TROPICSLLIFESTYLE
BOOKS
THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS
A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness
AUTHOR: Sy Montgomery
SUMMARY: In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism.
REVIEW: "If you are looking for a scientific book, this is not for you, but it’s a beautiful narrative about the amazing emotional connections humans can make with intelligent sea life. It's excellent for young adults to read and [a great book] to read to children."
l Atria Books (2015), 272 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1451697728
a List price: $16.99. Sells for less at Amazon.
SUMMARY: In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism.
- From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, she has befriended octopuses with strikingly different personalities—gentle Athena, assertive Octavia, curious Kali, and joyful Karma.
- Each creature shows her cleverness in myriad ways: escaping enclosures like an orangutan; jetting water to bounce balls; and endlessly tricking companions with multiple “sleights of hand” to get food.
- With her “joyful passion for these intelligent and fascinating creatures,” Montgomery chronicles the growing appreciation of this mollusk as she tells a unique love story.
- By turns funny, entertaining, touching, and profound, The Soul of an Octopus reveals what octopuses can teach us about the meeting of two very different minds.
REVIEW: "If you are looking for a scientific book, this is not for you, but it’s a beautiful narrative about the amazing emotional connections humans can make with intelligent sea life. It's excellent for young adults to read and [a great book] to read to children."
l Atria Books (2015), 272 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1451697728
a List price: $16.99. Sells for less at Amazon.
THE BEACHCOMBER'S COMPANION
An Illustrated Guide to Collecting and Identifying Beach Treasures
AUTHOR: Anna Marlis Burgard
SUMMARY: Breezy, inviting, and delightful—just like a day at the beach—The Beachcomber's Companion is a charming illustrated guide to collecting and identifying shells and other coastal treasures.
REVIEW: "This book is a feast for the eyes, as well as incredibly informative. I bought one for each of my kids....It is the perfect gift for anyone who has strolled on a beach and picked up a seashell."has beautiful pictures, and great ideas for anyone doing renovations or just small changes to certain rooms in their home. So many fabulous shades of blue in so many different settings. It's worth spending a few hours enjoying every page!"
M Chronicle Books/illustrated edition (2018), 128 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1452161167
F List price: $16.95. Sells for less on Amazon.
SUMMARY: Breezy, inviting, and delightful—just like a day at the beach—The Beachcomber's Companion is a charming illustrated guide to collecting and identifying shells and other coastal treasures.
- Each of the entries includes fascinating descriptions, fun tidbits, and detailed artwork that makes it easy for readers to identify their own beach discoveries.
- A handy resource section offers tips on how to prepare before setting out on a shoreline adventure: from the beachcomber's commandments to must-have items for every beachcombing toolkit and advice on preserving shells.
- Awash with information and gorgeous watercolor illustrations, this is an essential companion for all who love the ocean's shore.
REVIEW: "This book is a feast for the eyes, as well as incredibly informative. I bought one for each of my kids....It is the perfect gift for anyone who has strolled on a beach and picked up a seashell."has beautiful pictures, and great ideas for anyone doing renovations or just small changes to certain rooms in their home. So many fabulous shades of blue in so many different settings. It's worth spending a few hours enjoying every page!"
M Chronicle Books/illustrated edition (2018), 128 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1452161167
F List price: $16.95. Sells for less on Amazon.
COASTAL BLUES
Mrs. Howard's Guide to Decorating With the Colors of the Sea and Sky
AUTHOR: Phoebe Howard
SUMMARY: From design expert (and interior design readers’ favorite) Phoebe Howard comes a new book focused on decorating with beautiful blue color schemes.
REVIEW: "It has beautiful pictures, and great ideas for anyone doing renovations or just small changes to certain rooms in their home. So many fabulous shades of blue in so many different settings. It's worth spending a few hours enjoying every page!"
M Harry N. Abrams (2018), 272 pp., ISBN13: 9781419724800
F List price: $35. Sells for less on Amazon.
SUMMARY: From design expert (and interior design readers’ favorite) Phoebe Howard comes a new book focused on decorating with beautiful blue color schemes.
- Coastal Blues is a glorious decor book filled with inspiring images of beach houses, seacoast getaways, vacation cottages, and luxurious seaside manors. It is also a hardworking how-to-get-the-look book that offers solid interior design and styling advice.
- Featuring brand-new, never-before-published projects, every page reflects the ease and casual elegance of shoreline living.
- With chapters such as Sea Glass (brilliant blue color schemes), Indigo Bay (true blue schemes), and Ocean Mist (pale blue schemes), Phoebe shows design lovers how to make the coastal style modern, fresh, and very much their own.
REVIEW: "It has beautiful pictures, and great ideas for anyone doing renovations or just small changes to certain rooms in their home. So many fabulous shades of blue in so many different settings. It's worth spending a few hours enjoying every page!"
M Harry N. Abrams (2018), 272 pp., ISBN13: 9781419724800
F List price: $35. Sells for less on Amazon.
RICHOCHET
Riding a Wave of Hope With the
Dog Who Inspired Millions
AUTHOR: Judy Fridono
SUMMARY: Ricochet, a golden retriever, is the only dog in the world who surfs with wounded warriors, people with disabilities, and children with special needs as an assistive aid and SURFice dog. This tears-to-triumph story takes readers behind the media sensation.
Ricochet surpassed every other dog in Puppy Prodigy training class. But due to her love for chasing birds, she was released from training; leaving a frustrated owner and a dog without a direction. Yet that flunking out of school led to a new purpose.
Ricochet began to help others, including those with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and physical disabilities. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, and offers people hope, comfort, healing ~ and a reason to keep fighting.
REVIEW: "I was just amazed how Ricochet knew what to do when she first met someone who had been traumatized or had gone through something horrific. Her gentle nature and intuitiveness were things I have never witnessed or read about before. She is truly inspiring."
M HCI (2014), 288 pp., ISBN13 978-0757317729
F Sells on Amazon in various formats and prices.
SUMMARY: Ricochet, a golden retriever, is the only dog in the world who surfs with wounded warriors, people with disabilities, and children with special needs as an assistive aid and SURFice dog. This tears-to-triumph story takes readers behind the media sensation.
Ricochet surpassed every other dog in Puppy Prodigy training class. But due to her love for chasing birds, she was released from training; leaving a frustrated owner and a dog without a direction. Yet that flunking out of school led to a new purpose.
Ricochet began to help others, including those with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress, and physical disabilities. She raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities, and offers people hope, comfort, healing ~ and a reason to keep fighting.
REVIEW: "I was just amazed how Ricochet knew what to do when she first met someone who had been traumatized or had gone through something horrific. Her gentle nature and intuitiveness were things I have never witnessed or read about before. She is truly inspiring."
M HCI (2014), 288 pp., ISBN13 978-0757317729
F Sells on Amazon in various formats and prices.
RATTAN
A World of Elegance and Charm
AUTHOR: Lulu Lytle
SUMMARY: An ode to rattan (the sustainable tropical palm), this book celebrates the beloved material’s versatility, natural beauty, and craftsmanship.
REVIEWS: "Informative on the history of rattan, and differences between wicker and rattan. Pictures are beautiful." D f "Well done. A person could look over the whole book, many times, and see something new each time." D f "It has beautiful pictures, and great ideas for anyone doing renovations or just small changes to certain rooms in their home. So many fabulous shades of blue in so many different settings. It's worth spending a few hours enjoying every page!"
M Rizzoli (2020), 224 pp., ISBN-13: 978-0847868902
F List price: $65. Sells for less on Amazon.
SUMMARY: An ode to rattan (the sustainable tropical palm), this book celebrates the beloved material’s versatility, natural beauty, and craftsmanship.
- Explore rattan’s rich history through a series of photographs featuring iconic spaces like Parisian gardens, California beach houses, Art Deco interiors.
- It’s a gorgeous look at the laid-back exoticism and relaxed glamor that makes this material so timeless. Also showcases tastemakers who embrace rattan.
- Lytle is the designer/owner of Soane Britain, an interior brand that designs British-made furniture, upholstery, lighting, fabrics and wallpapers.design expert (and interior design readers’ favorite) Phoebe Howard comes a new book focused on decorating with beautiful blue color schemes.
REVIEWS: "Informative on the history of rattan, and differences between wicker and rattan. Pictures are beautiful." D f "Well done. A person could look over the whole book, many times, and see something new each time." D f "It has beautiful pictures, and great ideas for anyone doing renovations or just small changes to certain rooms in their home. So many fabulous shades of blue in so many different settings. It's worth spending a few hours enjoying every page!"
M Rizzoli (2020), 224 pp., ISBN-13: 978-0847868902
F List price: $65. Sells for less on Amazon.
GROWING TASTY TROPICAL PLANTS IN ANY HOME, ANYWHERE
AUTHOR: Laurelynn G. Martin
SUMMARY: Enjoy fresh java brewed from your own coffee beans or juice from the orange tree growing in a sunny corner of your living room.
REVIEW: "This is a great book on growing fruit indoors. If you're looking for a review of edible plants you could grow indoors, this is a nice place to start. You definitely get enough info to assess the pros and cons of each plant and to know if it's a good fit for your indoor environment."
A Storey Publishing (2010), 160 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1603425773
B List price: $17.32. Sells for less on Amazon.
SUMMARY: Enjoy fresh java brewed from your own coffee beans or juice from the orange tree growing in a sunny corner of your living room.
- Learn how to successfully plant, grow, and harvest 47 varieties of tropical fruiting plants in any climate!
- This straightforward, easy-to-use guide brings papaya, passionfruit, pepper, pineapples, and more out of the tropics and into your home.
- With plenty of gorgeous foliage, entrancing fragrances, and luscious fruits, local food has never been more exotic.
REVIEW: "This is a great book on growing fruit indoors. If you're looking for a review of edible plants you could grow indoors, this is a nice place to start. You definitely get enough info to assess the pros and cons of each plant and to know if it's a good fit for your indoor environment."
A Storey Publishing (2010), 160 pp., ISBN-13: 978-1603425773
B List price: $17.32. Sells for less on Amazon.
THE DOG'S GUIDE TO SURFING
Hanging Ten With Man's Best Friend
AUTHOR: A. K. Krump
SUMMARY: Humans aren't the only "surf dogs." Surfers' four-legged friends love water too, and many even like catching waves.
REVIEW: "Teach your dog how to rip with personal stories, lessons, advice, movies, gear and surfwear, everything a surfdog needs." --SURFING Magazine K E "You're going to howl from cover to cover and be talking about this book...for months." --The Maui Weekly
M TCB Cafe Publishing (2018), 128 pp., ISBN-13: 978-0967489872
F List price: $14.95. Sells for way less on Amazon.
SUMMARY: Humans aren't the only "surf dogs." Surfers' four-legged friends love water too, and many even like catching waves.
- These amphibious canines are special creatures: top surfers believe dogs who learn to surf develop a unique attitude, knowing they have something that sets them apart from other dogs.
- For anyone who loves the antics of "man's best friend," The Dog's Guide to Surfing is indispensable, collecting stories, lessons, and advice in one richly illustrated book.
- For surf-lovers, there's also plenty of info on surf gear and riding a wave, both with and without a pooch.
- From mounting a massive seven-footer to simply playing in the water, this book shows how to really be a s"urf dog" no matter the breed or size.
REVIEW: "Teach your dog how to rip with personal stories, lessons, advice, movies, gear and surfwear, everything a surfdog needs." --SURFING Magazine K E "You're going to howl from cover to cover and be talking about this book...for months." --The Maui Weekly
M TCB Cafe Publishing (2018), 128 pp., ISBN-13: 978-0967489872
F List price: $14.95. Sells for way less on Amazon.
TROPICSLLIFESTYLE
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