American Snakes

"Brimming with intriguing and unusual storiesof hognose snakes that roll over and play dead, blind snakes with tiny vestigial lungs, rainbow-hued dipsadines, and wave-surfing sea-snakesthe text is interspersed with scores of gorgeous full-color images of snakes, from the scary to the sublime. This proud celebration of a diverse American wildlife group will make every reader, no matter how skeptical, into a genuine snake lover."

"[American Snakes] is an authoritative yet accessible guide that makes the world of American snakes attractive to even non-scientist readers."

"This is an excellent book about snakes, well worth the price, and worthy of finding a home in the libraries of herpetologists and all naturalists. I anticipate pulling my copy off the shelf again and again."

"A valuable resource for a range of audiences. It is an attractive introduction to snake biology for beginning herpetologists and curious readers, yet even seasoned professionals will likely find items to interest them. Recommended for general and undergraduate collections as well as herpetology research collections."

"American Snakes is a wonderful book to read because it is replete with snake stories, personal stories, and stories about other herpetologists. It also has a lot of science about snakes in it. Sean Graham is a fine storyteller. He starts each chapter with a story that reveals something about human behavior, usually his, and snake behavior. The way he writes reads like his oral presentations to live audiences. His stories are engaging whether written or oral."

"This thoroughly enjoyable book lets readers absorb the excitement of being a herpetologist who works with snakes while learning about the general and specific biology of the creatures. Any nascent or veteran field biologist will learn something new about snakes, and this volume is especially suitable for anyone who needs to be convinced that American snakes are an ideal group to focus on for a career."

"Extremely pleasant to read... very profound, cutting-edge, exciting, and interesting... The highly recommended work is aimed at a very wide audience, from the layman interested in reptiles to the expert."

"Sean Graham is a fine field biologist and scholar, an unusually talented writer, and he’s provided the best imaginable book on my favorite organisms. Here new converts to pondering serpents will get the most up-to-date facts, skillfully sifted and presented, all enlivened by a vibrant array of illustrations; those with more experience will be reminded over and over again how we became fascinated with these limbless reptiles. American Snakes is truly a gift for everyone who wants to savor their wonderful world."

"This well-written and enjoyable introduction to snakes fills a gap in the current literature. Most books are either written for youngsters who are just becoming fascinated or for seasoned veterans of snake literature looking to learn a few new details. This book does a great job of dispelling myths and answering many of the typical questions that one gets when others find out that you are interested in snakes, making it interesting to all levels of snake enthusiasts."