Paul R. Shaffer (1) (1910–2000)

Small enough to be a pocket field guide, this has as much or more about the evolution of species and the definition of geologic eras as it does about the art of applied paleontology for the earnest hobbyist. Profusely illustrated and easy to read this can be a match to light a fossil-hunting interest in a young reader.

Golden Guides is a quaint collection of somewhat useful, pocket-sized field guides for amateurs wishing to delve into a particular field. While the books themselves won’t get you to where you need to be in order to start hitting the fields seriously, they do present a very large coverage over the subject with enough information (some of it potentially outdated!) to point you in the right direction to begin your apprenticeship in the particular field.

In Rocks and Minerals, Herbert S. Zim, show more the brains behind the series, presents a guide that covers the eponymous subject. It gives the reader enough lingo to be able to understand what mineralogists or geologists are talking about, and enough useful at-home experiments to make rock identification simple.

The series, originally published in the 1950s-1970s has recently been revived. While I’m not sure of the quality of the new books (I’m especially curious as to what their stance is on radioactive materials, something Zim et al. freely encouraged the collection of), I certainly hope that it helps today's amateurs and hobbyists hit the ground at the pace as yesterday’s.

The target audience for such a book may be older children to young adult, but adults could enjoy it as well, especially with their adventurous children. show less

I bought this book when I was a child, as I loved (and still love) rocks and minerals. I would page through it regularly, and enjoy the pictures and sometimes the descriptions. I have never until now completely read the book - it is a good primer on different rocks, minerals, and some gems.

A nice introductory book on fossils. Though, it is somewhat dated and includes drawings/paintings of fossils rather than photographs of actual examples, it is a classic. A book many recall from childhood and why it is still in print.