In a Sub-Saharan African country vulnerable to the whims of its dyslexic and tyrannical ruler, a young man named Abdulmoneim Ghoriesh, enrols in the country's famed university, laden with the scars of a recent family tragedy. On his first night on campus, as he falls asleep on the lawn, Abdul has barely nodded off before he is jolted awake by hundreds of frogs croaking in eerie unison. And so begins Abdul's satirical campus journey with five other desperately poor yet immensely motivated students, collectively known as Les Misérables. As the nation chokes under the haze of dictatorship, campus residents must endure the theocratic chauvinism of a students' union controlled by radical Islamists. Trapped in the labyrinths of political repression, religious dogmatism and the horrors of final exams, the skeptical and talented Les Misérables cultivate an extraordinary capacity for transforming despair into dark and hilarious tall tales. Amid the turbulent chaos of their existence, the six survive an uprising against the dyslexic tyrant while achieving academic distinction. Even so, a gruesome murder of a friend casts insufferable sorrow at the end of a remarkable odyssey. The General and the Frogs is a tale of the incredible power of humour and of the triumph of the human spirit at a time lived most dangerously.

With richly colorful photos and compelling, informative descriptions, John and Deborah Behler have carefully crafted a wonderful tribute to the amazingly complex frog. With decades of expertise in conservation, the Behlers are unequaled in their ability to capture the wild and ever-changing world of these amphibians--all 5,000 species. They reveal an unexpected diversity of form, lifestyle, and ecology, and take readers on a magical journey that makes vibrantly clear why these creatures are so important. Breathtaking and brilliant images show tadpoles in water and on leaves; a many-hued variety of frogs (bright blue, golden yellow and black, red and turquoise) in their environment; African sand frogs and chirping frogs; Oriental fire-bellied frogs; and tiny three-toed toadlets--among the smallest that exist. It’s a vision not to be missed.

Covering all 101 species of frogs in the United States and Canada, this book contains natural history information, identification tips, range and habitat information, summaries of behavior, and descriptions of calls. A 70-minute audio compact disc includes the calls of nearly every species.

“A huge, beautiful compendium of 600 frogs from around the world, from the famed poison-arrow variety on up to the intriguingly named plaintive rain frog.” —Wired With over 7,000 known species, frogs display a stunning array of forms and behaviors. A single gram of the toxin produced by the skin of the Golden Poison Frog can kill 100,000 people. Male Darwin’s Frogs carry their tadpoles in their vocal sacs for sixty days before coughing them out into the world. The Wood Frogs of North America freeze every winter, reanimating in the spring from the glucose and urea that prevent cell collapse. The Book of Frogs commemorates the diversity and magnificence of all of these creatures, and many more. Six hundred of nature’s most fascinating frog species are displayed, with each entry including a distribution map, sketches of the frogs, species identification, natural history, and conservation status. Life-size color photos show the frogs at their actual size—including the colossal seven-pound Goliath Frog. Accessibly written by expert Tim Halliday and containing the most up-to-date information, The Book of Frogs will captivate both veteran researchers and amateur herpetologists. As frogs increasingly make headlines for their troubling worldwide decline, the importance of these fascinating creatures to their ecosystems remains underappreciated. The Book of Frogs brings readers face to face with six hundred astonishingly unique and irreplaceable species that display a diverse array of adaptations to habitats that are under threat of destruction throughout the world. “If you are a serious (and I mean serious) fan of the frog, you are in for a real treat.” —Boing Boing

In this comprehensive book, renowned herpetologist Ellin Beltz offers a compelling picture of the history of the frog, its anatomical makeup, its place in the natural world and the threats that are seriously reducing its numbers around the world. Today, frogs are found on most islands around the world and on all continents except Antarctica. Frogs live from the warmest and wettest tropical lowlands to about 17,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas. Some areas of Earth have more frogs than others, but frogs are true survivors. But it isn't easy being green. This hearty amphibian lives both on land and in the water and is exposed to a host of chemical and environmental threats. The frog is an animal that indicates the overall health of the environment in which it lives. It is not too much to say that "as goes the frog, so goes the swamp," and even perhaps the planet. Frogs contains a detailed look at all 31 frog families, allowing the reader to learn more about specific ones and appreciate the range and diversity of this popular amphibian. And, yes, toads are covered here, too. There is also a fascinating section on frogs in myth and culture, showing the place frogs have occupied in art and literature. This handsome book is lavishly illustrated with over 125 color photographs representing the remarkable range and world of an utterly fascinating creature. AUTHOR: Ellin Beltz is a biologist, herpetologist and author. A longtime member of the Chicago Herpetological Society, she has written extensively on reptiles and amphibians and taught at Northeastern Illinois University, the Morton Arboretum, Trinity Christian College and College of the Redwoods. 125 colour photographs

These superb collections of field recordings and descriptions offer unparalleled access to the sounds and calls of numerous popular and less well known birds and amphibians. Each book and CD provides an introduction to the sound repertoire of species living in eastern and central North America--a variety of calls from each species are included, along with an in-depth description and explanation of their significance. In addition to color photographs of the most common species, the text offers a fascinating look at the science of avian and amphibian calls, making these guides indispensable aids for the outdoor enthusiast.