I bought this book thinking I'd find something wonderful by Diane Ackerman in it, and I did, but it's a short essay anthologized from her magnificent "A Natural History of the Senses." The other essays are good, but no one writes about nature the way Ackerman does. If you're an Ackerman fan, you're much better off buying "Senses" to learn how to watch the sky. Or two of my personal favorites: "The Rarest of the Rare" and "The Moon by Whale Light," which are both incredible hymns to endangered animals and ecosystems.

THE CURIOUS NATURALIST is an outstanding collection of well written, easy to read, and informative essays about the various biomes of the natural world. A famous naturalist examines each biome in detail, often detailing his or her account of the flora and fauna in that area with tidbits of personal experience. Excellent pictures, coupled with nature study techniques and field observation tools, enhance the book's descriptions and down-to-earth information on the biomes. A major drawback, however, is the book's lack of specifics; that is, there is not much mention of specific wildlife of observing nature in a specific region. After all, woodlands in the east coast are definitely different than those in California. Still, this was a helpful, engaging, and valuable book, which has aided me many a time in my own natural investigations. Great for beginners and experts alike.

I fell in love with this book's large, beautiful pictures and easy reading. This is not a book for someone who wants step by step information on how to do something, but for someone seeking to learn how to view nature around us so that we can then learn from it. This book has all the quality of a National Geographic magazine built-in. Essays on all kinds of environments discuss some weather, flora, and fauna, and their interactions. Great book for those who love the out-of-doors to cuddle up with. This one has a special spot on my shelf.