Customer Reviews
Great for Identifying Rocks and Minerals! - By: Donald Mitchell, 13 May 2004 
When I took Geologyin college, I loved the course. I only had one problem. It was very difficult for me to identify rocks & mineralsin the field. If I had had this pocket field guide, the course would have been a snap.
Now, I enjoy taking my children to study outcroppings, & this book will be a great addition to our investigations.
First, the photographs are stunning. In fact, any temptation I might have had to develop my own samples is set aside by having these wonderful images to use.
Second, the information is detailed & thorough. There is a lot about the crystalline structure of each mineral, the hardness, & many tests that are specific to that particular mineral. There is a very good section that describes how to apply the hardness tests (I always had trouble memorizing that area for some reason). There is plenty of good safety information for how to use the various acids that can be employed to identify minerals. Everything is nicely summarized so it is easy to find.
Third, all those subtle distinctions about various kinds of igneous, metamorphic, & sedimentary rocks that used to puzzle me are very clear here. Whew!
Fourth, the book has great directions for locating good spots to examine rocks.
Fifth, you also receive a wonderful description of the equipment you need, & ways to use it safely.
Whether you think you like rocks or not, you should give this book a try. It will open up a very interesting world full of ways to locate & identify interesting rocks & understand the stories they can tell. As a result, you will have immensely more understanding of the world around you.
I also suggest that you read up on plate mechanics as well, so that you understand more about how the landscape is formed before erosion takes over. The combined knowledge of these two areas will greatly add to your understanding & appreciation of evolution.
Getin touch with the physical world around you as foundation knowledge!
A Sound Investment - By: J. W. Berry, 24 Nov 2002 This is one of the most thorough & comprehensive books you can buy on the subject of rocks & minerals. It covers over 500 specimensin every detail including their composition, hardness, SG, cleavage & fracture & each description is accompaned by a faithful & sometimes beautiful photograph of the specimen. The example of blue Smithsonite which looks uncannily like a leaping Dolphin is particularly nice.
The whole book is well set out as you would expect from a Dorling Kindersley publication & it is suitable for beginners & experts alike as it is an extremely good reference book.
100% PERFECT - By: , 22 Nov 2002 This book could not be better. I am studying geology AS/A2 level at sixth form & was struggling to get to grips with alot of the rocks & minerals, i then bought this book from amazon, (great delivery) & it has helped me massively, for anyone doing geology at AS/A2 this book is a simple MUST HAVE. Buy this book now, you will regret it if you dont.
a very usefull book for students of every age! - By: D. L. Morfett, 12 Feb 2002 
I am a university student, studying geologyin detail for the first time,as part of a geography degree, so this book is very useful, with all the information i required. This would also be interesting for someone needing a less advanced knowledge, or just an general interest. Definately worth its money.
