, such as Algonquin Park and Temagami. Other essays detail the efforts to protect the wilderness for future generations. Among the contributing writers are Margaret Atwood, Loraine Monk and Alec Ross. The book is organized in six major sections, each with a number of essays: History and attitudes Regional introduction The Canadian Shield The Hudson Bay Lowland Youth and nature Thoughts for the future Compelling essays and riveting photography make Islands of Hope an exceptional addition to the libraries of nature lovers, photography buffs, environmentalists and travelers.

Beautifully illustrated with more than 700 images, The Aloha Shirt: Spirit of the Islands tells the colourful stories behind the marvellous Hawaiian shirts: as cultural icons, evocative of the mystery and the allure of the Islands; as collectibles, valued by professional collectors and by the millions of tourists who still cherish the shirts hanging in their wardrobes; and as a lifestyle - casual, relaxed and fun. Drawing from hundreds of interviews, newspaper and magazine archives, and personal memorabilia, the author evokes the world of the designers, seamstresses, manufacturers and retailers of the Golden Age of the Aloha shirt (from the 1930s to the end of the 1950s), who created the industry and nurtured it from its single-sewing-machine shop beginnings to an enterprise of international scope and importance. Here are the fun-loving 1960s; interviews with collectors who preserve these shirts as fine works of art; and insights into the roles of coconut buttons, matched pockets, woven labels and exotic fabrics in the evolution of the Aloha shirt.

BOOK 3 IN THE BLACK TIDE RISING SERIES FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHOR. Sequel to To Sail a Darkling Sea and Under a Graveyard Sky. With the world consumed by a devastating plague that drives humans violently insane, what was once a band of desperate survivors bobbing on a dark Atlantic ocean has now become Wolf Squadron, the only hope for the salvation of the human race. Banding together with what remains of the U.S. Navy, Wolf Squadron, and its leader Steve Smith, not only plans to survive¾he plans to retake the mainland from the infected, starting with North America. The next step: produce a vaccine. But for do that, Wolf Squadron forces led by Smiths terrifyingly precocious daughters Sophia and Faith must venture into a sea of the infected to obtain and secure the needed materials. And if some of the rescued survivors turn out to be more than they seem, Smith just might be able to pull off his plan. Once more, exhausted and redlining Wolf Squadron forces must throw themselves into battle, scouring the islands of the Atlantic for civilization's last hope. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About the Black Tide Rising Series: "Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, hes using the zombie frame to tackle a broader theme: the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series."¾Booklist About Under a Graveyard Sky: _Ringo combines humor and horror in this strong series debut, the thinking readers zombie novel.Ó¾Publishers Weekly About John Ringo: _[Ringos work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse.Ó ¾Library Journal _. . . Explosive. . . . fans. . .will appreciate Ringos lively narrative and flavorful characters.Ó ¾Publishers Weekly _. . .practically impossible not to read in one sitting . . . exceedingly impressive . . . executed with skill, verve, and wit.Ó ¾Booklist _Crackerjack storytelling.Ó ¾Starlog BLACK TIDE RISING SERIES: Under a Graveyard Sky To Sail a Darkling Sea Islands of Hope and Rage Strands of Sorrow (upcoming)

On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the publication of her classic Leadership and the New Science, bestselling author Margaret Wheatley once again turns to the new science of living systems to help leaders persevere in a time of great turmoil. I know it is possible for leaders to use their power and influence, their insight and compassion, to lead people back to an understanding of who we are as human beings, to create the conditions for our basic human qualities of generosity, contribution, community and love to be evoked no matter what. I know it is possible to experience grace and joy in the midst of tragedy and loss. I know it is possible to create islands of sanity in the midst of wildly disruptive seas. I know it is possible because I have worked with leaders over many years in places that knew chaos and breakdown long before this moment. And I have studied enough history to know that such leaders always arise when they are most needed. Now it's our turn.