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Rating: 
Summary: Inconsistent, confusing & sloppy
Review: As a researcher attempting to use this book as a preliminary source of data/information, I have found that Geist throws around numbers without ensuring that they match ones cited earlier or later in the text; Appendix values don't match the text; some are rounded, some not; with the sloppy citations he uses, some even appear to have been plucked out of thin air. The appendix is essentially unreadable: citations, data & notes are presented in the most illogical & unintuitive format possible. Plus there are plenty of typos scattered throughout, making you question the publisher's editing skills. Granted some of the text is very interesting & informative but here again, poor formatting thwarts the reader's efforts to understand.
I was originally thrilled to find this book but now I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Inconsistent, confusing & sloppy
Review: Having known Val Geist for 3 decades, and having followed the development of his thinking, I impatiently watched this particular book take shape over a third of that period. A long wait, but well worth it. Beyond the sheer breadth of this study of all the world's "deer" is the depth of Geists' thinking, which always challenges, intrigues and fascinates the reader. Superb illustrations add aesthetic beauty while greatly facilitating comparisons and contrasts between species and genera. There has never been such a thorough comparison and contrast between the various species, putting them all into a comprehensive phylogenetic perspective, while contrasting the diverse habitats that shaped their ecological radiation. Any biologist with an interest in large mammals, from behavioral, ecological or evolutionary standpoints will find this book an exceptional addition to the library. Yet, as technically valuable as this book is, it is also highly readable. Geist's style is so clear that the main ideas can be followed even by readers who have to skip past the more technical sections. Stephen F. Stringham, PhD
Director, Bear Communication & Coexistence Research Program
Rating: 
Summary: Phenomenal Synthesis, Penetrating Understanding
Review: Having known Val Geist for 3 decades, and having followed the development of his thinking, I impatiently watched this particular book take shape over a third of that period. A long wait, but well worth it. Beyond the sheer breadth of this study of all the world's "deer" is the depth of Geists' thinking, which always challenges, intrigues and fascinates the reader. Superb illustrations add aesthetic beauty while greatly facilitating comparisons and contrasts between species and genera. There has never been such a thorough comparison and contrast between the various species, putting them all into a comprehensive phylogenetic perspective, while contrasting the diverse habitats that shaped their ecological radiation. Any biologist with an interest in large mammals, from behavioral, ecological or evolutionary standpoints will find this book an exceptional addition to the library. Yet, as technically valuable as this book is, it is also highly readable. Geist's style is so clear that the main ideas can be followed even by readers who have to skip past the more technical sections. Stephen F. Stringham, PhD
Director, Bear Communication & Coexistence Research Program
Rating: 
Summary: Awards received
Review: This book won the 1999 Literature Prize of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (Paris).
Rating:
Summary: Best book around about deer
Review: This is the only book I found that covered all deer, and it was fascinating (although quite technical in places) and well-referenced. I work at a zoo that has several species of deer. This book gave me a deeper understanding of various species, why they are found where they are found, and the impact humans have had on deer populations. It stimulated my curiousity in other areas, and the references are allowing me to dig more deeply into various topics. I will be referring back to this book often and I recommend it highly to anyone interested in deer, evolutionary strategies, or ecology.
Rating:
Summary: Best book around about deer
Review: This is the only book I found that covered all deer, and it was fascinating (although quite technical in places) and well-referenced. I work at a zoo that has several species of deer. This book gave me a deeper understanding of various species, why they are found where they are found, and the impact humans have had on deer populations. It stimulated my curiousity in other areas, and the references are allowing me to dig more deeply into various topics. I will be referring back to this book often and I recommend it highly to anyone interested in deer, evolutionary strategies, or ecology.
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