Chuckwalla Land

“An intriguing account of California’s deserts and the people who have explored, studied and theorized about them over the past two centuries. Those who want to learn more about these beautiful open spaces, their geologic and evolutionary history, and their plant and animal inhabitants will find this well-written book a useful guide. . . . Wallace has interwoven historical, biological, and environmental threads to produce a fascinating account of the interesting theories that have been propounded about the California desert. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the desert’s unique nature and of its geological and evolutionary past.”

— American Scientist

[An] erudite exploration of the “riddle” of the California desert. . . . A compelling compare-and-contrast narrative. Whether Wallace is examining competing scientific theories or the popular attitudes toward the desert throughout the ages, he simultaneously educates and delights. . . .Chuckwalla Land should finally retire the persistent myth of the desert as an environmental and intellectual wasteland.”

— Zyzzyva

“Wallace has succeeded in making the academic entertaining and accessible. . . . A knowing and poetic look at the desert.”

— Santa Barbara News-Press

“This book is a very well written and easily accessible to anyone interested in the history of science, whether they are attracted to arid land studies or not. Frankly, it is just a darn good read for anyone who enjoys natural history.”

— Choice