Pines and Plains Libraries

A laugh-out-loud account of an outrageously rugged hike--by the beloved comic author of "Lost Continent" and "Notes from a Small Island". Published in the 75th anniversary year of the Appalachian Trail. Father's Day merchandising.

Instead of retiring to a quiet life with his wife and family, Bill Bryson decides to hike the Appalachian Trail and the only companion he can find is his old friend Katz, a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer.

Bill Bryson, instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail: 2,200 miles of America's most unspoiled, spectacular, and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, when the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek is his long-lost former friend Katz, a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer....

A Walk in the Wood: Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh offers life lessons grounded in the simple act of slowing down, observing what is around us, and being present in our lives moment by moment.The benefits of mindfulness are well recognized: greater peace of mind, less stress, and the opportunity to work through and transform thoughts, memories, and worries. It also fosters equanimity, helping us accept the changes and challenges...

The author traces the Big Bang through the rise of civilization, documenting his work with a host of the world's most advanced scientists and mathematicians to explain why things are the way they are.

In his bestselling memoir, Look Me in the Eye, the author described growing up with Asperger's syndrome at a time when the diagnosis didn't exist. He was intelligent but socially isolated; his talents won him jobs with toy makers and rock bands but did little to endear him to authority figures and classmates, who were put off by his inclination to blurt out non sequiturs and avoid eye contact. By the time he was diagnosed at age forty, he had already...

"A maverick scientist who co-founded the field of anthrozoology offers a controversial, thought-provoking, and unprecedented exploration of the psychology behind the inconsistent and often paradoxical ways we think, feel, and behave towards animals"--Provided by publisher.

"When you walk in the woods, do you use all five senses to explore your surroundings? For most of us, the answer is no - but when we do engage all our senses, a walk in the woods can go from pleasant to immersive and restorative. Forest Walking teaches you how to get the most out of your next adventure by becoming a forest detective, decoding nature's signs and awakening to the ancient past and thrilling present of the ecosystem around you. What can...

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan emerges from a lake holding a sword--representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own ... Breen makes a leap into the unknown with a summer trip to Ireland - her father's homeland. Little does she know how much of a leap until a walk in the woods leads her...

The host of Animal Planet's Treehouse Masters and the world's best-known treehouse designer and builder, Pete Nelson wants to put you in a tree. His motto: "Get 'er done, so you can BE in a TREE." With this book he provides a comprehensive source of inspiration and practical information about treehouse design and construction, and shares the basics of treehouse construction with his own recent projects as case studies. Using photographs taken especially...