Out of the Cage - Dr. Gary ShapiroECOVIEW
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Out of the Cage - Dr. Gary Shapiro
A recently divorced graduate student is offered an opportunity of a lifetime. Asked to teach an orangutan sign language to solve a murder, he finds himself in an exotic land to discover a world of ex-captive red-haired great apes of Borneo who are learning to return to the wild.
Out of the Cage recounts Shapiro's studies and adventures from field notes and memory to demonstrate the many otherwise human interactions he has had with the unique orangutan personalities he has been fortunate enough to encounter.
Orangutan personhood, great ape rights, and the many moral conundrums that the scientific community has largely ignored weigh heavy on Shapiro's mind and heart as he reflects upon his experiences with those noble persons.
Peer Reviewed By
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
Gregory F. Tague, author of An Ape Ethic and the Question of Personhood
Caroline Gabel, Shared Earth Foundation
Ed Begley Jr., actor and environmentalist
Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., The Emotional Lives of Animals (2024)
Additional Information
Published : October 19, 2024
Pages : 260
ISBN : 978-1-956389-13-5 / 978-1-956389-10-4 / 978-1-956389-14-2
BISAC : BIO000000 / SCI070050 / POL044000
LCCN : 2024931705
Size : US Trade (6×9)
The Art of Living Dangerously - Richard Bangs
In 1973, Richard Bangs founded Sobek Expeditions, the original and now the largest adventure travel company in the world, with over a million clients guided since its beginning. But this is not just a story of an unusual company, one that profoundly transformed the way we travel and experience the world. It presents true stories, both perilous and awe-inspiring, from the full array of adventure travel: trekking, climbing, sailing, diving, adventure cruising, kayaking, back-country skiing, mountaineering, biking, cultural immersions, canyoneering, and more. Sobek pioneered scores of adventures, from trekking in the Himalayas, to cruising the Galapagos and Antarctica, to first descents of some eighty rivers around the world. The author personally led thirty-five first river descents, capsizing on six continents (a unique, albeit dubious, distinction), and organized and led the first trips into North Korea, Libya, Yemen, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, New Guinea, Iran, and even China back in 1978. Sobek clients have included Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mick Jagger, Barry Diller, and Daryl Hannah. It is the shadow company behind National Geographic Adventures, New York Times Active Journeys, and Smithsonian Expeditions. This book traces fifty years of adventure travel and how it has evolved through times of war and peace, terrorism, the rise of the internet, the pandemic, and the first virtual expeditions.
2 Hopeful Environmental Books by Jon Biemer
Jon Biemer Interview on Environmental Directions with Nancy Pearlman
It's a Sweet World: Recipes from Around the Globe at Bea’s Bakery
By Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri
A World of Sweet Traditions and Flavors
"It's a Sweet World: Recipes Around The Globe at Bea's Bakery" invites you to bring the rich, nostalgic flavors of Bea’s Bakery, a California institution, into your home with a blend of Jewish, Nigerian, and global recipes perfect for any occasion.
#1 New Release in International Cooking, Food & Wine, and Kosher Cooking
Bea’s Bakery has been a beloved part of California’s Jewish baking heritage for over fifty years. Founded in 1968 by Sol Litwak and his son Jules, Bea’s Bakery was named after Sol’s wife, Beatrice—fondly called “Bea.” Since then, it has stood as a comforting symbol of traditional Jewish bakeries in America, delighting the community with timeless treats and flavors that evoke family memories and bring people together.
Experience the rich legacy of Bea’s Bakery in your own kitchen. In 2023, Bea’s Bakery was entrusted to new owners, Lenny Rosenberg and Adaeze Nwanonyiri This husband-and-wife duo brings their unique backgrounds and love for tradition to this debut cookbook. It's a Sweet World offers readers a journey through Bea’s most cherished recipes, from classic Jewish staples to Nigerian-inspired delights and international favorites. With each recipe, readers can expect step-by-step instructions, heartwarming stories, and suggestions for enjoying these treats at special occasions, making it easy to recreate Bea’s bakery magic at home.
Inside, you’ll find:
• A unique collection of recipes that celebrates Jewish cuisine, timeless baking traditions, and global favorites like
challah, honey cake, lamingtons, and Red Velvet Kola Nut Cupcakes.
• Engaging stories and easy-to-follow steps for each recipe, making this an ideal traditional baking cookbook for
bakers of all ages, whether you’re searching for classic or multicultural inspiration.
• A thoughtful baking gift for kids and families who want to explore Jewish baking, with plenty of variety to create
delicious treats and sweet memories together.
Also see our multicultural baking and design show:
Bail! Bail! Bryce Whitmore and the Birth of Whitewater Rafting - Ty Childress
About the Book:
Passing away in November 2023 at age 97, Bryce was the first whitewater rafting outfitter in California and Oregon, beginning Wilderness Waterways 62 years ago. Ty’s book brings to life the early days of rafting and kayaking in California and Oregon with this collection of stories from a free-wheeling cast of characters. Much of the book traces Whitmore’s life and his improbable and extraordinary path to becoming a professional river guide. But it’s more than a biography. The book also describes evolution in raft design, techniques for navigating rapids, early conservation efforts, and wonderful stretches of river that Ty himself has rafted—some of them now lost to us. Altogether, the book serves as a rich color commentary on the early days of river running in the American West, capturing not only the precious nature of our wild rivers but also the audacious spirit of the people who are drawn to them.
REVIEW
Ty Childress Interview on Environmental Directions with Nancy Pearlman
Free Running Rivers - song by Ty
Books by Charles Hood
Looking For Space California's Best Nature Walks Sub Tales 5
About California's Best Nature Walks:
Explore some of California’s most exquisite landscapes with this accessible hiking guidebook featuring descriptions of the flora, fauna, and ecology hikers will discover along the trail.
See the oldest trees in the world—and the tallest. Meet earthquake-loving fish, lively island foxes, and endemic birds. Visit the saltwater homes to sea otters and a desert basin where the water is even saltier. In California’s Best Nature Walks, Charles Hood reveals the golden state’s unique ecosystems, guiding you through 32 spectacular natural areas, with advice on deciphering the terrain. All are within easy walking distance of the road. This is an essential companion for road-trippers, outdoor enthusiasts, and day hikers—no cleated boots or trekking poles necessary.
Locations include the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Olmsted Point at Yosemite National Park, Fossil Falls, Camp Roberts Rest Area along Highway 101, Scorpion Anchorage at Channel Islands National Park, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area, and more!
Other Books by Charles
About Charles Hood
Charles Hood Interview on Environmental Directions with Nancy Pearlman
"Dandelion Roots Run Deep" is the true story of three generations of Midwestern women who "nevertheless persisted".
The book focused primarily on Merrill Clark, who fought for organic agriculture and Michigan's environment from 1967 - 2009. Merrill worked on this book for years, but then developed Alzheimer's in 2010 and her daughter Merry finished it for her.
The story traces Merrill's background in Illinois, her marriage to John Clark, and their harrowing cross-country trip before launching their ultimate mission: starting an organic farm in 1980.
Merrill Clark then became a charter member of the National Organic Standards Board in 1992, and she describes the struggles involved In the first efforts to define "organic" on the federal level.
The dandelion analogy works on many levels in this book: the family roots, the roots being part of the solution to climate change, and the roots that connect to other issues that underlie the lived experiences of these three women.
The California Sky Watcher - William A. Selby
Ride across California on the back of the wind and learn about the dramatic impact that seasonal weather and climate change have on the Golden State.
Often stereotyped as the land of unflaggingly perfect weather, California has a world-renowned reputation for sunny blue skies and infinitely even-keeled temperatures. But the real story of the state’s weather is vastly more complex. From the scorching heat of Death Valley to the coastal redwoods’ dripping in dew, California is home to a dizzying array of landscapes and bespoke weather patterns. In The California Sky Watcher, earth scientist William A. Selby takes readers on a journey through the seasons and across the state, exploring the atmospheric science that connects us all under our single sky dome. With more than 125 photographs, diagrams, and explanatory charts, Selby guides us through the grand cycles that govern the world we see, feel, and hear every day, from the cirrus clouds that swirl overhead to the breezes that beckon us outside. Unraveling the mysteries behind the state’s fog, floods, fires, droughts, and snowstorms, Selby shares his love affair with the sky and reveals what these changeable energies forecast for the future of California’s climate.
Bad Naturalist: One Woman’s Ecological Education on a Wild Virginia Mountaintop - Paula Whyman
With humor, humility, and awe, one woman attempts to restore 200 acres of farmland long gone-to-seed in the Blue Ridge Mountains, facing her own limitations while getting to know a breathtaking corner of the natural world.
When Paula Whyman first climbs a peak in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in search of a home in the country, she has no idea how quickly her tidy backyard ecology project will become a massive endeavor. Just as quickly, she discovers how little she knows about hands-on conservation work. In Bad Naturalist, readers meander with her through orchards and meadows, forests and frog ponds, as she is beset by an influx of invasive species, rattlesnake encounters, conflicting advice from experts, and delayed plans—but none of it dampens her irrepressible passion for protecting this place. With delightful, lyrically deft storytelling, she shares her attempts to coax this beautiful piece of land back into shape. It turns out that amid the seeming chaos of nature, the mountaintop is teeming with life and hope.
Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State - Pam Penick
A gardening expert shows how Texans—and the gardens they nurture—thrive, despite the challenging climate, all while showcasing the gardens with stunning photography.
Gardens of Texas is a photo-rich exploration of gardens across this vast state, including conversations with the intrepid garden-makers who nurture them. Readers will learn how Texans are adapting to climate extremes through hardy plant choices, rainwater harvesting, native lawns, and other responsive design strategies. Popular gardening blogger and author Pam Penick takes readers on a tour of 27 vibrant Texas gardens and shares the owners' innovative thinking and true-grit determination. With over 600 enchanting photographs plus plant recommendations and practical takeaways from every garden, Gardens of Texas offers gardeners empowerment and inspiration.
100 Years To Extinction: The Tyranny of Technology and the Fight for a Better Future - Peter Solomon
What if Stephen Hawking was right—and we have less than a century to avoid extinction?
When EMT Liz Arvad is shot while saving a life, her recovery sparks a deeper awakening. Maybe the world isn’t just chaotic, it’s unraveling. Alongside her genius sister, Aster, and politically charged cousin, Milo, Liz makes a vow—do something, anything, to help save humanity. It starts with a promise in a sunlit room, and becomes a mission that could change everything.
In 100 Years to Extinction, physicist and award-winning STEM author Peter Solomon, Ph.D., blends heart-pounding fiction with scientific foresight. Inspired by Hawking’s dire warning that humans may face extinction by 2117, this gripping novel explores the runaway threats we can no longer ignore: climate collapse, pandemics, war, gene editing, AI, disinformation, and more.
But this story isn’t just about what’s going wrong—it’s about what we can still do. Backed by decades of experience founding clean-tech companies, leading multimillion-dollar government research, and writing 300+ scientific papers, Solomon brings unmatched clarity and urgency to the question: Can we still save ourselves?
With characters who feel heartbreakingly real and science that hits close to home, 100 Years to Extinction is both a wake-up call and a rallying cry. It dares readers to imagine a better future ... and to fight for it.
The Last Extinction: The Real Science Behind the Death of the Dinosaurs - Gerta Keller
The story behind Dr. Gerta Keller’s world-shattering scientific discovery that dinosaur extinction was NOT caused by asteroid impact, but rather by volcanic eruptions on the Indian peninsula, a discovery that highlights today’s existential threat of greenhouse gasses and climate change—and one that sparked an all-out war waged by the scientific establishment.
Part scientific detective story, part personal odyssey, The Last Extinction is the definitive account of a radical theory that has reshaped how we understand our planet’s past and, as we face the possibility of a sixth extinction, how we might survive its future.
For decades, the dominant theory held that an asteroid impact caused the dinosaurs’ extinction. But Princeton Geologist Dr. Gerta Keller followed the evidence to the truth: Deccan volcanism, a series of massive volcanic eruptions in India, triggered a long-term climate catastrophe and Earth’s fifth mass extinction. Her findings upended the field and ignited a bitter feud in modern science—what became known as the “Dinosaur Wars.”
Raised in poverty on a Swiss farm and told she could never be a scientist, Keller defied expectations, earning her PhD at Stanford and battling her way into the highest ranks of Geology, eventually becoming a Professor of Paleontology and Geology at Princeton University. Her refusal to back down in the face of ridicule, sabotage, and sexism makes her story as thrilling as her science, which offers urgent insight into today’s climate crisis: Sustained planetary upheaval—not a single cataclysmic event—can plunge the planet into an age of death.
Join herpetologist Eli Greenbaum on his race to identify a multitude of unidentified species in the Congo, a volatile African region overcome with population pressure, military oppression, and climate change. These are the backdrop challenges to the science pursued by Dr. Greenbuam in this timely work worthy of Darwin.
Venomous River chronicles a field scientist’s search for new species in the Congo Basin, one of the world’s great crucibles of biodiversity, in the face of climate change. Although tropical forests cover less than 10 percent of Earth’s land surface, they are home to about two-thirds of the planet’s terrestrial biodiversity. Unfortunately, a ballooning human population has severely damaged half of the planet’s pristine ecosystems and the biodiversity they contained, leading to an unfolding sixth mass extinction.
In Joseph Conrad’s famous 1899 novella Heart of Darkness, he described the Congo River as “a great snake.” More than a century later, herpetologist, evolutionary biologist, and seasoned expedition leader Eli Greenbaum set out to find the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (Congo for short) incredible diversity of serpents in the flesh, along with the country’s rarest frogs, lizards, crocodiles, and turtles, which live in and along Africa’s second-largest river. For a biologist, an expedition into the heart of the Congo is a priceless gift, with its incredible species, known and unknown, lurking around every bend in the river. But the Congo is also a place of endemic political instability, widespread corruption, human suffering, and extraordinary danger. These, as much as the challenges of the natural world, confront any scientist doing field work in the Congo.
Venomous River is the harrowing story of a biodiversity scientist’s successful quest to discover several new amphibian and reptile species in the remotest heart of Africa, a wilderness where he encounters friendly peoples, a cook who is revealed to be a dangerous killer, highly venomous snakes and scorpions, deadly tropical diseases, and troubling echoes of the Congo’s colonial history.
Writing Borderless Histories of Art: Human Exceptionalism and the Climate Crisis - Claire Farago
This aspirational, historical, and critical book offers a fundamental rethinking
of the relationship between humans and the rest of nature — a vital perspective in a moment
defined by environmental crisis, social justice movements, and global calls for systemic change.
Farago advocates for a transcultural, relational approach that abandons entrenched
structures of domination and embraces ontologies that collapse the binary of nature and culture,
recognizing the sentience and interconnection of all living beings.
This book argues that the modern fragmentation of knowledge prevents us from seeing how art,
“race,” climate, and the European discourse on human exceptionalism are deeply
entangled. Spanning four centuries of the discourse on human exceptionalism to the present,
it offers a fundamental rethinking of the relationship between humans and the rest of
nature by recognizing the sentience and interconnection of all living beings.
Writing Borderless Histories of Art draws upon writings from a wide range of fields to offer a
fundamental rethinking of the relationship of humans to the rest of nature. Today the ontological
divisions between the domains of the human and all other animals, and between the social and
the biological, are fluid. Considering that humans are destroying billions of years of accumulated
resources and destabilizing the biosphere in a matter of centuries, ESS scientists warn that
humans must sustain and foster planetary habitability by viewing themselves as an integral and
responsible part of a planetary system. The position of mutual interdependence is also taken by
many Indigenous knowledge systems that do not distinguish between the sentience of humans
and other animals and conceive of both within the environment. What if connectivity became the
most important consideration at a time when climate change poses an existential threat to all
forms of life and neither democracy nor prosperity can be taken for granted? The argument in
five historical chapters and three thematic essays examines the epistemological structures and
ontological framework of the nature/culture divide of European (or "Western") origin.
Three Energy Literacy Books by Ronald Stein, P.E.
Ronald Stein Interview on Environmental Directions with Nancy Pearlman
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