This book was better than I expected. It had the scientific information, but was narrated from a naturalist's perspective and musings. If you want to learn about rain forests, this is an excellent starting point. Highly enjoyable as well. ( )

Two copies, 1 packed

Interesting survey of rain forest flora and fauna. As a layman in this field, I was pretty comfortable reading this book. The authors seemed genuinely interested in the telling the story of the creatures and plants of the rain forest. Each story is told from the perspective of evolutionary biology, and, if you are not familiar with thinking in these terms, it can't help but have an effect on you. From plants that depend on the consumption and defecation of their seeds for their dispersal to the brood parasitism of numerous birds, you can't help but begin to view the relationship of every color, every shape, and every action to the survival of that particular species. The books transmits very interesting information, but its true benefit is the way it affects the way you view and think about the world around you.

Exhaustive and very cool rundown of rain forest ecology. I already knew much of it, but still useful. If you're looking for an intro to rain forests, this is a good place to go. ( )

Very informative about rain forest ecology, especially of Costa Rica and Ecuador. But applicable to all rain forests and cloud forests in Latin America. You don't have to be a scientist to understand it.