Amber (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

Andrew Ross discusses the decorative uses of the burnt-orange translucent resin and gives handy instructions on the (surprisingly simple) methods of telling the genuine article from the fake; he goes on to expound on amber's scientific value, showing how it can provide a superb record of species and habitats that vanished millions of years ago. (New Yorker )

Among the most unusual substances on Earth, amber combines alluring physical properties with an unparalleled archive of ancient life on our planet. No other substance brings together such richness in art and science. Ross's book fills a niche left vacant by other recent books on the subject. Where other authors have concentrated on the history of amber's use for decorative objects and adornment, Ross's book has more practical value for amateur naturalists. How do you tell fakes? How do you identify inclusions? This book should appeal to hobbyists, museum-goers, and anyone with a serious interest in amber.
--David A. Grimaldi, American Museum of Natural History

Amber is a fascinating substance that has been captured in beads, necklaces and carvings for centuries...[This book] is a substantial reference for collectors and dealers seeking to identify true amber and its inclusions. (Antique Trader )

Product Description

Amber has captured the human imagination for centuries, as amulets, ritual cups, and beads dating back 10,000 years attest. It is a fascinating substance, one that offers a unique intersection of the fields of paleontology, botany, entomology, and mineralogy. The fossilized resin of ancient trees, amber preserves organic material-most commonly insects and other invertebrates-and with it the shape and surface detail that are usually obliterated or hopelessly distorted during the mineralization we associate with fossils. To look at an ant or a bee caught in amber is to look not at an organism that has been turned to stone, but at the actual remains of an insect that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, remains that retain an uncanny semblance of life. Amber also offers clues to the evolution of certain behaviors, capturing such interactions as parasitism-a fruit fly with a parasitic mite still attached to it-or mutualism-a bubble of gas indicating the presence of beneficial bacteria in the gut of a termite. Unique to this book are identification keys to the most common insect inclusions as well as practical advice on how to identify all-too-common fakes. Amber will bring the study of this and its inclusions within reach of anyone with access to amber and a good magnifying glass.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674017293
• ISBN-13: 978-0674017290
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 7.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #698,435 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concise information, beautiful illustrations, May 19, 1999

By	[e-mail] (University of Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

I am developing a natural history museum exhibit on amber and I found this book to be the most helpful source of information. This relatively small book abounds with photographs that make the various inclusions found within ambers easy to identify. The concise information is up to date and well suited for those readers without a science background, as well as those with a Ph.D. Compared to the various recent magazine articles and technical journals and books I've read, using this book has been the most efficient use of my time. It also includes a list of further readings and a couple of web sites (one of which has already provided me with important advice for how to protect amber from degrading). I strongly recommend this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Beginner Book!, April 5, 2005

By	J. Johnson "Mojave Mystic" (Everywhere I want to be) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are already a die hard fan of fossil amber, then skip this book. However, if you are new to the hobby of collecting amber then by all means get this book. This was the first book I ever purchased on the subject of fossil amber and I have never been disappointed. It has great photography and easy to read, informative text. It mentions Colombian copal, Baltic, Chiapas, Lebanese, Dominican and more. It mentions the different types of fake amber, altered amber, and fake inclusions. This book deals with much on the subject, just not in great depth. It has a place on my bookshelf and will always be a permanent part of my reading material concerning the subject of fossil amber. This would be great for junior high science class reading material too. Great for the young and old who are interested in an easy read concering fossil amber!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A book for Amber Inclusion Fans, January 16, 2002

By	K. Maxwell "katmax1" (Perth, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This is only a small book of 73 pages. It gives you a concise and well written account of how amber was formed and where in the world it is found. The Baltic area is one of the more prolific locations, but it is also found in places like Dominica and Burma. It also provides information on fakes and how to test amber, with practical instructions on how to do so.

The book is full of beautiful, clear photographs. However the emphasis is heavily on amber inclusions such as insect and plant life. If you have amber and you want to identify the insect/plant in it, then this is the book you want. It's overall content has obviously been heavily influenced by the movie "Jurassic Park".

However, despite these good points it does have some significant weakness'. It gives little information on the colour ranges available in amber. Some sort of colour chart would have been useful. It also does not supply information on the care and storage of amber.

In short, this book is a great introduction to amber and it's inclusions, but does not extend beyond that into amber artwork or some practical areas of amber ownership/maintance.