Animals in The Books Store

National Wildlife Federation’s new all-photographic field guide to North American insects, spiders, and related species, is the most up-to-date of its kind, and lets both amateur and expert naturalists identify more than 940 species quickly and accurately. More than 2,000 close-up color photographs by leading nature photographers reveal the field marks that distinguish each creature, and the clear and concise text that accompanies each image describes the range, habitat, life cycle, and behavior. Budding entomologists will be inspired to explore further with the detailed information on starting a collection, planting an arthropod garden, keeping insects and spiders in captivity, and learning the techniques of macro photography. The unique waterproof cover makes it ideal for use outdoors.

Aerial delights: A history of America as seen through the eyes of a bird-watcher John James Audubon arrived in America in 1803, when Thomas Jefferson was president, and lived long enough to see his friend Samuel Morse send a telegraphic message from his house in New York City in the 1840s. As a boy, Teddy Roosevelt learned taxidermy from a man who had sailed up the Missouri River with Audubon, and yet as president presided over America’s entry into the twentieth century, in which our ability to destroy ourselves and the natural world was no longer metaphorical. Roosevelt, an avid birder, was born a hunter and died a conservationist.

Today, forty-six million Americans are bird-watchers. The Life of the Skies is a genre-bending journey into the meaning of a pursuit born out of the tangled history of industrialization and nature longing. Jonathan Rosen set out on a quest not merely to see birds but to fathom their centrality—historical and literary, spiritual and scientific—to a culture torn between the desire both to conquer and to conserve.

Rosen argues that bird-watching is nothing less than the real national pastime—indeed it is more than that, because the field of play is the earth itself. We are the players and the spectators, and the outcome—since bird and watcher are intimately connected—is literally a matter of life and death.

When horses outlive their usefulness to humans, they are often treated as disposable — auctioned off and sent to the slaughterhouse. But thanks to the work of rescue organizations and horse sanctuaries, many of these formerly unwanted horses are enjoying genuine appreciation and newfound freedom. The horses in this book were abused, neglected, abandoned, rejected. They are lame, old, blind, or just unattractive according to modern ideas of beauty. Some are crossbreeds with no clearly defined bloodline. Others are wild horses that have been forced off public lands. They are enjoying a second chance to live a meaningful and dignified life. They are here to teach us different measures of value, measures we have almost forgotten.

To document these remarkable creatures, acclaimed equine photographer Tony Stromberg traveled to sanctuaries across North America. While many horse books focus on exotic, flashy breeds or famous thoroughbreds, Tony chose to capture the soul of “working-class” equines — many enjoying love and freedom for the first time. Through gorgeous photography, The Forgotten Horses reveals the profound spirit of these amazing animals and honors the people and sanctuaries that have offered them a well-deserved home.