Bargain Books are non-returnable. The Pacific Coast, with its hundreds of miles of unspoiled forests, cliffs, fields, and beaches from Mexico to British Columbia, attracts nature lovers from around the world. Naturalist Susan Tweit pays a very special homage to this diverse region in this handsome volume. Forty informative, evocative essays, each illustrated with a color drawing, capture the Coast's vibrant plant and animal life, from sea otters and monarch butterflies to giant bladder kelp and gray whales. Her subjects, both on and off-shore, also include octopus, sturgeon, abalone, redwoods, cobra lilies, and the eccentric sand dollar. The author begins with field notes and then offers delightful observations and commentary. Whether you are sitting in the sand or reading in your favorite armchair, this book is an inspiring companion to the natural world.

Susan J. Tweit, author of Seasons in the Desert (also published by Chronicle Books), has lived on and traveled the length of the Pacific Coast. She now lives in Colorado.