Customer Reviews:
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 Not the best out there... May 3, 2000
Most Audubon Field Guides that I have seen have greats amount of detal, as does this one, but a necesssity in identification of rocks and minerals is to be able to see the picture while you read the data to compare what you see, and as this book has them separte, it makes it very difficult to use when you need to reference material quick. A good book for details, though and the pictures ARE pretty, but as a student who really likes minerals, I'd have to say Simon and Schuster is a better book for the field or lab.
 Beginner's Must Have April 23, 2000
Did you ever find an interesting, or pretty, rock speciman and wonder what it REALLY is? Well, if you have, this book is for you! The color pictures of rough rock/mineral examples are a treasure to those of us new to rock identification. The photos are sorted by color, which makes great sense. These color plates are easy to access as the pages are black in background (as opposed to the white of regular pages) so one can flip right to the color plates. Under each photo is the name, and corresponding page number where one can find the information pertaining to the piece. Information pages have the proper names, and a multitude of information regarding the rock/mineral, including areas one is most likely to locate the speciman. The field guide also contains a short guide to mineral identification, talking about the various elements that can help one to positively identify the rock or mineral. Remember earth science? Well, if you don't have total recall, no problem. This guide also has sections that can reintroduce you to the fundamentals of igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic rocks. This guide is a must have for beginners in rock collecting or identification. It can supply the simple to the more complex in easy to read and understand language. This book is also heavily cross-referenced so it is hard NOT to find what you are searching for! The book size is handy for taking out into the field, and the vinyl-type cover helps protect the book from wear and tear. I must confess I got much more from the book than I anticipated and it has become one of my favorite field guides.
A Rockhounds Handy Pocket Tool April 15, 1998
This book is an amateur rockhounds must have. Having been through at least ten other titles, This one offers the most in depth, yet easy to understand information. It contains a 230 page section of photographs which are categorized by color, then by formation. Ending out this section they have included several pages containing before and after photographs of select minerals shown in the rough,then as a gem. Below each photograph is a corresponding page number to the mineral description. The mineral description section includes information on the native elements that make up each mineral, Color and Luster description, Hardness, Cleavage, Specific gravity, Crystal formation, Best field marks, Similar species, Environment in which it may be found,and where in North America they occur. For beginners who may not understand what these identifying features mean or how to go about using them, they should refer to Part 1 in the guide, A Guide To Mineral Identification. Here the authors thoroughly cover each physical property, and the way each can be used in the process of identification. Once familiar with each identifying feature, the Descriptive Key To Minerals section located directly after the photograph section will be your next stop. Using your new found knowledge about the rock or minerals physical properties is made simple in this section. This key is categorized by color. Under each color section the minerals are arranged by increasing hardness which is then broken down by quality and cleavages. Each description also includes other identifying features and a reference to the page that contains the full classification information. For the pro-amateur to expert rockhound, I would recommend The Descriptive Key to Minerals section to be their first stop. Though what I have described up to this point would be quite thorough in its own right, I should mention the section located in the back of the book which is dedicated solely to Rocks. This area contains approximately 30 pages of photographs, including their corresponding page number to its classification information page. Part III and IV, contain information on tools and techniques, mineral environments, a rock and mineral glossary, and a listing of rock forming minerals. For the curious, it also includes a list indicating each illustrated specimens place of origin. I would recommend this book to not just the rock, mineral enthusiest but to anyone. Each mineral is referenced by and to all pages containing corresponding information, making it a simple process to learn as much as the book has to offer. In my opinion, the photographs alone make this book one of the most enjoyable rock, mineral guide I have used. At this low price, it is one of a kind.
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