The California Field Atlas

The California Field Atlas
Author	Obi Kaufmann
Illustrator	Obi Kaufmann
Language	English
Subject	Ecology of California; geography of California; conservation (ethic);
Genre	"Field atlas" (sui generis)
Publisher	Heyday Books
Publication date	September 1, 2017
Publication place	United States
Pages	552
ISBN	978-1-59714-402-5
Dewey Decimal	557.94022
LC Class	G1526.G3 K3
Website	californiafieldatlas.com

The California Field Atlas is a 2017 book written and illustrated by Obi Kaufmann. It was published by Heyday Books, a Berkeley-based nonprofit small press. Through passages of nature writing and hundreds of watercolor paintings, the book details California's ecology and geography. Kaufmann, an artist and outdoorsman, was born in California and currently resides in Oakland. He prepared the book over the course of a year, drawing from a lifetime of experience hiking thousands of miles of California wilderness. With the California Field Atlas, he intended to foster geological literacy and conservation of the state's natural environment.

The book contains ten chapters spanning more than 500 pages in total. The first eight chapters examine California's ecological system, the ninth chapter is an overview of nature throughout the state's 58 counties, and the final chapter covers the topic of rewilding. Rather than focusing on already-famous natural landmarks such as Yosemite, Kaufmann sought to present a comprehensive overview of the state that included detailed surveys of lesser-known regions.

The title combines the phrases field guide and atlas, but the book differs in purpose and function from both categories as traditionally conceived. The term "field atlas" was coined by the author to describe a new genre of nature writing with elements of deep ecology and systems thinking. According to Kaufmann, a traditional field guide describes the what, and an atlas describes the where, of the natural world. On the other hand, the "field atlas" analyzes how aspects of nature interact and function as a whole.

Upon release, the book became a surprise commercial success that exceeded the expectations of its author and publisher. It sold out several printings—the first on pre-orders alone—and became a bestseller throughout California. Critics gave it generally enthusiastic reviews and it won several regional book awards. Following its success, Kaufmann signed with Heyday to publish four follow-up books about California's water, forests, coast, and deserts, respectively.