America's Rain Forests

Library Journal

The ancient temperate rain forest hugging the coast from northern California to southern Alaska supports more biologic mass than any other ecosystem on earth. And like its much-publicized tropical counterparts, it's disappearing. Unlike them, it's also the last of its kind. This is a big, important subject and one that has seldom been treated comprehensively. Unfortunately, it also is one to which America's Rain Forest does not fully rise. The photographic lineup, for the most part striking and to the point, suffers from the inclusion of an occasional dud. And the text, though admirably straightforward, is uninspired and repetitious; the grammar and diction are slipshod. Still, this is a necessary book, and there is much to praise: those who read through the text will learn much about the forest's workings and status and those who browse the photographs will be delighted by their beauty. Recommended for general collections.-- Linn Prentis, Milford, Pa.

Booknews

An impassioned study of the world's largest temperate rain forest, an environment that spans 2,000 miles from California's Bay Area to Alaska's panhandle. Kane's text explicates the geology, the climate, the animals, and the delicately balanced biological relationships that characterize the forest, while the 170 lovely color photographs by Ellis reveal both its natural beauty and human-engendered tragedies. 91/4x121/4". Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)