National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is a cornucopia of extraordinary outdoor diversity. Pocket- and purse-friendly, this field guide covers habitats (subalpine meadows to rain forests to desert shrub to salt marshes) in addition to topography and geology (with explanations of the Oregon Dunes, Columbia Plateau Basalts, Mount St. Helens volcano, and a variety of minerals). Flora and fauna, however, make up the bulk of the book, with 1,000 of the most common species found in the Pacific Northwest. From mushrooms and algae to trees and wildflowers, fishes, frogs, flies, birds, and mammals, each species is identified with a color picture, short description, and notes on the habitat and season in which you'd encounter it. There's also an excellent chapter on Northwesterners' favorite topic of conversation--the weather--plus a guide to constellations and the night sky, for those evenings when it's clear. It behooves anyone who likes nature and lives in or visits the Pacific Northwest to carry the easy-to-use and beautifully put-together Audubon Society Field Guide at all times. --Stephanie Gold