It provides an introduction to their genesis, details of their structural characteristics, and a multitude of macro and micro photographs. It's a stating-point for some of the current theories of their formation, and contains references to more in-depth studies.

No other variety of material offers so many combinations of patterns and spectral colors. Sit back and now an enjoy the complexity and beauty locked within these stones." (Taken from the rear cover)

This is a 9" x 12" softcover book with 240 glossy color pages and over 1000 photos and diagrams. Agate and jasper structures are shown in macro-photography, micro-photography, and in representative thin-sections. The books weighs just under 3 lb. (1.5 kg.), so international shipping is expensive.

The first section explains the genesis of agates and provides diagrams of their internal structure with thin-section examples. This is followed by several sections showing example photographs of fortification agates, plume agates, moss & tube agates, sagenitic agates, and other varieties. Limited locale information is provided.

The next section explains the formation of jasper with examples of structural characteristics again using several thin-sections. It discusses much of the market misnaming of a host of materials as jaspers. This is followed by many sections with photographic examples of generic jaspers, brecciated jaspers, orbicular jaspers, and scenic jaspers.

Finally there is a short section with a discussion of rhyolites and their confusion with jaspers. Followed by an even shorter section on fossilized materials. Both of these sections have abundant photo-examples.

Two final pages show the equipment used to take the photos and describe the software used to produce all aspects of the book.