The Sagebrush Ocean, Tenth Anniversary Edition: A Natural History Of The Great Basin (Max C. Fleischmann Series in Great Basin Natural History.)

Stephen Trimble's classic book combines excellent photography with scientifically accurate and thought-provoking commentary on the vegetation, wildlife, and people of the Great Basin. Trimble is able to both honor and sweep aside the austere appearance of the region to reveal the Great Basin's intricate natural history, tough yet fragile. I recommend this book for a variety of audiences, from the armchair naturalist to the dedicated explorer of "America's Empty Quarter". This book will help all readers to discover that is maybe not so empty after all- and worthy of good land stewardship and conservation of landscape and human cultures alike.

I bought this book for my dad as a Christmas gift, and he LOVES it!! The book is in excellent condition. :)

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 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.