In this ecological -- and social -- history of New England, Cronon documents the ecological changes and impact of European colonization. It's a well-argued, elegantly written series of interconnected essays, originally published in 1984. After considering the impact of livestock, fencing, urbanization and changing demographics from 1620 to 1800, Cronon concludes his book with the line, "the people of plenty were a people of waste." Cronon is America's leading environmental historian and a very good writer.  (USE347, $14.00)