Customer Reviews

Collecting Fluorescent Minerals

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Collecting Fluorescent Minerals is a truly magnificent work that should appeal to all the target audience; whether serious collectors, those (like me) who have some knowledge and experience, or folks new to the wonder of fluorescent minerals. Stuart Schneider has created a well organized and beautifully illustrated book that covers about all the minerals, locations, and background that anyone could want for collecting and recognizing fluorescent materials from North America, Mexico, Greenland, and a number of other locations around the world.

Most of the entries have sizes, colors under UV, and relative prices listed. When one combines this with tidbits of historical note, lists of names, and lots of other interesting details the result is a great book that is a lot of fun.

This is really an indepth book, it takes you from the novice to the seasoned pro. It has tons of useful info. (actually a lot more than i expected) i find myself referring back to it all the time.

Minerals from the United States from New Jersey to Arizona and California, as well as unusual selections from mineral mines around the world, are profiled in Stuart Schneider's Collecting Flourescent Minerals, a guide to gathering in the field and one of the most complete references to the topic in print. While introductory pages discuss notable mine sources and fluorescent minerals, the heart Schneider's discussion lies in color photos of the minerals themselves, supplementing a price guide which reveals glow factors and favorable lighting.

This is a terrific book for the beginner as well as for someone who has been collecting for years. Tons of pictures, explainations, and locations of where certain minerals were found, as well as what to look for when rock hunting yourself.

I have both of Stuart Schneider's books and think they are wonderful. I collected fluorescent rocks all over Europe for many years, and now I am doing the same here in the Southwest USA. Stuart is an honest man and he knows a great deal about the subject. It is difficult to get the printed colors in the book to match the beauty one sees in reality, but he comes closer than anyone else. His books are required as part of any good book collection about fluorescence.

Schneider may be an expert on flashlights and fountain pens (who would be able to argue otherwise?), but when it comes to fluorescent minerals, he is clearly a johnny-come-lately and a self-promoter. This book was rushed to press without so much as adequate proofreading, much less fact-checking. Errors abound. The photos are amateurish: rock outlines are indistinct against black backgrounds, many fluorescent responses are overexposed, and the general quality of the specimens (as photo-worthy subjects) is quite poor. The publisher insisted on assigning values, which is utterly absurd considering that every mineral specimen is unique, as opposed to mass-produced manmade collectibles like flashlights. Besides, good Franklin mineral specimens generally increase in value by 10% annually, which renders a price guide obsolete very quickly. Sadly, until a truly well-done color book of fluorescent minerals by a recognized authority comes along, this one will have to do.

Pictures are fairly decent and somewhat accurate. A few obvious PhotoShop jobs to make up for the author's inability to take quality fluorescent photos. Moreover, the text has factual and spelling errors that number in the hundreds {at my last count}. I occasionally recommend this book to beginners I come in contact with, but pre-warn them about the glaring errors and suggest they view nothing in it as gospel. Price Guide is 100% subjective, therefore worthless. Most likely what the author paid for the rocks he bought and included. If it were accurate, I'd have a rock worth over $37,000.

Book was published with far too much "blind faith" in references. This should have been published by a person {or persons} more knowledgeable and committed, not a "dabbler". Asked a person acknowledged in the book to sign it and he refused as he feared it would give the impression that he was endorsing this amateurish publication. So instead, he crossed his name off.

This book was re-issued claiming corrections. So far, I've seen none. Desert is STILL spelled "dessert" in two places. Inaccuracies in segments were merely deleted. All of the other 400+ errors remain in the re-issue. Just looking to make a fast buck with zero regard for the dignity of the Franklin-Ogdensburg district. This remains a sub-par picture book. Save your money and use the internet instead to learn.