The Magic of Minerals is an awesome coffee table book with awesome photos of awesome mineral specimens.  Did I say awesome?  Yes, I own this book. Actually, I own all of the books listed in this table, although this is the only one displayed in my living room for casual visitors to admire.
	Practical, concise, and easy to use, Simon & Schuster's Guide to Rocks & Minerals contains everything that the rock and mineral enthusiast needs to know. This field guide is divided into two large sections -- one devoted to minerals and one to rocks, each prefaced by a comprehensive introduction that discusses formation, chemistry, and more. All 377 entries, beautifully illustrated with color photographs and helpful visual symbols, provide descriptions and practical information about appearance, classification, rarity, crystal formation, mode of occurrence, gravity of mineral, rock chemistry, modal classification fields, formational environments, grain sizes of rocks, and much more.
	A Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals (Peterson Field Guides) has been completely updated for this fifth edition, and includes 385 color photographs showing rocks, minerals, and geologic formations. Hundreds of minerals are described, with details such as geographic distribution, physical properties, chemical composition, and crystalline structures.
	Covering rocks and minerals from around the world, the Rocks and Minerals: A Guide to Field Identification (Golden Field Guide f/St. Martin's Press) was created for the serious mineral enthusiast or rock collector. It fills the gap between academic texts and popular books by providing a magnificent rock and mineral catalog in glowing color, plus tips on where they are found. Includes hardness, crystallization, chemical properties, and superb background information. This guide is easy to use: detailed, full-color illustrations, text, and maps are all in one place. And it is portable: handy and lightweight, designed to fit in a pocket and be carried anywhere.
	From glittering gemstones to fascinating minerals and fossils, Rock and Gem is an incredible celebration of the Earth's buried treasures. Including specially commissioned photographs of more than 450 illustrious specimens and information-rich text, this book illustrates each stone's unique characteristics and its relationship to humankind through the ages.
	With a million copies in print, here comes an even larger, more up-to-date version of the most complete reference book ever published on the subject: Gemstones of the World, Revised Edition . All the gemstones ever discovered are treated in their many variations. More than 1,500 full-color photos showcase each precious and semiprecious stone in both its rough natural state and its polished and cut renditions. Each entry offers complete information on a gemstone's formation and structure, physical properties and characteristics, methods of working, cutting, and polishing. Find full treatments of lesser-known gems, from andalusite to vesuvian. A special section is devoted to rocks as precious stones, including alabaster, onyx, obsidian, and fossils. Organic gem materials are also covered, such as coral, ivory, amber, and pearl, plus new on the market stones like charoite. Everything is covered, including imitations, synthetics, and combined stones.
	Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones provides both the connoisseur and the casual collector with a compact, easy-to-use volume describing more than 100 rare varieties of minerals whose beauty and mystery have possessed our imaginations from time immemorial. More than 450 brilliant photographs accompany profiles of each gem, covering such aspects as appearance, physical properties -- density, hardness, refraction -- occurrence, and how to judge quality and value. Additional sections describe the process of cutting gemstones and the techniques professional gemologists use to evaluate a stone's weight and optical properties.
	The Smithsonian Handbooks: Gemstones is an introductory guide written by Cathy Hall.
	Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals combines 600 vivid full--color photos with descriptions of more than 500 specimens. Each entry combines a precise description with annotated photographs to highlight the chief characteristics of the rock or mineral and distinguishing features. Color--coded bands provide clear, at--a--glance facts for quick reference. In addition, each mineral entry features an illustration showing the crystal system to which the mineral belongs. Designed for beginners and experienced collectors alike, the Smithsonian Handbook of Rocks and Minerals explains what rocks or minerals are, how they are classified, and how to start a collection. To help in the initial stages of rock identification, a clear visual key illustrates the differences between igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, then guides the reader to the correct rock entry. A concise glossary provides instant understanding of technical and scientific terms.
	The Mineralogical Record magazine, issued six times a year,  is the most authoritative and widely respected mineral collector's journal in the world; no serious advanced collector would be without it. Readers learn about important mineral localities old and new, about the fascinating history of mining and mineralogy, and about new mineral species being described. They see reviews of public and private collections, market reports from contemporary mineral shows, columns on special topics, and oversized special issues devoted to entire mineral-rich states and countries. And all of these articles and features are illustrated by abundant top-quality color photography of fine mineral specimens. Copies of the magazine are never discarded like old newspapers, but are carefully saved and collected as reference works of permanent value.
	Since 1971, Rock & Gem has been the leading magazine for the lapidary and mineral hobbyist. Not a trade journal and not a scientific dissertation, it speaks to the average rockhound, providing just the right blend of entertainment and satisfying information. Armchair hobbyists and diehard diggers alike will find something to enjoy in each issue.

NOTE: Steve is a writer of Science Fiction, and has pages of recommended SF Reading and SF Writing; Amazon may display books relevant to those pages on the blurb above the Gem & Mineral books. Please accept my apologies.

Also, many people have requested that we publish a book containing the content of this web site: Amethyst Galleries' Guide to Minerals or Amethyst Galleries' Minerals & Gemstones or perhaps (after expanding the site a little) Amethyst Galleries Presents 1001 Minerals & Gems. However, there already exist many fine books on minerals, gemstones, and rocks, so we are uncertain about adding our own contribution to this list. If you have an opinion that you would like to share, please send me an email. Thank you.