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In The World's Greatest Fishing Stories, editor Lamar Underwood has pulled together some of the finest tales of all time from all over the world. They are enduring tales that have passed the test of time and have attracted generations of readers. These are the greatest fishing stories available.

"Of all the great horses which have thundered over the American Turf, one towers above the others." When Kent Hollingsworth, editor of the preeminent racing periodical The Blood-Horse, penned this line, he was writing about Man o' War. The champion of 1919 and 1920, Man o' War won twenty of his twenty-one races, often by astonishing margins and in record times that had hitherto been considered impossible.There was an otherworldliness about Man o' War, who was faster, stronger, more dominating than any Thoroughbred America had ever seen. Generations of racing writers, racing fans, and racegoers have taken it as a given that Man o' War was the greatest horse ever produced in America. And perhaps he was. But like any athlete with a claim on greatness, his accomplishments should be judged against those of other horses born and raced over the decades. In no other sporting endeavor would it be suggested that an athlete who excelled during the Woodrow Wilson administration, at the time of Prohibition, at the conclusion of the First World War, remained the standard for unexcelled excellence in that sport's history. Since Man o' War's heyday, literally hundreds of thousands of Thoroughbreds have competed. Surely, over the course of a century, at least one must have been even faster, even stronger, even more accomplished. The Greatest Racehorse sets out to compare Man o' War to some of history's most notable racehorses and determine whether the champion of a century ago retains the title as America's best.But Man o' War had more importance for the sport than his physical excellence. Interest in Thoroughbred racing had lagged as the sport sought to overcome the era's organized anti-gambling forces, as well as the economic impact of a world war and the spreading taint of the 1919 World Series gambling scandal. It is specifically with Man o' War's two years on the racetrack that the sport begins to recover, and it may not be an exaggeration to suggest that he was, in fact, the savior of his sport-and perhaps of the Thoroughbred breeding industry-which provides more than 60,000 jobs in Kentucky alone, with an economic impact of more than $1.3 billion dollars in a single Kentucky county. The Greatest Racehorse also analyzes Man o' War's relative greatness, emphasizing both his racetrack accomplishments and his place in history as the savior of a multi-billion-dollar sport, in order to answer the question: Was Man O' War, indeed, the most outstanding racehorse in American history?

The tragic tale of the first seabird ruthlessly destroyed by human actions - an all-powerful symbol of human folly and the necessity of conservation. Since 1950 more than seventy percent of the world's seabirds have been lost through human activity. The Great Auk was the first species to go. A goose-sized seabird superbly adapted for underwater flight, their lives were idyllic prior to the appearance of humans: three months ashore to breed, the rest of the time riding the ocean waves. However, Great Auks had one main predator - humans. Having harried the bird mercilessly for centuries in the east, the Europeans who stumbled upon the Great Auks' New World breeding colonies in the 16th century couldn't believe their luck. Seabird colonies became fast-food restaurants for hungry sailors, with mariners gorging themselves on the liver-flavoured auk flesh for more than two centuries. The last two were killed in 1844, but the Great Auk lived on, with collectors obsessing over their skins, eggs and skeletons through dodgy dealings involving staggering amounts of money. In a curious twist of fate, leading ornithologist Tim Birkhead found himself the recipient of the archive of a man who accumulated more Great Auk skins and eggs than anyone else. This astonishing book reveals the Great Auk's life before humanity, its death on that fateful day in 1844, and the unrelenting subsequent quest for its remains.

Please Look in the Basement is a quirky collection of 218 lost animal posters. 35 stories on the fate of these animals are woven in the book. Text in English, French and Dutch.

The Orvis Quick-Start Guide to Fly Fishing will allow any reader to learn exactly what tackle to buy for any given fishing situation, how to make basic casts, and basic fly-fishing techniques.

An Introduction to Amphibians of Ecuador is the first of four volumes, which are comprehensive, well-illustrated and authoritative works, making them invaluable to biologists, conservationists, and others.

Limestone Country is a perceptive, lyrical evocation and investigation into four landscapes in Europe and beyond. Seemingly disparate these places are bound together by their limestone geology, by personal experience and Fiona Sampson's unique imagination.

Aphids and their colonies are excellent arenas in which to observe predators in action. A range of insects come to eat or parasitise the aphids or to drink their honeydew.

The Book of Being Chimp is Adrian Cale''s entertaining celebration of the chimpanzee. Written with fact-filled, often witty reverence and featuring over 100 of the author''s beautiful photographs, it is a fun and informative step-by-step guide to chimpanzee life.

Illustrated by art-lover and animal enthusiast Nia Gould, A History of Portraits in 21 Dogs is an accessible, engaging and imaginative walk through art history.

Part of bestselling designer Cynthia Hart's Victoriana Dogs stationery line, this 1,000-piece puzzle features sweet and charming pups from the Victorian era, combining two big trends-dogs and vintage-into one sophisticated gift.Dogs were celebrated during the Victorian era because they embodied important cultural values of the time: steadfast, loyal, courageous. They became the most popular domestic pets-Dash, a King Charles Spaniel, was considered Queen Victoria's closest childhood companion-and were pampered just as they are today. Created by artist Cynthia Hart, who layers antique paper ephemera, fresh flowers, ribbons, and vintage objects into lush collages filled with life, color, and energy, this timeless 1,000-piece puzzle celebrates the charming personalities of the dogs that captured hearts everywhere during the 19th century.- 1,000 interlocking pieces- Mini-poster (8 3/8" x 6 5/8") for reference or framing- Completed puzzle size: 23 4/5" x 19"

The most up-to-date and comprehensive photographic field guide to Madagascar's mammals. The island of Madagascar is home to one of the most remarkable assemblages of mammals on earth, thanks to millions of years of isolation, and no other island or place on earth boasts such a combination of species richness and endemism. Field Guide to Mammals of Madagascar describes all native species found on the island, including bats, tenrecs, mice and lemurs, as well as a small number of introduced, non-native species. Detailed species accounts cover description and identification, habitat and distribution, behaviour and where to see; a detailed distribution map for each species is also included. Supporting chapters cover the island's regions and habitats, threats to mammals, conservation and important mammal watching sites. The book is fully illustrated throughout with exceptional, high-quality photography, including species rarely photographed previously.

A delightful rhyming story taking readers on a journey through the world of British garden birds and their unique nests, exploring the diversity of nature and the importance of individuality.  The Best Nest Contest promises educational fun, with colourful illustrations bringing this enchanting story to life.

A beautiful collection of bird paintings from Sunday Times-bestselling author Jim Moir, the artist formerly known as Vic Reeves. Jim loves birds. His popularity as a painter has soared in recent years and the simplicity and sincerity of his bird paintings have given them cult status among his fans. Small enough to fit inside the pocket of a cagoule, More Birds is bursting with new paintings each accompanied by a fact. Do you know why the Chough has earned a reputation as a firestarter? Or how many pairs of Peregrine Falcons are nesting on St Paul's Cathedral?Following Jim's bestselling Birds and his Sky Arts series Painting Birds with Jim and Nancy, this exquisite volume of paintings will delight everyone who enjoys looking at and learning about our beaked and feathered fellow travellers.

This book looks at why and how birds moult, and the lasting effects that annual moults have on their appearance. By learning a few basic rules, we can use a bird's moult pattern to say how old the bird is and to understand more about its life-history.

'Britain's finest living nature writer' - The TimesIs there any bird more mysterious than the cuckoo?It is invariably heard, and not seen. And if seen, it is mistaken for a sharp-winged hawk. The female cuckoo - by a trick that borders on alchemy - is able to disguise its egg as another's. In Greek myth the god Zeus assumed the form of a cuckoo to seduce Hera.But we forgive the cuckoo its con-artistry, because it is the true herald of spring. It is the bird that uplifts our wintered hearts, with that first two-note 'cuk-koo' unmistakable as it sounds across the country.In The Curious Life of the Cuckoo, John Lewis-Stempel explains one of nature's greatest enigmas in vivid, lyrical prose, and celebrates this iconic bird.Praise for John Lewis-Stempel'His immense, patient powers of observation - along with a flair for the anthropomorphic - mean he is able to offer a portrait of animal life that's rare in its colour and drama.' - Observer'Engaging, closely-observed and beautiful ... this author's deep love of the world around him is as inspiring as it is entertaining.' - Daily Mail'That John Lewis-Stempel is one of the best nature writers of his generation is undisputed.' - Country Life'John Lewis-Stempel is the hottest nature writer around.' - Spectator'It's his observation of the natural world - the sight, the sound, the smell of it - that is so memorable. He has a distinctively brisk, muscular style of writing that has a poetic intensity and concision. - Guardian'His prose is immaculate' - Der Spiege'The master of nature-writing' - Radio Times'Lewis-Stempel sees and hears things others will never see and hear, and he can write about them as no one else can.'- Daily Mail: Summer Reads

Everyone's best friend just happens to be your best therapist Move over, Socrates and Plato! In this heartwarming guide to living your best life, award-winning photographer Alex Cearns shares the sage advice of our four-legged furry gurus. Their profound insights and goofy enthusiasm will remind you to cherish friendship and love, celebrate our differences and respect the need for a good nap. So sit, stay and enjoy the wisdom of dogs!

Following the success of Birds as Individuals, Len Howard spent the 1950s continuing to deepen her understanding of the birds in her garden.This book tells the story of one exceptional great tit that Len called Star. With patience, consistency and sensitivity, Len succeeds in teaching this little bird to count using taps. Star's character and intelligence is revealed in this intimate bird biography, unlike any told before. In opening her home to wild birds, Len gains their trust enough to make astonishing discoveries about their capabilities.Full of joy and wonder, as well as deep knowledge and fascinating detail, Living with Birds also takes in the story of a lame fledgling, tales of great tit parents and their babies, observations of migrant birds, and how exactly Len succeeded in developing such unusual relationships with wild birds.'Howard seems to have stood on the brink of communication with a wild bird, something till now hardly conceivable...awe-inspiring' Observer

Recent biodiversity studies, reported here for the first time, have shown that the molluscan fauna of the Gulf of Mexico is far richer and more complex than previously thought. These species are illustrated here on 132 color plates and discussed in detail.

A Naturalist's Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia is an easy-to-use introductory photographic guide to 129 species of mammal commonly encountered in the Southeast Asia region (covering Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam).

A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies & Moths of Aotearoa New Zealand is an easy-to-use introductory identification guide to 361 species of butterfly and moth found in Aotearoa New Zealand

A fully comprehensive field guide to the 241 species and subspecies of snake in Australia; covering file snakes, pythons, colubrids, natracids, elapids, marine elapids, homalopsids and blindsnakes. With photographs from the authors and other top nature photographers, each species is illustrated, many with multiple images.

A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of Hong Kong is an easy-to-use introductory photographic guide to 235 butterfly species most commonly seen in Hong Kong.