Ali and Ripley's masterwork cannot be touched in terms of the completeness of individual descriptions, but this volume is amazing in that it draws together all the subcontinent's spp. into one book. Even so, the tome is too heavy to carry to the field. The taxonomy is updated, as is the species list. The colour illustrations are of a very high quality; my quibble is that the individual species are too small to be very useful. The maps are miniscule and that limits their utility; the use of two colours would have helped under the circumstances. Otherwise, this book is a long-awaited treasure.

Simply the best available guide to the birds of the Indian Subcontinent. Subcontinental birders have long awaited a comphrehensive guide to the birds of this region.

No other guide comes close in quality of drawings, text and range maps. Though too large and heavy to be called a field guide. It is still brought on trips to be reviewed after a day in the field.

We eagerly await the publication of this book as a true 'field guide'- that will be useable in the field.

This is the best one-volume book on the market at this time. It has very good illustrations and good species accounts that include excellent range maps. It is the only book of one volume that covers all the birds of the Indian subcontinent with this quality of illustration. The range maps are very good and there is an adequate amount of information about each bird. It's too heavy to take into the field on your trip to India, but it is an excellent reference.

To begin, The Maldives are a group of over 400 islands (many uninhabited) that can be found in the Indian Ocean south-west of the Indian continent. These are the 'paradise' islands - idyllic bleached sand, green lagoons and blue ocean. The sun is virtually guaranteed 365 days a year (though trade winds can help lower the temperature from time to time). Most islands can be circumnavigated on foot in less than ten minutes, so I would advise anyone thinking of visiting The Maldives to do so only if they want a holiday with nothing to see and nowhere to go, OR want to spend their holiday clutching the bar stool and watching the waves caress the beach, OR love water sports. It's as quiet as that, and scuba, snorkeling and water-skiing are about as active as you'll get. If you fit into the third category, you'll adore these islands and their friendly peoples. You'll undoubtedly appreciate the diving which, in my view, ranks with the very best in the world (and I've dived a lot of places). Tim Godfrey has spent a considerable amount of time and effort putting together 'Dive Maldives'. When you consider, for a start, that the islands cover an area of ocean as big as Texas, you'll understand the scale of the task. And for readers who have attempted underwater photography, you'll appreciate that it can take several dives just to get one good picture. This book contains 191 superb photos taken throughout the atolls that make up The Maldives. Also included are 114 computer-generated maps with descriptions of over 270 dive sites based on the author's personal research over 12 years. Included in this comprehensive book is information on uninhabited islands, reefs, Protected Marine Areas, heliports, channel names, and some of the better-known dive site locations. The dive site maps show the topography and scale of the reefs, using symbols for features such as caves, overhangs, saddles and canyons, as well as commonly seen fish and marine life. Here divers can get a pre-dive glimpse of what they can expect to see during the dive. EXCELLENT stuff, thoroughly researched and exquisitely photographed. For visitors to The Maldives, who have diving in mind, this book is an absolute MUST HAVE.

The most incredible underwater photos yet to be seen of the Maldives; combined with the best dive spots and detailed descriptions. First fully detailed, reliable and accurate maps of all the Islands, a Great book that is a must to any Maldives traveller or scuba enthusiast.

Library Journal's review of this guide: "Combining encyclopedic coverage of destinations with loads of practical information and atlas-type maps, the series illuminates the wonders of nature but emphasizes the peculiarity of a place's people and their folklore."

This book manages to capture the extraordinary beauty of what is probably the most beautiful place on earth. The photographs are stunning (most of them are used on the postcards you'll find at the resorts!)and the accompanying narrative is informative, if brief. Although a little out of date in terms of the resorts covered and demographics supplied, I doubt you'll find a more impressive literary souvenir for your stay in the islands.

This book draws attention to the plight of people living in all coastal areas. The threat of global warming, melting ice-caps and rising ocean levels can innundate low lying coastal areas. Imagine if ocean levels rose by 1 meter most cities would be flooded and millions of lives would be dramatically affected. The speeches in this book makes one think about our interdependence and how industrialization by both developed and developing countries can affect the lives of people oblivious to the threat originating thousand of miles away. An good book for those concerned with environmental issues. It also encourages one to act, in any possible way, to save humanity from this growing threat.

The most incredible underwater photos yet to be seen of the Maldives; combined with the best dive spots and detailed descriptions. First fully detailed, reliable and accurate maps of all the Islands, a Great book that is a must to any Maldives traveller or scuba enthusiast.

As a diver familiar with the Indian Ocean and its marine species I found Coleman's guide fantastic. Not only is it full of quality photgraphs but each section (divided by phyla e.g.Gastropoda, echinoderms etc) begins with a clear layman-friendly introduction to how the animals live and reproduce. There is a wealth of information in this book, and it is one of the few marine guides not to skirt the issue of coral bleaching and just how poor reef health in this part of the Indian Ocean can be. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the region's marine life - not just the Maldives. Wisely, Coleman has not included fish in this volume - an easier subject and covered by many other books.

You could be forgiven for thinking that this is yet another formulaic adventure story in the style of Alastair Maclean, Jack Higgins, Desmond Bagley, et al. Surprisingly however, Mr Innes has crafted a gripping tale of family honour, double-cross, exploration, romance and a terrific boardroom climax. The story sweeps from the stock markets of London to the remote reaches of the South China Sea, from dusty lawyer's offices in Threadneedle Street to the reeking cabin of a disgraced ship's captain on a broken down hulk. Through it all, Mr Innes writes with flair and originality and the result is an adventure story with a much broader sweep than the usual fare. The characters are complex and finely drawn. The hero is not an infallible man; he has doubts and fears like all of us, and the villains are made villainous, not by their evil intentions but through their all too human frailties. Sad to see this book is out of print but second-hand copies should be easy to find.

If you are a scuba diver or plan to snorkel in the Maldives, do yourself a favour and get hold of this masterpiece. The book is loaded with species not found in other books and the best I have seen on the Maldives. The photos are excellent and are as you will observe them underwater. Some may consider this dull, but it is really the way you will see them. The colour idex is extremely helpfull and will be of great benefit in you search for the fish you just saw ! Another unique feature is the fact that for most species the author has included photos of the juvenile and females to assist in identification. The layout is somewhat compressed and could have been more clear and uncluttered. The common names are not always the preferred or most common ones, but the scientific names are always correct. Enjoy the Maldives ... it is a great place to be !

I am not a marine biologist, but I would guess that the professionals would be delighted with this offering. This book is well organized, thoughtful, clear, and well done. Scuba divers will appreciate it, I am sure, and I anticipate seeing many of the creatures pictured here myself in the not-too-distant future, on a holiday dive. Good job! This book makes one's anticipation more eager.

That book it's a very good guide to diving in Maldives. I was in Maldives two times and i did some immersions illustrated in the book and was fantastic! It's very good to prepare diving activities and to review and remember what done. Very good undersea photos with an impressive "catalogue" of maldivian marine fauna.