Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur [Hardcover]

Bruce Berger (Author), Miguel Angel de la Cueva (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2006

Gorgeous full-color photography by award-winning photographer Miguel Ángel de la Cueva, and evocative text by Bruce Berger (Almost an Island, There Was a River), bring the southern half of Baja California to life. Beginning with its unique geology, and moving on to the coastal, desert, and mountain ecosystems of Mexico's little-known peninsula, this lushly decorated coffee-table book highlights the geology that created this "oasis of stone" and the flora and fauna that are make their homes here.

Ending with a short photo-essay on "The Newcomers" (mankind) from cave painters to the enduring rancheros, the book packs a pro-environmental punch by following the many pages of glorious natural beauty with some succinct words and images of what man's enduring legacy might be, should we continue unchecked.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...an extraordinary collaboration...breathtaking photography visually delicious glossy full-page color photographs of the true beauty of Baja. -- Gringo Gazette, Feb 8, 2007 Gringo Gazette

...beautiful images here spotlight the geology, flora and fauna ... a good job showing the richness of the region. -- San Francisco Chronicle, February 15, 2007

This book is a magnificent example of cooperation... bringing images and text together like words and music... -- Discover Baja newsletter, February 2007

...Gorgeous...not just another coffee table book...a deeply thoughtful and powerful work by two artists who know Baja intimately. -- madamemayo.blogspot.com January 2007

...descriptions of Baja's unique geology, flora and fauna, and how they are intertwined, accompanied by de la Cueva's stunning photography. -- Aspen Times, June 5, 2007

Berger always keeps things interesting. The essay reminded me of some of John McPhee's best work...Exceptional images... -- Practical Environmentalist, May 2007

Bruce Berger is one of our favorite writers and his latest book about Baja California is one of his best. Superb photos! -- Paneta.com, April 15, 2007

This beautiful, coffee table quality book of fascinating photos will be the center of focus in your home (or palapa)! -- David Kier, Baja Nomad

sensitive and carefully designed ... brings the region to life ...photographs are unique in their raw power to define the essence...Get a copy -- Espresso's Coffeehouse Review, January, 2007

the text and images perfectly complement each other, serving to transport you to this strange world. -- Flor y Canto, May 2007

From the Publisher

"Oasis of Stone" recently won a national book award at BookExpo America (BEA) in New York City, adding another title to its award-winning roster of Baja California books.

The winners of the ForeWord Magazine 2006 Book of the Year Awards were announced at a ceremony Friday, during BEA in NYC. Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur, with photographs by Miguel Angel de la Cueva and text by Bruce Berger (co-published by Sunbelt and Planeta Peninsular), took the Silver medal in the Nature Category.

Book of the Year Award-winning books are selected by a panel of judges composed of librarians and booksellers. The winners, narrowed from nearly 1,400 entries, represent the finest work from today's vibrant independent publishing community. Each entry was judged on criteria including originality, writing and production quality, and patron/customer interest in the subject matter. "It was a great experience, and I know our patrons will benefit from these titles," said Mary Cooper, a librarian and one of this year's judges.

The critically acclaimed pictorial book also won an award for the author of its text. The 2007 Colorado Authors' League (CAL) award for Bruce Berger, in the "Specialty Writing" category.

Of course, the CAL judge mentioned the photos, which are beyond magnificent; but she also addressed the text. "The writing sparked my interest immediately -- from the jacket flap I knew precisely what kind of book this was -- a more serious exploration of the baja beyond what the cruise ships see. The writing sings -- the best way to know the desert remains what it has always been -- to walk. What a grabber -- I could picture doing it. Those kind of zingers go through all the rest of the text. I loved the image of the plants in the open and the animals in shadow.

And the environmental impact of people -- just enough to remind us that if we're not careful we won't have this magnificence forever. Great job."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 202 pages
• Publisher: Sunbelt Pubns; 1 edition (December 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916251764
• ISBN-13: 978-0916251765
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 11.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #529,253 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential acquisition by California libraries, March 6, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur (Hardcover)

Enhanced with 160 superbly presented full color photographs by acclaimed photographer Miguel Angel de la Cueva which accompany an informative, almost lyrical text by Bruce Berger, "Oasis Of Stone: Visions Of Baja California Sur" presents a beautifully showcased survey of southern Baja California complete with its unique geology, as well as its coastal, desert and mountain ecosystems. Of special note is the succinct photo-essay on 'The Newcomers" providing a perspective on the contributions and impacts of humans that range on the positive side from cave painters to rancheros, the negative as illustrated by rivers poisoned by pollution and junked car heaps. An essential acquisition by California libraries, "Oasis Of Stone" will also have dramatic appeal for non-specialist general readers with an interest in nature and the environment, as well as armchair travelers seeking to explore the wonders and beauty of the relatively unknown and heretofore underappreciated Baja peninsula

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic in the desert, October 8, 2007

By 

Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur (Hardcover)

This oversized table top book is simply amazing. The photographs are otherworldly yet these are the visions of Baja Califonia where desert stone meets the sand and shore. Photographer Miguel Angel de La Cueva presents pictures of Baja California that are mind blowing land and sea visons that look unreal. The photogrpahs reveal glimpses of habitats and micro-habitats that look as though they are from some alien planet. The views from above ,revealing the terrain as it meets the sea looks like molecular observations, it is as though you were looking at blood running through veins in a body;in many ways it is one and the same. The photographs of the various cacti are magnificent, the sun illuminating the spines, making the cacti look like angels with halos or at times their thorny presentation looking like a medussa of devil horns highlighted by the sun. The shots taken at night are superb revealing the austerity and serenity of the desert. The colorful flowering plants of the desert are a sight to behold whether you are a Baja traveler or an arm chair adventurer. The Sierra de La Laguna exhibits some of the most colorful depictions of the desert that defy our sterotypical thoughts regading what a desert looks like. Nature is presented in all it's beauty. Seeing a tree growing like the wild fig, on the side of a cliff, with it's roots extending the length of city blocks is a sight that goes against our normal perceptions of tree growth; the natural beauty of the landscape is impressive. The section on the creatures of the desert is interesting but the photographs of the land and sea far exceeeds those about the animals that hunt and survive. The text is lyrical and expressive of the beauty of the desert that is Baja California. This book is recommended for all Baja enthusiasts, community libraries or high schools. Unfortunately there were only 5,000 copies printed in the first printing so get yours now while you still can.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Natural history books can be fun to read!, February 14, 2007

By 

Jennifer S. Redmond "editor553" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Oasis of Stone: Visions of Baja California Sur (Hardcover)

For those who doubt it--check out "Oasis of Stone"...Every glossy page fairly bursts with color and the photos have that amazing depth that only very talented photographers can capture; where it looks as if you could step right inside and walk across a sun-washed valley or into the warm turquoise waters of the Sea. The text as well is both beautiful and deep--one of my favorite non-fiction writers, Bruce Berger, who dazzled all Baja book lovers with "Almost An Island" does it again, taking us deeper into the natural world of this unique peninsula and its inhabitants.