Rock and Gem

The photos and text are almost all you need to start out exploring the beautiful world of "Rocks" and rockhounding. Well written, documented scientifically, and gorgeous photos of almost every specimen of gems, rocks, and minerals God could imagine.

I wanted to know more about the stones and gems I work with in my business so I bought this book. Well I definitely will know more about my product when I'm finished and a lot more. The book begins with the creation of the World :) Maybe a little bit more than I originally wanted to know but fascinating none the less ;) I haven't finished it yet but it is definitely holding my interest and I am learning a great deal about the medium I work with. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about rocks and gems.

I've been looking for a reference to learn about gem stones after several trips to North Carolina mines. This is the best I've ever found for the lay man. Great pictures & history. I've learned more about what makes a stone precious from this guide than from anyone I've talked to. It also is useful if you plan to visit mines in other parts of the world.

What a beautiful book! This coffee table book on rocks and minerals is absolutely stunning. The book is divided into 4 sections: 1.Origins, focusing on the evolution of the Earth and the universe, and how and why minerals are formed. 2.Rocks, a species-by-species guide to the major sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. 3.Minerals, a species-by-species guide to the key minerals (silicates, oxides, sulfates, etc.). 4.Fossils, showing fossils of the major taxonomic groups. The strength of the book is sections 2 and 3. Almost every page has jaw-dropping photographs of high-quality museum specimens of rocks and minerals (principally from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History), interspersed with great stock photography. On a visual basis, this book leaves its competition in the dust. The accompanying text is interesting as well, particularly in its explanations of how various minerals (and their component elements) are used in modern society. The species-by-species descriptions are interrupted by sidebars on interesting topics (the Taj Mahal, the Hope Diamond, the Petrified Forest, etc.). To make this book an ideal stand-alone volume on rocks and minerals, some of the space devoted to individual rock, mineral, and fossil descriptions should have been allocated instead to more general topics. Instead of 100 pages on individual silicate minerals, for example, the book could have used more detailed information on rock collecting, mineral properties, and mineral extraction (mining). Still, this comes closer to being an all-in-one guide to rocks and minerals for the layperson than any other book I have come across. Be aware that you are buying a general information volume on rocks and minerals, not a rock collecting guide. The book's size and information content both work against using this book in the field. To make a comparison with astronomy, this book is more like a collection of photos from the Hubble Space Telescope than a star chart that will show you how to find the constellations. With that caveat in mind, this book is a source of wonder that you will find yourself returning to time and time again. It will make you aware of how much natural beauty there is in our world, for those who take the time to look.

While others may challenge this books correctness, overall it does a pretty good job of describing rocks and minerals. Both their creation and their application throughout the ages. A fun book to read and easy to enjoy.

Excellent book with beautiful, detailed pictures of an extensive collecton of rocks, gems, minerals and even fossils. I especially liked the articles depicting the various ways that mankind has utilized these items throughout history. An example being the exquisite pictures of a jade burial suit of an ancient Japanese princess. The book contains plenty of analytical detail for the serious geologist in a format that is appealing to the casual collector as well. Even if I didn't love the subject I would buy this book for the art and history it contains. I had admired this book and was delighted to find a copy in "new" condition for roughly half the price I would have paid at the shop where I first discovered it. Thanks you for this lovely addition to my personal library.