The Nature of Arizona: An Introduction to Common Plants and Animals and Natural Attractions

by James Kavanagh (Editor)

Part of a Best-selling series of field guides which provides simplified introduction to the flora, fauna, and outstanding natural attractions in Arizona. This thumb-indexed guide features over 300 color illustrations of familiar mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.

170 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book to help me recognize the plants and animals I encountered as a trail guide in a wilderness therapy program located in the Sonoran Deserts of Arizona. I appreciated the general outline of the work (although the beginning lecture I recall was a bit heavy and somewhat unnecessary), and found it relatively easy to go from birds to animals to trees to flowers (helpfully organized by color). Useful tidbits of information did not dwell too deeply on all of the fascinating aspects of desert wildlife, but gave enough of a taste to help me distinguish one bird or one type of grass from the next. Since I was survival camping, I also appreciated the occasional comment referring to which plants were edible as compared to the ones that will make you drop dead.

Even the binding and general make-up of the book was useful. I took this on the trail with me a couple of times and worried about inclement weather and almost inescapable wear-and-tear of anything I bring with me in my pack, however, the pages are designed to easily wipe off moisture and dirt and holds together nicely as an actual field guide (not too thick, either...great for a day shoulder pack).

I also appreciated the climate charts and the overviews of how to appreciate natural surroundings of several different environments. I would later use this book to remind me of my travels and inspire poetry I wrote for my creative thesis. The illustrations took me back to the trail and helped me recall and recognize the vast, under-appreciated variety of life in a rather remote and difficult landscape. A beautiful find from the local books section of the Mesa Borders.

[Margot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best parts about this field guide were, unexpectedly, the sections before the field guide proper, particularly a really fantastic overview of evolution. The book describes the history of Earth from an empty planet, the birth of the protozoa, to the reign of humankind, and every step in between in a very succinct, nearly at-a-glance way, giving the reader a clear sense of how fishes became amphibians, became reptiles (think dinosaurs), became birds, became mammals, etc. There are also very useful at a glance pages on the various ages (Jurassic, Cretaceous, etc.) and what types of creatures and plants were dominant during each era. The Nature of Arizona also includes some very interesting descriptions and maps of the state's topography and sights.