Cornell U. Press

The Clements checklist of birds of the world, 6th ed.

First published in 1972, Jim Clement's checklist of the world's birds spurred a new industry in birdwatching, with enthusiasts traveling the world seeking to fill in their copy of Clement's comprehensive checklist. Co-published by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and the American Birding Association, the 6th edition includes new updates through the end of 2005, with over 9800 species in all. The checklist is clearly organized and easy to use. Chapters are by species, with the entries arranged alphabetically by common name. Each bird's entry includes its common name, Latin name or names, habitat range, a box to check, and line to make notes of where the bird was spotted. Two indexes are provided, of scientific and English names. A list of extinct species, appendices and maps listing the distribution of bird species and endemics, major family references, and full bibliography are provided. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Differential diagnoses; a comparative history of health care problems and solutions in the United States and France.

Almost 16 percent of American citizens do not have health insurance, and Americans pay about $5,700 per head for their health care per year. By contrast, virtually no French citizen is without coverage and the French pay only a little over $3,000 per year per person, while enjoying the best health care in the world according to a recent World Health Organization report, in which the US was ranked thirty-seventh. Dutton (history, Northern Arizona U.) understands that amongst the few Americans who have heard about the French system there is concern about "socialized medicine," but he shows how that system manages to allow for complete patient choice of physicians and other market-based provisions. He closely examines the turning points each nation encountered when building modern medical systems, and how the US could eventually follow the French model to find a way to care for all its citizens equitably. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Metropolis on the Styx; the underworlds of modern urban culture, 1800-2001.

Pike (literature, American U.) explores the myriad ways that people in the 19th century used, conceived, and imagined basements and other underground spaces, and how their approaches continue to influence the very different spaces that characterize the 21st century. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Organic agriculture; a global perspective.

International contributors to 18 chapters provide expert perspectives on the challenges and opportunities posed by organic agriculture worldwide. Kristiansen (U. of New England, Australia) and other plant and soil scientists in Australia and at Washington State U. introduce the growth of this approach and its study. Tables summarize organic practices and differences between organic and conventional practices. The volume (originally published in Australia in 2006 by CSIRO Publishing) offers case studies and a critical review of the management, marketing, environmental, health and safety, research, political, educational, and ethical aspects of the organic approach. Comstock is an imprint of Cornell U. Press. (Annotation ©2007 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)