Customer Reviews

Simon & Schuster's Guide to Shells (Nature Guide Series)

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This book is the right size to carry along with you. The pictures are excellent. That is the good stuff. The text is dense, complex and scientifically boring. The arrangement is unusual in that it classifies the shells by the type of surface on which they live. This is no help to someone who wants to identify a shell from a certain family as only one or two are illustrated. The book does not give any indication of abundance, value or availability. It does not contain a bibliography so there is no way to track down a book that deals with a family such as the tropical cones. I was less than pleased with this purchase

Simon and Schuster's Guide to Shells is beautifully photographed and the descriptions are top notch and helpful. The species of shellfish listed are admirable and quite a feast for the eyes, especially the "Mediterranean Chiton," which is an unusual rock dwelling shellfish with a 10 inch carapace. Quite amazing. The photographs and descriptions earned this guide a four star rating. Now for the organization details: The shells are organized into groups that explain which type of surface they reside on, which is not as helpful as organizing them in families, genus, or the shape of the shell. This may displease a diver using this guide as a very quick reference, as there is nothing quick about the ID system used here. However, for the person reading this book at a beach, at home, or by a campfire, the organization will not matter very much. This guide to shells is strictly recommended only for the easygoing collector.