The Atlas of Endangered Species (Atlas Of... (University of California Press))
It’s a challenge for a reference book, particularly one of this modest size, to provide useful and accurate information on the current state of endangered species, both plant and animal, in the world today. This one succeeds through design and judicious selection. More than 40 topics, among them “Human Environmental Impact,” “Temperate Forests,” “Dolphins and Whales,” and “Conserving Domestic Breeds,” are presented on double-page spreads containing full-color maps, charts, graphs, small photographs, and text. The presentation is clear and attractive, but readers will find little here to nourish their optimism. Indeed, the good news is at best only the positive side of the bad news—that the list of “endangered” species isn’t as long as it might be and that time remains for governments and individuals to take remedial action. --Harold Cordry