Coves of departure : field notes from the Sea of Cortez /

No book about the Gulf of California can escape comparison to Steinbeck's classic The Log from the Sea of Cortez (1951) or Joseph Wood Krutch's The Forgotten Peninsula (1961). Thankfully, Farnsworth (Santa Clara Univ.) does not intend his book to compete with theirs, but rather to build on them as naturalists rely on the field notes of others to make sense of current observations. For years, Farnsworth, a writing and literature professor, led an annual spring break expedition to the Sea of Cortez, guiding college students as they kayaked, camped, identified birds, swam with whales and sea lions, and saw how writing and sketching are important tools for seeing. Here, he has created a single narrative out of experiences from various years and turned the rotating cast of science professors who helped lead the class into a composite character, "Dr. Awesome." The result is warm and witty, a resource full of information about birds, sea creatures, desert plants, and the changing environment; tips for camping, cooking, kayaking, and teaching writing; and insights into how humans respond to encounters with the natural world. Sadly, the book has no map. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Cynthia A. Bily, Macomb Community College