Tom Brown's Science and Art of Tracking
Tom Brown
I've been a Tom Brown fan since he first appeared on the horizon with "The Tracker" and "The Search" back in the '70's. I plan on field testing this book this summer, but my initial impression is that it is what I expected: well researched, helpful, easy to follow, fascinating. Of course, drawings and pictures can't convey physical impressions, smells, etc., all are which are part of the process, but considering the natural drawbacks of trying to convey a full-sensory experience in a two-dimensional medium, I think it does pretty well.
Tom does most of his work in the Northeastern United States, so soil conditions, flora, and fauna are all a bit different from what one experiences here in the Northwest. Still, enough of the universal principals apply.
And even if you never set foot in the woods outside your local park, it's an interesting read, as are all his works.
