Chasing Hornbills


Book Description

Chasing Hornbills charts Simon Fenton's further adventures in Senegal. Now a father, and expanding his business interests to include a taxi firm and a restaurant, he continues to face the everyday frustrations and exhilarations that made Squirting Milk at Chameleons such a compelling and entertaining read. But as his understanding of Senegalese life and culture grows, so do questions about his future. Will the Accidental African settle permanently in his adopted home, or will he give up and return to his old familiar life?




Reading Comprehension Boosters


Book Description

An effective resource for improving young students' comprehension skills With 100 high-interest reading activities, this book is designed to help students gain fundamental comprehension skills so they can succeed in reading complex and varied types of texts. Each lesson includes a brief reading selection followed by questions, multiple-choice selections, and thinking and writing activities. The activities, all on reproducible worksheets, can be used to give individual students or groups extra practice, or as supplemental skill-building and test-prep activities for the full class. Activities are grouped within seven units, each focusing on an important aspect of comprehension Units increase in difficulty level so that students gain proficiency as they work through the material High-interest themes include stories about robots, animal helpers, space, and famous people Offers activities that build the advanced cognitive skills called for in the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Each lesson includes a teacher section with guidance on how to introduce the activities to students and support them in their reading practices.




Aftershock


Book Description

Jules Mountain is a survivor. The odds of surviving his type of cancer were one in five. The odds of dying on Everest are one in 60, but these are severely shortened when factoring in an avalanche triggered by the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Jules lived to tell both tales, which he does in a way that conveys the agony and euphoria that extreme adventurers face, even when things go according to plan. And yet this is not merely an account of what happened in the aftermath of the most deadly disaster ever on the world's most iconic mountain. It is an exploration—internal as well as physical—of how logic, compassion and risk assessment are affected by altitude, vested interests and the stress of extreme circumstances.




Hornbills


Book Description




Indian Grey Hornbill


Book Description

The book about Indian Grey Hornbills Ocyceros birostris gives an account of the research carried out by the author for his doctoral Thesis about hornbills, sans the complex data. Sometimes it takes the form of storytelling and how the secrets about hornbill's life were unraveled and sometimes it is just fact sharing. The book covers many aspects of the Indian Grey Hornbill’s life, including how the hornbills manage to keep the sealed cavity clean? Latest findings about the species are also added along with photographs. Overall, it gives you glimpses of the life of these enchanting birds – hornbills !




The Ecology and Conservation of Asian Hornbills


Book Description

Hornbills are among the world’s most distinct birds. Easily recognized by their oversized beaks adorned with large casques, they range from Africa to India and throughout Asia. One of the oldest bird orders, they have been known to mankind for millennia and loom large in the mythology of indigenous cultures of tropical Asia. In the past thirty years, ecologists have uncovered many fascinating aspects of hornbill biology, from their unique nest-sealing behavior to their roles as farmers of the forest. Building on fourteen years of research, Margaret F. Kinnaird and Timothy G. O’Brien offer in Ecology and Conservation of Asian Hornbills the most up-to-date information on the evolution, reproduction, feeding ecology, and movement patterns of thirty-one species of Asian hornbills. The authors address questions of ecological functionality, ecosystem services, and keystone relationships, as well as the disturbing influence of forest loss and fragmentation on hornbills. Complemented by superb full-color images by renowned photographer Tim Laman that provide rare glimpses of hornbills in their native habitat and black-and-white illustrations by Jonathan Kingdon that highlight the intriguing aspects of hornbill behavior, Ecology and Conservation of Asian Hornbills will stand tall in the pantheon of natural history studies for years to come.




Senegal


Book Description

This new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's Senegal continues to offer far and away the greatest depth of coverage for this increasingly popular part of West Africa. With over 350 pages of detailed description and 40 maps, this remains the definitive source of information to a country that is often described as the whole of West Africa in microcosm. This new edition includes details of the rapidly changing transport situation, notably the opening of the new international airport and the first bridge to span the Gambia River. All regions of the country are covered, including detailed information on access to Senegal's national parks, with detailed maps, itineraries, and practical information on transport, accommodation and eating for each region. Senegal boasts a variety of landscapes and cultures that belie its compact size. Northern desert wilds give way to the rain-soaked Casamance, fringed by hundreds of kilometres of pristine beaches and the fantastically frenetic capital city, Dakar, surrounded by ocean and proudly perched at the westernmost point on the African continent. This smorgasbord of landscapes is all accessible within a day's travel, making Senegal the perfect choice for anyone looking to sink their teeth into West Africa, for the first time or the hundredth. Natural assets aside, Senegal is home to a world of man-made delectations: Dakar's nightclubs throb well into the morning hours and offer a rare chance to dance yourself silly with superstar musicians on their home turf. With one of Africa's most prolific arts scenes, Senegal attracts numerous visitors for its cultural attractions, and this book provides a thorough and accessible introduction to the music, art, film, and literature of this most creative of countries. Beyond the capital, Saint-Louis' charm is an enchanting throwback to the colonial glamour of the 19th century, and sleepy Île de Gorée is a haunting testament to colonial horror, as visitors peer through the door of no return, where thousands destined for the Americas glimpsed their homes for the final time. With all new first-hand research, Bradt's Senegal is the only guide ready to take you to all corners of this enchanting land.




Where Hornbills Fly


Book Description

Once headhunters under the rule of White Rajahs and briefly colonised before independence within Malaysia, the Iban Dayaks of Borneo are one of the world's most extraordinary indigenous tribes, possessing ancient traditions and a unique way of life. As a young man Erik Jensen settled in Sarawak where he lived with the Iban for seven years, learning their language and the varied rites and practices of their lives. He was also witness to the great and often shattering changes they faced then and continue to face today. The plentiful harvests, abundant game and rivers teeming with fish of their remembered past have long since disappeared - destroyed by restrictions on settlement and, ironically, by forest conservation. The Iban's animist beliefs are slowly being replaced by the imported religions of Christianity and Islam and their traditional ways by modern schooling and medicine. In this compelling and beautifully-wrought memoir, Erik Jensen reveals the challenges facing the Iban as they adapt to another century, whilst fighting to preserve their identity and singular place in the world. Haunting, yet hopeful, Where Hornbills Fly opens a window onto a vanishing world and paints a remarkable portrait of this fragile tribe, which continues to survive deep in the heart of Borneo.




The Gambia


Book Description

Co-authored by regional expert Sean Connolly and Philip Briggs, the world’s foremost guidebook writer on Africa, this third edition of Bradt’s The Gambia remains the most comprehensive guide available to mainland Africa’s smallest country. This new edition integrates recent developments, from recently opened restaurants and hotels to the new roads and bridges that make circumnavigating the country easier than ever. The guide provides detailed coverage of ecolodges and camps, information on festivals, music workshops and opportunities to experience local culture, plus advice about birdwatching possibilities in a country popular with first-time birders to Africa. As well as encompassing popular coastal resorts, the guide provides information required to explore the relatively undeveloped interior and proposes excursions into neighbouring Senegal, making it ideal for visitors on organised holidays and independent travellers alike. Bradt’s The Gambia reveals all the practical information needed to explore this welcoming and safe country (not for nothing is it nicknamed the ‘Smiling Coast’) with its plethora of beach resorts, catering to all tastes and budgets, that line the 80km stretch of tropical coastline running from the capital Banjul to the remote southern border. Small in size but rich in character, The Gambia offers perhaps the closest English-speaking ‘winter sun’ destination from Europe. Justifiably popular with birdwatchers, the lush mangrove- and jungle-fringed River Gambia is also home to crocodiles, hippos, rehabilitated chimpanzees and various monkeys. The Gambia offers rich heritage tourism for moderately adventurous travellers, from the mysterious megalithic stone circles at Wassu and Ker Batch to fortified Kunta Kinteh (James) Island and the former slave-trading village of Juffureh – the heart of novelist Alex Haley’s Roots country and part of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And why not enhance your visit further by experiencing colourful local markets, witnessing kankurang spirit masquerades or joining a kayak cruise from the sleepy river port of Janjanbureh, or paying homage to The Gambia’s inspiring journey towards democracy and reconciliation at Memory House? All in all, Bradt’s The Gambia is the perfect companion for discovering this safe, welcoming and tourist-friendly English-speaking country which provides an ideal short-stay introduction to West Africa’s unique atmosphere.




The Drinkable Globe


Book Description

Join international beverage journalist and expert Jeff Cioletti as he explores the tradition, consumption, and production of alcohol on every continent. The Drinkable Globe circumnavigates the planet and uncovers the boozy cultures and concoctions that make the world go ’round. And you’ll get to drink along with 130 recipes from exotic brands and renowned international cocktail personalities.




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