One of the definitive reads for a person willing to give up old paradigms of human society and become more in rhythm with nature. Joan Ocean again provides an in-depth look at the numerous aspects of the multi-dimensional lifestyle, with the dolphins and whales as her loving and playful guides. Her journal entries (put in at times during a chapter to help explain the current concept) help bring the experience of swimming with a dolphin closer to home for those who might not yet be able to get out there on the open sea; I can personally attest to that. This book is definitely NOT a 'repeat' of Joan Ocean's first book, Dolphin Connection, and well worth reading in tandem with each other (they go great together!). Dolphins Into the Future seems to build somewhat on what was discussed in Dolphin Connection; I would highly recommend reading Dolphin Connection first. Overall, these books herald a new era in peacefully coexisting with the planet's environments...creating the stage for a world filled with Love.

This fabulous and deeply satisfying book is about exploring dolphins on an energetic level, rather than from a distant scientific standpoint. She did not do controlled scientific studies of such things as social behaviors and sounds. Instead she has become a dolphin. Her own wonderful sensitivities to energy, wordless communication, and connections with all "peoples," human and non-human, have enabled her to make a huge contribution to the answers many of us are seeking: Who are the dolphins? Why are they here? Why do we like them and why do they like us? And what can they teach us? Joan Ocean's dolphin friends are thirsty to share with us levels of awareness that most people don't know exist, yet experiences of these levels will help us move joyfully into the energetic changes that are occuring on earth.

I bought this book for my six year old son.He and his brother have always loved Jerry Pallotta's alphabet books, so I thought we'd give this book a try! Boy, are we glad that I did! The illustrations are beautiful, and as always Mr. Pallotta gives children information in a way that they can understand - but without talking down to them. My son really loved the twist at the end of the story. He was relieved that Danny wasn't out there in the ocean all by himself!

This beauty of a book has so many quality elements! The pictures are gorgeous, first of all, and easily catch and hold readers' attentions. Perhaps some parents will raise their eyebrows at the seemingly disobedient little boy's adventures, but children will be entranced. The ending, in which it is revealed that Danny's adventures are really a bath-time story he is telling himself, far from being a cop-out, is reassuring to parents and kids alike. In between, there is much (accurate!) information, gently shared, that will prompt kids to tell their own bath-time stories.

A clever poetic presentation integrates Language Arts and Science in a creative way. In addition to accuracy of content information, the author, Barbara Shaw McKinney incorporates literary devices: figurative language, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and personification. The opportunities for learning are endless as children read across the curriculum.

I particularly like the symbols that appear throughout the text, where the drop demonstrates the water cycle properties. They are further explained in the end pages titled, "A Magic Show Starring H2O." During subsequent readings, my students enjoyed dramatizing Drop's travels. "A Drop Around the World" lends itself well to interactive dramatization. For example, by pairing an action and sound effect with each water property/symbol, students are able to reenact Drop's journey, totally engaged in the text.

On another level, children are anxious to locate the drop on each page as it is revealed by the context of the story.

A "must have jewel" for innovative teachers attempting to engage the imagination of their students! Barbara Shaw McKinney's love of Nature's Magic is contagious as evidenced by the response of my students. They loved it!

I can hardly wait to see what wonders her next book will unearth!

Who would have ever thought the water cycle could be so entertaining! As an Environmental Educator, I am very VERY picky about children's nature books. Many are too technical to become a household favorite. Many others are too "watered down" (sorry very bad pun) to have any value in the classroom as a content book. Once in a very long while will a book be able to accomplish both goals. "A Drop Around the World" does this and much more.

Amazon lists it as suitable for ages 4-8 -- a conservative estimate, at best. Like only the best children books can, it appeals to all ages. And like only the best EE books, it has educational messages for young and old. At first, my 3-year-old was mainly concerned with searching out the "protagonist" drop from the rest of the water on each page. Now he also enjoys identifying all of the animals, so expertly drawn, as the pages go by. I myself get caught up in the text. I marvel at how factual and informative McKinney can be and still maintain an engaging and unforced rhyme scheme.

And finally as an added bonus, even the artwork is virtually flawless. I'm pleased to say that after close inspection I have found only one error. On the African Rainforest pages there is a Harpy Eagle which is a species only found in South America. Few $60-$80 ecology textbooks fair as well under my scrutiny!

I recommend this book for (2-and higher) because it has many hard words that I could not understand. The book is good. I liked it because it is like a science book and I like science.

We forget where things come from in our lives. After reading The Drop in My Drink, neither you nor your children will question where your water comes from, or why it is important to know. With water quality and availability named as the number one problem of the new millenium, this exquisitely illustrated book is a must read for both children and adults. Donate one to your child's classroom!

All of Donachie's books are great! They are totally exiting and the main characters are rounded and charming. I always keep up all night to finish them. I have one criticism, however:What s really lacking is a map of a ship or a naval glossary because it is frustrating to have to skip over all the naval descriptions because you cannot understand them without background knowledge.

An excellent story , carrying on with the two main characters written in David's earlier books. I don't understand why this author is not so widely read or freely avaiable from WH Smith etc. David, hopefully writes one book per year, I am eagerly awaiting his next puiblication

I would recommend any of his books, The Devils Own Luck, The Drying Trade, both these books I picked up as a twin set for the ridiculous price of £2.99, that started the journey off, followed by A Hanging Matter, a Scent of Betrayal and his last book, A Bag Of Bones. As an ex sailor, it brought back a lot of memories about where our great naval traditions sprung from and how everyday usage of words came into the English language from sailors.

It is also a good " detective " story leaving you guessing right up to the conclusion. Well done David, BUT PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE WRITING AGAIN

Although I do not agree with all of Heyerdahl's perspectives or theories (some of which are being tested in the negative with new DNA tracing techniques) this book is still worth reading in part because of one of the most acute studies of the isolationist-diffusionist controversy, especially with respect to the Atlantic side of the debate, where the riddle of the Olmecs and the New World civilizations get consistently incorrect histories. Hopefully this side of the author's legacy after judicious sifting and updating won't be lost. For various reasons, among them the insistence, due to incorrect Darwinian views, on independent cultural evolution, and the speculations of crank theorists, the fairly simple facts of the case are rarely presented.
There are very few historians willing to consider the issues here, Cyrus Gordon in Before Columbus, being one. This is one of those areas where establshed scholarship is determined to not get it right, and the careful arguments in the book are classic and pretty well ignored.

Early Man and the Ocean is another in Thor Heyerdahl's rewriting of the ancient history of the Americas and Polynesia. Published in 1978, it contains a number of chapters on information not covered in his earlier books, including his proposed timeline for the peopling of Polynesia by not one, but two different peoples. Indeed, what makes this book different is that here the author ties together his findings from many different lands, into a logical whole.

If you liked Kon-Tiki and Aku-Aku, then this book is for you. My only complaint against this book is that I dearly wish that it would be updated and reissued.

Ésta es una novela corta, cuya narración se mete en los detalles de las situaciones, pero no aburre al lector, por el contrario lo hace interesarse en la historia.

La historia es sobre un viejo pescador que está en un periodo de mala suerte y sale a pescar. Durante el tiempo que dura la pesca muestra las bellezas y peligros del mar, reflexiona sobre el hombre y su parecido y diferencias con criaturas marinas, enseña que cada persona es producto de su pasado y así sucesivamente.

Es una novela sin sobresaltos, para que chicos y grandes la disfruten.

un cuento hermoso, escrito con la parquedad de palabras que caracteriza a Hemingway, con sus oraciones cortas y concisas, con su estilo de periodista puesto al servicio de la novelistica. este cuento trata sobre la busqueda, esa interna busqueda del ser humano, esa agonia por poseer, conquistar, domar, por no ser vencido por el inexorable paso de los anos y la muerte. esto es lo que impulsa a santiago a la pesca todos los dias. no se porque, pero esta historia me recuerda mucho a moby dick, aunque aqui la busqueda sea diferente muy recomendado. LUIS MENDEZ

I can't even imagine the prodigious amount of research Mr. Hall has done to recreate this history of the Indian Ocean peoples. For that alone, this book has 5 stars!

The book is divided into three parts - first the history of this region before the arrival of the Europeans, the European period, and the last part deals with the consolidation by Britain of the English lake (what the Indian Ocean was referred to as later). The first two parts are excellent in my opinion.

The book is filled with the most curious facts imaginable and long since forgotten from our history books. The brutality in the name of religion and empire still amazes me.

I highly recommend this book.

I was lucky to pick up this book by chance in a wonderful bookshop in Ottawa, Canada. I had never heard of this book or the author and was just browsing. It was a great find! Mr. Hall has done a prodigious amount of research but this book is the opposite of stuffy and pedantic. It is a tribute to Mr. Hall that even after 500 pages you will be sorry that you have finished. He leaves you wanting more and fortunately he gives you a very nice bibliography which will allow you to satisfy your curiousity. This book moves along at a breakneck pace and sweeps you along from place to place all along the coasts of East Africa and the Horn Of Africa up into the Persian Gulf and along the west coast of India. A few early chapters even take you over to China and Indonesia. There are enough interesting characters to populate a novel by Tolstoy and you will learn a lot of interesting and horrible things that they never taught you about in school. What was done in the name of religion by both Christians and Muslims is very sad. An educated person might not be surprised by the fact of man's inhumanity but I think you will be surprised by the quantity and nature of what went on, and by the sheer joie de vivre of some of these folks! To give you only one "small" example, Vasco da Gama (who was held up to me in school as being a "great explorer") once won a small battle off of the coast of India and when he took some of his foes captive he cut off their ears, noses and hands and then put the poor wretches on a ship and set the ship ablaze. When the fire was over not everyone was dead so da Gama took the survivors and had them hoisted up on the masts of one of his own ships and let his archers have some target practice....This book is full of adventure, greed, hypocrisy and self-delusion. In other words, it is a wonderful mirror held up to life. Enjoy!

Boating Writers International announces that Mary Jane Haye, author of "Eye on the Sea: Reflections on the Boating Life" (Breakaway Books) has been awarded First Prize in their contest for the best book on recreational boating published in the years 1998 and 1999. One judge said of the book: With "Eye on the Sea" author Mary Jane Hayes focuses on the boating life with the microscope of the soul. The book acknowledges the disappointments. It faces down its retributions. Then, credibly and in superb prose, it testifies by personal example to the blessings that boating gives its people." Boating Writers International is made up of writers, photographers and broadcasters who work in the marine industry representing media from local and national newspapers, regional and international magazines and radio and television. The award was announced at the Miami International Boat Show on February 18th and carries with it a cash prize.

Once you start reading this book, you can't put it down. It's lyrically beautiful writing, full of images that delight the soul. You actually are aboard her vessel with Hayes and her husband, experiencing everything they do. And it's not all pleasant, as she relates in her chapter, "On an August Gale." You, too, see those monstrous waves and wild winds, not to mention the green/black sky. But I particularly liked her chapter on salty dogs. Anyone who has seen these canines with ears flapping in the wind will laugh. This is a great gift book, and not just for boaters.

This is the book to get if you're into ocean liners! It contains loads of great information about the ocean liners of the past and present, and whets the appetite for more!

I think the "Fifty Famous Liners" series (books 1-3) are the most concise and informational descriptions of the worlds most famous liners a terrific buy for Liner enthusiasts! Andrew Oliva (aoliva@odin.cbu.edu)