McGinnies's book is an excellent review of all aspects of the Sonoran desert and its mountains: geographic, climatic, and geologic. American Scientist ""This book provides a fascinating introduction to desert life in the Southwest.""True West ""This true labor of love by an outstanding arid lands authority will broaden horizons, deepen understanding, and heighten awareness of the debt we owe to the founders of the Desert Laboratory."" Arizona Highways ""A great source of revelation...Easy and enjoyable to read and has left me with a great respect for the diversity of ways in which desert plants adapt to extremes."" Sylvia Martinelli, Journal of Arid Environments