The Encyclopedia of Shells

This book was for my son...we live by the beach and it is very informative and has beautiful pictures and easy to follow.

This is a great book. Just what I was looking for. I needed a field guide type book on seashells, since I'm a big collector. If you're like me, this is the book for you. Weather you're a beginning collector or serious. It is a good sized book, pretty large, thick book full of many pages of different types of seashells. Each specific seashell photograph is accompanied with detailed information on the size, distribution, depth, and how common or rare. I know it doesn't seem like one, but this is a great big field guide. Don't judge a book by its cover! I was surprised myself. I didn't think it was until I opened it. In the beginning, it also explains the scientific anatomy of the shells, and how they grow, the organs of the living animal, different classes of shells, etc. It also talks about the history of man's uses of shells in different cultures since early times and how the forms of shells are used in the inspirations of the arts. It is a wonderful book. It really is like a encyclopedia of shells. I just love it!!! Rehana(Chicago, IL.)

For shell collectors and enthusiasts, this is a great reference guide. The incredible variety of shapes and colors are beautifully displayed in this amazing book. I first saw this book on my local library shelves, and realized I had to add it to my own book collection. Actually, I was also surprised at how inexpensive it was. Many hours will be spent pouring over the photos and information that this book has to offer.

I purchased this book after finding a multitude of unusual shells on barrier islands after a hurricane. This is a beautiful book with brilliant color pictures of each shell. These is a quick reference guide that shows a variety of information including location, water depth, average size, scientific, and common names. Also the star system that identifies whether the shell is common/uncommon/rare. Each time we visit the beach/islands, my kids and I look forward to identifying our shell treasures. The kids get really excited when we find a two star shell (uncommon). Great as a coffee table book also, I often find my guests thumbing through it.

I've used many different shell guides to identify my finds, but this one has enough pictures to show which of the many species I may be looking for. Also, I like the detailed info and the star rating system for indicating rare/common/uncommon. For the amateur collector trying to sort out family, genus and species, this guide gives a clear picture of the information.