Customer Reviews

Rock and Gem

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a beautiful book! This coffee table book on rocks and minerals is absolutely stunning.

The book is divided into 4 sections:
1.Origins, focusing on the evolution of the Earth and the universe, and how and why minerals are formed.
2.Rocks, a species-by-species guide to the major sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks.
3.Minerals, a species-by-species guide to the key minerals (silicates, oxides, sulfates, etc.).
4.Fossils, showing fossils of the major taxonomic groups.

The strength of the book is sections 2 and 3. Almost every page has jaw-dropping photographs of high-quality museum specimens of rocks and minerals (principally from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History), interspersed with great stock photography. On a visual basis, this book leaves its competition in the dust. The accompanying text is interesting as well, particularly in its explanations of how various minerals (and their component elements) are used in modern society. The species-by-species descriptions are interrupted by sidebars on interesting topics (the Taj Mahal, the Hope Diamond, the Petrified Forest, etc.).

To make this book an ideal stand-alone volume on rocks and minerals, some of the space devoted to individual rock, mineral, and fossil descriptions should have been allocated instead to more general topics. Instead of 100 pages on individual silicate minerals, for example, the book could have used more detailed information on rock collecting, mineral properties, and mineral extraction (mining). Still, this comes closer to being an all-in-one guide to rocks and minerals for the layperson than any other book I have come across.

Be aware that you are buying a general information volume on rocks and minerals, not a rock collecting guide. The book's size and information content both work against using this book in the field. To make a comparison with astronomy, this book is more like a collection of photos from the Hubble Space Telescope than a star chart that will show you how to find the constellations.

With that caveat in mind, this book is a source of wonder that you will find yourself returning to time and time again. It will make you aware of how much natural beauty there is in our world, for those who take the time to look.

A lot of effort went into the preparation and production of this book BUT it was not properly vetted by someone who really knows the subject. As a result it contains an astouding number of factual problems, I estimate about one per every other page. These include downright errors as well as misstatements of fact. There are also a number of general flaws, such as the fact that most of the mineral specimen photos do not carry locality information, call-outs (used extensively) often go to the wrong feature or something that is not seeable in the photo, the colors of the minerals are frequently way off, and more. The publishers acknowledge this criticism and I understand that they have engaged an "expert" to fix these problems so that the next printing will contain fewer errors.

I have written a formal review of this book which will appear in a future issue of the journal Lapiday Journal.

Excellent book with beautiful, detailed pictures of an extensive collecton of rocks, gems, minerals and even fossils. I especially liked the articles depicting the various ways that mankind has utilized these items throughout history. An example being the exquisite pictures of a jade burial suit of an ancient Japanese princess. The book contains plenty of analytical detail for the serious geologist in a format that is appealing to the casual collector as well. Even if I didn't love the subject I would buy this book for the art and history it contains. I had admired this book and was delighted to find a copy in "new" condition for roughly half the price I would have paid at the shop where I first discovered it. Thanks you for this lovely addition to my personal library.

This really is an exceptionally beautiful coffee table book. I didn't really have as much use for the photos and descriptions of commercial and artistic uses of the gems as some of the other reviewers, but did appreciate its excellent overview of the basics of mineral collecting. I'm fairly new to the hobby. I have a general idea of different forms of identification, but because this book goes over the basic groundwork so thouroughly, I was able to close up some of the gaps in my knowledge. Because the photographic reproductions are of such excellent quality, I was able to get a really good idea of what was meant by a velvety luster or a conchoidal fracture, etc. I am not qualified to comment on the factual errors in the book. If they really are that egregious, I'm in trouble, because I'm inclined to use this book as a reference. Being naturally cheap I wasn't sure that the book was really worth the list price of $40, but I do think it's worth the $26.40 that Amazon is (currently) asking for.

I've been looking for a reference to learn about gem stones after several trips to North Carolina mines. This is the best I've ever found for the lay man. Great pictures & history. I've learned more about what makes a stone precious from this guide than from anyone I've talked to. It also is useful if you plan to visit mines in other parts of the world.

While others may challenge this books correctness, overall it does a pretty good job of describing rocks and minerals. Both their creation and their application throughout the ages. A fun book to read and easy to enjoy.

I have every book out there concerning rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, etc., and this is hands down my favorite one that I have come across so far; it is my "go-to" book! I have been rockhounding and into mineralogy for a long time, and am now working towards becoming a geologist/archaeologist. So, trust me when I say you can't go wrong with this book!

Good: maximum information, well-organized, well-written (easy to read and concise), great pictures

Bad: not for mobile use (paperback version would be better/lighter)

I am a rock/gem/mineral/metal enthusiast, and this is the best reference book I have found. I may get the paperback version because the hardcover version is too heavy to take with me to museums.

Not only does this book have full color pictures and GREAT information, it goes into detail about every single rock and mineral, many of which I have never heard of. I have been checking this book out from my school library for a long time and actually tried to buy it from my school library. Now I have one of my own! I am a scientist and I love to read books like this in leisure! I gather lots of information in it to write my many articles! If you are to get any book on rocks or minerals, I highly recommend this one!

Wonderful, beautiful book for anyone riveted by the topic. Bought used but condition like new. Long wait for delivery but during December, Santa Claus is busy.