The Robin has now been voted Britain's favorite bird--a friendly presence in thousands of gardens, year round. Its life was hardly understood when David Lack--who has been called Britain's most influential ornithologist--started his scientific observations of robins while a schoolteacher at Dartington. It was Lack who established that robins sing to defend their territory; that males will fight to the death but will also feed injured opponents; that couples will court and mate but then ignore each other; that most robins will die in any given year. The book he wrote is a landmark in natural history, not just for discoveries that changed ornithology, but because of the approachable style, sharpened with an acute wit. It reads as freshly and as fascinatingly today as when it was first written. No one who has ever enjoyed the company of a robin in their garden or on a walk will want to be without this book. Unavailable for many years, this classic work includes postscripts by the author's son, Peter Lack, and by the doyen of robin studies today, David Harper. The former explains the genesis of the book and situates it in the hugely important lifetime's work carried out by his father, while the latter describes recent advances in robin studies in the context of each chapter.

Acclaimed naturalist and birdwatcher Stephen Moss brings us a year in the life of Britain's favourite bird - the robin. In The Robin Moss records a year of observing the robin both close to home and in the field to shed light on the hidden life of this apparently familiar bird. We follow its life cycle from the time it enters the world as an egg, through its time as a nestling and juvenile, to the adult bird; via courtship, song, breeding, feeding, migration - and ultimately, death. At the same time, we trace the robin's relationship with us: how did this bird - one of more than 300 species in its huge and diverse family - find its way so deeply and permanently into our nation's heart and its social and cultural history? It's a story that tells us as much about ourselves as it does about the robin itself. No other bird is quite so ever-present and familiar, so embedded in our culture, as the robin. But how much do we really know about this bird? 'There is no doubt that Moss's book, with its charming cover and quaint illustrations, will make it into many a stocking this year' The Times

From New York Times culture reporter Dave Itzkoff, the definitive biography of Robin Williams – a compelling portrait of one of America’s most beloved and misunderstood entertainers. From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. He often came across as a man possessed, holding forth on culture and politics while mixing in personal revelations – all with mercurial, tongue-twisting intensity as he inhabited and shed one character after another with lightning speed. But as Dave Itzkoff shows in this revelatory biography, Williams’s comic brilliance masked a deep well of conflicting emotions and self-doubt, which he drew upon in his comedy and in celebrated films like Dead Poets Society; Good Morning, Vietnam; The Fisher King; Aladdin; and Mrs. Doubtfire, where he showcased his limitless gift for improvisation to bring to life a wide range of characters. And in Good Will Hunting he gave an intense and controlled performance that revealed the true range of his talent. Itzkoff also shows how Williams struggled mightily with addiction and depression – topics he discussed openly while performing and during interviews – and with a debilitating condition at the end of his life that affected him in ways his fans never knew. Drawing on more than a hundred original interviews with family, friends, and colleagues, as well as extensive archival research, Robin is a fresh and original look at a man whose work touched so many lives.

In the center of the nest lay one perfect egg, the color of a spring sky. The father robin sat on a branch nearby, guarding his family. Tressa spotted raccoon tracks below and a blue jay eyeing the nest. “Gran, how are we going to keep the egg safe?”“We’ll have to leave that one to the Creator,” Gran said.Robins have built a nest on the window ledge at Grandmother’s house! Tressa is thrilled—and concerned. What will happen to the sky-blue egg laid by the mother robin? As more eggs appear, Tressa witnesses the daily drama of the robins’ nest and learns how God cares for all creatures.Besides watching the birds, there are Easter eggs to color. And there is a very special story to hear—a tale of long ago about one small bird with a very big heart. How did the robin get its red breast? Tressa is about to find out as Gran tells her the story of the Easter robin.Brought to life with colorful, tender illustrations, The Story of the Easter Robin will captivate and teach your child about compassion and faith.

A basic overview of the life cycle of robins.

Robin van Persie is one of the most talented players in world football today. An intelligent playmaker and deadly striker, he brings creativity and intelligence to Arsenal's forward line and is the first name on the Netherlands team sheet. Signed by Arsene Wenger in the summer of 2004 with a view to replace Dutch legend Dennis Bergkamp, Van Persie quickly established himself as an integral part of Wenger's talented side, initially plying his trade on the left side of midfield. Playing alongside the likes of Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira, Van Persie was duly inducted into the 'Arsenal way' and developed into one of the most creative, competitive and intelligent players in the Premier League. Scoring what Wenger called the 'goal of a lifetime' against Charlton in 2006, Van Persie was asked to lead the Arsenal line following Henry's departure to Barcelona in the summer of 2007, and it wasn't long before the Dutchman inherited Bergkamp's number 10 jersey and became an integral part of the next generation of Arsenal greats. From early rifts with coach Bert van Marwijk as a young player at Feyenoord, through to establishing himself as a world class talent after Van Marwijk guided the great Oranje to the World Cup final in 2010, this is the fascinating story of a true sporting talent and one of the most naturally gifted football players of his generation.

Discover how plant medicine can boost your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing—with over 180 recipes and step-by-step instructions for herbal teas and other natural remedies. “ . . . contains far more than simple directives found in most herb books . . . Spiritual insights are richly interwoven with excellent herbal remedies.” —Rosemary Gladstar, author of Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide With more than 180 easy-to-follow recipes and written by a well-respected urban herbalist, The Gift of Healing Herbs explores herbology as the “people’s medicine”—freely available to all—and as a powerful yet gentle way to heal the body, mind, heart, and soul. You will learn about: • The true nature of health and the causes of illness • The physical systems of the body and the common and not-so-common herbs for tonifying them • Recipes for teas, brews, and how to incorporate herbs into your daily life • The relationship between our body systems and the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water Filled with personal stories, case histories, prayers, meditations, and more, The Gift of Healing Herbs is equal parts inspiration and instruction drawn from the author’s decades spent teaching and practicing herbal medicine in a spiritual, earth-based, non-dogmatic style. Bennett explores how one’s personal story turns into one’s embodied physicality—ultimately revealing unique paths of healing for each reader.