Vertical Heartland: A Rock Climber’s Guide to Southern Illinois. Eric Ulner, photography by David Hart. Second West, Carbondale, IL, 1996. Soft cover, 162 pages. $25.95.

Comment: This glossy production is profusely illustrated with photos (some color) and lists 198 routes in its 162 pages — quite a low number of routes per page, when you stop to think about it. Almost all routes are described both in words and with exceptionally clear lines superimposed on photos. No star system; author claims most routes would be starred: “Let’s just call it a 3-star area, instead.” Routes indexed by area and rating. Contains advertising. (DS)