Harold Gilliam

This book was published in 1962 to help raise awareness of the Point Reyes seashore area north of San Francisco. The idea of a National Seashore park had been languishing for many decades. It became a reality when President John F. Kennedy signed the law to create the first west coast national seashore on September 13, 1962. I suspect this book came out a little too late to influence public sentiment one way or another. I frankly found the book somewhat disappointing. The Point Reyes area has been one of my favorite places in California since I was a young teen and was lucky enough to have two science teachers in high school who took us on field trips to the area so we could experience it. There's a natural beauty there and a wealth of bird species and interesting plants and seashore life and hugely interesting geologic stuff. There is also a rich native American history to the area. It is a place I love and have visited many times and taken my children to visit and learn.

So the book ... It focuses on just a few topics and spends way too much time on things like where Sir Francis Drake may have landed to be the first Englishman to set foot on the soil of North America. There are a large number of full page "artsy" style black and white photos of the coast that I found blah. There are also some good photos too, but not enough. Aside from the lengthy discussion of Sir Francis Drake and other early explorers, there are half a dozen or so small discussions of the birds in the area, shipwrecks, weather, etc. and a more lengthy discussion on the geology. Nothing here in great depth but enough to whet potential interests. I did learn a few things, but knowing the area there is an awful lot that isn't discussed at all, or with only a slight mention. In sum I'd say that this book does not do justice to a special place on earth.… (mere)