Bogs of the Northeast [Paperback]

Charles W. Johnson (Author), Meredith Edgcomb Young (Illustrator), Ian Worley (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 15, 1985

The first popular book to deal with bogs in a comprehensive yet authoritative manner.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

5 1/2 x 8 1/2 trim. 61 illus. 41 figs. 10 tables. LC 84-40587

Product Details

• Paperback: 289 pages
• Publisher: UPNE; 1st edition (July 15, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874513316
• ISBN-13: 978-0874513318
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #577,976 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction, July 18, 2007

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bogs of the Northeast (Paperback)

This book provides an introduction to the ecology of northeastern bogs. Johnson, the Vermont state naturalist, has a particular affinity for bogs and the unique flora and fauna found in them. In this book, he explains the different types of bogs, how they are formed, and what forms of life are typical in and around them. After a general introduction to the ecology of bogs, he provides separate chapters for sphagnum mosses, carnivorous plants, orchids, sedges and heaths, insects, fish, amphibians and reptiles, birds, and mammals. He also discusses some current issues concerning bogs, such as peat mining and conservation. End material includes an annotated list of northeastern bogs with public access, and checklists of bog birds and other animals. The book is illustrated with black-and-white photographs, drawings, and maps and includes an index.

As a beginning naturalist, I found the book highly informative. I found Johnson's explanations of how bogs are formed to be extremely interesting because of the implications for bog ecology. The text is written for general readers and assumes no specialist expertise, yet it is detailed enough to be useful for experienced naturalists or professionals.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great -- except for the photos, November 22, 2009

By 

Miata Driver "Too many books -- not enough time" (Johnstown, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bogs of the Northeast (Paperback)

As someone who knew very little about peatlands (I know that term because I read this book), I agree wholeheartedly with the other reviews about the informational content of this book.

The one drawback I found was that my edition (paperback, 3rd printing) has NO color photos. This edition has only B&W photos and, to be honest, it was a waste of space to put many of them in the book -- they are reproduced that poorly.

Even given the poor photographs I still enjoyed the book very much and it will serve as a valuable reference for many years to come.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, March 25, 2002

By 

P. A. Roy (Massachusetts, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bogs of the Northeast (Paperback)

I bought Bogs of the Northeast because I grow carnivorous plants (CP) and am always interested in learning about one of their more common natural habitats. I was not disappointed; it includes a section on CP with some satiating color photos. Also included are an explanation of how bogs are formed, discussion of bog types, descriptions of plant and animal species found in bogs, a section devoted to Sphagnum moss (helpful to me as a CP grower), a section on native terrestrial orchids, etc. In the back there is a listing of easily accessible bogs in the Northeast.

Keep in mind that this book covers only bogs in the New England region of the United States. Fortunately, bogs similar to those described can be found throughout North America.

I have but one gripe: there are not many color photographs! Those included, however, are beautiful and I wish there were more.

All in all, it is a wonderful book for those who want to learn more about bogs!

Edit: As to my use of 'satiating' to describe this book's color photos...it is admittedly a slight exaggeration. 'Good' or 'nice' or 'detailed' would have been more appropriate. In case you don't know, 'satiating' means 'satisfying in excess'. For example, a meal that gives you a tummy ache would be satiating--that is, satisfying in excess. So, would 'satisfying' have perhaps been a better choice? No, because as my review later indicates, the photos are not at all satisfying. In fact, the book could have been improved considerably with a lot more (or, come to think of it, improved slightly with a few more). Then why did I use 'satiating'? Why do I not change it now? Because 'satiating' is the only thing this sad review has going for it.