Reviews
"A beautiful, masterful, and much-needed work that will henceforth be our guide to the North American trees." Edward O. Wilson "A wonderful companion volume to David Sibley's superb bird books, with the same beautifully precise species illustrations and concise, clear descriptions and range mapsaltogether an invaluable contribution to our nature literature." Peter Matthiessen, author ofShadow Country "Unlike birdsthe subject of David Sibley's previous guidetrees of the same species can be different colors at different times of year, different sizes in different places, and even different shapes and sizes in the same place. I thought, therefore, that trees were so replete with variables that a field guide would be impossible. I hadn't counted on Sibley's genius with words and paint to turn the impossible into this brilliant, eminently useful, reality." Richard Ellis, author ofTuna: A Love Story "I am delighted that the very talented David Sibley has 'branched out' to include trees. His illustrations are ideal, and the fact that he chooses to give more examples and variations than other guides will make this a very useful handbook." Robert Bateman, author ofBirds, "The Sibley Guide to Treesis so well done that even the most serious birders may find themselves identifying and enjoying trees in their own right . . . All aspects of the trees are shown: leaves (from above and below), buds, flowers, fruits, twigs, and bark. For most species, the autumn leaves are illustrated and, when appropriate, new growth as well . . . The excellent range maps are large and dependable . . . The information is well ordered [and] the guide includes the very latest research . . .The Sibley Guide to Treeswill occupy a treasured space right next toThe Sibley Guide to Birds . . .It is as monumental and as purely pleasurable as the bird guide, and a masterful and fitting companion." -Clay and Pat Sutton,Birdingmagazine "A beautiful, masterful, and much-needed work that will henceforth be our guide to the North American trees." Edward O. Wilson "A wonderful companion volume to David Sibley's superb bird books, with the same beautifully precise species illustrations and concise, clear descriptions and range mapsaltogether an invaluable contribution to our nature literature." Peter Matthiessen, author ofShadow Country "Unlike birdsthe subject of David Sibley's previous guidetrees of the same species can be different colors at different times of year, different sizes in different places, and even different shapes and sizes in the same place. I thought, therefore, that trees were so replete with variables that a field guide would be impossible. I hadn' t counted on Sibley's genius with words and paint to turn the impossible into this brilliant, eminently useful, reality." Richard Ellis, author ofTuna: A Love Story "I am delighted that the very talented David Sibley has 'branched out' to include trees. His illustrations are ideal, and the fact that he chooses to give more examples and variations than other guides will make this a very useful handbook." Robert Bateman, author ofBirds "I think that I shall never see another guide that makes it so easy to identify a tree . . . David Allen Sibley, the preeminent bird-guide author and illustrator, has written a book that is monumental in scope but user-friendly in practical use. Simply put, this is the single most comprehensive guide to North American trees . . . This is an important, new contribution that is certain to help us better understand our natural world." -Larry Cox,Tucson Citizen "David Allen Sibley has done it again. Nine years after the publication of his acclaimedThe Sibley Guide to Birds, the book that changed the way we look at our field guides, he's turned his attention to the second most beloved member of the birder's world-the tree. In more than 4,000 exquisite paintings, Sibley reveals what to look for to identify 668 native and commonly cultivated trees . . . and to do so the same way you identify birds: from a distance." -Matt Mendenhall,Birder's World "Sibley's book brings the advantages of painting to tree identification, keeping plant parts in scale when necessary, showing variations in the shapes of everything from leaves to acorns, and making finely nuanced color choices that really help you parse similar species and outright hybrids . . . It's obviously made for field use. The durable, flexible cover has end flaps to bookmark whatever you happen to be studying, and the extra size gives you pictures you can see easily . . . This book will become a classic." -Jim McCausland, Sunset Magazine "David Allen Sibley is the artist and author responsible for several excellent bird books (mine are well thumbed), and his tree guide
Synopsis
The definitive field guide to the trees of North America, featuring maps, detailed illustrations, and information on more than 600 species of trees, from the preeminent, bestselling author and illustrator "A beautiful, masterful, and much-needed work that will henceforth be our guide to the North American trees."--Edward O. Wilson The Sibley Guide to Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification--more than has ever been collected in a single book--into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format. With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species--native trees as well as many introduced species. More than 500 maps show the complete range, both natural and cultivated, for nearly all species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear. Highlighted features include: - leaves (including multiple leaf shapes and fall leaf color) - bark - needles - cones - flowers - fruit - twigs - silhouettes Trees are arranged taxonomically, with all related species grouped together. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of, for example, oaks or chestnuts or hickories, the Guide helps the user recognize these basic species groups the same way birders recognize thrushes, warblers, or sparrows. In addition, there are essays on taxonomy, on the cultivation of trees, and on conservation issues, reflecting Sibley's deep concern with habitat preservation and environmental health. An important contribution to our understanding of the natural world, The Sibley Guide to Trees is a necessity for every tree lover, traveler, and naturalist., The definitive field guide to the trees of North America, featuring maps, detailed illustrations, and information on more than 600 species of trees, from the preeminent, bestselling author and illustrator "A beautiful, masterful, and much-needed work that will henceforth be our guide to the North American trees."-Edward O. Wilson The Sibley Guide to Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification-more than has ever been collected in a single book-into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format. With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species-native trees as well as many introduced species. More than 500 maps show the complete range, both natural and cultivated, for nearly all species.No other guide has ever made field identification so clear. Highlighted featuresinclude- . leaves (including multiple leaf shapes and fall leaf color) . bark . needles . cones . flowers . fruit . twigs . silhouettes Trees are arranged taxonomically, with all related species grouped together. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of, for example, oaks or chestnuts or hickories, the Guide helps the user recognize these basic species groups the same way birders recognize thrushes, warblers, or sparrows.In addition, there are essays on taxonomy, on the cultivation of trees, and on conservation issues, reflecting Sibley's deep concern with habitat preservation and environmental health. An important contribution to our understanding of the natural world, The Sibley Guide to Trees is a necessity for every tree lover, traveler, and naturalist., David Allen Sibley, the preeminent, bestselling bird-guide author and illustrator, applies his formidable skills of identification and illustration to the trees of North America. The Sibley Guide to Trees is an astonishingly elegant guide to a complex subject. It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification--more than has ever been collected in a single book--into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format. With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species--native trees as well as many introduced species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear. Features highlighted include: - leaves (including multiple leaf shapes and fall leaf color) - bark - needles - cones - flowers - fruit - twigs - silhouettes More than 500 maps show the complete range, both natural and cultivated, for nearly all species. Trees are arranged taxonomically, with all related species grouped together. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of, for example, oaks or chestnuts or hickories, the Guide helps the user recognize these basic species groups the same way birders recognize thrushes, warblers, or sparrows. In addition, there are essays on taxonomy, on the cultivation of trees, and on conservation issues, reflecting Sibley's deep concern with habitat preservation and environmental health. An important new contribution to our understanding of the natural world, The Sibley Guide to Trees will be a necessity for every tree lover, traveler, and naturalist. It is sure to become the new benchmark in field guides to trees.