Poetry Month!
 
 

Special Offers see all

Enter to WIN!

Weekly drawing for $100 credit. Subscribe to our Specials newsletter for a chance to win.
Privacy Policy

More at Powell's

Recently Viewed clear list

Guests | April 22, 2013

John-Paul Flintoff: IMG We Can Be Heroes (Yes, You Too)

0 comments By John-Paul Flintoff

Recently, I was feeling stuck with a problem I couldn't resolve. So I asked Nelson Mandela for advice. I don't need to tell you the details, because... Continue »
  1. $11.20 Sale Trade Paper add to wish list

    How to Change the World (School of Life)

    John-Paul Flintoff 9781250030672
spacer
Ships free on qualified orders.
$7.95
List price: $14.99
Used Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Add to Wishlist
Qty Store Section
1 Beaverton Agriculture- Bees and Beekeeping
3 Burnside Agriculture- Bees and Beekeeping

The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America

by

The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America Cover

ISBN13: 9780061873256
ISBN10: 006187325x
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

 

Staff Pick

Consider the bee, which produces 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey over a lifetime of hundreds of trips to flowers. This intrepid insect is not just industrious, it's a touchstone for ecology today. Subject to threats ranging from monoculture to pesticides to climate change, bees —  and the dedicated people who shepherd them — persevere. Hannah Nordhaus has written an insightful and entertaining account of the tenuous relationship between bees, beekeepers, and modernity.
Recommended by Mark P., Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The honey bee is a willing conscript, a working wonder, an unseen and crucial link in America's agricultural industry. But never before has its survival been so unclear — and the future of our food supply so acutely challenged.

Enter beekeeper John Miller, who trucks his hives around the country, bringing millions of bees to farmers otherwise bereft of natural pollinators. Even as the mysterious and deadly epidemic known as Colony Collapse Disorder devastates bee populations across the globe, Miller forges ahead with the determination and wry humor of a true homespun hero.

The Beekeeper's Lament tells his story and that of his bees, making for a complex, moving, and unforgettable portrait of man in the new natural world.

Review:

"In this revelatory, bittersweet investigation into the state of commercial beekeeping in the 21st century, Nordhaus follows the migratory life of a commercial beekeeper, John Miller, as he trucks his bees between California and North Dakota, pollinating almond orchards, defending his territory of 'bee yards' (flowering pastures), collecting honey, and, against all odds, keeping his bees and his business alive. It turns out that colony collapse disorder, which recently brought awareness of bees and their essential agricultural function to an oblivious public, is only the most recent of numerous threats to bee health, from 19th-century plagues of wax moth comb invasion to more recent infestations of tracheal and varroa mites that 'killed nearly every single one of the continent's feral colonies, obliterating the wild bees that once did much of the work pollinating the nations crops and flowers.' According to Nordhaus, hives survive now only with drugs administered by their keepers, who, in a profession where disaster is commonplace and profit elusive, are becoming nearly as exotic and endangered as their bees. Miller, smart, antisocial with humans, but tender toward bees and prone to writing ironic free-verse e-mails, keeps the narrative lively despite its often grim content. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Review:

“I loved The Beekeeper’s Lament. With great reporting and great writing, Hannah Nordhaus gives a new angle on an ever-evolving topic. You’ll learn a lot.” Bernd Heinrich, author of Winter World and Mind of the Raven

Review:

“Hannah Nordhaus has written an engaging account of the men and insects who put food on our tables. The Beekeeper’s Lament is a sweet, sad story.” Trevor Corson

Review:

"Rollicking, buzzing, and touching ...You'll never think of bees, their keepers, or the fruits (and nuts) of their labors the same way again." Jeff Pearlman, New York Times bestselling author of The Bad Guys Won!

Review:

“A crackerjack story…the author struck gold….Nordhaus is a lively writer who…ably conveys the economics of the trade…and is just as able to describe the romance and miracle of honey….A smooth-as-honey tour d’horizon of the raggedy world of beekeeping.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Synopsis:

“Youllnever think of bees, their keepers, or the fruits (and nuts) of their laborsthe same way again.” —Trevor Corson, author of The Secret Life of Lobsters

Award-winning journalist Hannah Nordhaus tells the remarkable story of John Miller, one of Americas foremost migratory beekeepers, and the myriad and mysterious epidemics threatening American honeybee populations. In luminous, razor-sharp prose, Nordhaus explores the vital role that honeybees play in American agribusiness, the maintenance of our food chain, and the very future of the nation. With an intimate focus and incisive reporting, in a book perfect for fans of Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation, Michael Pollans The Botany of Desire,and John McPhees Oranges, Nordhauss stunning exposé illuminates one the most critical issues facing the world today,offering insight, information, and, ultimately, hope.

back to top

Video

About the Author

Award-winning journalist Hannah Nordhaus has written for the Los Angeles Times, the Financial Times, the Village Voice, Outside magazine, and other publications. She lives with her family in Boulder, Colorado.
back to top

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Denise Morland, October 23, 2011 (view all comments by Denise Morland)
The Beekeeper's Lament explores the mysterious and deadly Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) through the eyes of one of the largest, and most charismatic commercial beekeepers in the US. It follows the history of this strange and mostly unprofitable profession from the first keepers who brought bees to North America all the way to the present day characters who battle mites and pesticides to keep their bees alive.

You couldn't ask for a better person to introduce you to the magic of bees than John Miller. His quirky humor combined with a down-to-earth recognition of the facts and his vast knowledge of the beekeeping world keeps the reader entertained and informed at the same time. Through his story Hannah Nordhaus convinces the reader that bees are important, fascinating creatures and we should care about their fate. When the narrative strays from Miller into the historical parts it gets a bit dryer and harder to follow. As it flies into the future with the incredible, cutting edge research being done on bees, the pace quickens again. It's guaranteed that this book will change the way you look at bees and honey!
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
report this comment
back to top

Product Details

ISBN:
9780061873256
Author:
Nordhaus, Hannah
Publisher:
Harper Perennial
Author:
Lewis, C.S.
Author:
Redgrave, Lynn
Subject:
General Nature
Subject:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic
Subject:
Nature Studies-General
Edition Description:
Trade PB
Publication Date:
20110531
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
288
Dimensions:
6.75 x 4.1875 x 0.48 in 3.36 oz
back to top

Other books you might like

  1. Wizard of Earthsea Used Mass Market $3.95
  2. The Giant's House: A Romance
    Used Trade Paper $3.95
  3. Good Earth
    Used Mass Market $1.50
back to top

Related Subjects

Business » General
Children's » Activities » General
Reference » Science Reference » General
Science and Mathematics » Agriculture » Animal Husbandry
Science and Mathematics » Agriculture » Bees and Beekeeping
Science and Mathematics » Agriculture » General
Science and Mathematics » Nature Studies » General

The Beekeeper's Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$7.95 In Stock
Product details 288 pages Harper Perennial - English 9780061873256 Reviews:
"Staff Pick" by ,

Consider the bee, which produces 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey over a lifetime of hundreds of trips to flowers. This intrepid insect is not just industrious, it's a touchstone for ecology today. Subject to threats ranging from monoculture to pesticides to climate change, bees —  and the dedicated people who shepherd them — persevere. Hannah Nordhaus has written an insightful and entertaining account of the tenuous relationship between bees, beekeepers, and modernity.

by Mark P.
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "In this revelatory, bittersweet investigation into the state of commercial beekeeping in the 21st century, Nordhaus follows the migratory life of a commercial beekeeper, John Miller, as he trucks his bees between California and North Dakota, pollinating almond orchards, defending his territory of 'bee yards' (flowering pastures), collecting honey, and, against all odds, keeping his bees and his business alive. It turns out that colony collapse disorder, which recently brought awareness of bees and their essential agricultural function to an oblivious public, is only the most recent of numerous threats to bee health, from 19th-century plagues of wax moth comb invasion to more recent infestations of tracheal and varroa mites that 'killed nearly every single one of the continent's feral colonies, obliterating the wild bees that once did much of the work pollinating the nations crops and flowers.' According to Nordhaus, hives survive now only with drugs administered by their keepers, who, in a profession where disaster is commonplace and profit elusive, are becoming nearly as exotic and endangered as their bees. Miller, smart, antisocial with humans, but tender toward bees and prone to writing ironic free-verse e-mails, keeps the narrative lively despite its often grim content. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
"Review" by , “I loved The Beekeeper’s Lament. With great reporting and great writing, Hannah Nordhaus gives a new angle on an ever-evolving topic. You’ll learn a lot.” Bernd Heinrich, author of Winter World and Mind of the Raven
"Review" by , “Hannah Nordhaus has written an engaging account of the men and insects who put food on our tables. The Beekeeper’s Lament is a sweet, sad story.”
"Review" by , "Rollicking, buzzing, and touching ...You'll never think of bees, their keepers, or the fruits (and nuts) of their labors the same way again."
"Review" by , “A crackerjack story…the author struck gold….Nordhaus is a lively writer who…ably conveys the economics of the trade…and is just as able to describe the romance and miracle of honey….A smooth-as-honey tour d’horizon of the raggedy world of beekeeping.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Synopsis" by , “Youllnever think of bees, their keepers, or the fruits (and nuts) of their laborsthe same way again.” —Trevor Corson, author of The Secret Life of Lobsters

Award-winning journalist Hannah Nordhaus tells the remarkable story of John Miller, one of Americas foremost migratory beekeepers, and the myriad and mysterious epidemics threatening American honeybee populations. In luminous, razor-sharp prose, Nordhaus explores the vital role that honeybees play in American agribusiness, the maintenance of our food chain, and the very future of the nation. With an intimate focus and incisive reporting, in a book perfect for fans of Eric Schlossers Fast Food Nation, Michael Pollans The Botany of Desire,and John McPhees Oranges, Nordhauss stunning exposé illuminates one the most critical issues facing the world today,offering insight, information, and, ultimately, hope.
spacer
spacer
  • back to top
Follow us on...




Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.