Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

mildly pleasant
I am curious about honey, because I feel I should like it more than I do, so I picked up this book partly based on reviews and the back cover.
The book is pleasantly written, informative, full of unexpected bits. There are recipes, sections on how the hive has been used as a political metaphor throughout the ages (in the Middle Ages, the queen was a king, of course), and interesting coverage of the scientists who advanced knowledge of the hive.
So, to sum up: this is a useful book, pleasantly written, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about bees. I have a little caveat to add, though. It miffed me how, nowadays, reviewers tend to be so extravagant in their praise. It is as if they feel they need to be heard above the din by shouting louder than anybody else. Could they please stop calling everything brilliant that is just good? After all, what is bad with good?
PS. This little rant should not, I hope, dissuade anyone from reading this book.

The Hive and Mankind
This book is not just about bees and the history of beekeeping.This also deals with how bees have been linked to sex, death, food and drink.The book deals with mead, the Church and bees, the Romans and bees, the Renaissance and bees.How bees, and their hives, shaped our ideas of nature, science, government and God.They became the symbols of power, of Kings and Popes, of socialism and order.
There are also lists of recipes for food made from honey and potions made with honey.This is a must for any fan of bees or any beekeeper.
Bee Wilson is a big fan of bees and the honey they produce, going so far as to visit an apiary and, yes, she has been stung.You can feel her wonder and joy at writing her first book on the subject.And it is a joy to read.
But one warning.Mormons are not shown in a good light as the other reviews show.

Questionable Scholarship
I initially enjoyed the book very much, but then I was very taken aback by the blatant religious bigotry in the book toward Mormons.If Ms. Wilson can express such slanted and misinformed views about Mormons in a supposed scholarly work it certainly calls the rest of her scholarship into question.I can't help but doubt the accuracy of the rest of the book -- why would she be accurate in other ways and be so totally inaccurate about Mormons, their origins and what they believe?Her claim that she doesn't "mean to be offensive" rings hollow -- she absolutely does intend to offend, and she absolutely does.Moreover, her sidebars about Mormons and their supposed beliefs have nothing whatever to do with bees and the fact that Utah is the beehive state.It was just Mormon-bashing plain and simple.

My husband (who is not a Mormon, by the way) read that passage and said that he no longer had any interest in reading the book because he found her bigotry so off putting.I would never have purchased the book had I realized it contained that, and I am surprised the publisher allowed her uninformed diatribe to pass through.It is a shame because the premise of the book is interesting.I can't know whether Ms. Wilson is telling the truth in the rest of the book or just sort of making stuff up as she goes along, however, so reading the rest of it at this point seems pointless.

Buzz on!
I picked this book up completely randomly but have loved every moment of it. I am a huge fan of honey, cooking and the convoluted histories of the foods we love. Always a big fan of honey (and bees!) it wasn't until I read this book that I realize how pervasive and longlasting our human fascination (obsession?) with bees has been. It's an easy read - very detailed with lots of great honey and bee trivia throughout the ages. The writer is a Brit and mentions the history of bees and honey in the U.S. only in passing, so people looking for something specific to North America might have to go elsewhere. This is definitely more of a Western European view.

A fun story.
THE HIVE: THE STORY OF THE HONEYBEE AND US joins others which have appeared earlier this year covering the bee - but goes further than most, drawing connections between the hive mentality of the bee and human affairs. Bees appear as symbols of many things and their honey product is widely used in cooking: their story blends myth with science and mankind has long been enamored of the bee. THE HIVE traces mankind's different beliefs about the bee over the decades, gathering history from around the world from science, religion, politics and beyond. Lovely black and white drawings throughout enhance a fun story.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (12)

Great historical beekeeping book!
Great book!I'm going to read it again.There is much to be learned from ole triple-L.

More modern books are the ones I depend upon for day-to-day use.Also, I'd recommend The Hive and the Honey Bee from Dadant for a more up to date and much thicker book.

The only complaints I have are for Dover.The price is too high.The print is fairly small in the main portion of the text but it's extremely small in the footnotes.Since some of the footnotes are very long this is a real problem.Also, it must have been printed from photographic copies instead of typeset.Many of the letters of the alphabet are chopped off and it sometimes takes a bit to understand what word was intended.

As far as content I give it 5 stars but for quality of printing it gets 3 stars.Average that out to 4 stars.

"Bees and being"
In my beginning-beekeeping family, my husband reads the practical books; I read Langstroth, who tends to rhapsodize on the love and concern shown the queen by her daughters, and that sort of thing. Any beekeeper (and we may all have this bent) who loves thinking about the implications of bees almost as much as working with the furry little creatures themselves will love spending time with this rambling, philosophical naturalist.

A real beekeeper's time machine
I've been keeping bees now for a year and thought it would be neat to read this classic text without spending hundreds of dollars for an original copy on ebay.Rev. Langstroth's writing style is really beautiful and definately gives the reader a visual in your mind.It's so interesting to see how science and religion were so closly mixed during this time period.I love how he affirms creation through the science of bees.Very cool book but because of the older style ornate writing it can be difficult to read at times.

Great basic Beekeeping.. olde school
Beekeeping the way it was.. before all the chemicals and big business.. when most everyone had a hive or 2 as the only sweetener you could afford.

Informative, but curiously flawed
I'm editing this to add that the publisher, Dover Publications rapidly responded to my query in regard to the manufacturing error explained below, and sent me a replacement copy. If I were able, I would increase my rating to 4 stars. It misses getting five because, while it contains muchinformation that is both valuable and valid today, substantial portions of the text are devoted to convincing the skeptics of the 1850's.

To canvass the beekeeping territory, I picked up a few titles on bees, including Langstroth's Hive and the Honeybee, which appealed to both my desire to raise bees and my interest in American History.

I was quite surprised then to find that at page 160, Langstroth's exposition on artificial swarming ends in mid-sentence. The next 30 pages are devoted to the heros of Celtic mythology. Though I am of Scots and Irish descent, I knew next to nothing, of Celtic mythology beyond that cribbed by T.H. white. Thanks to a production error at Dover, I can now sustain 15 to 20 minutes of cocktail party banter about the Welsh name, Caledvwlch, of Arthur's sword, Escalibur, (from, mind you, the Latin Caliburnis) and the parallels with, if not blatant plagairism by, Malory, of the Cuchulainn stories, as the foundation stones of Arthurian legend were set in place.

Aside from this flaw however, Langstroth remains a powerful primer on the beekeeping art. One well worth reading in an age where organic methods hold promise in the effort to combat Chronic Collapse Disorder.

When Reverend Langstroth developed his methods of hive management, organic beekeeping was the only kind that existed. His discussions of the means and methods for combating the parasites and diseases that afflicted bees 150 years ago are as applicable today when it appears that commercial bee operations must radically change or perish, as they were before and after the civil war when chemical means for bee management simply did not exist.

Quaint in language, Langstroth nevertheless delivers, and while I purchase my hive equipment from a modern manufacturer, I am confident that armed with only Langstroth and the tools my great grandfather left me, I could build an equally good, and substantially similar hive.

As modern petroleum based agriculture begins to sway and collapse under the weight of genetically modified organisms, hydrocarbon based fertilizers and pesticides, leached out soil, antibiotic resistant strains of disease, subsurface compaction, and the erosion of topsoil, it is delightful to discover that the knowledge of largely preindustrial agrarians has been preserved. Their methods remain reasonably achievable today and demonstrate a possible pathway back to small scale, sustainable production methods largely free of the industrial accoutrement under which farmers stumble to remain profitable today. ... Read more

Product Description
A Description of the Bar-and-Frame-Hive - With an Abstract of Wildman's Complete Guide for the Management of Bees Throughout the Year is presented here in a high quality paperback edition. This popular classic work by William Augustus Munn is in the English language. If you enjoy the works of William Augustus Munn then we highly recommend this publication for your book collection. ... Read more

Product Description
The year is 3001 and there is a new arrival on the transport ship Sunflower. It is a little girl only six years old claiming she is a Dragon... Her name is Athena and though she appears to be a sweet and innocent child, she holds secrets that could affect the fate of Mankind and Dragons alike. She informs the crew that Dragons live in a Hive similar to bees and that her father is the Hive King. He has high expectations for Athena, even though she is the smallest Dragon ever to be born in his Hive. The responsibilities are more than she can bear... therefore she escapes from the Hive in hopes of finding refuge on the Sunflower. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

I love the VERY unique idea of Dragons living in a hive state
I love the VERY unique idea of Dragons living in a hive state where they all can share their thoughts and memories. The most interesting parts for me are when Athena recounts how her Father came into existence and how later he battled for the right to be Hive King. I wish the book could go on forever, because there are very many interesting characters that deserve their own story told more in depth. All in all a very good book to read and I hope there is more to come. P.S. I loved the altered Greek history.

Great fast paced book
Dragon Hive is a fast paced fantasy sci-fi novel that should keep you turning the pages. Athena's shocking arrival on the starship Sunflower will bring Captain Bill and the crew on an adventure they could never have expected. Athena claims that she is half Dragon, one quarter human and one quarter Greek goddess... and if that isn't enough for the crew to absorb, Athena tells them that the fate of Mankind and Dragons alike depends on the Captain and crew granting her asylum from her father the Dragon Hive King...

Dragon Hive
Athena tells the crew of the Sunflower that she is a Dragon... Then she goes on to tell of how Dragons have been living amongst humans for thousands of years, but they have been hiding their presence since the time of Troy. Athena's Tail encompasses the origins of Dragons, Greek Gods and Titans. She has revealed herself and her Dragon Hive because the fate of Mankind and Dragonkind depends on the two of them working together against a terrible threat. There are very interesting characters and the story lines really gets the imagination going.

Every body needs to read this book! (WOW)...
When I sat down with this book, it had me hooked from the very first page. I didn't put it down till it was down, then hoping for more. There are allot of cool charters in this story. One of my favorites is Devon, wow the things he has to go trough. There are a lot of twist and turns, I for one can tell you that this book has it all from suspense, to love, to death, to action. I hope that I don't have to wait to long for more to come.

Athena's Tale/Dragon Swarm from Dragon Hive
This was a really great read...especially for lovers of sci-fi/dragon books. It wasn't overly long, yet, I would have loved for there to be more. I was captivated by many of the characters...Athena, Devon, Captain Bill, Orion, Keith, and many more! Several twists and turns, which kept me reading. I hope this writer writes more! ... Read more

Product Description
Build your own top bar hive and experience an alternative beekeeping method. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions will take you through the process of building your own top bar hive. Design options and construction tips are complemented with many photos and drawings. Sweet honey from your own bees will be the reward for your work. You can also buy a German version of this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

save your $$-short on substance and specifics
Purchased this book to help me build my 1st top bar.It is: 2) only 35 pages, 2) has drawings that lack detail and are done by hand (some look like there was not even a ruler involved) and 3) lots of big B&W pics filling up the pages, with little text. Don't waste your money. All this info and more is free on the internet- with the details you need to proceed with construction.

Stuff missing
This is written for a beginner which could be good. Since I am an experienced wood butcher, I was confused at one place. We are instucted to cut four of one piece, but I only see the need for two. The picture shown of it installed has an extra board behind it and is confusing. If I went to the trouble to actually construct one, it might become clear as I went through the process, but just reading it, it is confusing.

This is basically a good book, but there are other plans out there that are wayu cheaper.

Has al info needed to build a top bar hive
This is a very good construction manual. The sketches and more important the formulas in the book are all you need to build your own top bar hive. This construction manual saves you hours if not days of research on the web. It includes exact measurements for the top bars as well as how to calculate dimensions of the hive for boards of different thickness. This manual is invaluable to any one who wants to build his own top bar hive.

Invaluable Construction Manual
This is a very good construction manual. The sketches and more important the formulas in the book are all you need to build your own top bar hive. This construction manual saves you hours if not days of research on the web. It includes exact measurements for the top bars as well as how to calculate dimensions of the hive for boards of different thickness. This manual is invaluable to any one who wants to build his own top bar hive.

Not much of a book
Top Bar Hive ConstructionThis was surely a disapointment, the construction drawings consist of pencil sketches reproduced in all their entirety, it doesn't even appear the author bothered with a ruler. With the content this item doesn't qualify as a book more as a pamphlet and a poorly executed one at that. You can find much better information just by doing a " top bar hive" search on the web. I had hoped to get a comprehensive document that brought this information together with well drawn scale drawings, instead this is on the level of somthing someone might scratch out on their diningroom table. Don't waste you time or money. It may be more trouble to surf the net but you will get better information and it won't cost you 25.00. By the way this is the only item I have ever panned in an Amazon review and the only purchase I felt necessary to return. A disservice to beekeeping. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outdated, but worth the money
L. L. Langstroth published his classic in 1853. It's public domain, and you can find it at Cornell University's online library at [...] and (iirc) at Project Gutenberg. Langstroth designed the first modern beehive after closely observing "bee space," which meant that, by cooperating with a natural tendency of the bees themselves, beekeepers no longer had to hack apart their hives in order to lift out the frames.

What Dadant & Sons (Editors) did, from 1946 to 1975, was to update and continue Langstroth's work, in scope and spirit if not in every slavish detail, with the works and studies of beekeepers, apiculturists and entomologists. The book was extensively revised in 1963 and again in 1975.

In 2008, Dadant & Sons edition is out of print, although Langstroth's original has been reissued by various publishers.

Since 1975, of course, the beekeeping industry has encountered new pests, exotic diseases like Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), new environmental hazards such as IMD and other chlorinatated "neo-nicotinoids", aggressive alien strains such as the so-called Africanized bee, and the great bugbear of the 21st century, Colony Collapse Disorder, which has killed off as much as a third of all bee colonies world wide and inflamed passionate accusations and denials from all corners of modern agriculture including the agrichemicals industry.

None of that is discussed in any edition of Dadant's Hive and the Honebee, but they are well aware of these situations -- Dadant and Co. is the modern publisher of the highly respected American Bee Journal.
... Read more

Product Description
Going through a company merger or buy-out creates new challenges for managers and employees alike, but this unique business fable offers real-world advice for coping and even prospering. Based on the true story of a candle-making company in New England, Lessons from the Hive is actually a fictionalized look inside an organization, Bee Natural, Inc., as it deals with inevitable changes after its purchase by a consumer-products conglomerate.

Using a week-in-the-life approach, five major players in the organization are profiled, ranging from the recently installed tough CEO to a brand-new junior employee. The main character is a seasoned director of marketing who must face her own personal struggles with changes both at work and at home. Fast paced and entertaining, Decker’s story parable is populated with likable, realistic characters who portray the tribulations and eventual success of a company enduring organizational change. Readers will learn:

• More positive ways of looking at changes within an organization
• Less confrontational ways of dealing with conflicts at work
• How to deal with fears of the unknown in a changing business environment
• The importance of establishing trust in the workplace
• How to deal with conflicting interpersonal relationships in a professional manner

Well experienced in organizational development, training, and human resources management through his extensive business publishing background, Decker uses this business fable to demonstrate that trust is a stronger force than fear and that organizational change can actually result in career opportunities rather than career demise. Anyone involved in dealing with personal and professional transformation (and who isn’t?) will find comfort in this delightful tale of a company dealing with the challenge of reinventing itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

"Getting" Organization Change
Decker's story is novel quality, for the characters become very real, making the issues and principles of effective organization change truly understandable.Any organization about to launch a significant change should distribute this book widely!

Brad Smart

Great Conflict Resolution Lessons
In particular, the lessons you can learn about identifying and resolving conflicts are absolutely priceless.This and Corporate Canaries are MUST buys if you are a manager in any sort of capacity!

The story is everything
For books like this to work, they have to have both an engaging storyline and real-world characters.This book has both, and I found myself re-learning a lot about dealing with change, managing difficult people, and understanding how different types of people have different styles of working.The group discussion questions in the back are particularly useful.I will probably suggest that my whole department get copies and read it together.There are some on my team who need a little coaching, and this is a very non-threatening way to deal with difficult issues.Great job!

Lessons from the Hive
Charles Decker is vice president of an electronic publishing company, does work with business publishing initiatives, and has coauthored Beans: Four Principles for Running a Business in Good Times or Bad.Lessons from the Hive is about a fictionalized organization that is reinventing itself and was created to teach positive ways of viewing changes in an organization, how to deal with fears of the unknown, the importance of trust, and how to deal with conflicting interpersonal relationships. It is of the business-fable genre that uses a week-in the-life approach for five players in an organization including a recently installed CEO, a newly hired employee, and a seasoned director of marketing with personal struggles at home and at work. The junior change agent uses mantras many people call clichés such as Happiness is a choice; Inspire yourself, others will follow; Vanity is not a team sport; Enthusiasm will take you 90 percent of the way; and Change your thinking, change your life. This book can be used in classrooms and in businesses. Many people learn better by stories and examples than by other methods. This is a brief but powerful message. There are questions at the back of the book to assist reflection about each chapter.

This book is unique
I have read so many of these "business fables" with skepticism, but I saw this in a Barnes & Noble store and the jacket copy got to me.I have to say, as a staff psychologist for a major telecommunications company, this is the real deal.

I think we all know people who come to work every day with undiagnosed depression, as the main character, Dana, has in this book.Her behavior is absolutely deplorable in the early chapters, and I frankly thought she would be terminated.The self-help book she receives from her assistant (which I suspect is the famous book by Dr David Burns, "Feeling Good") makes a huge difference in her attitude, and thus her behavior.Every employee is reviewed on their behavior, but the "attitude" area is a very scary place for most managers to talk about with their employees.This book addresses attitude adjustment in probably the most non-threatening way I've ever seen.I think any manager with a problem employee (and vice-versa) can safely give this book to that person and let them figure out what the problem really is.

I think we all have known a Dana or two in our lives, and some of us have quit our jobs because they never sought any help.This book is as much a self-help book as a business book (perhaps more so) and I think it absolutely breaks new ground in treating depression in the workplace -- an enormous worldwide problem with toxic repercussions, for employees, customers, and the bottom line.It's also a damned fun story that you can read in two or three hours. ... Read more

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Publisher: New York : Eaton ... Read more

Product Description

In spring and summer, honeybees gather nectar to make into honey. These fascinating insects live and work together in complicated societies, complete with queen bees and workers. Read and find out about honeybees and their creation -- honey!

Customer Reviews (3)

Bee Book
I and my children learned some things about how a bee hive works so, I'd say that this book was worth reading.

Be aware that there is mention of the queen bee and the drone mating. If you're not ready enter the topic of reproduction with your child you should know that a sentence or two about this is in this book.
Nothing too explicit is mentioned in reference to mating but, I'd suggest that you look through the text before reading it aloud to make a decision. It's easy enough to creatively pass over this section until a more appropriate time for you and your child if necessary or it can be just the entry point to open up discussions on reproduction that you might have been or (will soon) be looking for.
To me, the colors used in the book are not all that spectacular- lots of browns and yellows but, the drawings were well done. It's a nice enough book to own.

Bees
I am always on the look-out for non-fiction books that are written at a level that my second graders can understand.This was perfect. It has wonderful illustrations of the hive and has good information written at an appropriate level.My students will enjoy it.

really detailed and fabulous
not only did my 4yo daughter learn a ton from and love reading this book, but i did too! very clear, detailed, and interesting. we love this! ... Read more

Product Description
Are you a twenty-something looking for ways to boost your career? This ULTIMATE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS GUIDE will have you creating high-impact mentor relationships, and achieving above-average career success, right from the start! These days you need more than smarts to succeed. You need a network of never-let you-fail mentors who support your growth and help you achieve your dreams. It works! All successful people have mentors in their life who help them at various stages of their development. This book will show you the five steps to pull these people towards you, every time! Every parent, counselor, and human resource department will want to give this to a young professional they care about. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great advice from an inspirational guy!!!
This book is nothing short of phenomenal. "Who's in your Top Hive" gives you practical ways to improve your networking skills and your ability to attract useful mentors. One of my professors always says that "your network determines your net worth" and I think that this book gives tips that anyone can use to increase and improve their network. I would recommend it to young professionals who are looking for a way to take the next step in their careers and do not know how. Wonderful book.

Invaluable Resource for Any Young Professional
"Who's In Your Top HIve" is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to harness the power of mentors. I was intrigued by the title of the book and was fascinated to uncover the meaning behind it, which Bert explains in perfect relation to the mentor-mentee relationship. What I enjoyed most about the book was the author's very personal, almost vulnerable depiction of his own life and his career journey and mentor search. It truly makes his message come alive. The author clearly speaks from experience and is passionate about helping others discover their full potential by harnessing the power of mentorship in their lives. As someone who has been on both the receiving and giving end of the mentor experience, I couldn't agree more with Bert's analysis and advice. He goes above and beyond someone merely giving an objective step-by-step process (though he does that, too) to someone who gets inside the subjective experience of persons to uncover what really makes us tick and how we can maximize our potential through inter-personal relationships, especially with those wise people who can help propel us forward to achieve all of our career and life goals. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone and have already bought copies for everyone that I care about!

Who's In Your Top Hive?
Bert Gervais has written a wonderfully refreshing, actionable guide to help anyone who wants to effectively cultivate mentor relationships that will allow them to take their career, business, and most importantly, their LIFE to the next level.

I can tell you that from my years of experience in Corporate America and serving on multiple nonprofit boards, I've found the overwhelming majority of young professionals never learned the proper etiquette when it comes to cultivating effective mentor relationships.And the sad part is that they grow up to be `experienced' professionals who STILL don't know how to cultivate effective mentor relationships. It's no wonder that most people are struggling in the careers or are experiencing mediocre results.

The author did a wonderful job of dispelling some of the myths that hold people back from cultivating mentor relationships in the first place, which is important. Some of the myths surrounding mentoring are astonishing but are rampant in the minds of today's young people.

Next, Mr. Gervais gave wonderful examples of how you should apply his advice and WHY you should do it.The author also provides the reader with a template of an effective introductory email to a potential mentor and an in-person script that could `break the ice' which is ideal if you are one of those shy people and feel awkward in social settings.

What I also enjoyed about this book is that the author talked about the importance of having `soft' skills, which include the ability to communicate, to be a go-giver, work within a team environment, and showing that you care about the people in your network or company. Those skills are critical for success because you have to stand out or be replaced by the competition or cheap labor/technology in our ever evolving business marketplace.

I remember one time when someone sought me out for advice for his business and failed to show up for a scheduled phone call. He didn't even have the decency to notify me that he couldn't make our scheduled time and he never apologized for his `no show' And what was even more shocking about this is that the guy was not a recent college graduate. In fact, he's older than me and I'm in my mid thirties!

Now I realize that some of this is common sense but if it was `common' people would have more sense!

The author also gave the reader a glimpse of his personal journey that I thought was inspiring and instructive too. He talks about how he was able to start from humble beginnings, overcome some of his own insecurities and his failures too. The reality is that successful people `fail' more than failures do. The difference is that they learn the lessons behind those failures, get back up from them, and move forward with more wisdom.

I recommend that you get copies of this book for yourself and anyone else you care about so that together you can move forward in your lives with more wisdom and more fulfillment. After all, isn't that what we all want?

John Hinds
Author of the Amazon Best-Seller What's In Your Water? ... Read more

Product Description
An 1865 report on public health in New York painted a grim picture of "high brick blocks and closely-packed houses . . . literally hives of sickness" propagating epidemics of cholera, smallpox, typhoid, typhus, and yellow fever, which swept through the whole city. In this stimulating collection of essays, nine historians of American medicine explore New York's responses to its public health crises from colonial times to the present. The essays illustrate the relationship between the disease environment of New York and changes in housing, population, social conditions, and the success of medical science, linking such factors to New York's experiences with smallpox, polio, and AIDS. The volume is essential reading for anyone interested in American public health and the social history of New York. The volume is essential reading for anyone interested in American public health and the social history of New York.The contributors are Ronald Bayer, Elizabeth Blackmar, Gretchen A. Condran, Elizabeth Fee, Daniel M. Fox, Evelynn M. Hammonds, Alan M. Kraut, Judith Walzer Leavitt, and Naomi Rogers. David Rosner is a professor of history at Baruch College and The Graduate School of the City University of New York. Robert R. Macdonald is the director of the Museum of the City of New York. ... Read more

Product Description
Out of the great lyrical tradition of Irish writing comes this astonishing tale: the story of a group of bees more moving than most human characters in contemporary fiction. With the help of two unusual, philosophical drones, worker bees Thora and Belle begin to look at their lives in a radical new way.Amazon.com Review
"Back in the hive, Thora stood on the edge of the stores ofripening honey and fanned her wings incessantly. She had fanned all day inspite of the commotion and excitement. The song of the swarm had hummed allaround her but she remained dutifully at her post. She was a house bee,just three days old."

When we first meet Thora the worker bee in this anthropomorphic allegory,she's thinking only of her responsibilities to the hive and her Queen. Shemust fan the wax combs, clean brood cells, and tidy up after the filthy,lazy drones (who spend the bulk of their time drunk on honey). Soon theimperious, efficient Belle takes Thora under her wing, teaching her theways of workers and revealing her furious dislike of drones. But when Thorameets her first male bee, a "nice idiot" named Alfred, she can't helpthinking he's helpless and handsome. It is through the poetic Alfred thatThora meets Mo, an opinionated rabble-rouser and vocal supporter of freethought who causes Thora to think outside the hive--if only briefly.

Irish author Soinbhe Lally crafts a compelling tale that buzzes alongswiftly and is highlighted with the spindly, whimsical illustrations ofPatience Brewster. Lally melds fascinating information about the workingsof a hive--the queen, workers, brood combs, drones, pollen, wax cells, andhoney--with an engaging story line that is satisfying on both a literal andmetaphorical level. Although the book's role as a larger allegory ofsociety and destiny may be initially lost on some readers, its deepermeanings will eventually seep in with the steady inevitability of honey.(Ages 10 and older)--Brangien Davis ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

wonderful storyline
This is one my favorite stories.We are beekeepers and enjoy passing this book around among our friends to help them understand bees better.This story is fictional, yet a funny story that follows the lives of bees in the hive fairly accurately.

not just for children
I read this book in 6th grade and gained an immediate new perspective on life. A Hive for the Honeybees may be a quick read but it is beautifully written and very deep. I adore this book and recommend it to people of all ages. Expect to cry a bit though.

BZZZZ! Simple on the surface...
I just finished A Hive for the Honeybee during my lunch hour and couldn't wait to encourage both adults and teens to read it.There are rich poetic levels here - a simple story about the life of a worker bee which is a pleasure in and of itself - but this honey-sweet story masks a haunting, unflinching yet not heavy-handed look at stereotypes and society.I imagine teens who've lived through both Animal Farm and Antz will love it.
I cried a bucket over bees!
Now I have to pull myself together and get back on the reference desk!

I.......I cried.
This book.......

This book brought you to the depths of human feeling and emotion, ranging from the indignantly annoying drones and male bees, from the sweet pining of Alfred for the Queen, to Mo finding the meaning of life. The book was a child's tale to be sure, but at my age, far more than a child, i immidiately fell into the world of buzzing and honey-fanning, necter gathering and hive gaurding. I cried at the end, very much.

"Tight and compelling," my arse!
There aren't many books my nine-year-old son and I won't finish, but this was one of them. It's been a long time since I read such a slow, boring book. The characters were nothing but soul-less caricatures, and when one doesn't care about the characters, why go on? I'mastonished that the New York Times and other reviewers gave this such favorable coverage. It just goes to show--they're not reading these books with kids. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Better than Hive
The Spawning is the second book in a planned trilogy, written by Tim Curran.The first book, Hive, was released by Elder Signs Press in 2005.I don't know what the proposed title for the finale is going to be.The Spawning is also a release from Elder Signs Press.It compares unfavorably in two ways from Hive, neither under the control of the author.First, I guess ESP has moved away from limited edition hardcovers.Too bad; their products were wonderful.If the reason was financial it may explain the second.Hive has a spectacular cover, one of the best ever in a Lovecraftian novel, a surging shoggoth by David Carson.The cover for The Spawning is, alas, somewhat nondescript.The Spawning has a generous page count of 383, is well edited with a very few typos, and lists for $15.95, although it is heavily discounted by Amazon.I think you could read The Spawning without ever reading Hive, and not miss out on very much back story or continuity.However I doubt you could appreciate either book without first digesting HP Lovecraft's novella `At the Mountains of Madness.'No worries!It's available in many anthologies and collections, as well as free online.

I think Mr. Curran is a master of the mythos short story.A visit to the author's website shows an extensive bibliography.I have read `The Chittering of Tiny Teeth' in Warfear, `Eldritch Fellas' in Hard Boiled Cthulhu, `The Eyes of Howard Curlix' in Horrors Beyond 1, `The Wreck of the Ghost' in High Seas Cthulhu, `Piraya' in Dead Bait, `Cemetery, Nevada' in Frontier Cthulhu, `Wormwood' in Horrors Beyond 2 and `Tomb on a Dead Moon' in Cthulhu Unbound 2.Each of these is a highly superior story, of surpassing appeal to an old mythos fan like me.For example, `Eldritch Fellas' is damn near the funniest mythos story ever written.The quality of the prose is so uniformly high, clearly it is not a one time fluke.The reason I am belaboring this point is when I come to his novels I can't help feeling let down.The thing is, I think this is Mr. Curran's intent; he is striving for a particular feel for the book, a particular way of developing tension, and it just wasn't my cup of tea.

First of all, there is a prologue, four sections and an epilogue for 383 pages.This is divided into 125 (!!) chapters, averaging about 3 pages each.Many are one page with no more than a paragraph or two.This makes for choppy reading.The characters are mostly stock caricatures, similar to Hive.It was hard to identify with or get involved with any of them.Action shifted between several locations and none of them were vividly distinguished from the others.My main problem, however, is I think the book needed to be pared down considerably.Much of the prose was redundant, with too many conjunctions and adjectives, with too much repetition.

Having complained, now I have to say The Spawning was better than Hive.The Elder Things are becoming aware and active, and best of all, they are utilizing shoggoths to wreak havoc.Mr. Curran's gifts at prose were on display on the action scenes, where there was genuine creepiness and tension.His explanation of witchcraft through the years was very clever; his linking the disturbing events in the Antarctic with the Cassini spacecraft was quite plausible in context.If I do not like the writing style, I am absorbed by the plot and direction of the series.I sincerely hope we don't have to wait another five years for the series finale.

The old ones want to play.
This is the second book in Currans continuation of "At The Mountains of Madness".
The first book was one of the only competent attempts to continue the story H.P.L. started, and this book is an excellent continuation of the theme.
One again it takes place in the Antarctic (of course). This allows a reasonable sense isolation which is so vital to a story of this nature. The events that began in "The Hive" are continuing to grow in scope in "The Spawning". The old ones are coming back for the harvest of minds, and this is where it begins.

I won't attempt to paraphrase the story as I don't want to ruin it for anyone. I will say that if you enjoy the mythos, this is the book for you (even if Azathoth doesn't appear in this one). I'll also say that I quite liked the parasite that you'll be introduced to near the ending.

Mr. Curran: Please be quick on finishing the next book. I'm not a patient man.
... Read more

Product Description
The Bee Hive Product Bible takes you through the hive, explaining what each beehive product is and how it is produced. Bee pollen, propolis, royal jelly and honey are described including their benefits and how they should be bought, prepared, stored and used. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Resourc3e, forget about the Lifestyle...
The only sections of this book that are great are the ones that talk about the value of Bee Pollen, Propolis, and Royal Jelly. These are very illuminating and are a terrific resource. The stuff about Mr. Brown and his lifestyle are just awful - fuggetaboutthem!! This book, although very "over-enthusiastic" hits the mark on the value of these products and why we should use them.

The title was very misleading to me.
Ithought I was buying a book onbee hive products besides honey.Instead I read about a lifestyle that was so strange to me I couldn't stomach finishing the book.The book goes in to great detail about alifestyle having nothing to do with products from the hive, like exercisinghours a day, eating raw meat and checking your bowel movements each day.Iam sending the book back to Amazon and have never sent a book back before. I have never written a review before so I am not that critical of a person. ... Read more

Product Description

This book is about the inner workings of one of nature's most complex animal societies: the honey bee colony. It describes and illustrates the results of more than fifteen years of elegant experimental studies conducted by the author. In his investigations, Thomas Seeley has sought the answer to the question of how a colony of bees is organized to gather its resources. The results of his research--including studies of the shaking signal, tremble dance, and waggle dance, and other, more subtle means by which information is exchanged among bees--offer the clearest, most detailed picture available of how a highly integrated animal society works. By showing how several thousand bees function together as an integrated whole to collect the nectar, pollen, and water that sustain the life of the hive, Seeley sheds light on one of the central puzzles of biology: how units at one level of organization can work together to form a higher-level entity.

In explaining why a hive is organized the way it is, Seeley draws on the literature of molecular biology, cell biology, animal and human sociology, economics, and operations research. He compares the honey bee colony to other functionally organized groups: multicellular organisms, colonies of marine invertebrates, and human societies. All highly cooperative groups share basic problems: of allocating their members among tasks so that more urgent needs are met before less urgent ones, and of coordinating individual actions into a coherent whole. By comparing such systems in different species, Seeley argues, we can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms that make close cooperation a reality.

Customer Reviews (2)

How to make a machine that makes honey
Thomas Seeley has written an amazing book that will work for many different types of readers at many levels. The book outlines experiments that Seeley did with prepared hives to demonstrate the system dynamics of how a hive adapts to the resources around it. Seeley's style is easy for a layperson to read with clear charts and pictures. This is a great book to savor; read a chapter, then daydream about how these creatures could be constructed to perform their functions.

I got a lot out of the book. First of all, it's a narrative of Seeley's experimental method; he labels a hive (puts the bees in a hive in a refrigerator, pulls them out one by one and puts identifying tags on each), sets up feeding stations with different concentrations of sugar at different distances, then observes behavior to demonstrate how individual variation in bees optimizes the hive's collection of resources. Second, it's a pretty good introduction to bee physiology and the hive's social system. Seeley describes experiments tracking the individual jobs of bees as they age and, in doing so, he covers how and what the bees do. Third, Seeley reviews and describes the previous literature, giving a history of behavioral study of bees. Finally, he develops his thesis regarding the hive as a system, with parallels to systems theory and studies of hierarchies of organization.

This is a fun read; easy to get through, thought provoking, giving you appreciation for the author's work and for the creatures that are his subject.

One Amazing Book about Bees
This is a special scientific book, for the author tells the reader not only WHAT we know about the inner workings of honey bee colonies, but also HOW we know it.Through simple but graceful writing, accompanied by manydiagrams, Seeley takes you on a step-by-step journey through hisexperimental analysis of how the members of a bee colony work together togather the nectar, pollen, and water that they need.I think anyoneinterested in seeing how a human has dissected the complex internalorganization of a bee hive will find this a rewarding read.I especiallyliked chapter 6, where Seeley explains that the bees have several kinds ofcommunication dances, not just the famous waggle dance, to activate morebees for making honey. ... Read more

Product Description
Suppose for a minute that the Aztecs or the Incas knew that Cortez or Pizzaro was on his way with the Conquistadors. They knew it weeks in advance and instead of welcoming them as gods, they met them with every weapon they had at their disposal.Don't you think history would have been different?"The Hive poses this very question for mankind, for what if we were forewarned that a hostile alien race was about to exterminate us?  An unmanned probe built by Russia and the United States on its way to the outer planets crosses paths with an alien device that's been spying on us since the year 1908. This leads to the discovery of a fleet of insectoid aliens on their way to Earth.With three years warning, could we defend ourselves from an invasion by a horrific alien race? The Hive is hard science fiction set in the near future of 2019. The effort to defend the Earth uses actual technology tested in the US and Russia up until the 1970s but never put into production and proposed weapons programs currently under development. There is Political intrigue involving a duplicitous People's Republic of China, a self serving reporter and a horrific unstoppable enemy whose only goal is extermination of the "soft-life" (human beings) that inhabit the third planet of the sun. The Hive is the story of humanity at last finding common ground and unification in our struggle to defeat a technologically superior enemy. It is also a story about the triumph of the human spirit as seen through the eyes of American aerospace engineer, Colin Hewette, who had lost his fiancée six years earlier and Russian/Ukrainian radio astronomer, Marina Asamova, who find love against a countdown to invasion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Hive
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 1: Feeling Lucky

I loved this book.I always wondered what earth's govenments would do if we spotted aliens headed our way.I expect we would muck things up.

You should consider publishing "The Hive" in kindle format.It could be a best seller.Kindle books are much more important for new authors than paperbacks or hardcover.However, Kindle prices for new authors should be cheap ($2.99 or lower).You might consider that for "Red Moon," too.Red Moon's high Kindle price shows a lack of knowledge by your publisher about Kindle prices and marketing.

Keep writing.Good job.

Damn I am sorry Chris.
Seldom have I seen such effort, seldom have I seen so little success.
Whatever you paid to have this run up you should demand your money back.
The story itself is OK, even good for a boilerplate space opera, BUT...
One should have someone *CRITICAL* read ones' manuscripts before publishing.
"Warrior cast" (no matter the alien version since this is in English), should have been "Warrior caste" Cast is not caste. There are transliterations REPEATED all the through the work that a first year copy editor would have red penciled inside of a minute.
There is also the little matter of all those nukes popping next to all those circuits. Have you ever heard of EMP? The one time our military semi-accidentally popped one too high above the horizon FAR out in the Pacific it blew out most of Hawaii.
I finished it in spite of the horrible therbligs such as those mentioned above. The story was OK but it is not a professional work.

Be well.

Interesting, Classic sci-fi story
I recently read Chris Berman's "The Hive" and re discovered classic
sci-fi... I finished it at three in the morning having
read this "first contact event" story that made me think of both Bradbury
and Heinlin. We can just have fun reading this
as we solve our problems by out adapting a more powerful foe. First contact
is either the sweet eating "ET" or someone
like the creatures in the hive. A good story with hope and heroes.

An Exciting, Adventurous Good Read
: The author of 'The Hive' is obviously very well versed in 'real science' technology. I have personally researched portions of his work and found it to be based upon factual, true to life science. I found the characters alive, reactive, intense and believable. When I first read the plot summary, I thought it might be based upon old ideas, then as I zipped through the first few chapters, I realized that I couldn't have been any more wrong. The ideas were fresh and the plot transitioned well from chapter to chapter. Unlike many novels that I have read, 'The Hive' kept my interest continuously from the beginning to the end. I found myself anxious to resume reading and forcing myself to put it down. The author's writing style reflected both his technical know-how and his passions. I found the relationship between the two main characters to be intense but not overwhelming, leaving me with the impression that they were probably based upon true-life characters connected personally to the author. The over-all appearance of the book, though a little dark in color, was very well done. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Science Fiction, Thrillers, Adventures or just simply a 'Good Read'. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the definitive text for beekeepers toidentify what is happening inside the honeybee hive by observing the activities outside of it.Reprinted in 2010 from the original text. Previously published in 1985. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent!!!!!!
Any bee keeper that cares about his bees must have this book.It is hard to find and expensive to buy when you do, but well worth it. Word to the wise, lend it out very carefully, you might not get it back. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Married to a drone?
Great book of fun essays that will have you laughing and smiling from cover to cover.The tales of O'Mara Croft made me take a step back and laugh at our own hectic family life.All will be able to relate to the tales he shares from his own hive.This would be a great gift for a dad or husband who feels a little lost, the woman who is married to a drone or as an "I'm sorry I'm such a drone, but I'm not the only one" gift for any wife. Even in my own hectic hive, I buzzed through thids book in just a couple days.

Gut Busting Laughs Cover to Cover
Gut busting laughs abound from cover to cover in this great humorous assay about Brian and his life. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his friend and he paid me a lot of money to say it (Looks over at Brian who is sitting next to me as I type: "Good enough"). Seriously though, Lost in the Hive was a lot of fun to read, but I do suggest that you do it somewhat privately unless you want a lot of strange looks from passers by. Oh and just so you know these are true stories and yes I have met some if not all of the people involved, and no I won't expound upon it. Fans of David Sedaris and Erma Bombeck will love this book. Good luck Brian and I hope you sell truck loads so you can get Patty her new car ;)

Lost in the Hive
O'Mara-Croft delivers a hysterical jaunt into the brain of the modern family man. This book is filled with humorous insights into the male psyche that any woman with a male family member can easily relate to and laugh at. Every anecdote hits me with an "insert name of male" image/memory as a wife, daughter, sister, mother and friend. Guys will love it and laugh right along with their own misadventures and slap imaginary high-fives along with Croft. Ladies will chuckle and role their eyes imagining their own men in these same situations. It's a funny celebration of family and the trials and tribulations that you can't help but laugh your way out of. It is the perfect gift for anyone who has dealt with their own family power struggles and somehow found a way to laugh at them. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun read and needs the validation that yes, another family man has managed to get lost in his Queen's hive- even if you're the Queen- have a chuckle at your own Hive. I did- good belly shaking laughs that brought tears to my eyes. Enjoy it!

Sometimes this sounds too much like me ...
Lost In The Hive by Brian O'Mara-Croft is a fun book. I bought it to support a local author , and am glad I did, as I laughed often throughout this collection of memoirs and personal essays. Framed by the conceit of the author being a drone in the queen's beehive, Brian delves fearlessly into many small intricacies of manhood, fatherhood, and being a husband. "Lost In The Hive" is a fairly quick read, but enriching, and when I put the book down I thought "I'd enjoy this person and his family." Of course, I also wondered (and I write this with tongue only a little in cheek) "did he ask his family how they felt about his sharing some of these stories?" "Were any names changed to protect the not-so-innocent?" Mostly though, the fun O'Mara-Croft pokes is at himself, and my laughter was often tempered with lots identification. To protect my own stories of drone-hood, I'd prefer to not say which stories I identified most with, but Brian is fearless in his telling. My wife also began reading the book and said "I think it's a guy book." Since "Lost In The Hive" was written by a guy, there's validity in her comment, but you also get to see into the mind of a not atypical male as you read this and laugh or shake your head at our male idiosyncrasies. So I do recommend it to men and women alike!

lost in the narrative and i don't wanna be found
This confirms my desire to be a father and husband! I envy the quick wit and perspective from this incredibly talented story teller.The relationship he is able to portray honestly with incredible guts and humor, specifically with the love of his life is inspiring. A true showing of what happens when extending your family and remaining yourself while continuing to learn. I actually "lol" and I want more! His ability to basically entertain pretty much any demographic with this perspective of a father and husband is truly enviable. Inspired to dust off my aspirations to create what would never formulate to his accomplishments, but fun to try nonetheless. Fantabulous! ... Read more