Dann's MN Bookshelf

• Minnesota's Natural Heritage: an ecological perspective, by John Tester: A rare combination of coffee table beauty and scientific integrity. I use this book as a text for my summer Ecology course at Bemidji State University.
• Minnesota Atlas and Gazetteer, from Delorme Publishing: an essential collection of accurate and detailed maps for anyone who likes to explore the scenic backroads of Minnesota -- you will want to keep this one tucked under the front seat of your car!
• Everyone's Country Estate: a history of Minnesota state parks, by Roy Willard Meyer: essential reading for anyone who loves our great state parks
• The Boundary Waters Wilderness Ecosystem, by Miron Heinselman: a classic work documenting the role of fire (among other things) in our cherished BWCA.
• Minnesota's Saint Croix River Valley and Anoka Sandplain: a guide to natural habitats, by Daniel S. Wovcha et al.: a comprehensive ecological overview of a distinct and accessible region.
• Streams and Rivers of Minnesota, Thomas Waters: In a state renowned for 10,000+ lakes, our wonderful streams and rivers are sometimes overlooked. This book provides a near perfect summary of our flowing water habitats is personal favorite of mine and it is always in my pickup.
• North Country Almanac: a seasonal guide, by Anne Brataas: a four season perspective on enjoying Minnesota natural history.
• Natural Wonders of Minnesota: a guide to parks, preserves, and wildplaces, by Martin Hintz: Great places to visit, all over Minnesota -- a good way to find out about some little known ecological gems close to home.
• Traveler's Guide to Wildlife in Minnesota, by Carrol Henderson and Andrea Lamprecht: a nice, sound introduction to some of the wildlife you are most likely to encounter around Minnesota.

• Birders Guide to Minnesota: a county by county guide, by Kim R. Eckert: Includes hundreds of maps and handy tips for field identification.
• Minnesota Wildflowers: a beginner's field guide, by Beverly Magley and D.D. Dowden: a great resource for learning about Minnesota's subtle beauty.
• Minnesota Underfoot: a field guide to Minnesota geology, by Constance Sansome et al.: this book will give you a deeper sense of place and will transform your travels around Minnesota.
• The Mammals of Minnesota, by Evan Hazard: Unquestionably the definitive work on our mammals, it was authored by my Masters advisor Evan Hazard, now a Professor Emeritus at Bemidji State University.
• Amphibians and Reptiles Native to Minnesota, by Barney Oldfield and John J. Moriarty: a good introduction to our most invisible fauna -- especially important given the recent interest in using amphibians as biological indicators of ecological problems.
• Vascular Plants of Minnesota, by Gerald Ownbey: a checklist and atlas, it is a bit dry but it is comprehensive.
• Ferns of Minnesota, by Rolla Milton Tryon: Can't tell a bracken fern from a ostrich fern? This is the book for you!
• Canoe Country Flora: plants and trees of the northwoods and boundary waters, by Mark Stensas: a illustrated key to the plant life of our northern forests.
• The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide, by Alexander Hanchett Smith and Nancy S. Weber: great photos make this a beautiful and classic guide.

• Diversity of Fishes, by Gene Helfman, Bruce Collette, and Douglas Facey: Bruce Collette is one of my ichthyological mentors so perhaps I am a bit biased but I regard this as the most comprehensive text available. It does assume that readers have some understanding of evolutionary processes and comparative vertebrate anatomy. If you really want to understand fish, read this book!
• The Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, by Roger Tory Peterson: a classic picture key (Young fish aficianados might want to check out A Field Guide to Fishes Coloring Book, by Sarah Labdry and Sandra Landry.
• Fishes of the Central United States, by Joseph R. Tomelleri and Mark E. Eberle: Exquisite color plates and sound information regarding ecology and life history -- a great gift for any fish fanatic!
• Feeding Ecology of Fishes, by Shelby D. Gerking: academically thorough and a bit expensive, this book is an essential acquisition for anyone who wants to understand how, when, and why fish feed.
• Behavioural Ecology of Fishes, edited by Tony Pitcher: the source for anyone who wants to take a rigorous, scientific look at fish behavior (it is spendy but worth every penny for anyone with a desire to understand current theory.
• Rise of Fishes, by John Long: a beautiful and scientifically sound survey of the evolutionary history of fishes.
• Encylopedia of Fishes, edited by Paxton & Eschmeyer: a comprehesive overview of the fish families of the world -- a favorite teaching resource!
• Wisconsin and Minnesota Trout Streams: a fly anglers guide, by Jim Humphrey and Bill Shogren: a detailed guide to some of the best (and most overlooked) trout fishing in the upper midwest.
• A Boundary Waters Fishing Guide, by Michael Furtmann: in my opinion, the best guide available to fishing the BWCA.
• Minnesota Fishing Guide, by Ron Schara: Written by a popular outdoor columnist for the Minneapolis StarTribune, this book offers a good (if a bit cliche) introduction to fishing Minnesota.
• Flyfishing for Northern Pike & Muskies [use this link to find out more . . .]

• Listening Point, by Sigurd Olson: a classic reflection on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area region
• The Singing Wilderness, by Sigurd Olson: another classic collection of border country essays.
• Pig Barn, by Marlon Davidson: a collection of insightful essays by a Bemidji area author and friend.
• Sugartime: hidden pleasures of making maple syrup with a primer for the novice sugarer, by Susan Carol Hauser: an intimate look at the interior and exterior of a northern Minnesota tradition.
• Woodsong, by Gary Paulsen: sled dogs, winter, and life in woods...
• The Tree Farm: replanting a life, by Robert Treuer: reflections on a return from life in the city to life on the family tree farm.
• We have the Right to Exist: a translation of aboriginal indigenous thought, by the late Wub-e-ke-niew of the Red Lake Reservation: Noam Chomsky says "This study of aboriginal indigenous thought should be read, studied, and pondered by anyone who cares about civilization and the culture of the conquerers, and about the possibilities of human existence, thought, and creative experience that have been marginalized and suppressed--not to speak of the terrible fate of the victims themselves. It is a remarkable contribution." I am just getting started on this one and so far I concur with Chomsky's assessment -- this book raises provocative and disturbing questions.
• Native American Wisdom, by Kent Nerburn and Louise Mengelkoch: two Bemidji area authors provide an eclectic and sensitive look at essentials of native american philosophy.

Hints for ordering books on-line: If you are new to ordering books on-line, here are several things to keep in mind. First, you can feel confident using your credit card through this site because we have secure server technology. Second, buying multiple books saves shipping charges since there is $3.00 base processing charge plus $0.95 per title. Third, when you find a book that you think you might like, add it to your virtual shopping cart (you'll see how this works when you click on one of the above links) -- you can always remove the book later but this keeps all your candidate purchases in one place. Finally, if you are an avid reader, consider setting up an account with BarnesandNoble.com -- this will eliminate the need for entering shipping and billing information separately for each purchase.