Customer Reviews

The Condor's Shadow: The Loss and Recovery of Wildlife in America

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wilcove's knack for the well-turned phrase and the personal anecdote makes reading this natural history of wildlife in America compelling. The Condor's Shadow takes decades of scientific observations and current theories, and converts them into gripping tales of survival, extinction, and recovery. This book is a masterful summary of conservation biology's lessons for us - lessons we had better soon grasp or condemn future generations to a simplified, homogenous environment. It communicates the lessons in stories accessible to a general audience with neither patronizing tones nor gross generalizations. For readers with a background in the field, the footnotes and detailed portraits of America's ecosystems make this a peerless reference source. I have begun recommending this book as indispensable background to my students who are about to study environmental and natural resources policy. Also, readers planning to travel to this summer might want to focus especially on a chapter discussing the region they are visiting. I think they will find that Wilcove's insights on the natural history of an area they are visiting will enormously enhance their experience.

David Wilcove takes the reader on a tour of biodiversity loss and renewal throughout the United States. Each chapter focuses on a region, highlights the unique environmental problems of that region, and comprehensively addresses the extinction of vertebrates in that area. He also showcases those (sadly few) species that have flirted with extinction but which are now on the rebound. The book is both amazingly easy to read and thoroughly researched. Happily, the details of the research are tucked at the book of the book so they don't interrupt the flow of the tale, but are available for to the most exacting reader. Wilcove's passion as a birdwatcher shines through and his personality manifests itself on every page. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the state of conservation in the US.

This is a keeper. Wilcove & Wilson document the monumental impact modern civilization has had on American wildlife. This eminently readable book also debunks the myth that the first settlers upon this continent lived in a utopian harmony with the land. This book provides an excellent historical overview along with details about a variety of plant and animal species that most people are not familiar with.

The authors also demonstrate that what often passes as a healthy and thriving ecosystem is not. Various aspects of ecosystem interdependence are well-explained. The descriptions of the various ecosystem relationships - and how disruptive simply a new grass species can be was interesting.

I am afraid that what has happened on land is now happening on sea, with more dire consequences. I wish every U.S. citizen would read this book.

I found this book a very interesting read, it flowed really well and I found it hard to put down. It was very informative but used enough specific stories of certain animal's plights that it kept it interesting. I found it eye-opening in that I realized things aren't always what they seem. A forest isn't necessarily healthy, or natural to the area, and it doesn't necessarily support the wildlife it is there to protect.

Wilcove's book is beautifully written in easy yet sophisticated words which paint a picture at environmental disasters and the measures which are being taken to remedy them. It's rich history of the American landscape makes it an interesting read. The knowledge one attains after reading this book makes you want to know more and continue your effort to fit complacently in the web of life.

After reading this thought provoking book, I was left with a sense of anger and hostility towards our ancestors that destroyed the earth as well as the money-hungry that currently destroy the habitat for their own desires. Mr. Wilcove does a tremendous job of detailing the history of natural resource abuse in specific areas of the United States and steps being taken to attempt to repair the damage (irreversible?) of mankind in the past 250 years.
His descriptive literary skills allowed me to picture the incredible natural habitats of our country prior to damage created from the over-consuming American public. One wishes he could travel back in time to witness these spectacular scenes and take steps to prevent their demise.

I read this book for my AP Environmental class in high school. I thought this was an easy book to read. It talks about the loss and recovery of wildlife in america. It is divided up into different sections for example the east, mid-west, west, and the coastal regions. Condor's shadow can easily be used in research projects and papers. In the back of the book is a handy notes, lit cited, and index sections making it easier for further research. The author does not seem to write with any bias and keeps his point of view until the end of the book. I would recomend this book for both nature lovers and students.

Wilcove's book is richly-detailed and highly readable. Anyone who is interested in American wildlife ought to have a copy--there is an enormous amount of fascinating information here. His knowledge is very extensive, especially about birds--and his account is always lively, as if you are traveling along with him to wild ecosystems across North America. Highly recommended.

I read this book in APES for a book review project. It was very well written and very educational, however, the only topic of condors was in 4 paragraphs. I recommend tihs book because it is very educational. GO CONDORS

This is a good book for anyone interested in the aspects of environmental science related more to the preservation of animals. It presented facts with an informative and optimistic tone, focusing on what can be done to help endangered species as opposed to what wasn't done. It is very easy to read, the style making it accessible those who aren't scholars.