| Shells of Tahiti
by B. Salvat and C. Rives
1984,Les Editions du Pacific, Tahiti, Fr.
Polynesia, paper back with glued
binding, 159 pages, 7 by 5 inches (13 by 18cm),
illustrated through out in color, English
This is a slimmed down in
size and English edition of the very beautiful
"Coquillages de Polynesie" that was published in 1975 in French. This
edition lacks only in size what the original edition offered and it is
among the most beautiful books on shell collecting that was done in
that period of time. Almost half the book is devoted to the topography
and the ecology of the Polynesian Islands and the interplay
and importance that shells have had in the life and the culture in
these islands. I found the on the pearl industry to be especially
interesting and informative. The balance of the book is given over to
being a shell identification guide to the shells found in Polynesia.
Both shells that are common throughout the Pacific and those that are
found only in Polynesia are well covered. The quality of the
photographs taken of life in Tahiti and the photos of the plates are
very well done. I have never been able to get any quantity of this book
or the original French edition. If you are a book collector as well as
a shell collector I'd urge you to buy the original, it is a beautiful
book, but if you have just a casual interest in a book that can be an
excellent guide to the shells from this part of the world this
paperback will be more than adequate to meet your needs. This is a used copy but except for a slight bend at the top of the front cover it can pass as new. |
