Tropical Rain Forest

Book Description

Bats and big cats. Armies of ants. Squawking parrots. Strangling figs. From the ground up to the tree tops, the tropical rainforest teems with life. Stunning drawings, step-by-step experiments, fun-to-do activities, and fascinating facts abound in this magical exploration of an essential ecosystem, in danger of disappearing forever. Tropical Rain Forest is a new edition to the One Samll Square Series not previously published in hardcover.

Customer Reviews:

Great, whether you get to the rain forest or not.......2002-03-14

The One Small Square series is wonderful: the concept is that you take a hypothetical square foot of an environment- woods, seashore, arctic tundra, rainforest, etc.- and explore it at all levels, from underground to the sky. Each book is extensively illustrated with all of the inter-connected layers of life- from fungus to megafauna- in the Square. On the margin of most of the 2-page spreads are activities that you can do, no matter where you live. Food chains, life cycles & seasons are explored, and the back section has an identification guide to all of the life forms presented in the book.

Book Description

Celebrate the colors of children and the colors of love--not black or white or yellow or red, but roaring brown, whispering gold, tinkling pink, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Creating Community.......2007-04-10

This title is a must for educators of young children. The illustrations are beautiful and the language is understandable even for the youngest of school children. Reading and discussing this book with a classroom will help children discover that differences are what make us special and differences are a reason for celebration. Love builds the bridges that create community within any and all societies.

This is a beautiful book........2007-03-14

I was fortunate enough to receive this as a prize in a local contest for my kids; they love it! The text, the images, and the meaning are all wonderful. It promotes tolerance without the heavy-handed approach that some books take by simply presenting the reality that children are all different, and yet are bound by love and youthful innocence, and that *that* is a beautiful thing. I highly recommend this book.

Beautiful. Simple. Stunning. .......2007-02-09

Buy this book if you love all people.

~Shauna Schoenborn

Heirloom quality book!.......2007-01-15

Recently a close friend with mixed race toddlers appealed to me for advice on how to respond to her children's questions about color and difference. She lives in 'monocultural' rural Spain and thought that based upon my own experiences I could share some insight. We chatted for a bit, and then after we hung up I started to search through the old forgotten children's books belonging to my (now teenage) sons for appropriate ones to send her. My boys were happy to part with the picture and early years storybooks I'd found until,that is, I showed them this book 'All the Colors of the Earth'. Individually they both said a categorical "No way!" to the idea of parting with it, and I was both shocked at the level of affection they held for this gorgeous but seemingly discarded book, and secretly proud that in their new worlds of computer games and Manga and loud music that they still harbored a secret place of childhood memories where this fabulous book holds such a special place. My eldest surprised me further by speaking of wanting to share it with his own children in the future-imagine! So I had to buy my friend her own copy and have it shipped to us in the UK, so that we could give it as a present when they came to visit us. The moist-eyed smiles and gasps of delight that both she and her partner gave while flicking through the pages said it all. Looks like yet another family has an heirloom for future generations.

All the Colors of the Earth.......2006-08-28

This book relays the differences of people in a simplistic way with beautiful artwork. When teaching, this book can be used with different age groups. It can be used as a story-starter for writing with students.

Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color

Average customer rating:

A bright subject
bright earth review
A literary, absorbing work
Historical review about color pigments
interesting science, poor art history

Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color
Philip Ball
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Using Color | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0226036286

Amazon.com

The making of a painting relies on inspiration, craft, practice, and vision. But, observes the noted science writer Philip Ball, it also hinges on science: "For as long as painters have fashioned their visions and dreams into images, they have relied on technical knowledge and skill to supply their materials."

In this lively study, Ball examines some of the tools and materials that chemists have added to the palette over the centuries. He also takes his readers on a learned tour of what science has taught us about vision, the nature of light, and the physical and cultural factors that condition our perceptions of color (the ancient Romans, he notes, had no term for brown or gray, but that does not mean they didn't use earth pigments in their work). Whether writing of matters scientific or artistic, Ball is a technologist but not a determinist. In the end, he writes, art depends not on science but on artists, and "each artist makes his or her own contract with the colors of the time."

Readers with an interest in science, art, and the crossroads where they meet will relish Ball's erudite travels across the spectrum of light. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

From Egyptian wall paintings to the Venetian Renaissance, impressionism to digital images, Philip Ball tells the fascinating story of how art, chemistry, and technology have interacted throughout the ages to render the gorgeous hues we admire on our walls and in our museums.

Finalist for the 2002 National Book Critics Circle Award.

Customer Reviews:

A bright subject.......2007-03-29

Bright Earth gives a detailed history of the development of colour as used in art (painting primarily). It is well written and easy to read but perhaps tends a little towards being a pedantic. Nevertheless it is very helpful in understanding colour and its use in art through the ages.

bright earth review.......2007-01-16

excellent service book is very deep and scientific, but i waded through it.

A literary, absorbing work.......2002-10-07

In Bright Earth, science writer Philip Ball presents a fine guide that examines the practical side of art throughout history. From its gains from technological advancements to cultural influences on art directions, Bright Earth surveys how color is invented, reinvented, and presented. A literary, absorbing work.

Historical review about color pigments.......2002-08-23

If you have a deep interest in color and how pigments and materials have been developed or discovered this is a book to read. There are only a few illustrations and lots of text, it is not a light book to read cover to cover. It is not a handbook and not a book of facts, its more like a history book.

I value the effort put in the book, but it wasn't exactly what I expected and I won't read it twice.

interesting science, poor art history.......2002-05-09

If you are a painter, or other artist interested in science you should get this book. This is the only book I have seen that focuses on the history of pigment, especially in relation to painting. And the book starts with a useful overview of the physics and physiology of color, though there are many other books that go into more detail on that subject.

Why isn't this book worth 5 stars? The art historical sections that situate the artists are shallow, trite, and full of clichés. I get the sense that the author researched the artists for this book, and regurgitated some of these notes. Great art history requires the meditation of a lifetime.

Book Description

Sediments and sedimentary rocks cover 70% of the Earth's surface, and make up a significant portion of the geological record. Understanding the processes (physical, chemical and biological) that lead to formation of sedimentary material is key in disciplines ranging from geology to environmental science to archaeology. But before interpretation must come observation and identification: Stow's Field Guide is a must-have for this distinctly visual process

Professor Stow has culled his extensive research experience into a succinct guide designed for students and professionals in geophysics, geochemistry, paleontology, soil sciences, environmental sciences and more. Sections on field techniques and reader-friendly descriptions also make this guide accessible to amateur geologists.

* More than 400 color photographs and diagrams
* Extensive cross-referencing for ease of use in the field
* Examples from more than 30 countries
* Focus on economic applications

Customer Reviews:

very useful.......2007-01-11

Very practical. A essential tool for field trips for students of geology and postgraduate or enthusiasts of sedimentology

Superb introduction to sedimentary rocks and structures........2006-09-08

This book is one of the best introductions to sedimentary rocks and their structures that I have come across in 25 years.
It begins with a section on the structures found in sedimentary rocks. The diagrams are clear, concise, and very well explained. The photographs that go with them are among the best I've seen for demonstrating sedimentary structures. They are almost professional in their quality, and the features you are meant to see are actually visible in the photos (no 'eye of faith' required, unlike some other textbooks).
The rest of the book is divided into chapters dealing with each group of sedimentary rocks in turn. Ironstones, conglomerates, evaporites, limestones: you name it, it's in there. Again, the diagrams and photographs are faultless.
Finally, the book finishes with a section on how to interpret sedimentary structures in the field.
If only this book had been available when I was an undergraduate! I would thoroughly recommend this book to any undergraduate (or even post-graduate) geology student as the first thing to pack in their bag before setting off on field work.
As a final thought for geology students, the University of Southampton (where Dr. Stow works) has a superb website on the geology of the south coast of England. If you like the book, you'll love the website.

The Nature of Light and Colour in the Open Air (Dover Books on Earth Sciences)

Average customer rating:

Captivating, thought provoking read.
old but important
Still up to date fascinating book
Very readable description of optical effects seen outdoors.
scientific optical classic in an economy edition

The Nature of Light and Colour in the Open Air (Dover Books on Earth Sciences)
M. Minnaert
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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Optics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0486201961

Book Description

A highly engaging study of mirages, illusions of multiple moons, the fata morgana, colored shadows and scores of other phenomena in a book praised by Science and Math Weekly as "a great depository of projects, science fair ventures, experiments, and always pure pleasure." 202 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Captivating, thought provoking read........2007-07-27

I couldn't put this book down!
As he explains the many fascinating sky and optical phenomena, Minnaert basically forces the reader to figure out for themselves as they read along with his explanations. It's very rare for a science book to pull together the big picture without losing sight of the underlying physics. This book wonderfully shows the workings of a scientist's mind, and the author's enthusiasm and creativity is infectious. Astronomers, artists and anyone with a passion for the beauty of the outdoors will love this book.

old but important.......2006-11-10

I met this book while studying the work of the artist James Turrell; Turrell mentioned it because of his huge importance on the facts concerning the psychology of vision.
Maybe some theories appear now old, but it remains a fundamental text for understanding how we look at the world (and at the sky!), and - quoting Mr. Turrell - for beginning to "see ourselves see". For example, you will now understand why the moon seems somethimes very big or very small.
I higly recommend also Craig Adcock's book about James Turrell, because it gives many other scientifical (not to speak about artistical!) inputs about the matter.

Still up to date fascinating book.......1999-03-12

Explains many of the phenomena occuring in nature regarding both light and colour. Encourages active exploration by yourself. Good reference work but sometimes long.

Very readable description of optical effects seen outdoors........1997-12-03

Hundreds of optical phenomena visible to the naked eye are described in this classic text, ranging from colors in rainbows, halos, "sun-dogs" and other effects from water droplets and ice crystals in the atmosphere, to the iridescent colors of an oil spill and the visual effects of wet branches in front of street lamps. Explanations are aimed at the layman. Many line drawings and some b+w photographs accompany the sometimes wonderfully old-fashioned text. If you have ever wondered what some of the puzzling optical effects are that you see outdoors, then this book is for you.

scientific optical classic in an economy edition.......1997-06-27

It is impossible to truly review this book. Well over its 40 years old, it has become a classic. It attempts to explain, with little math but excellent science, everything we see from the appearance of the horizon, to the rainbow, to the light shining of telephone cables. This edition is old fashioned in appearance, there are no fancy full color spreads. It is a well written book, clearly organized that shows a grasp of the subject and a deep affection for it

The Magic School Bus Makes A Rainbow: A Book About Color (Magic School Bus) (TV Tie-In)

Average customer rating:

great book
The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow
A Review of the MSB's "Makes a Rainbow"
Fun Book
Skip this one

The Magic School Bus Makes A Rainbow: A Book About Color (Magic School Bus) (TV Tie-In)
Joanna Cole
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Fiction | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0590922513

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-05-13

My daughter loves the Magic School Bus, so this was a great book to add to her collection. Great learning books with fun facts.

The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow.......2005-08-15

My granddaughter loves this book also, she loves talking and reading about rainbows and stars

A Review of the MSB's "Makes a Rainbow".......2005-07-16

Ms. Frizzle does it again! With her remarkable bus, silly wardrobe, and bag of tricks, she teaches the gang alot about light. This time she teaches using an amazing laser-powered pinball machine.

The kids can't wait to play -it is pinball afterall-but the problem is that Mr. Rule (the principal) is about to take the game away if they can't `win' a game. To win, the students must light up all six `colored eyes' at the back of the game. This requires that they split the incoming laser light and bounce the various frequencies/light colors around.

The children win, of course, but not before they learn about wavelength, prisms, and reflection and refraction.

Four Stars. These books are very educational, but they are not the easiest read-alouds. (I read them to my 3 and 5 year-olds anyway.) In this case, the topic is rather complex AND I would suggest that you use this book as a supplement to the Video.

**See the `Search Inside' Excerpt page for an example of reading level. Certainly young children will not be able to read them.

Fun Book.......2005-03-27

My children enjoy the MSB books that are based on the TV show more than the original ones. Since MSB doesn't come on very often when we can watch it, we love to read the books.

This is an excellent book about colors. The kids also learn a little about light. I highly reccommend it.

Skip this one.......2005-03-24

I love the magic school bus series and find most of them superb. This one, however, is tedious, repetitive and confusing. Not worth a look.

Average customer rating:

Best left unexamined?...think again
A Change-Your-Life Classic
Eye Pleasure
Great, great, great. Lives up to its promise.

Light and Color in the Outdoors
Marcel Minnaert
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0387944133

Book Description

All of science springs from the observation of nature. In this classic book, the late Marcel Minnaert accompanies the reader on a tour of nature's light and color and reveals the myriad phenomena that may be observed outdoors with no more than a pair of sharp eyes and an enquiring mind. From the intriguing shape of the dapples beneath a tree on a sunny day, to rainbows, mirages, and haloes, to the colors of liquid, ice, and the sky, to the appearance of the sun, moon, planets, and stars - Minnaert describes and explains them all in clear language accessible to the layman. This volume includes 80 new photographs, over half in color, illustrating many of the phenomena - ordinary and exotic - discussed in the book. Most of the new photos are by Pekka Parviainen, the renowned Finnish nature photographer.

Customer Reviews:

Best left unexamined?...think again.......2006-08-05

Prior to reading this book, communicating a love of and appreciation for the outdoor experience of natural phenomena was often frustrating. This book has provided me with a new lexicon that helps me bridge the gap between intuition and the elementary physics of the first-hand viewing perspective. At times there are sections that are a bit of a slog (e.g. the revelation of the nuances of viewing a scene through pane vs. plate glass) but that criticism is more than balanced by many excellent observations and curious examinations of the changing relationships between the observer and the scene viewed. After reading this book, I have embarked on reviewing many of the photos that I have taken in my travels. I have been astonished by the number details that had escaped me (and for which I had zero appreciation) prior to reading Minnaert's book. One of the techniques I have used extensively is viewing inverted digital photographs of panoramic scenes reflected in water using image editing software. The fact that the reflected scene is viewed from the perspective of an underwater observer (buy the book for a full explanation) is a relevation that provided me with some good natured fun at the expense of disorienting a friend when I inverted a photograph of lake scene from a hiking (or SCUBA diving?) trip to Alaska.

A Change-Your-Life Classic.......2000-08-27

This deeply perceptive book changes our own perceptions of all kinds of light and color events in the outdoors. You will never see the same way again outdoors. Some examples involve elementary optics (which explain the visual phenomena) but nearly all the 278 short chapters can be appreciated by the visually alert reader. My favorite examples include dappled light, rainbows (there are always two), and differences between relected and transmitted light in seeing leaves and grass. The Dover edition is fine; the Springer-Verlag edition is better with its excellent color photographs.

Eye Pleasure.......2000-01-06

One of the most phenomenal books I've ever seen. This book describes and explains in very easily read prose, the complex visual phenomena of the natural world. It is almost a meditation on the natural world outdoors. I read it often not just as a reference. Be sure to read the introduction to the work. An excellent buy--I have purchased five copies over the years as gifts.

Great, great, great. Lives up to its promise........1996-09-27

Had the Dover edition (still available) for years, it's wonderful. Saw the updatedhardbound edition and shelled out fifty bucks on the spot, it's even better.If you have any interest in shadows, rainbows, halos, mirages, etc. you will find this book enormously satisfying. I've never seen such a wealth of phenomena so well observed, analyzed, and described. You will see more and notice more after you read this book. What is it? It's not quite optics, not quite natural history, not quite psychophysics or perceptual psychology. Unique. Reading Jack London and wonder what sun-dogs are? Reach for this book. Reading Hersey's "The War Lover" and wonder about the glory around airplane shadows? Reach for this book.

Why the Sky Is Blue: Discovering the Color of Life

Average customer rating:

An adult's answer to a child's question

Why the Sky Is Blue: Discovering the Color of Life
Gotz Hoeppe
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Geophysics | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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Optics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Weather | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0691124531

Book Description

Why is the sky blue?

Parents don't know what to say when their children ask.

Why the Sky Is Blue answers this ancient and surprisingly complex question in a more entertaining and accessible way than ever before. Götz Hoeppe takes the reader on a historical and scientific journey to show the various ways people in different times and places have explained why the sky looks blue. The richly illustrated story begins with ancient myths and philosophy and ends with the cutting-edge science of optics, statistical physics, and ozone depletion. Most importantly, it is the story of how scientists discovered that the sky's blue depends on life on Earth and the makeup of our planet's ozone layer. Without microbial life's impact on the composition of the atmosphere, the clear daytime sky would probably lack its distinctive color. And without the ozone, the twilight sky's color would also be very different--not the sapphire tone of l'heure bleue, but rather a yellowish or greenish hue.

Why the Sky Is Blue shows that skylight can be viewed from a surprising variety of vantage points. We learn how our physiology and cognitive capacities govern our perception of the sky's color. And we discover why this everyday experience has been such a source of fascination and controversy over the centuries.

Delightful and intriguing, Why the Sky Is Blue shows how the attempt to answer this age-old and deceptively simple question only enhances the magic of the blue sky we see above us.

Customer Reviews:

An adult's answer to a child's question.......2007-07-16

This book could as easily have been titled "Is the Sky Blue?" And the answer to that is yes and no.
Gotz Hoeppe, a German science journalist, points out that the sky near the horizon, if clear, is whitish not blue.
So when a child asks her father, "Daddy, why is the sky blue?" one answer could be: Take a closer look.
A longer, yet still incomplete, answer would be: Light from the sun hits viruses and molecules of gas in the atmosphere and is reflected as blue light. The sky itself -- mostly nitrogen and oxygen -- is colorless.
Figuring this out took a long time. The Greeks about 2,500 years ago were the first to become dissatisfied with mythical answers, but although they put a lot of effort into proposing reasons, they did not know how to test them.
Hoeppe traces the thinking of prescientific physicists through 2,000 years before getting to the period when real answers started to be found.
"Why is the sky blue?" is a childish question but answering it was not child's play. The first clues began to be teased out 400 years ago, and the big breakthrough came with Isaac Newton's experiments showing that white light is composed of colors, including, of course, sky blue. Newton published "Opticks" in 1704.
Some of his ideas were wrong, which began to be recognized about 50 years later. It took another hundred years to straighten most things out, but another 50 after that for Albert Einstein (and others) to explain the weird qualities of light.
One of the interesting things about "Why the Sky is Blue" is that as a German, Hoeppe spreads credit for the development of physics farther east than most popular scientific histories in English do.
He also presents a number of phenomena that readers can try out in their backyards.
For example, the "blue hour." When the sun goes down, the sky stays blue for a while. The hue is almost, but not quite, the same in the blue hour as during bright daylight, but the mechanism for producing it is entirely unrelated.
A careful look at the sky, with Hoeppe's guidance, will reveal a number of other curiosities that we tend to overlook.
Unfortunately, Hoeppe's guidance goes awry in his summation, when he raises the alarm about what increased carbon dioxide is likely to mean for the blue sky.
The answer, very likely, is nothing, thanks to clouds and other buffering effects, but -- astonishingly -- Hoeppe manages to write about greenhouse gases for two chapters without mentioning the most important one -- water vapor.
It wouldn't hurt to skip Chapter 10.

Average customer rating:

Eye-opening
Beautiful.
A required reference...
Incredible book!
Enjoyable account of light in nature

Color and Light in Nature
David K. Lynch , and William Livingston
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Rivers | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0521468361

Amazon.com

Why is the sky blue? Why do mountains glow in the dark? Is the darkest always before the dawn?

An ideal reference to have on hand in answering questions such as these, Color and Light in Nature is an endlessly fascinating exploration of phenomena that are familiar to us all, but that even trained scientists take for granted. Take the question of why stars twinkle, for instance: twinkling, astronomers Lynch and Livingston observe, is strongest with stars that are low in the sky, and then on a clear and windy night, when starlight passing through the atmosphere encounters little pockets of turbulence that bend its rays "momentarily away from our eyes." Sunlight undergoes similar distortions, yielding mirages, "blinks," sundogs, halos, rainbows, "mountain light," and other wonders of nature, all of which the authors describe and explain in clear and accessible prose.

Lynch and Livingston encourage their readers to seek out and study these phenomena for themselves, writing, for instance, "No effort should be spared to witness at least one total eclipse in your lifetime." They go on to make a good case for why that should be so, and why the workings of light and color should be of interest to students of science. Their book is a lively companion and teacher. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

We live in a world of optical marvels - from the commonplace, but beautiful rainbow, to the rare and eerie superior mirage. Have you ever asked yourself how a rainbow is formed, why the setting sun is red and flattened, or even why the sky at night is not absolutely black? If so, then allow David Lynch to provide you with the answers. This beautiful and informative guide provides clear explanations to all naturally occurring optical phenomena seen with the naked eye. It offers complete and easy-to-understand insights into shadows, halos, water optics, mirages and a host of other spectacles. Separating myth from reality, it outlines the basic principles involved, and supports them with many figures and references. A wealth of rare and spectacular photographs, many in full colour, illustrate these phenomena throughout, with many helpful hints on how you can best observe and photograph them. Color and Light in Nature provides a complete, well-illustrated, and authoritative guide to seeing, photographing and understanding nature’s optical delights.

Customer Reviews:

Eye-opening.......2007-05-13

After reading this book, you will never look at the sky or the sea in the same way again. Accompanied by beautiful photographs, including some rare sights in the sky, the book systematically covers atmospheric phenomena related to light and colour. For photographers it's a great book that will help you understand light effects in nature. The book is resplendent in the spirit of science: the topics are classified by the type of explanation for them: shadows, reflection, refraction and so on. This makes perfect, natural sense and really holds the book together. Some of the explanations include modest equations, tables and so on, but the text is always lively and readable. If you're scared of mathematics, buy it for the pictures. But be warned: this book will inspire you to go to Antarctica, chase solar eclipses, buy a telescope, and demand a window seat on every plane you fly for the rest of your life.

Beautiful........2005-08-09

This is a great book. The photography is beautiful. The explanations are clear. It's all very well done.

A required reference..........2005-03-17

A wonderful book illustrating and describing numerous natural optical effects. Simply a must have on your shelf to whip out whenever something unusual plays out in your field of view. Entertaining to just take down and read as well.

Incredible book!.......2003-06-13

I have thoroughly enjoyed this treasure of a book. Wonderful, clear text and beautiful photographs to illustrate all phenomena described! This would be a terrific read for anyone interested in science, physics, and nature. Definitely worth the money!

Enjoyable account of light in nature.......2002-05-16

This book is intended for people who are intrigued or awed by the way light is expressed in nature. It describes many natural phenomena involving light, including shadows, the color of the sky, clouds, mirages, halos, rainbows, the effects of ice in the atmosphere and much more. The intended audience in my eyes consists mainly of people who like physics but the beautiful color full-page pictures and tips on taking them also make this book a great resource for anyone interested in photography. Even physics students can benefit from this book (although it is intended for laymen, so no equations are used) - the book shows them interesting manifestations of optics in nature. The book also makes a nice gift for people who enjoy nature and would like to know how it "works". Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Love Rocks & a Little Mystery? This book is for You
Very negative
Weakened by unsympathetic heroine, unlikely motivation
wonderful and intelligent mystery with a twist

Earth Colors (An Em Hansen Mystery)
Sarah Andrews
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Women Sleuths | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312301979

Book Description

Em Hansen, the popular heroine at the center of Sarah Andrews's unique geology mystery series, has landed a new job, although an unusual one: a client affiliated with a museum wants Em to investigate a painting by the famed western painter Frederick Remington. The client believes it's a fake, but Em must explore the painting's provenance to find out. The project takes her through Wyoming, Utah, Washing-ton, D.C., and Pennsylvania. Halfway through the trip Em finds she's also chasing a murderer: someone is slowly poison-ing her client. Before long, her innocent research project has taken a sinister twist, and it's up to Em to find out what's going on in time to save her client's skin, not to mention her own. Earth Colors is another smart, inventive mystery from fan favorite Sarah Andrews.

Customer Reviews:

Love Rocks & a Little Mystery? This book is for You.......2005-03-16

I love detective stories and this one looked good. This was the first of the Sarah Andrews books I have read. I was not disappointed! As an amateur rock hound who enjoys collecting agates and fossils, I loved the geological aspects of this book. I learned a lot about paint pigments, the historical origins of paint, and how artists through the years used the various tinctures to create works of beauty.

As a detective novel, the book had lots of twists and turns and keeps you guessing right up to the end. The relationships between Em and characters in the book were well developed. You empathize with her and her struggles at this point in her life. I will definitely read more books by this author!

Very negative.......2004-12-09

This is not a good book. I also am a woman geologist (hydrogeologist)and I am increasingly offended by the whiny, bitter, unsympathetic portrayal of a prototagonist (if that word can be used)who seems unable to pull herself together enough to finish a degree and get and hold a job. Besides these twin destroyers, Em also has unending relationship problems with the men in her life.

Finally, the basic premise is silly. Since other reviewers have outlined the plot, I'll just say that the idea that someone would get a totally unqualified geologist (as opposed to, say, an art historian, curator, or someone else who deals with art for a living)to authenticate a painting is rediculous.

I found this to be a very negative,pessimistic book. Such a contrast to "Bone Hunter", which is a delight to read.

Weakened by unsympathetic heroine, unlikely motivation.......2004-05-10

Em Hansen is waiting out her life--waiting for her boyfriend to return from whatever overseas operation the military sent him on, waiting for her friend's baby to grow older, waiting while she struggles with ideas for her Master's thesis in geology. In the meantime, she sponges off of her mother, lives rent-free with her equally impoverished friend Faye Carter, and visits western art museums to check out the fabulous paintings by Remington. When Faye meets up with an old school friend, she offers Em a way to solve all of her problems. Tert Krehbeil has a possible Remington he'd like tested for authenticity and he's willing to pay Em to use her geological skills to identify the pigments used in painting. It's an opportunity to make some money and pick up a thesis topic. And Faye gets some dates out of it with the handsome Tert.

Em's detective instincts warn her that something is wrong with the deal--and with Tert, but she can't turn down money. She soon finds herself investigating--and stepping on toes in the FBI who has their own investigation going on. But if Em's fears are right, she's stumbled into something even more serious than paint forging--something very much like murder.

Author Sara Andrews offers interesting information about the pigments used in 19th century painting (most of them poisons) and in the dangers of suburbinization. Despite these strong points, I found Em to be unsympathetic--too concerned with her own pathetic life, bitter with her mother for not taking better care of Em's prospective inheritance, and angry with Faye for not getting on with her life--as if Em was doing better with her own. I also had a hard time understanding why Terc would ask for Em's advice (let alone pay for it) in the first place. As an art dealer, surely he had plenty of contacts he could use and trust without opening up to a complete stranger.

EARTH COLORS isn't a bad mystery--it certainly kept me reading. But the unsympathetic protagonist dragged me out of the complete involvement a reader has a right to expect in a first-class mystery.

wonderful and intelligent mystery with a twist.......2004-03-28

For geologist Em Hansen her latest assignment is odd in terms of how she got the job while babysitting the infant daughter of her friend Faye Carter "don't call me" Latimer and what her client Tert Krehbeil who's affiliated with a museum hires her to investigate. Tert wants to know whether a painting allegedly done by renowned western artist Frederick Remington is genuine especially since the coloring is a bit different than the painter's usual works.

Em begins tracking the history of the painting, taking her from Cody, Wyoming where she had been visiting museums with baby Sloane when she got the job to Utah, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. However, the complex investigation turns ugly when someone begins poisoning the family members of Em's client. Soon Em realizes she may be on the short list of a killer whose motive is murky, but whose means and opportunities have been on target.

Though this tale starts differently than the fabulous previous treasures as Em is hired for her sleuthing reputation more than her bone hunting geological skills, EARTH COLORS is a wonderful and intelligent mystery. The story line combines two subplots that of the masterpiece investigation with a series of murders in which Em is the point of convergence. Though the art inquiries could have sustained the plot without the homicide fault line that feel more by the numbers than usual for this unique series, fans will enjoy Sarah Andrews' latest gold dust entry in what remains one of the most refreshing sleuths of the past few years.

Harriet Klausner

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