"To see the natural world through Bruce Pavlik's eyes is always a delight, for he is among the finest ecologists and nature writers in the West. But to explore with Bruce the range of California's deserts--their deep history and diversity--is a special treat, for we see them not as 'big empty' wastelands, but as elegant landscapes rich with relationships. Both human and other-than-human beings contribute to these relationships, and no one has told their stories as well as Pavlik has done."--Gary Nabhan, author of Arab/American: Landscape, Culture, and Cuisine in Two Great Deserts "A bewildering amount of biological and environmental lore has accumulated about our deserts. Bruce Pavlik's highly readable, beautifully illustrated book is a salutary antidote to confusion. It brings together the best current knowledge in a comprehensive form that makes a compelling story as well as a handy reference. Nobody who cares about California's deserts should be without it."--David Rains Wallace, author of Neptune's Ark, Beasts of Eden, and The Klamath Knot "I've been waiting for a book like this, one that captures the very essence of the desert rather than simply cataloging and describing it. Bruce Pavlik is a consummate integrator and storyteller. He makes this 'rediscovery' of the desert as exciting as its initial discovery, proving that you can discover something only once, but you can rediscover it again and again."--Jeff Lovich, Deputy Director, U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center