Rocky Mountain Natural History: Grand Teton to Jasper

by Daniel Mathews

From majestic conifers to mosses and lichens, from grizzly bears to salamanders, from cutthroat trout to pine beetles, this reference offers a new approach to the concept of a field guide. Not only... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1551538180
• ISBN13: 9781551538181
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Rocky Mountain Books Incorporated
• Length: 656 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

What an excellant and elegant book!

I found this book last fall and can't praise it enough. Mathews has found a way to give us a nature guide that emphasizes the interconnectedness of the varied ecosystems of the Rockies with clarity and depth. This is a guide that opens up the diverse worlds of fauna, flora, weather and geology. In addition, in one of the appendices there is a marvelous essay on "scientific latin" drawing out in plain english those tags and phrases that are so confusing when needing to consult texts written by technical researchers. Its an exceedingly well written volume. As the back cover blurb by David James Duncan says, "This book is exacting, funny, prophetic, sometimes dark, sometimes fantastic, and as rife with narrative pull as a fine novel."

Fascinating Treasure Trove

Mathews Cascade Olympic Natural History has been a delightful companion for years. It has so much more than "what kinda bird is that" and his new book has much more. When you take it along, and want to savour somewhere from Jasper to the Tetons, there is much to delight. Material the non-specialist can't find anywhere, such as the appendix on scientific names. I used to learn them to try to sound knowledgeable, but no more. Daniel's details on climate change force the reader to think for herself. The only other book like it is Ben Gadd's on the Canadian Rocky Mountains. They really complement one another.

More than a Nat. History book -- a true companion

You can find tomes about wildflowers or geology that may be more encyclopedic than Mathew's work, but for its sheer enjoyable style, comprehensiveness and breadth, there's nothing like Rocky Mountain Natural History (except maybe its companion Cascade-Olymic Natural History). This book reads the way the hiker or traveler thinks while exploring the wilds; where one's curiosity extends seamlessly from one inquiry to the next. Written in elegant yet efficient style, it's a page-turner. One comes away from a reading more knowledgeable and appreciative of the interconnectedness of the natural world.