Natural History

1000 Facts on Animals is just one in series of hard-hitting fact books. Everything you could possibly want to know about the animal kingdom is divided into bite-sized pieces of information, ranging from monkeys to moths and spiders to sloths. Extraordinary facts about lesser-known creatures are included too, and every page contains powerful colour images to ensure a truly fascinating read for animal lovers of all ages.

COVER PRICE 9.99

ISBN: 9781842360279

Discover 1000 Facts On Birds, an amazing guide into the world of birds. Short, sharp facts combine with hundreds of pictures and illustrations to deliver information with punch. You’ll find all the things you ever wanted to know plus so much more in one fascinating book. Key subject areas are clearly highlighted so finding information is effortlessly simple with the use of button-like icons. Compact and easy to use, this really is the complete reference resource for the fact hungry.

COVER PRICE 9.99

ISBN: 9781842361498

This book provides a rich resource of information with maximum impact and minimum clutter. Exactly 1000 facts are covered by 100 topics, each with 10 key points that provide a simple but memorable handle on the subject. Fascinating information panels as well as extended captions amplify this quick fire approach. Here are examples of the many remarkable facts you will find in Plants: • Every year the world uses 3 billion cubic metres of wood – a pile as big as a football stadium and as high as Mount Everest. • The juice of a pitcher plant will dissolve a chunk of steak to nothing in a few days. COVER PRICE £7.99

ISBN: 9781902947747

Alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials have an ancient ancestry reaching back some 200 million years, to the time when reptiles dominated the earth. Today, there are many varieties of crocodilians existing in coastal, tropical zones the world over. We are all familiar with such identifiable features such as the long snout, powerful snapping jaws, and rough leathery skin. With 95 full color photographs, Alligators & Crocodiles offers a colorful look at the best-known survivors of the dinosaur age.

ISBN: 9781597640718

A thrilling face-to-face encounter with the intimate lives, elaborate displays and extraordinary behavior of animals in their own environment. Internationally renowned zoologist and presenter of TV's "Animal Planet", Charlotte Uhlenbroek, leads a compelling study that brings the animal kingdom to vivid life. Illustrated with astonishing wildlife photography and action sequences, every aspect of animal life and behavior is explored and explained - from courtship rituals and birth to hunting and death. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates - thousands of all kinds are featured. How the animal kingdom is organized, and how animals' bodies function are all explained, while outstanding action sequences bring key behavioural traits to life and critical conservation issues are also considered. From the fleeting life of a mayfly to the 10-year courtship of the manikin, this is the animal kingdom laid bare in all its awe-inspiring glory and detail.

OCTOBER 2008

ISBN: 9781405322157

This book presents an A-Z of the fiercest, friendliest and fastest animals in the world. From aadvarks to zebras, there are billions of animals around the world. Bring your child face to face with the best of them. They'll meet the deadliest, largest, friendliest, fastest and downright strangest animals known to man, and discover what they look like, where they live, what they do, what they eat and what life is like for their young. There are thousands of facts to find, maps, fantastic photographs and a 'tree of life' that shows you how animals are related to each other - including us! Bats and beetles, lions and lemurs, frogs and falcons, fish, flies, whales and snails: they're all here in the ultimate animal encyclopedia.

ISBN: 9781405328753

Beech trees reached Britain about 8,000 years ago, and they were workhorses, not ornaments - fuel for Rome's glassworks; firewood for London; oars for the ships of Venice; raw material for furniture, cut and turned by 'bodgers' who lived like nomads among the trees in huts made of beechwood shavings. Mabey covers Europe as well as Britain, and autobiography as well as history and natural history. His beeches are characterful - 'hectic, gale-sculpted, gnomic' - and he writes about the bluebells, orchids, fungi, deer and badgers associated with them, as well as the narratives we tell about trees and the images we make of them. Many other kinds of tree are featured, and the portraits and celebrations of the beech always point to the larger story. More than all this, "Beechcombings" is a personal investigation of the ambivalent, engimatic relationship that humans have with trees.

ISBN: 9781856197335

A full-colour photographic record of the sea life that abounds in the rich and diverse waters of the English Channel, the Western Approaches, Scotland's Atlantic coast and the Bristol Channel, featuring outstanding scenes.WAS £19.95

ISBN: 9781853107610

Covers over 250 of the commonest birds found in Britain and Europe. Each species is illustrated and described in detail in the text. The birds are organized by size, and the book is supplied in a durable plastic wallet. COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780261674028

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COVER PRICE £9.99

ISBN: 9781848100107

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Mushroom collecting is becoming increasingly popular, and while a comprehensive identification guide is essential, the folklore, facts and fables, recipes and stories that have accumulated since ancient times create part of the charm of these strange organisms. Oddly, these facts have never been compiled in one book. Collins Mushroom Miscellany is a compilation of all of the fascinating biological facts -- a mushroom holds the record for the largest spreading single organism covering nearly 3km --e -- the folklore -- there is a widespread belief that mushrooms arise from falling stars -- the uses -- tree moss lichen is found in most modern perfumes -- and the history -- the Neolithic Ice-Man found in Europe in 1990 carried two types of fungus; one for use as tinder, but another mounted on a leather thong remains undecided. Additionally, the book features the most widely used recipes for cooking mushrooms from around the world. Mushroom Miscellany is a veritable treasure trove of fascinating facts -- a perfect introduction to the third kingdom of fungi and an essential companion to every mushroom field guide.

ISBN: 9780007284641

All animals are equal - but some, as George Orwell said, are more equal than others, and birds, most people would surely agree, are in the very first rank. They can do almost everything that mammals can do - and more besides. By mastering flight, they have a way of living that encompasses the whole world. In "Consider The Birds", Colin Tudge explores the life of birds, all around the globe. From the secrets of migration to their complicated family lives, their differing habitats and survival techniques to the secrets of flight, this is a fascinating account of how birds live, why they matter, and whether they really are dinosaurs. Featuring birds who navigate using star-maps, tool-making crows and the great co-operation of the penguins, Colin Tudge shows how birds - who are like us in the general sense but very different in the particulars - live and think.For birds have minds: they feel, they are aware, they work things out. And so, by considering the birds, asking how and why it is possible for them to be so different, we gain insight into ourselves. Birds are beautiful, lively, intriguing - and all around us. This rich and endlessly absorbing book opens up their lives to everyone.

ISBN: 9781846140976

NOVEMBER 2008

Forget about waiting in museum lines for hours, and join this fascinating tour through the ultimate dinosaur collection. This interactive guide takes you on a room-by-room tour of the most fun-packed museum you can imagine. Each room points the reader to a range of interactive investigations to carry out in the dino-lab gatefold flap. It's just like being a paleontologist in a museum. You can open the specimen drawer filled with fossils, look at specimen slides through the microscope, and use a whole host of interactive features: a pop-up fossil finds map, a dinosaur time line, and a sliding chart that allows you to compare the size of dinosaurs with modern animals.

ISBN: 9781426304541

OCTOBER 2008

Martin Clunes is happy to admit that with Mary, it was love at first sight; her soft, brown eyes, her perfect figure and that unstoppable wagging tail. As cocker spaniels go, she was perfect. It is a love that has taken them through puppy classes to the local dog show, a move to the country and even visits from a dog psychologist, and has often caused Martin to wonder: Where the hell did you come from? To find a satisfying answer to that question, Martin embarked on a worldwide quest to look into the history of dogs, and link the pampered pets of today with their wild ancestors painted dogs in Tanzania, dingoes in Australia and wolves in Yellowstone National Park, USA. He also explores how humans have shaped the dog breeds of today, visiting the Beverly Hills Mutt Club and meeting working dogs in several countries police dogs, hunting hounds and sled dogs. Accompanied by his stunning photography, Martins account of his discoveries, told with his trademark warmth and humour, is compelling and full of surprises. One thing is certain: at the end of this fascinating journey, Martin will never look at his own dogs in the same way again.

ISBN: 9780340977040

'Dry Store Room No. 1' is an intimate biography of the Natural History Museum, celebrating the eccentric personalities who have peopled it and capturing the wonders of scientific endeavour, academic rigour and imagination. Behind the public facade of any great museum there lies a secret domain: one of unseen galleries, locked doors, priceless specimens and hidden lives.Through the stories of the numerous eccentric individuals whose long careers have left their mark on the study of evolutionary science, Richard Fortey, former senior paleaontologist at London's Natural History Museum, celebrates the pioneering work of the Museum from its inception to the present day. He delves into the feuds, affairs, scandals and skulduggery that have punctuated its long history, and formed a backdrop to extraordinary scientific endeavour from Darwin to the present day.He explores the staying power and adaptability of the Museum as it responds to changes wrought by advances in technology and molecular biology -- 'spare' bones from an extinct giant bird suddenly become cutting-edge science with the new knowledge that DNA can be extracted from them, and ancient fish are tested with the latest equipment that is able to measure rises in pollution. 'Dry Store Room No.1' is a fascinating and affectionate account of a hidden world of untold treasures, where every fragment tells a story about time past, by a scientist who combines rigorous professional learning with a gift for prose that sparkles with wit and literary sensibility.

ISBN: 9780007209897

This is a gourmet's guide to foraging and cooking mushrooms. From common puffballs to golden wax caps, morels to chanterelles, find out how to forage, prepare and cook delicious mushrooms that are wild, fresh and free. Superb photographs show edible mushrooms in their natural habitats, so you know exactly what to look for, where, and when. Once you've reaped your harvest, there are over 50 fantastic recipes to transform fungi into mouth-watering dishes - from hearty meals for hungry hunters to delicious soups, salads, and exotic specialities.

ISBN: 9781405332132

AUGUST 2008

COVER PRICE £9.99

ISBN: 9781842368398

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Fossils provide us with a tantalizing glimpse of Britain's prehistoric past and hold the key to unlocking the secrets of life's history and evolution. Since the appearance of primitive organisms in Britain more than a billion years ago, oceans, deserts, swamps and vast mountains have come and gone in our corner of western Europe; forests of long-extinct trees, flowers and grasses have covered the land, and dinosaurs and other strange creatures have roamed across it. How do we know?The evidence is all around us - in the rocks and fossils that lie beneath the landscape. In this highly informative and practical book, which accompanies the BBC series, presenter Hermione Cockburn and renowned palaeontologist Douglas Palmer take an in-depth look at the most exciting fossil stories from around the country. When and why were dinosaur fossils first discovered in Britain? How was the biggest fish ever to have swum in the sea unearthed near Peterborough? What do modern medical techniques have to offer fossil hunters? Packed with colour photographs and illustrations, "Fossils Detectives" is full of surprising facts and features. And for those who want to try their hand at some fossil detecting of their own, the book includes an extensive regional gazetteer of fossil-hunting sites and places to visit, and guidance on identifying your fossil finds. Get ready for some time travel around Britain, with the Fossil Detectives!

ISBN: 9781846075773

This title helps the reader to discover the diversity and beauty of frogs with Thomas Marent. Stunning original images by Thomas Marent, photographer and author of "Butterfly" and the award-winning "Rainforest", celebrate the colourful diversity, distinctive behaviour, and unique lifecycle of amphibians - frogs, toads, salamanders, and newts. Over 500 captivating images in this work reveal the enigmatic and fragile world of frogs and their relatives to create a visual testament to a fascinating group of species that are vanishing from our planet at an alarming rate. It is published to coincide with the Year of the Frog, a global campaign to save these endangered creatures from extinction.

ISBN: 9781405333009

SEPTEMBER 2008

Covering British and European birds to be found in gardens, parks and other easily accessible areas, this guide enables even those living in towns or cities to start identifying the birds they see. Each species is illustrated with 2-5 clear colour photographs covering all the important aspects of the species including the male, female, the young and eggs. The text describes key features and each bird's feeding, song, breeding habits, distribution and occurrence. The guide devotes a whole page to the most important and accessible species. In addition, there is practical advice on how best to watch each bird. COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780007703869

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An ideal resource to help children understand the world around them, the Garden Detectives' Handbook will encourage them to explore nature in their own garden. Fifty species are included, from trees to birds, and insects to butterflies.Each fact-file provides vital identification tips accompanied by detailed illustrations, all to help them record and understand ‘nature’s calendar’. Fifty fact-files plus illustrations An easy-identification poster Stickers for every species A fun quiz to test your knowledge

ISBN: 9781842368466

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Covering European plants used in both traditional and herbal medicine, this book describes the key identification features of over 300 species, including their habitat and in which seasons they can be found. In addition, information is provided on how the plants are used in a variety of ways. Not only are medicinal uses described, but there are also tips on how various herbs and other plants can be used safely around the home - in cooking and teas for example.

ISBN: 9780261674059

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ISBN: 9781846140655

OCTOBER 2008

Covering 240 species of insect and other invertebrates that are commonly found in Britain and northern Europe, Wild Guide Insects is the perfect introductory guide to 'creepy-crawlies'. There are over one million known insect species, making them the largest of all the animal groups. Of this million, 100,000 can be found in Europe and 20,000 in the British Isles alone. This essential, introductory guide will help you to identify and discover more about this fascinating species.; ID Fact File provides at-a-glance information about the size, habitat and geographical range together with the months when the insect can be spotted* Cross references for similar species and details of the differences between them to ensure accurate identification* Different groups or families are identified by a symbol to enable you to quickly find what you are looking forEach page is devoted to a different species and is illustrated with a colour photograph and details of distinguishing features. There is a detailed description of each insect, its behaviour and the environment in which you are most likely to find it.

ISBN: 9780007810192

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An extraordinary journey into the underwater world of the whale -- to tie in with a BBC film-length documentary hosted also by the author. Moby Dick is a book made mythic by its whale; but the reverse is also true. After Melville published his book in 1851, no one saw whales in quite the same way again. Melville created a modern myth out of an already legendary beast. But what is the true nature of the whale? Why does it fascinate us? All his life, Philip Hoare has been obsessed with these creatures, from the huge skeletons in London's Natural History Museum to adult encounters with the wild animals themselves. Whales haunt him, as they seem to elide with dark fantasies of sea-serpents and other antediluvian monsters that swim in our collective unconscious. In 'Leviathan', he seeks to locate and identify that obsession. Why does the whale so vividly inhabit our imaginations? Is it a symbol of Edenic innocence in a time of threatened species and climate change? Or an older emblem of evil, the grotesque fish which swallowed Jonah?Travelling around the globe in search of the whale, Philip Hoare sheds light on our perennial fascination with the strange creatures of the sea, whose nature remains tantalizingly undiscovered.

ISBN: 9780007230136

A continent-by-continent look at the diversity of mammal life, providing insights into when, where, how, and why mammals have evolved and adapted to the widest range of environments. Each chapter is broken down by habitat, setting the mammals and their stories in context.

COVER PRICE £16.99

ISBN: 9780751339338

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COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9781842369654

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This pocket-sized guide covers over 400 of the commonest species of mushroom and toadstool found in Britain and Europe. Each species is illustrated with a photograph and described in detail in the text, which includes information on colour, shape, smell, taste, time of year the mushroom is seen, and similar species. The guide is not arranged in complicated taxonomic order, but by shape for easy identification. This means that even the absolute beginner can identify mushrooms using this guide. Other features include additional helpful mushroom information at the back and a durable plastic cover. The other titles in the series are "Birds", "Wild Flowers", "Trees" and "Wild Animals". COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780261674066

An exploration of nature's hidden beauties, as revealed by the scanning electron microscope Nature is renowned for its staggering beauty. But it conceals a hidden world more stunning than anything we can see with the naked eye, a world that can only be viewed through a scanning electron microscope. At the furthest reaches of human technological achievement, this powerful microscope can magnify up to an astounding 200,000 times, producing images that unveil a world of unimaginable beauty and compelling complexity. More surreal than any works of art, Nano Nature brings these images out of the high-tech science laboratory and into the public domain, revealing a wealth of extraordinary patterns and improbable structures. The scales of a moth appear as delicately fluted leaves, individual bristles on a caterpillar's face are as distinct as trees in a forest, arrow-headed hairs on a carpet beetle larva look like spears in a warrior army. Combining spectacular imagery with fascinating narrative, this book uncovers an amazing world beyond imagination, giving us a unique glimpse into the hidden complexities of nature in all its glory.

ISBN: 9780007278428

OCTOBER 2008

Obsession, persecution and passion: the hedgehog may be small, but it attracts strong feelings. And Hugh Warwick is not immune. Traveling through fields in Devon and up to the islands of Scotland, visiting hedgehog hospitals across Britain and the International Hedgehog Olympics in the USA, traveling across China on the trial of the rare hedgehog species hughi, seen only twelve times in a 100 years, Hugh sets out to answer our questions about hedgehogs, from the practical to the sublime.Considering hedgehogs and birds, featuring Brian May and Ted Hughes, explaining what hedgehogs do when they're not in our gardens and why it is that we like them, this is the funny, eccentric and moving story of one man's quest to understand our deep-rooted affection for these universally known, little-understood animals. Hedgehogs are often our first encounter with the animal world, yet their numbers are now declining rapidly, down 20 per cent in the last ten years (as Hugh knows from his involvement in HogWatch). From tips on how to make your garden more hedgehog friendly, to explaining how hedgehogs can save the world, Hugh's journey finally leads him to understand that our passion for hedgehogs is indelibly linked to our sense of our countryside, our childhood, and ourselves.

ISBN: 9781846140655

This hugely successful series is now available in a new smaller flexi format. From cover to cover beautifully detailed artwork will mean that even the most reluctant of readers will be totally absorbed by the fun activities, such as projects and quizzes. Humorous cartoons add a lighter touch, while the wealth of perfectly pitched information reads clearly and fluently. This series really is the perfect introduction to these fascinating subjects.

COVER PRICE 4.99

ISBN: 9781842363553

This is a brand new title designed as a companion to the best-selling RSPB Handbook of British Birds. This RSPB-endorsed guide includes sections covering over 200 of the mammal, bird, amphibian and reptile, invertebrate, spider, insect, butterfly, moth, wild flower, garden plant, tree and shrub, and mushroom and toadstool species you are likely to find in your garden. The concise, practical text covers identification, habits, characteristics, food and garden conservation. Additional introductory sections about garden habitats detail, among other topics, how to plant for the seasons, how to make a pond or bog garden to attract new species into your garden, and how to build a hedgehog box or a nest box for birds to encourage your garden visitors to stick around for longer.

ISBN: 9780713688603

Each plant and animal is illustrated with a full-colour photograph to aid quick identification. The main text about each species includes information on distribution, habitat and reproduction, while the ID fact file presents key identification features for quick and easy reference. Similar species are shown together and are cross-referenced to ensure correct and simple identification.

ISBN: 9780007810185

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Stephen Moss' "This Birding Life", (ISBN 978 1 84513 180 7), which Aurum published in 2006 (and reissues in paperback simultaneous with this title) was universally acclaimed for one of the most irresistibly beautiful and colourful jackets to grace any book that year. This follow-up volume features another such jacket by the doyen of bird artists, Robert Gillmor (whose linocut illustrations also adorn all the Collins New Naturalist books).The new book retains everything that reviewers liked about "This Birding Life" - its easy, good-humoured style, its combination of a wide birding knowledge with the gift of making things interesting for the general reader - and applies it to a simple concept. Stephen Moss began on 1 January 2007, to chronicle each species of bird as he was seeing it for the first time last year, and continued to do so until 31 December. He writes about what he saw, where he saw it, who he was with, what it made him think and feel - the little story of each birdwatching episode, be it goldfinches on his garden feeder, seeing hen harriers nesting underneath a bridge in Glasgow, or the extraordinary rescue of a rare albatross on a Somerset beach. The result is both a unique chronicle of Britain's natural history and a touching and funny piece of autobiography - a year of life measured out in birds.

ISBN: 9781845133535

AUGUST 2008

If you have ever dreamt of seeing King Penguins in Antarctica, cassowaries in Queensland or cocks-of-the-rock in Peru, then this book is for you. "Top 100 Birding Sites of the World" features detailed accounts of the best birdwatching sites in the world, giving background and first-hand experience of what you can find there. Each is ranked from one to 100.The expertly written and very readable text is backed up by lavish photos of the birds and scenery at each of the chosen hot-spots, including rare images of amazing species and some of the world's best avian spectacles such as the Snow Goose 'blizzard' at Bosque del Apache and the swarms of Lesser Flamingos on Africa's Rift Valley Lakes. Coverage is global, with sites from across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australasia, North and South America and Antarctica. Whether you want to use it to plan your holidays for years to come, or just as an inspirational book to dip into, "Top 100 Birding Sites of the World" will have a wide appeal for all those with an interest in birds.

ISBN: 9781847731098

This new full colour photographic guide to over 300 species of tree found in Britain and Europe arranges trees by the shape of their leaves for easy identification. Each species is illustrated with several colour photographs, showing all the tree's most interesting and important characteristics. Individual descriptions include facts on tree shape, size, bark, leaves, fruit, flowers, distribution and similar species COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780261674011

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"Trees and How to Grow Them" is a guide to everything you need to know to grow a tree from seed. Featuring 80 native and ornamental species, this book will give growing tips, facts, statistics and tree trivia as well as colour illustrations of each tree. Each tree is detailed with height, shape, fruit, leaves, flowers, bark and more. Illustrated with photography and line drawings throughout, this book is an ID guide as well as a practical handbook for growers. It helps you discover: The best way to grow an English Oak; which trees you should grow from cuttings; when to plant and the best conditions for cultivation; how to tell a Pollard from a maiden; and, where (at 115 metres high) the largest tree in the world is situated and more than hundred facts and figures from the world of trees.

ISBN: 9781845250607

The perfect introductory guide to 96 species of whale, dolphin and porpoise that you are likely to spot on your whale-watching trip. More than 4.3 million people went on whale-watching excursions in 1998, and the number has been rising steadily since, signifying a growing global appreciation of these magnificent mammals and their environments. This pocket-sized guide is the ideal companion for whale-watching trips throughout the world, helping you to identify each species and discover more about them. It includes a detailed description and the ID Fact File provides at-a-glance information for each entry. Each species is illustrated with a stunning photograph, depicted as encountered on observation trips. It includes information on size, geographical distribution and diet. It also contains information on whether the species is under threat and protection. The entries are organised taxonomically, and each two-page spread is devoted to a different species. Packed with information and easy-to-use, "Wild Guide Whales and Dolphins" is the ideal guide for those wanting to learn more about these fascinating creatures. COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780007205479

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This is a unique and hugely entertaining anthology of facts, amazing stories, snippets and lore about the birds, bugs and blooms of Britain. It includes hundreds of nuggets of practical (and not so practical) information to fascinate and amuse, including: how to identify animal footprints, the good manners guide on how to behave in a birdwatchers' hide, how gossamer got its name, how to tell the difference between a stoat and a weasel, the bizarre mating habits of dragonflies, and what the connection is between the table football game, Subbuteo and the small falcon-type bird, and, the hobby.It is a superb compendium to pop in the rucksack on a day out. It is perfect to keep at home to find out exactly what is going on in your garden. It is part of a highly collectible series. It features an elastic closure, back pocket, and blank pages for notes.

ISBN: 9781862058255

This book covers over 180 of the commonest species of wild animal found in Britain and Europe. COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780007627271

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Covers over 250 of the commonest flowers found in Britain and Europe. Each species is illustrated and described in detail in the text. The flowers are organized by colour. COVER PRICE £8.99

ISBN: 9780261674035

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