Compass of the Ephemeral contains a substantial collection of Burning Man historical ephemera and photography by numerous artists and contributors, including the Master Plan drawings for Black Rock City by Rod Garrett, and insightful essays about Black Rock City's evolution from a small gathering in the desert into a city with infrastructure that serves as a model for other cities around the world today. Essay contributors include: William L. Fox, founding director for the Center of Art and Environment, Nevada Museum of Art, archaeologist Alexei Vranich, Burning Man Cultural Co-Founders Harley Dubois and Crimson Rose, and, Black Rock City Superintendent Tony "Coyote" Perez-Banuet.