A compendium of profiles, interviews, and reviews published by the South Carolina book review editor Art and Craft presents the hand-picked fruit of Bill Thompson's three decades covering writers and writing as book review editor of Charleston, South Carolina's Post and Courier. Beginning with a foreword by Charleston novelist Josephine Humphreys, this collection is a compendium of interviews featuring some of the most distinguished novelists and nonfiction writers in America and abroad, including Tom Wolfe, Pat Conroy, Joyce Carol Oates, Rick Bragg, and Anthony Bourdain, as well as many South Carolinians. With ten thematic chapters ranging from the Southern Renaissance, literature, biography, and travel writing to crime fiction and Civil War history, Art and Craft also includes a sampling of Thompson's reviews. A foreword is written by South Carolina novelist Josephine Humphreys, who is author of Dreams of Sleep (winner of the 1985 Ernest Hemingway Award for First Fiction), Rich in Love (made into a major motion picture), The Fireman's Fair, and Nowhere Else on Earth. Featuring: Jack Bass, Rick Bragg, Roy Blount, Jr., Robin Cook, Pat Conroy, Patricia Cornwell, Dorothea Benton Frank, Herb Frazier, Sue Grafton, Carl Hiaasen, Sue Monk Kidd, Brian Lamb, Bret Lott, Jill McCorkle, James McPherson, Mary Alice Monroe, Joyce Carol Oates, Carl Reiner, Dori Sanders, Charles Seabrook, Anne Rivers Siddons, Lee Smith, Mickey Spillane, Paul Theroux, Tom Wolfe

My Life as a Great Lakes Broadcaster is a true story that takes the reader back more than six decades to when the author and electronic communication were both in their infancy. It is a recollection of stories from Michigan broadcaster Bill Thompson, as he returns to his roots growing up on the family farm in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. It shows readers how he was proficient at performing music in band and orchestra, then became interested in speech at Remus Chippewa Hills High School. From there he moved on to five active years at Central Michigan University where Bill describes his broadcast and journalism training. That college training helped to combine all of those earlier interests into one, and it came up, radio! That led to a forty-year career of rapid cultural, technical, and personal changes. Once leaving CMU, the journey took Bill "up and down the dial" across the State of Michigan, from Alma to Sault Ste. Marie and South Haven, working in various radio jobs except for sales and engineering, before coming to Michigan's Capitol City of Lansing where he settled into news reporting. After twelve years at two Lansing stations, Bill found his calling at a statewide radio news network for the next twenty-three years despite turmoil and five ownership changes. This book is an exciting journey that those who love Michigan history, culture and broadcasting won't want to finish until it's over.

Written by the experts at Bird Watcher's Digest, Identify Yourself gives beginning and intermediate bird watchers a helping hand with some of the most confounding identification challenges -- birds that are commonly encountered but difficult to tell apart. Combining clear, easy-to-understand text with beautiful illustrations that show key field marks, Identify Yourself is the solution to identifying many of North America's hard-to-distinguish birds..

Covering 300 of the most common birds in all of the United States and Canada, The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America is loaded with color photographs, drawings showing typical behaviors, range maps, an easy-to-use checklist, fun facts, and authoritative information about each bird, its vocalizations, and its habitat. While other field guides might overwhelm kids who are new to birding, The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America was created with help from kids. Bill Thompson’s own son and daughter and their elementary school classes helped select the content. Kid tested, kid approved!

Millions of people worldwide enjoy bird watching; it offers them a chance to get back to nature and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. Bird Watching For Dummies covers all the basics of bird watching, leading you on a guided tour of the gorgeous world of birds. From identifying birds by sight and sound to making your own “life list,” you’ll find all the tips and advice you need right here. Whether you’ve been bird watching for years or you’re just starting out, Bird Watching For Dummies has all your bases covered. It’s full of practical tips and proven advice to make your bird watching experiences as fun and rewarding as possible. It’s your first aid kit for finding, identifying, feeding, and even housing birds. Plus, there’s more: Designing a bird-friendly backyard Purchasing bird feeders, birdhouses, binoculars, clothing, and more Keeping notes and records of the birds you spot Joining bird clubs, taking field trips, and attending bird festivals Booking bird watching tours that fit your budget and expertise Choosing and using field guides You won’t find a more straightforward and reliable bird watching guide than this one. Written by Bill Thompson III, and the staff of Bird Watcher’s Digest, it covers everything from backyard bird watching to field trips across the globe. No matter what your level of experience, this guide offers everything you need for unforgettable bird watching: Tackling pests and other feeder problems Bird-friendly gardening tips Optics and how to use them Birding by habitat and hotspots Songs, calls, and non-vocal identifying sounds Attracting and spotting hummingbirds Understanding the terminology Dressing for success If you need help getting started in your new hobby, or you’re an old hand who just wants a quick-and-easy reference, Bird Watching For Dummies is the fun and simple way to stay up on all the latest in the world of bird watching. With unbeatable advice and practical guidance from the experts at Bird Watcher’s Digest, this handy resource is the only bird watching guide you need. NOTE: Birdwatching For Dummies no longer contains a 32 page color insert.

From the editor of the nation's premier birding magazine, a no-nonsense, no-fluff quick guide to the birds you see every day. Of all the classic American pastimes, perhaps none is as widely accessible as watching birds. Our unusually vast, diverse environmental landscape supports fascinating species and variations exclusive to each region of the country. While birders often spend their efforts in search of the rarest creatures, some of the most beautiful and intriguing birds are the ones that frequent our backyards (or nearby) daily. For that reason, where other, larger volumes focus on bird types that the casual observer is never likely to encounter, Southern Birds concisely celebrates those species living under our very noses. Written by Bill Thompson III, the editor and co-publisher of Bird Watcher's Digest, this portable 5"x8" book contains the same variety of entertaining and informative entries that make Bird Watcher's Digest the nation's most popular birding magazine. You'll find profiles of the 55 most common birds in the South, complete with large color photos, gender-specific physical descriptions, nesting and feeding information, bird call particulars, and interesting stories about each species. Thompson also introduces the reader to the basics of bird watching: essential gear, bird-friendly food and plantings, housing tips, and observational techniques. This guide covers North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and Texas. Look for our other backyard bird guides covering the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, and West regions of the United States.

The British officer class in 1914 benefited from the discipline instilled by public schools. Thomas Morland was one such officer. Born in Canada, he was orphaned at the age of five. He became a widower with two daughters at a young age. In October 1914 he went to France to command the 5th Division, then south of Ypres. Morland served on the Somme and Messines & Third Ypres, and in 1918 he commanded a corps during the victorious 100 Days campaign. Morland’s diaries record the above events and his comments thereon, every day for four years, beginning at the Battle of La Bassee, near Ypres. He was parachuted in while the battle was raging and held the shaken division together during the second half of October. A modest man, he was surprised by his promotion to lieutenant-general in 1915. Morland led X Corps at the beginning of the Somme campaign in July 1916 but was replaced by General Gough, his army chief, who thought Morland was not sufficiently decisive. During 1917 he took part in the successful Battle of Messines on 7 June, a ‘Red Letter’ day, and the attrition of the Third Battle of Ypres from July to November. Morland ended the war in pursuit of the retreating Germans, in November 1918. A sense of realism permeates his diary, with comments like 'The war has simply become a process of attrition' in 1915 and 'We cannot expect men to advance to attack in mud up to the waist!' in 1917. During his time away from home, he wrote regularly to his daughters, in whom he confided his hopes and fears. His love for them shines through the pages, reflecting the man behind the uniform. Morland – Great War Corps Commander is the first book to publish the papers of an officer of his rank. With many original accounts of major battles, this is a book that will appeal to military history enthusiasts everywhere.

Like gardening, bird watching is a fast-growing regional hobby. Now, Cool Springs Press brings its proven method of successful state-specific gardening approach to bird watching guides. In collaboration with Bird Watcher's Digest, these bird watching guides provide accessible, credible advice. The birds that frequent the backyards of Florida differ from the birds that frequent the backyards of Tennessee. In addition to unique descriptions, each bird profile includes a range map to identify the each bird's North American distribution. One hundred birds are profiled, each with a color photograph, to ensure accurate identification. A seasonal section informs the reader of: Migrating birds that can be seen during that season The foods and plants that can attract those birds Where to go to view year-round and migrating birds Cool Springs Press's partner, Bird Watcher's Digest, has sold more than 4 million copies of their booklets on bird species, bird habitat, feeding, and other related topics. This series of books from Cool Springs Press targets the beginning bird watchers for ten states.