The Bulldozer in the Countryside: Suburban Sprawl and the Rise of American Environmentalism (Studies in Environment and History)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Will we ever see an end to Septic Tank Suburbia?
The Bulldozer in the Countryside: Suburban Sprawl and the Rise of American Environmentalism (Studies in Environment and History)
Adam Rome
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521804906

Amazon.com

Modern American environmentalism owes much to such predecessors as Henry Thoreau, John Muir, and Theodore Roosevelt. But it owes much more, suggests historian Adam Rome, to the sprawling suburbs of the postwar era, when great sections of the country fell under the bulldozer to make way for the vaunted American Dream.

Homebuilders of the immediate postwar era did not, as a rule, take into account the environmental costs of their work--nor did they have to. "To take advantage of the cheap, unsewered land at the fringes of cities," writes Rome,

they could install septic tanks on tiny lots, in unsuitable soils, or near streams and wells. To reduce land-acquisition costs, builders also could level hills, fill wetlands, and build in floodplains. To maximize the number of lots in a tract, they could design subdivisions with no open space.
Such actions improved a builder's chances of making a profit, to be sure, but in the coming years they yielded significant opposition--and not just from the occasional birdwatcher or hiker. Activist citizen groups and government agencies began demanding responsible building and zoning practices. In the end, non-urban America's onetime habit of letting landowners do what they would on their land gave way to "an explosion of codes, regulations, and guidelines," the product of a growing awareness of environmental problems and the need to solve them--and an extraordinarily far-reaching shift in public policy.

Rome's well-written book makes a welcome addition to the history of environmental thought, one to shelve alongside the best of Lewis Mumford and Jane Jacobs. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

The Bulldozer in the Countryside is the first scholarly history of efforts to reduce the environmental costs of suburban development in the United States. The book offers a new account of two of the most important historical events in the period since World War II--the mass migration to the suburbs and the rise of the environmental movement. This work offers a valuable historical perspective for scholars, professionals, and citizens interested in the issue of suburban sprawl.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Will we ever see an end to Septic Tank Suburbia?.......2006-09-20

Not many Environmenal Health Specialists like myself will probably ever read this book (or even the chapter 'Septic Tank Suburbia'), but they should. Sanitarians, the old term for health inspectors, have approved a crap-load of septic systems serving sprawl development in this nation, and in reading it, the old timers would quickly recognize their place in the undoing of the American environment. Regardless of their 'professional' title.
I was so impressed with the author's history of septic tank sprawl that I emailed him with thanks. I'm actually surprised no one else has reviewed this title on Amazon.
For recent American environmental history, this is one of the best.
The Campagna Table: Bring The Style And Cooking Of The Italian Countryside Into Your Own Home
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Awesome cookbook
  • Delicious food and a good read to boot!
  • Thanks for a great dinner!
  • What a great book!
  • Great recipes and a great read!
The Campagna Table: Bring The Style And Cooking Of The Italian Countryside Into Your Own Home
Mark R. Strausman , and Julia Moskin
Manufacturer: Morrow Cookbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ItalianItalian | European | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0688134742

Amazon.com

Mark Strausman, one of Manhattan's top restaurateur-chefs, presides over Campagna, his acclaimed country-Italian restaurant. Strausman's feeling for simple but savory dishes is everywhere apparent in the restaurant's home-style food. The Campagna Table, a collection of more than 150 recipes from the restaurant and elsewhere, also celebrates what home cooks achieve, while understanding what they can reasonably accomplish, as few other chef's cookbooks do. Those seeking accessible recipes for superior everyday and special-occasion dishes should find Strausman's book a catch.

In chapters such as Al Fresco or Summer Cooking, One-Pot Meals and Soups, and Quick-Cooking Main Dishes or A La Minutes, and others devoted to dishes such as Pasta, Risotto, and Polenta, Strausman offers delicious food tailored to the skills and schedules of modern home cooks. For example, many of the dishes from the Al Fresco chapter, such as Sicilian Peppers Stuffed with Rice, can be prepared in advance and served at room temperature. Braised Short Ribs with Lentils, Tuscan Mushroom Soup, and other one-pot meals, as well as such quick-cook dishes as Braised Striped Bass with Fennel, Pernod and Saffron, are also time and effort savers. Strausman doesn't overlook the pleasures of weekend and holiday cooking, however, and offers such slow-cook treats as Real Eggplant Parmigiana, as well as recipes for an Italian Christmas Eve dinner, and for Easter, Hanukkah, and Passover celebrations. Cooking tips and a section on pantry-stocking add to the book's usefulness, while color photos depict the dishes in all their homey, likeable glory. --Arthur Boehm

Book Description

Mark Strausman's restaurant Campagna is hailed as one of the best Italian restaurants in New York. The menu offers simple but delicious country-style Italian cooking in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Although the author was trained in the kitchens of Europe, he's also a family man, so he knows how home cooks really cook--and this is a cookbook written just for home cooks. There are chapters on quick-cooking and one-pot recipes for day-to-day cooking, and slow-cooking recipes for the weekends. The Al Fresco chapter offers dozens of recipes that can be prepared in advance and served at room temperature for friends and family. Holiday recipes and menus put a delicious Italian spin on Christmas, Easter, and even Passover (Strausman is a Jewish New Yorker, after all).

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Awesome cookbook.......2005-07-13

I cannot believe this cookbook is out of print. I first saw Mark on Martha Stewart, and after trying his traditional tomato sauce I just knew I had to get his cookbook. Mark deserves to get alot more credit & reviews for publishing this gem. So far we've only tried his pasta recipes, his A.O.P. is one of our favourites. Like myself, if you rely on customer reviews in your decision making - don't hesitate in purchasing his cookbook. I have a huge cookbook collection & this one definitely stands out as one of our favourites. I really hope one day Mark will follow up with another cookbook.

5 out of 5 stars Delicious food and a good read to boot!.......2004-01-07

When I lived in NYC, Campagna was of my favorite restaurants. So, when I saw this cookbook, I pounced. Unfortunately, I happened to have been snookered by the Lasagna della Nonna typo on page 180. It's a tragedy that this recipe is the one misprinted because it is dee-licious! It took some serious doctoring of the bechamel to fix (I'm a serious recipe-follower and got confused). And, as the book states, it was a lot of work, but now that I know the recipe should say 1 1/4 cups of flour, I won't hesitate to make it again. It was worth the time and effort, even messed up. I've also made the Tuscan Red Wine Chicken Stew and it, too, was wonderful. Mark Strausman is a terrific cook and his book is a delight to read, too.

5 out of 5 stars Thanks for a great dinner!.......1999-12-20

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and so far have made the Tuscan Red Wine Chicken Stew which I served alongside the Polenta with Fontina, Arugula, and Tomatoes. Both came out so delicious. My guests were impressed but I didn't have any leftovers! I can't wait to try the Real Eggplant Parmigiana which looks amazing in the picture! The pro tips are great.

5 out of 5 stars What a great book!.......1999-12-16

I haven't read a cookbook I loved so much in a long time! In fact, once I started reading I finished it cover to cover. I found it full of useful little tidbits (I LOVE the pro tips and have already used some of them with my old standard recipes)and interesting ideas and stories. I spent a year in Italy and was thrilled to find that Maria's Bread and Onion Soup is similiar to one my Italian family used to make. It's sooo delicious! I also made the Turkey Polpette with Leek Sauce and my whole family loved it. I love this book and can't wait to try more recipes!

5 out of 5 stars Great recipes and a great read!.......1999-12-15

I love the restaurant so I had to buy the book! The osso buco recipe is a winner and the penne a.o.p.is a quick cook's dream -- simple and delicious. There's great stuff to do with kids, too. I'm looking forward to sampling more.
Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas: A Field Guide to Favorite Places from Chimney Rock to Charleston
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Exploring the Geology of the Carolinas: A Field Guide to Favorite Places from Chimney Rock to Charleston
    Kevin G. Stewart , and Mary-Russell Roberson
    Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0807857866

    Book Description

    How were the Appalachian Mountains formed? Are the barrier islands moving? Where is there gold in the Carolinas? Find answers to these questions and many more in this reader-friendly guide to the geology of North Carolina and South Carolina.
    Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • The woods are lovely...
    • Reading the Forested landscape...
    • reading the forested landscape
    • Read this book and then Read the Landscape!
    • Great book
    Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England
    Tom Wessels
    Manufacturer: Countryman
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Biology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0881504203

    Book Description

    An original portrait of New England's forests, tracing their evolution from precolonial days to the present through a study of the patterns we see today.

    Landscape is much more than scenery to be observed or even terrain to be traveled, as this fascinating and many-layered book vividly shows us. Etched into the land is the history of how we have inhabited it, the storms and fires that have shaped it, and its response to these and other changes.

    An intrepid sleuth and articulate tutor, Wessels teaches us to read a landscape the way we might solve a mystery. What exactly is the meaning of all those stone walls in the middle of the forest? Why do beech and birch trees have smooth bark when the bark of all other northern species is rough? How do you tell the age of a beaver pond and determine if beavers still live there? Why are pine trees dominant in one patch of forest and maples in another? What happened to the American chestnut? Turn to this book for the answers, and no walk in the woods will ever be the same. 60 black & white illustrations, index.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars The woods are lovely..........2007-01-09

    Before I read this book, I knew the woods had stories to tell; now, I can begin to understand them. This book is a forensic reference demystifying the clues the forest has to reveal. Each chapter describes, in depth, a particular setting and the clues found there. The drawings, unfortunately, are not as good or helpful as the writing. I would have preferred photographs, but it's only a small drawback.

    4 out of 5 stars Reading the Forested landscape..........2006-11-10

    ...makes more sense after reading this book. The chapters give an introductory look at what you see when you walk through a forest and what it means to the ecosystem and to you if you're just curious or you are in wildlife management.

    5 out of 5 stars reading the forested landscape.......2006-08-26

    I have grown up in new england and studied the biological sciences for 20 years and Tom Wessel knowledge and wonderful insight to the natural world is amazing. the book is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and natures beauty.

    5 out of 5 stars Read this book and then Read the Landscape!.......2006-01-06

    See that tree? - that stone wall? - How about that mound of earth in the woods? Never noticed them before? Well this book will help you to discover all kinds of 'hidden' clues that help us to understand how the land was used in the past and what forces helped to make it the way it is today.

    This is a wonderful book to read and then put into practice as you ramble around the wonderful landscapes of New England.

    5 out of 5 stars Great book.......2003-08-19

    This book provides an excellent introduction to forest ecology. Wessels begins each chapter with an etching that captures a typical feature of northern forest. He then guides us to understanding what one can learn from the etching through asking key questions and making more detailed observations. The book focuses on central New England forests, which he defines as reaching roughly from the Southern half of Vermont to the Northern half of Massachusetts, and stretching eastwards to the coast of Maine. The book will help even beginners understand more about the forests surrounding them, although it helps if readers can at least recognize a beech tree from a maple or a pine before they start. The book is full of so many details that one reading through it is not enough; this is a book to dip into over and over again as one explores the forest. The book includes a number of useful appendices, covering such varied topics as a chronology of New England history, key kinds of evidence to look for in the woods, common woody and non-woody plants, a glossary, and a bibliography.
    Differentiated Countryside (Routledge Studies in Human Geography, 3)
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Differentiated Countryside (Routledge Studies in Human Geography, 3)
      Philip Lowe
      Manufacturer: Routledge
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      Economic Policy & DevelopmentEconomic Policy & Development | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 1857288955

      Book Description

      Using an innovative theoretical approach based on networks of conventions, the book investigates the regionalization of the English countryside through case studies of the preserved, the contested and the paternalistic countryside. It looks in detail at landowners, residents, politicians, planners, farmers, and environmentalists, and shows how the competing interests of these groups shape the countryside.

      The Embroiderer's Countryside
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Beautiful silk embroidery!
      • Beautiful pictures of exquisite silk thread embroidery.
      The Embroiderer's Countryside
      Helen M. Stevens
      Manufacturer: David & Charles
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

      EmbroideryEmbroidery | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 0715399454

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Beautiful silk embroidery!.......1999-09-28

      This book is FULL of color photos of Ms. Stevens' lovely embroidery with plenty of sketches to help in making your own. A short summary of techniques and tools are discussed at the end of the book. This is a monumental achievement, and not her only one! A wonderful and inspirational way to spend many afternoons. The embroidery is almost all done in silk, with some wool, and lots of suggestions for doing your own work.

      5 out of 5 stars Beautiful pictures of exquisite silk thread embroidery........1998-03-07

      The book contains beautiful representations of flowers, birds, butterflies done in delicate silk thread stitches. The book was published in England and printed in Germany.
      Transforming the Appalachian Countryside: Railroads, Deforestation, and Social Change in West Virginia, 1880-1920
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Not history - it's happening now
      • A Comprehensive View
      Transforming the Appalachian Countryside: Railroads, Deforestation, and Social Change in West Virginia, 1880-1920
      Ronald L. Lewis
      Manufacturer: University of North Carolina Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0807824054

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Not history - it's happening now.......2000-09-20

      The subtitle to this book is "Railroads, Deforestation, and Social Change in West Virginia 1880 - 1920." The principle reason for the deeply-embedded poverty in Central Appalachia is the fact that the region continues to be a colony of industrial powers. Beginning in the mid-19th century, iron, coal, railroad, and timber companies teamed with national, state, and local politicians to exploit the natural resources -- coal and timber -- and the people of Central Appalachia. The result was devastation of a culture, destruction of a people, and destruction of the environment. And, I am incorrect to use the past tense -- clear-cutting of forests continues and "mountain-top removal" mining continue to destroy the culture, communities, and landscape of Central Appalachia. Lewis' book is an excellent description of what happens when politicians and industrial leaders join in league to exploit a region.

      Note that this book deals with events of 1880 - 1920 -- so why is it important today? Because what was done to Central Appalachia in that period is being done to the rest of us today under the guise of "economic globalization." For example, the people of McDowell County, WV, are powerless in the face of Norfolk Southern (railroad company) because NS owns 85 percent of the land in the county. Just exactly what do you think will happen when "global" corporations own the factories, the minerals, and the workers? The experience of Appalachia with industrial and political exploitation is the same experience that awaits all of us under "economic globalization."

      5 out of 5 stars A Comprehensive View.......1999-12-05

      I enjoy historical narratives about turn of the century logging in West Virginia. Many texts cover the economic aspects of logging in terms of the timber processed. Other books detail the milling process or the lifestyle of the lumberjack in the WV wilderness. However, this is the first book I have encountered that describes the social ramifications of the logging industry in defining the WV culture. Ronald Lewis has opened up new discussions of how early steam technology impacted the remote lifestyles of West Virginia. This book gives a fresh viewpoint that is needed in re-evaluating the romanticized description of Appalachian lumbering in the last century.
      Village Elections in China: Democratizing the Countryside
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Village Elections in China: Democratizing the Countryside
        Qingshan Tan
        Manufacturer: Edwin Mellen Pr
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        DemocracyDemocracy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 077345537X
        A Year in the Maine Woods
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • A quiet, enjoyable book about living with nature
        • A delightful book.
        • Back to Nature
        • A raven review...
        • Not What I Expected...But Still Okay
        A Year in the Maine Woods
        Bernd Heinrich
        Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0201489392

        Book Description

        When naturalist Heinrich sets out for a year in the wilds of Maine accompanied only by his pet raven, Jack, readers everywhere will want to tag along. Looking for the answers to life's questions in the richness of one small place, he settles into a rustic log cabin. There is research to be done - on songbirds, insects, and mosses; but there is also life to be lived - chopping wood, carrying water, and planting a garden. By melding his own life with the life of the Maine wilderness, Heinrich finds meaning within this complex fabric far beyond our ordinary perceptions. Throughout this year where "the subtle matters and the spectacular distracts," he brings us back to the drama in small things, when life is lived consciously.

        "Quirky, unassuming, humorous, enlightening, and just a little bizarre." (Washington Post Book World)

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars A quiet, enjoyable book about living with nature.......2007-01-09

        I really enjoyed this book -- it is a quiet, at times poetic, reflection on how one man lived within his environment for four distinct seasons. Heinrich reminds us of how richly varied and fascinating our world is and how much we miss every moment that we are too distracted to really see, smell, hear, and touch the natural world. The book inspired me to try to slow down a bit and take a closer look at the plants, animals, birds, and insects in my own back yard.

        4 out of 5 stars A delightful book........2004-09-14

        Bernd Heinrich a Zoology Professor at the University of Vermont has written many books on natural history or what is now called nature writing. This is the first I've read and have enjoyed it immensely. His style is a mixture of deep zoological knowledge of the animals and plants of the Maine woods and the pure love of being a human being who can appreciate and really live the surrounding natural world. This is what is needed by all people if they want to appreciate their world. Its a delightful book but does not possess the intensity of Jack Turner's "Abstract Wild" or Doug Peacock's Grisly writing. But it doesn't really need it, it is just a man living in the woods for a year through the beautiful summer pestered by black flies and the stunning autumn into a cold winter and the new life of spring. The book is also full of very well drawn animals and plants. The story starts with him driving to his cabin with his pet raven Jack who, being a raven, is independent minded and eventually leaves. Its too bad Jack was truly fascinating. There is much to do including the chopping of wood for the winter, taking care of his apple trees, raven watching to do. Its amazing how beautiful nature is when someone is watching with all his heart and mind. A delightful book.

        4 out of 5 stars Back to Nature.......2004-08-02

        Heinrich writes about his observations of Maine's animals and plants from winter silences to spring's new growth. It ranges from lyrical descriptions of wild flowers to more than you want to know about decaying carcasses attracting carrion eaters.
        I enjoyed reading it while parked in an RV in a Maine campground. My little window on the woods was so limited, making me appreciate his insights and trained eye. Sometimes he is philosophical, and at other times mundane (justifying why he doesn't wash his dishes more often).

        5 out of 5 stars A raven review..........2004-03-07

        Not planning to review this book, I changed my mind after perusing the reviews for "A Year in the Maine Woods." Most of them are by people who miss the point of his book (and, dare I say, life) entirely.

        Yes, Bernd is foremost a Zoologist, and so does get a bit technical at times, but his over-whelming love of nature--and the sense that he's just a good guy doing what many of us are afraid to do (i.e. kick in our TeeVees and "get back to nature")--is enough for my vote.

        In addition to the natural science found in these pages, I very much enjoyed his mundane, day-to-day observations (every time he made coffee or drank a beer, I inwardly smiled). He mixes his love for the woods with a few 21st-century earthly pleasures, as well he should. Of course he's no Thoreau, and I don't think he is in anyway trying to be. Still, he's a damn-sight closer to Nature and the ideas and mind of H.D.T than most.

        Truly a pleasurable read. Thanks, Bernd.

        4 out of 5 stars Not What I Expected...But Still Okay.......2003-01-31

        This is the second book by Heinrich that I have read. The first, Ravens in Winter, I found very enjoyable. (see review)

        Based on the title and a review written on the book's back cover, I expected the book to be about Heinrich's year alone, except for his pet raven, Jack. With this in mind I thought we'd learn about his discoveries in nature and also his understanding into his own thoughts as he pondered life in seclusion.

        This was not a book about living in the wild woods of Maine in seclusion. Heinrich often went into town and ate, met with neighbors, had family visit, and at one point he had a number of students over for a couple of weeks. Was this bad...no, but not what I expected based on the review on his book's back cover.

        Heinrich has a gift in sharing information about nature. His curiosity and excitement for the natural world is contagious. In this respect I wasn't let down. He did go on quite a bit about the various things he noticed, sometimes sharing too much information, but I would just skip the paragraph and move on.

        I think what appeals to me most are the times he is in seclusion and reflects on nature and his own life. He endures an amazing amount of cold...below zero, doesn't have running water, and the inside temperature in his cabin dips down below freezing on several occasions. I would enjoy many of the aspects of living in the location he speaks of but I would do it with a few extras...insulation in the walls, and electricity are two that come to mind!

        Overall I did enjoy the book and I hope you do too!
        Village in a Valley (Beverley Nichols's Allways Trilogy)
        Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
        • VILLAGE IN A VALLEY
        Village in a Valley (Beverley Nichols's Allways Trilogy)
        Beverley Nichols
        Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

        EssaysEssays | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
        20th Century20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        GeneralGeneral | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
        Nature WritingNature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
        Similar Items:
        1. Thatched Roof (Beverley Nichols's Allways Trilogy) Thatched Roof (Beverley Nichols's Allways Trilogy)
        2. Down the Garden Path Down the Garden Path
        3. Laughter On The Stairs (Beverley Nichols Trilogy Book 2) Laughter On The Stairs (Beverley Nichols Trilogy Book 2)
        4. Merry Hall (Beverley Nichols Trilogy Book 1) Merry Hall (Beverley Nichols Trilogy Book 1)
        5. Sunlight On The Lawn (Beverley Nichols Trilogy Book 3) Sunlight On The Lawn (Beverley Nichols Trilogy Book 3)

        ASIN: 0881927295
        Release Date: 2005-09-15

        Book Description

        This reprint of the third book in Nichols's Allways trilogy contains a new foreword by Bryan Connon, Beverley Nichols's biographer. Set in the English countryside, the hilarious memoir is as much about the author's love for plants as it is about the village in which he lived. The depictions of flowers and ornamentals — "A single one of those gloxinias would be an event in Allways ... I should give a party for it" — are both inspiring and unforgettable. This is the voice of one whose chief endowment is an appreciation for plants and the landscape, including a keen understanding of the importance gardens play in an increasingly modern world.

        Customer Reviews:

        3 out of 5 stars VILLAGE IN A VALLEY.......2007-03-13

        I was a bit disappointed in this book - Beverley seems to have not been as interested in his subject as he was in the other 2 books of this trilogy, and he became quite morbid in the last section. Perhaps he was in a hurry to get the book finished, or wasn't well at the time.

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