Rating: 
Summary: Old Style Field Guide
Review: As a person with many birding field guides the organization of this book was a disapointment. The plates (like the old Peterson's) are together in the back of the book, seperate from the text. I would have liked to see something like Petersons arrows at definitive field marks. The book is organized by families - as a beginner I would have prefered colors (but do not organize my bird books by color). The book is heavy and large for carrying in the field. But it is one of the few guides to dragonflies - better than nothing.
Rating: 
Summary: Dragonflies through Binoculars
Review: Dragonflies through Binoculars is a real disappointment. The photo illustrations are tiny and thus don't show the details, making them virtually useless for comparing one dragonfly to another. It appears that the photos have been greatly reduced in size in order to fit a large number of photos onto a small number of pages. The book attempts to show all the butterflies of North America in one small field guide. While maybe more profitable, this just doesn't work. It's too bad. This could have been a really great book if it had been split into two or even four field guides, each dealing with a smaller geographic region of the country, the way Butterflies through Binoculars does. This would have provided the space for larger illustrations. It's still not too late. People are still waiting for the really good dragonfly field guide that is as useful and fun in the field as Butterflies through Binoculars.
Rating: 
Summary: Fails to Fulfill Its' Promise
Review: Dragonflies through Binoculars, was my first book on Dragonflies. As an avid birder I became interested in the fascinating insects of the order odinata. I tried to use this book in the field but had little success. Sidney Dunkle's text is clearly written, his explanations are well done, and the pictures are good quality. What is the problem? I finally figured it out. The pictures are too small and the book is written at a level well above that of a novice.As field guides go there are two schools of thought, Photos and art. When it comes to birds many beginning birders prefer photos because they have a hard time translating the semi abstraction of an illustration to what they are seeing in life. Dragonflies through binoculars is based upon beautiful photographs of the Dragonfly species represented. The problem with photographs is they can only show what the camera sees. The disadvantage is the human eye is far more sensitive than a camera. As a result photographs can leave a lot to be desired. On the other hand art can go beyond what the camera shows and show detail a photograph misses. As I have gained experience with Dragonflies I have managed to identify a few species using this guide. I was very pleased when I managed to correctly identify the common skimmer Dot-tailed Whiteface using this guide. As I spend more time in the field I really wish the photos were much larger and that more descriptive text would be devoted to each species. In the end I abandoned this guide in favor of The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Northeast Ohio, by Larry Rosche. Published by The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Stoke's Beginners Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies, has also proven useful. For me Dragonflies through Binoculars has become a bookshelf reference rather than a Field Guide. If you are interested in Dragonflies this book is essential. However from my perspective I would rather pay twice as much and get a book where the beautiful photos could be viewed in all their glory.
Rating:
Summary: Fails to Fulfill Its' Promise
Review: Dragonflies through Binoculars, was my first book on Dragonflies. As an avid birder I became interested in the fascinating insects of the order odinata. I tried to use this book in the field but had little success. Sidney Dunkle's text is clearly written, his explanations are well done, and the pictures are good quality. What is the problem? I finally figured it out. The pictures are too small and the book is written at a level well above that of a novice. As field guides go there are two schools of thought, Photos and art. When it comes to birds many beginning birders prefer photos because they have a hard time translating the semi abstraction of an illustration to what they are seeing in life. Dragonflies through binoculars is based upon beautiful photographs of the Dragonfly species represented. The problem with photographs is they can only show what the camera sees. The disadvantage is the human eye is far more sensitive than a camera. As a result photographs can leave a lot to be desired. On the other hand art can go beyond what the camera shows and show detail a photograph misses. As I have gained experience with Dragonflies I have managed to identify a few species using this guide. I was very pleased when I managed to correctly identify the common skimmer Dot-tailed Whiteface using this guide. As I spend more time in the field I really wish the photos were much larger and that more descriptive text would be devoted to each species. In the end I abandoned this guide in favor of The Dragonflies and Damselflies of Northeast Ohio, by Larry Rosche. Published by The Cleveland Museum of Natural History. The Stoke's Beginners Guide to Dragonflies and Damselflies, has also proven useful. For me Dragonflies through Binoculars has become a bookshelf reference rather than a Field Guide. If you are interested in Dragonflies this book is essential. However from my perspective I would rather pay twice as much and get a book where the beautiful photos could be viewed in all their glory.
Rating: 
Summary: This work is a masterpiece of boilogical life. - Roozbeh
Review: Having Dunkle as a proffesor, I know that his book is as wonderful as his teaching. This book is a must for nature lovers, and even biology lovers. No one, except Dr. Dunkle, can know all the species of dragonflies that lie in Texas and its surroundings. If you are going to get a book, get one you can actually use your whole life. And once you read his book, i recommend you take his class also. You will learn many wonderful things from a very respectable and knowledgable teacher.
Rating:
Summary: This work is a masterpiece of boilogical life. - Roozbeh
Review: Having Dunkle as a proffesor, I know that his book is as wonderful as his teaching. This book is a must for nature lovers, and even biology lovers. No one, except Dr. Dunkle, can know all the species of dragonflies that lie in Texas and its surroundings. If you are going to get a book, get one you can actually use your whole life. And once you read his book, i recommend you take his class also. You will learn many wonderful things from a very respectable and knowledgable teacher.
Rating:
Summary: This book is very good.
Review: I have had Dunkle as a college professor, and his books are as good as his teaching. This book is a must if you love dragonflies. The book shows that a lot of work was involved, and it is a masterpiece which shows the many species of dragonflies. I am definitely looking forward to Dr. Dunkle's next masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: somewhat of a disappointment
Review: I have taken this book on a dozen field trips, and it is extremely difficult to use. The pictures are photographs, untouched and any many cases unclear against a poor background. The only good thing about the book is that it is better than nothing. Just a little. Another minus about this book. If you get the pages wet they stick together and will not come apart once dry. A very bad trait for a field guide.
Rating:
Summary: somewhat of a disappointment
Review: I have taken this book on a dozen field trips, and it is extremely difficult to use. The pictures are photographs, untouched and any many cases unclear against a poor background. The only good thing about the book is that it is better than nothing. Just a little. Another minus about this book. If you get the pages wet they stick together and will not come apart once dry. A very bad trait for a field guide.
Rating:
Summary: Coolest Book on Dragonflies!
Review: I never thought dragonflies were cool or anything neat...until now! and it's all because of this new book DRAGONFLIES through BINOCULARS. My mom, the nature lover in the family, always wants us to look at this insect doing this or that one dipping in the pond. This new book Dragonflies through Binoculars makes everything so much clearer. It's neat to see what these fast moving creatures look like. If I can tear the book away from my mom, I'll sneak out and try the dragonfly watching sport! It would make a great gift for anybody interested in insects!
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