Whoecver heard of the Chicago Whales? While Chicago would be the last place one would go to find a whale (outside captivity), there was a team by that name at the turn of the century. I enjoyed this book as both a baseball fan and a historian. One fault that I do find, however, is the absence of the Negro Leagues. Maybe this oversight can be corrected in a future edition or even in a separate compendium. Also, while mention is made of the original Milwaukee Brewers AL franchise in 1903 in the St. Louis Browns entry, there is no separate entry listed for that particular franchise. The 1903 Brewers had as colorful a year as the 1969 Seattle Pilots (which themselves became the modern day Milwaukee Brewers).

The Ball Clubs is an excellent book. It provides extremely informative backgrounds on ALL major league franchises. I do, however, have two rather nagging criticisms of this book. The first is that the authors seem to be excessively "anti-owner": they seem to take every opportunity to point out every flaw in anybody who ever owned or operated a major league baseball franchise, while rarely (if ever) complimenting these individuals. The second criticism, which in my opinion is much more serious, is their quite STUPID decision to separate "franchises" into separate "teams" (such as the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers). This practice reaches a ridiculous point when a continuous franchise which has played in two different leagues (such as the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the AA from 1882-1886 and the NL from 1887-present) is given two different entries - for the SAME FRANCHISE!!! (Does that mean that there will be yet ANOTHER entry for the Milwaukee Brewers, since they are transferring to the NL in 1998?)

If you had to buy just one book on baseball then "The Ball Clubs" should be the one you choose. It presents an in-depth look at every professional baseball club in the history of "America's pastime". Everyone knows of The Dodgers, The Yankees, The Braves et al, but how many have heard of The New York Mutuals or Altoona Mountain Citys, who also played a role (however brief) in the formation and history of Major League Baseball as we know it today. Well researched and written, this book should become a standard among baseball literature and will hopefully be updated on a regular basis. The writers demonstrate their love and knowledge of the game and this comes across in the book which not only includes bare facts but amusing side stories as well. This book is an enjoyable read and should form the foundation of any baseball book collection

This beautiful 'coffee table' book contains all the information essential to the golden owner, including a detailed history of the breed throughout the world, invaluable advice on every topic from breeding, selection and care of the puppy through conformation, obedience, grooming, and veterinary care. Also includes discussion of the most influential breeding kennels.

We are breeders. Loved the detailed history of the breed including info on the All-Time Great Dogs!

Between all the books we've read about Golden's, The Book Of The Golden Retriever was more informative ,(in all areas), than all the other books combined. We purchased the book prior to buying our new golden puppy. The information on their characteristics could not have been any more " right on the money". It helped us purchase the perfect, loving dog. We also found relatives of hers in the book along with the kennels they originated. It was absolutely terrific being able to locate her ancestors and read when and how they became... Show Dogs.. Champions...Best Of Breed...etc. I recomend this book to anyone who is in hope of purchasing a Golden...You'll be happy you did!!!

Slowly but surely the Nic Bracewell-mysteries are changing tack.
The inevitable murder more and more enters late into the story and seems to be somewhat less important. In a book of 273 pages the one and only murder is committed on page 181 and it is not even clear (and even not important) why it's done. Moreover one of the heroes comes three times near death because there were some spells in the play he was rehearsing. The reader waiting for a logical explanation will wait in vainly. The author of the play changes the spells and that's it. Therefore we are left with a hugely sympathetic cast of by now familiar characters, very witty dialogue and a story that concentrates almost completely on the adventures of actors in a visit outside London where they are not very welcome. As a historian I like it very much but the hardcore mystery fan will feel somewhat cheated.

The Nicholas Bracewell Elizabethan Theatre series is hands down my favourite Elizabethan mystery series. Edward Marston (the authour) does a masterful job of combining broad humour with an intriguing plot and an in-depth look at the workings of a theatre troupe in 16th century England. Another plus: this series is almost always consistently good.

England is currently blanketed with horrendously bad winter weather, and the Westfield's Men face a season of being out of work, when good fortune practically leaps into their laps. They are offered the chance to give a weeek and a half' s worth of performances at Silvermere, Sir Michael Greenleaf's country house in Essex. There are however two conditions that must be met: 1) that they perform at least one entirely new play, and 2) that they take on an apprentice -- 10 year old Davy Stratton, the son of merchant Jerome Stratton, a friend of Sir Michael's. On the surface, these conditions seems completely easy ones. But little do the Westfield's Men know what is in store for them!

From the very beginning Nicholas senses that there's something not quite right about Davy's relationship with his father. Nicholas's suspicions prove to be correct when, on a reconnaissance trip to Silvermere, Davy runs away the very first chance he gets. And when Jerome Stratton returns his errant son to Nicholas, both father and son claim that Davy's horse ran away with him. Nicholas doesn't buy the story, but cannot get Davy to open up to him. Soon after, Davy's begins to pull some rather nasty pranks on the other apprentices, and earns himself a rather unappetizing nickname with the players: the devil's apprentice. Nicholas cannot quite make out what's wrong with Davy. He sense that the boy is an innately a good and nice child, but that Davy is also very unhappy. And he is quite disturbed that he cannot get Davy to trust him enough to tell him what is wrong. But soon other matters to do with the company takes up all of Nicholas's time and concern. To begin with, Laurence Firethorn, the company's leading actor falls victim to a mysterious illness that incapacitates him at the most inconvenient of times. Then the players receive word that a group of Puritans who reside near Silvermere have declared their intention to make sure that the players never make it to the manor, and who are bent on sabotaging the performances. The havoc and mayhem that the players face culminates with the death of an audience member during one of their performances. Firethorn is sure that the company is accursed and that sorcery is at the root of all their problems, but Nicholas is sure that all this is the work of an intelligent and cunning mind, and he is determined to discover what exactly is going on at Silvermere.

Why does Davy keep running away? Was the audience member murdered, or did he die of natural causes as the local doctor claims? What illness has befallen Firethron? And are the Westfield's Men truly accursed as Firethorn believes? These are the strains that hold this particular Nicholas Bracewell mystery together. The resolution of this particular mystery was a deceptively simple one, but right up till the end, when all is revealed, you can be sure of that this mystery novel will provide you with some truly enjoyable reading. "The Devil's Apprentice" is a really fun read from start to finish; Edward Marston has set just the right tone -- Elizabethan England and the world of the players comes to life before your very eyes. Definitely an interesting and intriguing read.

It has been one of the coldest winters that Elizabethan England has ever known so it's not too surprising that the poor freeze to death on the streets of London. The theatre company of Westfield's Men has been out of work because most of their acting takes place outdoors since they're a traveling troupe. When Sir. Michael Greenleaf of Essex invites them for a ten-day run of six plays, the offer is almost immediately accepted.

Nicholas Bracewell, the book holder who sees to the arrangement of the scenery, thinks the invitation is just what the company needs. Sir Michael insists that one of the plays should be original and that the company takes on Davy Stratton as an apprentice. However, Davy seems to be a catalyst for trouble and always runs away, while terrible things happen to the actors during the new play. Some say it is witchcraft but Nicholas proceeds thinking there is a more mundane reason. He also intends to find out why Davy is causing so much mischief and why he keeps running away when its obvious he likes the theatre group.

THE DEVIL'S APPRENTICE is a fascinating work that spotlights an acting troupe in Elizabethan England. The new religion that the Puritans practice regards theatre people as devils incarnate and should be eradicated from the face of the earth. Edward Marston uses the theatre group as a bridge between the common folk and the gentry so the cast of characters is refreshingly diverse. This mystery is entertaining and a history lesson rolled up into one neat package.

Harriet Klausner

In the last decades, different theological theories have tried to give an explanation of God's action in terms of modern scientific advances. In particular, quantum mechanics and chaos theory are two physical tools preferred for this objective, the first because of the ontological determinism subjacent to some of its interpretations, the second as it entails an epistemological impossibility of making long-range predictions. We must remember, however, that scientific theories are always provisional, and using them for theological explanations means a certain risk.

Most of the theories discussed in this book have to do with a certain type of divine action. SDA (Special Divine Action) applies to concrete actions of God to change the cosmos, and may be divided into "interventionist" (miracles) or "non-interventionist" (providence). The latter may also be subdivided in "compatibilist" (indistinguishable from coincidence) and "incompatibilist" (where God causes independent causal chains). Finally, this last type may be "continuous" or "discontinuous." The book looks in depth at theological theories that try to explain non-interventionist compatibilist continuous special divine action using quantum mechanics and chaos theory.

Two chapters show inconsistencies in present theories, or point out errors of interpretation in the physical basis they use. The conclusion is pessimistic: in the state of the art, we don't have a valid theological theory that explains this type of divine action. Only Peacocke's holistic explanation escapes somewhat. However, the future possibility of a new theory is not excluded. Explanations of quantum mechanics alternative to the orthodox Copenhagen version are still appearing.

This book's analysis of theories based upon quantum mechanics and chaos theory is complete and scientifically impeccable. However, since it looks at a single type of SDA, others are not considered. There are a few loose ends in the analysis that would allow a discontinuous explanation of SDA, or one that makes use of randomness. Perhaps theologians don't like the latter because they are too influenced by the famous Einstein phrase ("God doesn't play dice"). In "The laws of nature" (1945), C.S. Lewis proposes another explanation for the efficacy of prayer: God could trim the initial conditions of the universe to take into account future prayers of human beings. This compatibilist explanation of SDA is not considered in Saunder's book.

In summary: "Divine Action and Modern Science" is useful, because it describes a set of recent theological theories that make use of scientific advances, but contain inconsistencies and weaknesses. Remember, however, that this book only addresses non-interventionist compatibilist continuous special divine action. Other possible forms and interpretations are out of its field of study.

I found this book really useful - I am currently studing religion and science and this book contains the best discussion of the divine action issue that I have been able to find. Excellent.

This is an excellent contribution to the continuing debate over the relationship between science and theology and should be of interest to philosophers of science as well. This is an important book and it has implications for the theology of miracles, the philosophy of the laws of nature, and other fields outside the classical locus of theology.

totally recommended, and for a CUP book not too expensive either!

I enjoyed this book much more than the previous - Scales of Gold. Maybe because Ms. Dunnett went back to her original form of storytelling which combines history, geography, romance and high drama. This is an "edge of your seat" type of book even though it is longer than the others previously in this series. We see Nicholas with a whole new talent to add to his arsenal - that of divining. Yes these books are a bit soap-operaish, but they are exciting nonetheless. In this particular segment we get to see a lot more of Dr. Tobias. He is a treasure, and a great foil for Nicholas' impulsiveness. His Love-Hate relationship with Nicholas continues, but also develops into a trust. I wondered why Nicholas didn't take this earthy doctor into his confidence sooner. Toby is a wonderful character! We also see a confrontation between Nicholas and his erstwhile father, but true to form, it is not resolved, so we know we have to read further. I wouldn't recommend this series to the faint of heart. It takes a lot of effort and emotion to get through it, but it is worth it in the end, if only for the history lesson.

Nicholas has a new talent to add to his already stunning arsenal. The confrontation between father and son finally is realized with both surviving the encounter, but they are forever changed. Ms. Dunnett lets fans have a taste of happiness for Nicholas in the end but don't count the happiness to last. Readers know it never does. True to her form, she mixes politics, commerce and romance with skill and in doing so, weaves a story so deep and complex fans are left begging for more.

In this book of the Niccolo Series, we are introduced to the race set by Gelis and Nicholas to outsmart eachother. It was started by Gelis, trying to avenge her sister's death, but Nicholas understands he must do this to try and win her heart for good. She claims she is carrying the son of his archrival, Simon de St. Pol. He decides to travel to Scotland to find the truth. At the same time, he finds Scotland a great market to increase his fortune.

Pursuing Gelis, Nicholas has to find out if the child is finally born and what sex it is. Once he finds out, Gelis hides once more from him. They travel to Cairo, the Sinai Desert and end up in Cyprus once more. The book closes on the Carnival in Venice and a new discovery for Nicholas.

In this book we are newly introduced to Dorothy Dunnett's best: Scotland. She can present the atmosphere and living customs of the time with incredible clarity and knowledge. The people, the rulers, the history, the places, everything is depicted with accuracy and made very interesting.

I have also enjoyed and learned a lot by this book. Be it about European history as well as middle eastern.

I am on my way to reading the sixth book...

This was an amzing book. It had beautiful photographs and real facts about the wild ponys of Assateague. It was very informative and educational. If you could read one book in your lifetime, I would recomend this one!

This was an amzingly book. It had beautiful photographs and real facts about the wild ponys of Assateague. It was very informative and educational. If you could read one book in your lifetime, I would recomend this one!

This book is Great! I bought it when I was at Assateague Island and have to say it is the most beautiful place I have ever been! For anyone interested in the Assateague Ponies, this book is wonderful!

It's the 12th episode of Edward Marston's Elizabethan Theater Mystery featuring
Nicholas Bracewell, and if you've stayed with the series so far, you are assured of
another exciting foray into murder, mayhem, and mystery in 17th century Merry Olde England. Once again, Westfield's Men find themselves facing the usual plethora of problems, some theatrical, some personal, some criminal (that is to say,
"murderous"). Once again, it appears that this illustrious and dynamic theatrical troupe will face its final curtain!

In "The Bawdy Basket," young actor Frank Quilter's father has just been executed at Smithfield. Believing him to have been
innocently condemned, Frank sets out to right the wrong and to return honor and dignity to his family name. He enlists his friend Nick Bracewell to help him. Of course, clearing this case is not so simple, as the pathways to righteousness are
indeed anything but straight and narrow. Winding through the alleys and byways of London, the duo run into all kinds of obstacles.

In addition, Edmund Hoode, the company's irreplaceable playwright, has fallen in love once again and is determined to leave the theater, much to the consternation of the rest. That problem has to be be solved.

And Marston does solve all the problems, of course. Despite his usual stilted dialogue, the book runs true to course. "The Bawdy Basket" further illustrates the
conditions and situations of Elizabethan England and for students of medieval history (and who love historical myteries), this episode deserves a standing ovation.

The Westfield's Men Players are at the top of their form and should be enjoying their success. But, when one of the player's father is falsely convicted of murder and their author falls in love with a woman who wishes to support his art far from the theater, the company is rocked. Unless 'book-holder' Nicholas Bracewell can sort things out, the company may be destroyed. When a witness to the father's innocence (a prostitute or 'bawdy basket') is found, things begin to look up--until the woman too is murdered. Now Nicholas and his friends have to worry about their own survival as well as the survival of their company.

Set in the Elizabethan theater scene, THE BAWDY BASKET gives a convincing view of the sights and smells of the time when theater reached its greatest peak. The ever-competent Nicholas is a solid figure in the midst of the emotional and not always rational actors, each fighting for their moment in the public acclaim.

Author Edward Marston relies a bit too heavily on coincidence and on on-the-nose dialogue to overexplain motivations, but nevertheless delivers a highly enjoyable mystery.

It should have been one of their more glorious summer seasons. Instead, the Westerfield players are now facing near annihilation! When the players first learn that Frank Quilter's father (Gerard) has been executed for murder, the superstitious actors, sure that Frank's father was guilty of the crime, and worried that the notoriety of the Quilter name will rub off on them, are anxious that Frank be asked to leave the company. Only the threat from their much valued stage manager and problem solver, Nicholas Bracewell, prevents this turn of events. Sure that Gerard was innocent of the accusation of murder, and eager to help Frank clear his father's name, Nicholas threatens to leave the company unless Frank is allowed to remain, and he (Nicholas) be allowed to investigate the case brought against Gerard.

The company also faces another threat to their well being: their faithful and brilliant playwright, Edmund Hoode, has fallen in love (again) with a rich and beautiful widow, and who seems to have her own plans for Hoode -- none of which includes his remaining with the company! Threatened on all sides, the players cannot help but wonder if all this spells the end of the company... Unless, of course, Nicholas manages to clear Gerard Quilter's name as well as come up with a plan to detach Hoode from his rich inamorata!

But will Nicholas be able to successfully clear Gerard Quilter's name? There are, to begin with, many vexing questions that have to be answered. For instance, why did two seemingly respectable merchants testify that they saw Gerard commit the murder? Why was Gerard fitted up for the charge in the first place? And who was the powerful enemy that set all this in motion? Before long Nicholas has managed to discover the answers to all these questions -- but not before more murders are committed and an attempt is made on his life...

Brisk, breezy and totally engrossing, "The Bawdy Basket" unfolded at an incredibly breathneck pace. I finished the book before I even realised it -- I was that absorbed with the novel. However, I must own that the mystery at hand is not a very complicated one, nor are there any red herring suspects or cunning turns in the plot that will keep you guessing to the very end. Nevertheless, it was still an intriguing and interesting mystery novel and a definite pager turner. With so many Elizabethan theatre mystery novels being published almost everyday, ( and most of them being quite good), I was relieved to note that Edward Marston has not lost his entertaining and witty touch, and that the Nicholas Bracewell mystery series still remains one of the best (as well as one of my favourites) around. A fantastically good read.

Of the translations that I have read this is the most true to the original words. It is a prose translation, so Donaldson did not need to select words based on their sounds and could get the meaning more accurately.

The exactness of the translation makes this language sound archaic.

The footnotes are quite helpful, especially when going through the difficult passages at the start of the Dragon story that describe the wars of the Swedish succession.

Read this translation and then try a poetic translation such as Heaney's.

I am a dissenter from the hype surrounding Seamus Heaney's new translation. I prefer Donaldson for two important reasons: the transparency of the translation and the translator's humble willingness to let stand archaic implications that may seem absurb or offensive to most people today.

On a technical level, Donaldson--much more consistently than Heaney--reproduces Old English compounded words and phrases with Modern equivalents. He does this with accuracy and freshness--if not with seamless grace as some readers would prefer. The great advantage of Donaldson's approach is that the reader who does not read OE can at least imagine that she can second-guess the translator, and can feel the raw, rugged texture of the original. Even my 12th grade (inner city high school) students who have bought Heaney's version have become irate at a number of crucial points where the complexity preserved by Donaldson has been eliminated by Heaney.

A second point--or a second way of looking at the same point--concerns interpretation. With all due respect to Heaney, he has an agenda related to the future of the European Union, and I suspect that this motivated or influenced his approach to the translation of Beowulf. Heaney is presenting, via the seminal text of Beowulf, a vision of the origins of European politcs that he believes will ultimately lay a foundation for its future viability and humanity.

Heaney's version is this a much more creative endeavor than was Donaldson's. Where Donaldson allows seeming incoherencies to emerge for the modern reader, Heaney makes things make sense. The main difference here lies in the treatment of the hero. For Heaney, Beowulf is an unambiguous ideal figure. Donaldson, on the other hand, preserves the original ambiguity of a hero who is physically similar to the monsters he fights in his superiority to ordinary men.

Yes, Jacques, there's no translation without interpretation, but there's also a question of degree of control to consider. Heaney's translation falls in line with the unfortunate tradition of Raffel, whose Procrustean approach privileged modern sensibility above everything else. Heaney is much better than Raffel, but Donaldson is one of those rare translations that has and will continue to stand the test of time becaus he didn't try too hard to be a person of his time.

I am one of those people who, out of pride perhaps, force themselves to read classic old stuff even when it gives me headaches. I was braced for such an experience when I began to read Beowulf. I remembered being completely disinterested when I had to read an excerpt of it in high school.

But I was pleasantly surprised. In the first place, Beowulf is short; I was able to read it in an afternoon.

Secondly, the translation is very readable and entertaining. A few times I had to read a sentence twice to understand it, but that happens. The translator was definitely a craftsman of the English language.

Third, the story is entertaining. It's fun to read. This might not be true of all classic literature! It's an adventure story, and a pleasing one. One reason it was fun to read is that you can feel the pleasures of the heroic values that the poet and his audience shared; in this respect it's similar to what you might experience in "Lord of the Rings." In fact, the story often reminded me of Tolkien--I confidently guaratee that Tolkien fans will enjoy it. (Tolkien also wrote one of the essays included in this edition.)

Fourth, it is interesting to read the oldest "English" story (of course our language has evolved so much that we now need a translator). The historical interest is much aided by the essays in the Norton Critical edition, including very helpful maps of England and ancient Scandinavia. One interesting aspect of Beowulf is the tension between pre-Christian values and Christian ones within the story as we know it. Again, the essays were interesting and enlightening about this as well.

All in all, this is classic literature at its best: readable, highly entertaining, and educational (and short). The essays and maps really were helpful; you won't need to buy the Cliffs Notes to understand or appreciate the text. If you want to read classic literature, I strongly recommend Beowulf; if you want to read Beowulf, I strongly recommend this edition.

This is interesting but other than the timespan not that moving. Good for Nick Nixon that he uses a 8X10 view camera. So what? Good for the Brown sisters that, over time, their relationship with each other changes. I hope it contunues to follow a happy and loving course. The book is a real snooze though. Sorry gang, I left this one on the MOMA bookshelf and suggest you do the same.

Many of us are called to do this kind of project. Few of us choose to do it because we fear we can't.

Several years ago I saw two of the "Brown Sisters" and never forgot them. "I hope he keeps this up, but I doubt he can. Relationships change. People's goals change. People are vain." So I thought until I read the dedication and thanks in the front of this book years later.

This work ranks with Stieglitz's accidental portrait of Georgia O'Keeffe. Stieglitz, however, makes you want to know a beautiful and unique woman through his poetic intimatcy. Nixon makes you want to know someone as well as he knows the Brown sisters, perhaps as well as they know each other, through a simple directness that few of us have the courage to see or show to each other.

Photography is about time. The Brown Sisters remind us that the value of time is measured by the respect we give each other. This work is direct, primitive and undeniable. It has what Malraux called the sense of inevitability.

I suspect that the older you are the more you will get from this portrait. If you are young, yow will remember it it 10, 20, 30 and more years from now.

If this book doesn't move you, you are either in denial or you should seek some new line of work that doesn't require you to be alive.

No words can describe the work of this photographer. He is in My humble opinion the greatist photographer of the century. Im honored to have been part of his instruction.

This successor to The Natural Step for Business is essentially a set of four extended case studies, preceded and followed by statements of principles derived from The Natural Step framework and case study experience.
Your reaction to it will depend on your appetite for case studies - mine is not great. The wider exposition of principles is mainly a restatement - and sometimes an elaboration - of principles that can be found elsewhere, including on the Internet sites of The Natural Step.
Those who are working directly with the framework as consultants or part of an internal team will pick up useful ideas and tips. The general reader would do better to start with the authors' first book or with Karl-Henrik Robèrt's The Natural Step Story: Seeding A Quiet Revolution.

'Dancing with the Tiger' is a useful and well-written contribution to the growing body of literature that attempts to answer the question so many of us are asking today - what can I do about creating a sustainable world? A world in which we give back to life instead of just taking. This book is particularly helpful for those people within organizations who want to change consciousness from what Paul Hawken has called the 'take-make-waste' culture, to a self-regenerating and life-affirming way of being.

The authors compare this process to 'dancing with a tiger', hence the title. The tiger takes many forms, for example the intensely competitive business environment many companies find themselves in. They give case studies of companies they have worked with as 'sustainability consultants', including Nike and Starbucks. It is encouraging to see the distance these multinational corporations have gone in their efforts...a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and steps are being taken on the long journey to real sustainability. They emphasize the complexity and interconnectedness of the challenge, and at the same time give credit to the many people within organizations who are passionately committed to creating a better world.

Brian Nattrass and Mary Altomare's work is a helpful and informative counterbalance to the often critical reviews of corporate behavior. Their work is based on 'The Natural Step' framework, an enlightened and straightforward approach that any organization can use in their efforts to align their purpose and mission with sustainability.

It is inspiring to read quotes from employees and executives who have participated in this process within their organizations. I highly recommend this book to thoughtful readers who want to discover how to take responsibility for healing the planet.

I'm more optimistic about the future, and inspired, after reading Dancing with the Tiger, which profiles sustainability measures introduced by - get ready for it - Nike, Starbucks, Whistler and CH2M Hill, a worldwide engineering company.

Dancing follows on the heels of The Natural Step for Business (NSP, 1997) in which Nattrass and Altomare profiled The Natural Step, a Swedish-rooted initiative to improve corporate environmental and social practices. In that first book, I was titillated to learn about the efforts of companies like Ikea to improve working conditions and reduce the scale of their environmental footprint. Nonetheless, I remained deeply skeptical that other corps, and suits in general, were even remotely interested in grokking social and environmental problems and lining up on the solution side of the equation.

Well, kudos to Nattrass and Altomare (and New Society) for titillating me again. In the first three chapters Dancing provides a current, comprehensive overview of environmental degradation while illuminating the beguiling, complex nature of so many environmental problems. One reason we are befuddled by sustainability problems, the authors say, is because the problems are generally systematic and characterized by uncertainty. In order to overcome problems, we must think systematically and evolve beyond conventional scientific thinking.

Nattrass and Altomare assert that we must also develop a new vocabulary and story-culture linked to sustainability to supplant the warrior-take-all mentality that presently guides much of our thoughts, actions and business. This leads into the remainder of the book, with subsequent chapters profiling the corporate actions on behalf of sustainability taken by Nike, Starbucks, the municipality of Whistler and CH2M Hill Engineering.

It is in this section where I found the biggest surprises. For example, I have longed linked Nike with all-too-common practices of environmental and social exploitation in service of corporate profits. Some of Nike's exploitative practices were revealed years ago, but clearly, the company has made efforts to evolve in more progressive directions. From cutting energy emissions to reducing pollution to helping improve educational opportunities for foreign workers, Nike is evolving, driven in large part because many of the suits, including CEO Phil Knight, instituted policies following the tenets of the Natural Step.

Ditto for Starbucks, CH2M Hill Engineering (with more than 9,500 staff worldwide) and the municipality of Whistler. That's right, Whistler. Evidently, if you can look beyond the SUV-choked parking lots, the groomed hotel ashtrays and some of the most garish displays of conspicuous consumption seen since the decline of the Roman Empire, something remarkable is going on at Whistler. In fact, Whistler now ranks as one of the most environmentally sustainable municipalities on earth.

Naturally, embracing sustainability didn't happen by accident here but falls out of the Whistler Environmental Strategy, crafted several years ago. Like the other examples, the WES was inspired by The Natural Step, and now guides municipal legislation. Addressing pollution reduction, landscape design, water use, environmental conservation, bear management and other issues, Whistler municipal practices are increasingly recognized as among the most progressive worldwide.

Common to the examples cited by Nattrass and Altomare were "ordinary people doing the extraordinary", visionary leaders and staff who persevered in service of sustainability and a core set of principles. The authors refer to them as "evolutionary pioneers, the forerunners who are exploring and drawing the maps of previously uncharted territory, making it easier for others to follow with more certainity." These people have the courage to look beyond the fear of disrupting corporate culture and strike out in a direction not commonly found in the world of business suits and bottom-line profits. This book makes a welcome and significant contribution to nudging the corporate world in the direction of a more sustainable world. I recommend buying a copy as a gift for the corporate executive or municipal planner of your choice.

- Michael Maser; Gibsons BC Canada

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