The Sagebrush Ocean: A Natural History of the Great Basin

If you were to only have one book on the Great Basin - this should be it. It covers the flora & fauna of this least know section of the lower 48 in a comprehesive, yet not belabored fashion. Plenty of salient details with a minimum - though adequate - smattering of scientific jargon. Even though I have worked for a public land management agency in the "Basin" for over 2 decades, I learned much and enhanced my understanding of things I did know. The photography by Trimble captures the inescapable beauty of the area that is unknown to the typical drive-through-as-fast-as-you-can tourist. There is no finer book - verbiage or photographic - on this largely unpopulated jewell of complex arid ecosystems.

Finally, a book that captures the unique beauty and solitude of the Great Basin. This is the ultimate book for any naturalist who wants to know more about this large and little visited corner of the world.

This book was GREAT! Between the pictures and maps I found an author who shows a great deal of expression, passion and dedication to his work. Using common names for plants and animals except when specific subspecies are mentioned made the book much more readable for a layperson such as myself.My next trip to the Great Basin in Oregon will be more fulfilling and educational as much of my ignorance about this special area has been dispelled.To date this is the best money I have spent on a book about the Great Basin.(Originally wrote this in 1999 and feel even stronger about this book in 2004!)

If I were to recommend a single "must have" book about the Great Basin Desert, this would be the one! It is the single best one-volume introduction to the natural history of the Great Basin that I know of, and is well illustrated with his own photography. He was writing on behalf of the Desert Research Institute, and spent six years on this particular project. Stephan Trimble exemplifies the best traditions in writing about Natural History. He combines the scientific reason and clarity of a Voltaire, with the poetic sensitivity of Rousseau. My copy is so bedraggled from being packed all over the Basin, I've got to get a new one soon!

This book is a must-read for anyone who loves the smell of Sagebrush after a rain and the austere wildness of the Great Basin. It is apparent that Stephen Trimble loves this land and makes it clear that the country between the Wasatch and the Sierra is brimming with life. Trimble evokes the Great Basin like no other. If you respect writers like Edward Abbey, 'The Sagebrush Ocean' is a great factual resource to back up any conservationist leaning.