About the Author

Rod Morris is a wildlife photographer and award-winning documentary producer.

Alison Balance is a natural history writer and filmmaker.

Reviews

A lot of interesting information packed into this book... a nice blend of informative text and beautiful pictures.-- (11/23/2003)

Ambitious overview... The book is a beautifully illustrated introduction to the processes that lead to biodiversity.-- (02/15/2004)

An island-by-island view of the region's flora and fauna... makes a lovely, and informative, introduction to this famous region.-- (08/15/2003)

As close to bushwhacking through a rainforest or trekking to the edge of a volcanic crater as most of us will ever come... a fine introduction to the natural history of the Pacific islands.-- (08/01/2004)

Details the beautifully exotic landscapes, plants and animals... photos are stunning... the underlying message is that global economic forces are having a disastrous effect on the islands.-- (12/01/2003)

Exotic... ideal for travelers stuck on the sofa.-- (11/30/2003)

Idyll-inducing depictions of rainforests, exotic reptiles and brilliant flowers -- all existing in relative isolation.-- (11/30/2003)

Science Books and Films' Top Ten Science Photography Books for 2004: Ambitious overview of the history of ecosystems of 14 South Sea Islands is filled with spectacular photographs.--Science Books and Films (11/01/2004)

Stunning vistas, natural beauty, and exotic ecosystems... the next best thing to being there.-- (12/01/2003)

Take a journey through photos to see what even island tourists might miss, like night animals, insects and birds... the reader/viewer is in capable hands... [the authors] are really giving a tour of home turf. And they do in a very loving way.-- (01/25/2004)

The many photographs evoke a paradise on the verge of being lost.--Globe and Mail (11/22/2003)

Truly astonishing beauty and botanical and zoological splendor... breathtaking photographs... concisely informative yet descriptively lush commentary... Ultimately the reader realizes that each jade and turquoise outpost is exquisite, vulnerable, and precious.-- (12/01/2003)

Visually rich and wide-ranging tour... full of many splendid details about the plants and animals seen on these (largely) tropical islands.-- (07/01/2004)

Fabulous photos of the Eden-like foliage of Fiji, the palm-shaded white-sand beaches of French Polynesia and the Jurassic Park-like terrain of New Caledonia.--Joseph Kula"CanWest News Service" (12/20/2003)