Customer Reviews:
 Great Resource December 26, 2007
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
A ton of useful information on a range of subjects (plants, animals, mushrooms, insects, weather, tracks, scat, star charts, etc.). Beautifully illustrated and easy to navigate. The text snippets have a very personal, conversational, at times even humorous tone, which make it a pleasure to consult. At 17.5oz (496g), it's a little too heavy in my opinion for backpacking, but a good companion for all other occasions. The knowledge, thought and passion that went into this publication really burst off the pages.
Take this one on your hike October 19, 2007
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
This is a gem, a comprehensive field guide to Sierra flora and fauna. John Muir Laws spent many summers drawing from life in all corners of the Sierra, and the results are enchanting. The book includes insects, tracks, stars, scat, and mushrooms as well as plants, birds, and animals. Though there isn't space in this slim volume for detailed information on each organism, the tidbits of natural history trivia scattered throughout are tantalizing. I take this one guide on every hike, and it rarely fails me. The color tab system makes it easy to find things quickly without searching the index. When I get back, I can refer to other guidebooks like Sierra Nevada Natural History for more information.
Best field guide I have ever used! October 17, 2007
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is an outstanding field guide! Great color drawings, and great presentation. It makes it very easy for anyone to identify almost anything in the Sierra Nevada.
This has it ALL October 8, 2007
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
John Muir Laws imparts a stunning resonance to all he paints. His work is thoughtful, complete, and inspired. Your fun with this book will be absolutely never ending. My granddaughters, my eighty year old father, my best friend, all LOVE this book. Imagine a guide that includes everything from constellations to the nest forms of miniature wasps to the most showy birds and fish! Just leafing through the book makes me feel blessed to live in the Sierras. Elisa Stancil
A marvelous hiking companion October 3, 2007
14 out of 14 found this review helpful
Imagine hiking with a wise old professor of natural history, a young companion still bubbling with enthusiasm at the joys of nature, and a talented artist with a gift for capturing it all in paint. That is what hiking with the Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada is like. Virtually everything visible that lives in the Sierra Nevada and even far beyond can be found here, and when it is too dark or stormy to see living things, there are star charts and explanations of the weather. The guide is conveniently arranged into groups of organisms, from fungi through plants and animals, including mammal scats and tracks. Species that are likely to be confused are shown near each other with distinguishing features pointed out. The author, John Muir Laws, also provides frequent short lessons in natural history. What makes the book special, of course, are the 2700 paintings by Laws, many so detailed that one has to look closely to see they are not photographs. And all of this is in a 366-page book that fits easily into a day pack and is so well constructed that it will survive the many years of steady use that it will surely get.
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