Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Good book overall! January 3, 2008
David A. (Stafford, VA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Yeah, it's not perfect but it isn't totally dry reading and it is great as one of several first books. I just liked reading it and I didn't fall asleep while doing it like some of the other bee books I have. Also picked up info not in some of the other books. Heck, used ones are so cheap it is very worth buying.
I owe this book a debt... April 3, 2007
Lesli (New York)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This was the book that turned me into a beekeeper, before I ever bought my first colony. The information on basic beekeeping is solid, and the descriptions are engaging.
This is an excellent book on the subject of beekeeping. March 15, 2004
steve mauldin (frisco, tx United States)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
I have read most of the beekeeping books that Amazon carries and I will highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get into beekeeping. It goes into a lot of detail just where a new keeper needs it. If you are an experienced beekeeper and are looking for detailed information in things like queen rearing then you may want to to get a book written specifically on the subject because that area in particular is a volume or two into itself.
 Good Read for Those Thinking about Bee Keeping June 18, 2001
James B Gilbert (Minas Gerais, Brazil)
22 out of 28 found this review helpful
A nice read, but having kept bees for about 4 months now I found it a little weak. Prior to Vivian's I have read a book by Dadant Publishing which gave a good foundation. Also talking with other beekeepers has also helped conciderably. At times I found the book a little on the quaint-side which for me wasn't of interest. Also found his section on Africanized bees (so-called Killer bees) weak. Presently I am in Brazil working with these bees. Certainly they require a different approach a little more protection and a larger smoker, etc. I've been working with them since I started and am still at it. Certainly they can be aggressive, but one learns to adapt and they are a good producer of honey. An excellent and well informed article on the Africanized Bee can be found in "ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture" by A. I Root. The article gives a balanced and much more positive picture of our little Africans. They tend to be more disease and mite resistant, and build up quickly, etc.. So don't worry to much they might even bring some positive aspects to their weaker European cousins.
Excellent fisrt book December 10, 1999
Keith Benson (Columbia, SC)
70 out of 70 found this review helpful
This was my first book on beekeeping, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to any beginning beekeeper. I now have some 20+ beekeeping books but this is still my personal favorite. The information on bee diseases is a little old, but the clear concise explanations of all other aspects of small scale beekeeping and his warm writing style more than make up for this. Mr. Vivian obviously enjoys his bees and his affection for them only serves to foster the same in the reader. If you are thinking of beekeeping, or introducing the subject to a friend then this is the book to buy.
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