A look at competitive duck painting reflected in the 2010 Federal Duck Stamp Contest explains how the annual duck stamp raises funds for the National Wildlife Refuge System and involves clashes between hunters and conservationists.

THE WILD DUCK CHASE is the basis for “The Million Dollar Duck,” a documentary feature film, directed by Brian Golden Davis and written by Martin J. Smith, premiering at The Slamdance Film Festival in January 2016. The book takes readers into the peculiar world of competitive duck painting as it played out during the 2010 Federal Duck Stamp Contest-the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. Since 1934, the duck stamp, which is bought annually by hunters to certify their hunting license, has generated more than $750 million, and 98 cents of each collected dollar has been used to help purchase or lease 5.3 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the United States. As Martin J. Smith chronicles in his revealing narrative, within the microcosm of the duck stamp contest are intense ideological and cultural clashes between the mostly rural hunters who buy the stamps and the mostly suburban and urban birders and conservationists who decry the hunting of waterfowl. The competition also fuels dynamic tensions between competitors and judges, and among the invariably ambitious, sometimes obsessive and eccentric artists--including Minnesota's three fabled Hautman brothers, the "New York Yankees" of competitive duck painting. Martin Smith takes readers down an arcane and uniquely American rabbit hole into a wonderland of talent, ego, art, controversy, scandal, big money, and migratory waterfowl.

Welcome to the Essays collection. A special selection of the nonfiction prose from influential and noteworthy authors. This book brings some of best essays of G. K. Chesterton, across a wide range of subjects, including literature, art, politica and many more topics.G. K. Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Time magazine observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegoriesfirst carefully turning them inside out." Many of his most relevant works were published by Tacet Books.The book contains the following texts:- Introduction by Edmund Gosse- Books to Read- Charlotte Bronte as a Romantic- As Large as Life in Dickens- On Manners- A Workman's History of England- The True Vanity of Vanities- The Apostle and the Wild Ducks- A Theory of Tyrants- What is Right With the World- What I Found in My Pocket- Utopia Of Usurers- Woman- On Running After Ones Hat

In 'The Greatest Works of G. K. Chesterton,' readers are treated to a collection of some of the most profound and thought-provoking essays, fiction, and poetry by the renowned author. Chesterton's literary style is characterized by his wit, humor, and keen observations on society, religion, and philosophy. His works are known for their paradoxical and witty nature, which challenges readers to think beyond the surface. The collection includes masterpieces such as 'Orthodoxy,' 'The Man Who Was Thursday,' and 'The Ballad of the White Horse,' showcasing Chesterton's versatility as a writer. This compilation provides an in-depth look into the mind of one of the most influential literary figures of the 20th century. Gilbert Keith Chesterton, known as G. K. Chesterton, was a prolific writer and thinker whose works continue to inspire readers to this day. His unique perspective on various topics such as religion, morality, and society set him apart as a leading intellectual of his time. Chesterton's ability to blend humor with profound insights makes his works both engaging and enlightening. I highly recommend 'The Greatest Works of G. K. Chesterton' to anyone interested in delving into the brilliant mind of this literary giant. This collection offers a comprehensive overview of Chesterton's body of work and is sure to leave readers with a newfound appreciation for his contributions to literature.

This edition includes: The Father Brown Stories: The Innocence of Father Brown The Wisdom of Father Brown The Incredulity of Father Brown The Secret of Father Brown The Scandal of Father Brown The Donnington Affair The Mask of Midas Novels: The Napoleon of Notting Hill The Man who was Thursday The Ball and the Cross Manalive The Flying Inn The Return of Don Quixote Short Stories: The Club of Queer Trades The Man Who Knew Too Much The Trees of Pride Tales of the Long Bow The Poet and the Lunatics Four Faultless Felons The Paradoxes of Mr. Pond The White Pillars Murder The Sword of Wood Poetry: Greybeards At Play The Wild Knight and Other Poems Wine, Water, and Song Poems, 1916 The Ballad of St. Barbara and Other Verses The Ballad of the White Horse Gloria in Profundis Ubi Ecclesia Rotarians Plays: Magic – A Fantastic Comedy The Turkey and the Turk Literary Criticism: A Defence of Penny Dreadfuls Appreciations and Criticisms of the Works of Charles Dickens The Victorian Age in Literature Charles Dickens - Critical Study Hilaire Belloc Robert Louis Stevenson Historical Works: A Short History of England The Barbarism of Berlin Letters to an Old Garibaldian The Crimes of England The New Jerusalem Theological Works: Heretics Orthodoxy The Everlasting Man The Catholic Church and Conversion Eugenics and other Evils Essays: The Defendant Varied Types All Things Considered Tremendous Trifles What's Wrong with the World Alarms and Discursions A Miscellany of Men Divorce versus Democracy Utopia of Usurers and Other Essays The Superstition of Divorce The Uses of Diversity Fancies Versus Fads The Outline of Sanity The Thing Come to Think All is Grist Sidelights on New London and Newer York All I Survey The Well and the Shallows As I was Saying Other Essays... Travel Sketches: Irish Impressions What I Saw in America Biographical Works Autobiography by G. K. Chesterton G. K. Chesterton – A Critical Study by Julius West