Collecting Rocks, Gems and Minerals: Identification, Values and Lapidary Uses

This is a gem of a book, if you will pardon the pun, and a welcome addition to my collection. I already have seven books on identifying gems and minerals and another twenty or so on where to find them, so what is special about this book? First of all I noticed the pictures, beautiful pictures, but more importantly pictures which I could relate to. In my other books I get an erudite description, but usually the pictures do not look much like the rocks I find or see at shows. Patti has chosen the rocks to photograph so well that they all look like the rocks and minerals I have, or have seen. I found the introductory thirty pages on equipment and practical collecting very clear. If I had never been on a field trip I would now know what to expect: the picture of a flat tire in a remote area is a timely warning that there are risks in our hobby. But it was the 230 pages of examples of uncut materials, polished items and completed jewlery which really caught the eye. The classification and illustration of the various categories of agate is splendidly done as are the other groups and minerals. Bravely Patti has added the 'value' of each item, listed by pound, ounce or gram. This is a very valuable resource, although it may go out of date very quickly depending on the value of the dollar and popularity and availability of each item. It has led me to rethink what rocks and minerals I have now, and to look again at the items which I have partially discarded as my 'yard' rocks. Patti Polk's enthusiasm for our hobby flows through this book and we must be thankful that she has filled a gap in the literature available to rockhounds.

I should start off this review by stating that I do not feel that cutting up nature's treasures is always a good thing. I'll not review the lapidary aspects of the book, because save for slicing a piece of agate in half, and polishing the exposed surfaces, I'm not a 'cutter.' Opening a geode is also generally a good thing, just don't monkey with the crystals and matrix to make bookends.I'm an agate guy, so much of the book was like revisiting a dear old friend. This would the book's main strength, if it was not for the museum quality pieces shot with precision and care. The book is all about natural beauty. If you already know of good collecting sites, I still highly recommend the book for its beauty and quality of the images. There is at least one stunner on every page.However, if you don't know "where they are," this book is too vague--dramatically so--in assisting the aspiring amateur with places to look for the good stuff. That's by far the otherwise exemplary volume's shortcoming.It's a great book, but a poor field guide. It's really as simple as that. It serves--what I believe to be its intended purpose--exceedingly well. Give it a sacred spot on your bookshelf. Bringing this into the field may not even be lawful. Don't break the law.

This book is just what I wanted! You shipped it so quickly I was thrilled. Thank you so much! The photography allows for easy identification of the rocks, gems & minerals. I recently bought a mixture of gems and gave them to my Dad as he has loved identyfying rocks and gems for as long as I can remember. It was a mixed box of polished and, faceted gems but, not identified. Dad told me he would need another reference book to help him to identify the gems. This book will be one of his Christmas gifts, and he will love it, as he has been reminding me to get him another reference so, he has an updated book. This has been going on for the last month. I keep telling him I am too busy but will get to it as soon as I can. He will however laugh and, ask me how long I have had the book? Great Joy! He loves to tease me and, I love to return the favor.

This book has so many great pictures and ideas that will work with rocks in the Utah/Arizona area since it is mostly about Agates. I wish it were a hard cover book, especially with how much it cost. That is a small sacrifice for the great material inside if you are interested in rock hounding and then making those rocks into jewelry. I was absolutely amazed at how beautiful some of these rocks could look cut or polished. They did not look like much in the raw, so it was fun to see what could be done with them. The information from this book will take my family's rock-hounding hobby to a whole new level.

Nice book . Good price .

I like the book because it had a description on gems I had purchase and didn't know any information on them. I was at a bead show when I purchase several stones and the seller didn't know anything about the stones they were selling.(the wife didn't) . Like what country are they found in and of course the name of the stones. Plus how they are gathered out of the rocks. It's a history book circulating around a stone. And they have great sized pictures so you can easily idenify the stone. I haven't read the whole book just skimmed threw it. I thought it was about time I knew what I was working with so when people ask what kind of stone is it or where does it come from I could be more informative about the piece I am making and using the stone as an accent piece which is surely to stand out.

This book is a must for anyone interested in rocks and minerals. It is written in understandable terms for the beginner and has great pictures for easy identification of the rocks and shows so many different examples of how rocks can be used such as for carvings, lapidary uses, and jewelry making. The book also talks about different aspects of rock collecting and gives good information about how to find, identify, and collect rocks and minerals.This book also has a newer second edition which I also bought, and there is a brand new book by this author called "Collecting Agates & Jaspers of North America" which I also bought, and that is a terrific book too if you are into rock collecting.

This is a dynamite book. I've purchased several and give as gifts. You'll love it.

Great resource for rock hounds!

Great book... very informative with lots of colour photos. Only drawback was the index did not include all types, so had to hunt around a bit. But otherwise love it and I refer to it often and take always to the gem shop to use to identify stones before making a purchase

A very nice book with lots of interesting information for anyone starting out in the collecting and polishing of stones.