Ironically it's in trying a bit too hard to be a modern day Emerson where the book falls down a bit. In extending this vision to the personal, Gessner offers us a few too many observations on what the Ospreys and nature means to the inner man. In "exploring the mystery" we could do without him comparing the emotions of watching a diving Osprey with that of his first sexual experience. More scientific observations and less metaphysical ones would have made the book perfect.

The complaint on the star charts about this book (or its twin) not covering the entire sky is not critical.
There isn't room on anyone's bookshelf for all the possible fun sky-hops, of which this book and its twin present abundant excellent examples. There are more and different, also challenging and instructive ones in another fine volume, "Turn Left at Orion", and many others.

Not to worry if you get sucked in. This one makes a fine gift for your favorite grandchild as mine will.
Add this to your "must have" list if you don't already own its twin. If you do, buy it anyhow and give it to someone special.
The price is astonishingly low for the fine content.

Other than the fact that most of the species that are mentioned are Old World species (a moot point since the topics & techniques are universal), this is a good book. One thing I would like to see, is a North American version that uses examples based on New World species, & how these censuses & projects relate to our conservation laws in the U.S. The authors make mention of several British or European laws dealing with habitat conservation and restoration. It would be interesting to see U.S. examples based on our laws.

Overall, a good read for anyone getting into citizen-based bird science & conservation, or introductory-level college ecology students.

These essays cover such provocative issues as corporate globalization and its manifest effects on the environment as well as the associated changes to the climate, the deadening effect of political shortsightedness, the baleful legacy being created by both individual and organized greed, and the curiously willful blindness of those who should know better but choose to cast a blind eye to all that is happening around them. Yet this is not a simple desultory philippic on the evils of humankind; instead it is also a stirring call to arms for those of us who are looking for practical methods and devices to use to stem the negative tide swirling around us.

Suzuki gives us hope by showing us the sources for strength and hope, ranging from nature itself to ingenuous local political initiatives as well as educating our children beyond the consumption modality our generations seem so fatefully caught within. I recommend this book along with the previously mentioned title, both of which will measurably enhance any reader's grasp on the total range of effects of the current environmental crisis. I highly recommend it. Enjoy!

In 1975, the original "Roadside Geology of Northern California," with the same authors, presented a new way for the amateur rock enthusiast to learn about the complicated geology of northern California. Unfortunately, it was painfully vague, missing important information found in other books of the series, such as significant insight into how formations developed and their ages (e.g., Cretaceous, Devonian, etc.). By in large, this Y2K update solves the problem, and expands the original's spatial coverage southward to San Luis Obispo and the San Joaquin Valley. The improvement in information is phenomenal -- partly because of the increased knowledge gained in 25 years as alluded in the preface, but mostly because of better writing and attention to detail. For example, the Chapter 4 (Coast Range) discussion on how different rock types develop from different areas of ocean sediments may be the best I have ever seen in any forum -- concise (4 pages) and non-technical, yet stuffed with information. Like several other areas of the book, it includes interesting insight into how geologists have handled the difficulties in classifying and sorting California's wild assemblage of rocks; for example: "During the late 1960s, geologists finally accepted that large parts of the Franciscan complex are almost hopelessly scrambled. They agreed to call these chaotic jumbles melanges....Recognition of melanges was, in a way, an admission of defeat." Other chapters contain similar nuggets of "inside" information into the processes of rocks and the way they are studied.

Of course, the foundation of this book, as in the whole series, is in its sequential descriptions and explanations of the rocks one encouters while driving various roadways. The improvement in detail here is vast as well. There are still a few ambiguities in rock age (e.g., Paleozoic/Mesozoic schists of the northern Klamath region...aren't the actual ages more precisely known?). A few typos or fragmented sentences appear to have escaped the proofreaders. But overall, this is a well-composed and thorough look at northern and central California geology for the layman. Residents and vacationers who want to know about the rocks they see must have this book. It has greatly helped me to understand the processes behind rocks I have gathered there.

The book provides a plethora of information for those who wish to see the many interesting and complex geological features of the northern and central areas of California. However, in order to make the best use of this book and fully appreciate the physical and historical geology presented, the reader should have a basic background in geology. This book will even refresh the memories of those folks with a somewhat oxidized recollection of rocks, minerals, geologic structures, and the like.

This book is not aimed at rock hounds, as its emphasis is not on collecting. The educated collector will find it interesting, though.

There are only two "problems" with this book. First, it will lengthen the trips you take as you look for the geologic features it discusses. Second, you may endanger your life as you stop to look at the road cuts discussed in the book or divert your gaze from the road to rocks while driving.