Ted Kooser’s third book in the Pitt Poetry Series is a selection of poems published in literary journals over a ten year period by a writer whose work has been praised for its clarity and accessiblity, its mastery of figurative language, and its warmth and charm.

In the "quietest magnificent book IUve ever read" (Jim Harrison, author of "Legends of the Fall") Ted Kooser describes with exquisite detail and humor the place he calls home in the rolling hills of southeastern Nebraska--an area known as the Bohemian Alps--where nothing is too big or too small for his attention.

"Nebraska lies in the transition zone between North American eastern and western avifaunas and is home to more than 200 breeding and 150 migrant species. This definitive guide to Nebraska birdwatching by the state's preeminent ornithologist includes a county-by-county rundown of the best sites, a calendar of migrations, an annotated checklist of regularly occurring Nebraska birds, and recommendations for optical equipment, publications and reference materials, and contact information for conservation and ornithological groups. It features 48 maps as well as photographs and drawings by the author. Paul Johnsgard, Foundation Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, is the author of more than 50 books and 150 articles on birds and other wildlife."--Page 4 of cover

Foremost specialists in the field of cholinesterase-inhibiting insecticides have contributed to this volume, to provide an accurate assessment of the impacts of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides on non-target organisms, especially wildlife. The increased scrutiny of pest control agents in recent years has resulted from several factors. These comprise the demands for environmental protection, the recognition of wildlife as a valuable and diminishing resource, and the realization that few wild habitats exist that pest control programs do not directly target or indirectly affect. In that context, the book brings together the scattered literature on the effects of anticholinesterase pesticides on wildlife and other non-target species. The literature has long been dominated by research emanating from the drug industry and the military. The therapeutic aspects of cholinergically-active substances and their potential as chemical warfare agents has directed research in the field. Thus the measurement of cholinesterase activity as a biomarker to assess the impact on wildlife species is a relatively recent phenomenon.

"Kooser has written more perfect poems than any poet of his generation." -Dana Gioia, Can Poetry Matter?