Thrive on the words of this new delight to the Thoene's library. this book is very exciting and leaves you wanting to read every page.

Duane paints an interesting and comprehensive portrait of how the Sierra Nevada area has been transformed by the shift from an emphasis on resource extraction to a lifestyle choice.

His illustrations of the paradox thus created--the region's success as a recreation destination is imperiling the very qualities that are giving it that success--is particularly compelling.

Anyone with an interest in the Sierra Nevada, or mountain/recreational area living in general, will find this a fascinating read. I can't imagine anyone who is making policy for any area trying to grapple with the issues of growth and quality of life not having a copy of this work.

The scholarly component--I did find myself skimming a few areas--makes it a great reference work. It is very well indexed and clearly presented. And each time I started feeling like I was wading, I re-engaged fully at the start of the next section.

Each double page spread includes a beautiful Wendell Minor paintings. The book is really a poem that is told to you as if the mountains are speaking to you about the aspects of its life. In this book, nature has a voice.

Stephen Whitney has taken most of the University of California Press guides and books and done an excellent job of condensing a wide range of biotic and abiotic topics. I highly recommend this guide to anyone interested in the Sierra Nevada, whether a teacher, backpacker, student, or amateur naturalist.

Rod Atchley B.A. Biological Science California State University Fresno

Sometimes a book comes along at just the right time. In my case, I happened across this book in the local bookstore the day I returned from my first exploration of the White Mountains and the Highway 395 corridor. Thumbing through it I realized it was a wealth of information to help me decipher the many plants and animals I had seen on my trip. It is an excellent compilation of nearly everything one is likely to encounter exploring this unique region. Whether it be geology, native vegetation, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, or mammals, there is a chapter in here for each. And these are not simplified overviews of only the most common species, they are detailed discussions of numerous species and subspecies. Despite the detail, the writing style is easy to read. Each chapter is lavishly illustrated with black-and-white line drawings. A center insert also includes color photos of many arthropods and plant species.

Though the focus is on the eastern slopes of the Sierras, it is often applicable to nearby areas. For instance it describes bristlecone pines found only in the White Mountains. The book also covers certain associated areas, most notably the surrounding desert communities.

Genny Smith has done a wonderful job of coordinating the writing styles of many different authors. Having been involved in these types of collaborations myself, I know this is no easy task. The overall result makes this book a necessary addition to the libraries of both professionals and amateurs alike.

I found this book to be a great help identifying plants in the field. Most can be identified without magnification. Plants are identified using dichotomous keys.

I also use The Jepson Manual, Higher Plants of California and the old Munz's. But both are heavy and difficult to use in the field for many of the genera though I did use them when I got home to check my identifications. The second great feature of this book is that the plants are specific to the area that I was traveling through. I didn't have to separate out plants that only live in the desert or at the coast. Eliminating that many choices made the effort much easier.

I recommend the book heartily, understanding the plants and animals around us greatly enhances the experience of enjoying nature.

Many of the plants that I found can be seen at californiagardens.com

This is the book that took me through too many nights, and early morning units of biology and on into my Masters Studies. A quick reference book that has most of your common everythings on it -- it gets you into a ballpark and usually that is close enough for almost everyone. Plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, insects --- it is all here in one place and the big bonus is that it weighs about 300 pounds less than a set of professional reference books. If I could take only one book with me camping or hiking in the Sierra, this would be the one. And don't forget your 5x and 10x Loupes.

I have read and used many guide books and this one is one of the best, if not the best, concerning all species of trees found in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It's extremely well done, and I would recommend it to any student of natural history, forestry, or botany no matter their level of academics.

This field guide to the wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California -- one of the FalconGuide series -- is terrific. It first introduces you to the geology of the region, defining the types of habitat for the plants, and describes how to identify the plants, including wonderful, careful line drawings of types of leaves and flowers. The book itself is organized by color of the flowers (so the chapters are "Blue and Purple Flowers," "Red and Orange Flowers," and so on), which makes identifying them easier, since their most obvious characteristic comes first. Each of the 230 wildflowers included in the book has a picture and a description, habitat locator, and comment from the author. In addition, the book is very sturdy and well-produced, with excellent photographs of the plants and a strong binding. And here's a neat design feature: the corners are rounded, so they'll never become dog-eared. Up until now on hikes I've admired wildflowers in the abstract; this book makes it easy to appreciate more of what you see.

This is the book for those of us who want to be able to identify wildflowers in the Sierras. The format makes it easy to find the wildflowers in question. An added bonus is the description of where each plant grows. As a avid hiker, mountain biker, and artist who lives in the Sierras, this book will stay in my daypack!