Customer Reviews

Fresh Water

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

 

 

The author gives us a rare combination of the technical terms with thoroughly understandable explanations of water and what it does and what it means for us. The book seems comlete in its explanations of how water works whereever it occurs, which is all over our world. I thought, for example, I knew how water worked underground; now I really know, and that is important to efficient agriculture which will also preserve adjacent flora and fauna. Pielou tells both the good and the bad of human intervention with water no matter whether it is flowing in rivers and lakes or bound in permafrost or geological configurations. Even if you think you don't really care, this book will let you understand more about the arguments about dams and rivers and reservoirs and all that contentious stuff.

This is a good introduction to limnology. It isn't boring and not too technical. It is just an explaination of how freshwater behaves on earth. It explains groudwater, rivers, lakes, water cycle, and the functioning of aquifers. The focus of the book was on North America and in particular Canada and the North of the United States, that's okay but she spends several pages about bogs and fens and one small paragraph about the forested wetlands and mangrove wetlands. I think the lady is Canadian, so she writes aboput what is around her. That is fine, it liked that book and would recommend it to somebody who has an interest in the science of things around us. Many poeple think that water comes from the faucet and that is all. She provides an excellent explaination of where is goes from and where it goes.

As a professional whitewater guide this book caught my attention as I was looking to better understand my "office". While I found the early chapters on groundwater a bit dry, (no pun intended) I was unable to put down Fresh Water once it got above the vadose layer. I found it informative without being overly scientific, and now have an entirely different outlook on the water cycle. It is obvious this book was written by someone who truly enjoys the subject matter.

Fresh water is becoming more and more scarce as we continue poluting it. This book is so interesting and informative I had difficulty putting it down. E.C. Pielou has enlightened and entertained me all at once and has succeeded in writing one of the most fascinating books I've read.

Most of us have a pretty fair understanding of the basic water cycle from witnessing tea kettles, thunderstorms and creeks. Evaporation takes it up. Gravity brings it down. FRESH WATER fills in the rest of the story from groundwater to ice caps, through tree roots and into the fog. Ms. Pielou's clear prose and simple drawings and diagrams offer broad understanding of the intricacies of the earth's hydrology. "Life needs water," she observes. "Water doesn't need life."

A clear and understandable look at fresh water, its various systems, its ecological impacts, and human impacts on water resources. Not only highly informative but easy to follow and interesting as well. A basic understanding of water chemistry and biology would be helpful, although not necessary when readin this book.

If you enjoy reading college textbooks, then you'll love this one. Although it's well-written with many illustrations/diagrams, facts and definitions, I didn't find any pleasure reading it. Fresh Water lacked anecdotes, humor, interesting point-of-views etc....just a DRY, BLAND and extremely objective view of the cycles, forms and uses of water. However, Fresh Water would be excellent reference material.