If you're like me, you have a well-worn copy of Sibley's Guide to Birds sitting on a windowshelf next to a pair of binoculars. I also have copies of both the smaller eastern and western versions that I often take with me when I'm travelling.
Yesterday I learned1 that Sibley has now produced a guide to trees. I haven't had much of a chance to look at it yet, but my first impression matches what Ed Wilson has to say about it in a cover blurb: "A beautiful, masterful, and much-needed work that will henceforth be our guide to the North American trees."
As you would expect from Sibley, the illustrations are wonderful, and like his bird guide, the illustrations include examples of how individuals belonging to the same species may differ from one another. I don't like to admit it, since I'm president of the Botanical Society of America, but I'm lousy at telling trees apart.2 With Sibley at my side, maybe I'll finally learn how to tell more of them apart.
Here's a link to Sibley describing the book.2
Yesterday I learned1 that Sibley has now produced a guide to trees. I haven't had much of a chance to look at it yet, but my first impression matches what Ed Wilson has to say about it in a cover blurb: "A beautiful, masterful, and much-needed work that will henceforth be our guide to the North American trees."
As you would expect from Sibley, the illustrations are wonderful, and like his bird guide, the illustrations include examples of how individuals belonging to the same species may differ from one another. I don't like to admit it, since I'm president of the Botanical Society of America, but I'm lousy at telling trees apart.2 With Sibley at my side, maybe I'll finally learn how to tell more of them apart.
Here's a link to Sibley describing the book.2
1A birthday gift from my parents.
2What can I say? I grew up in southern Idaho where if a plant was woody it was sagebrush, unless you were in the mountains and it was a pine or a juniper.
3Amazon doesn't seem to allow its videos to be embedded.
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