- Paperback: 448 pages
- Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (May 16 2000)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0812931033
- ISBN-13: 978-0812931037
- Product Dimensions: 2.3 x 1.5 x 0.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 644 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#345,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #54 in Books > Science > Nature & Ecology > Field Guides > Trees
- #54 in Books > Outdoors & Nature > Field Guides > Trees
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
North America's cities may be crowded and tumultuous places of steel and glass, but there is scarcely one of them that does not have some quiet forested corner, some green place of solace and repose. Arthur Plotnik, the author of the fine writer's handbook The Elements of Editing, celebrates such places in The Urban Tree Book, an information-rich, entertaining guide to the trees you are likely to encounter in places such as Toronto, Washington, Vancouver, and Kansas City. (For residents of cities farther south and west, he includes a section on palm trees.) A late bloomer--he writes that he came to an appreciation of city greenery not as a naturalist, but as a writer given to staring out his window at a cluster of silver maple, ash, and horse chestnut trees--Plotnik has mastered a wide variety of materials. He describes not only the ranges, biology, and life histories of some 50 common urban trees, but also gathers oddments of folklore and nicely appropriate bits of urban history, such as, for instance, the fact that Al Capone favored an ash bat "to keep his goons in line."
As Plotnik observes, at the dawn of the 21st century, 75 percent of all North Americans live in cities. In his pages these urbanites will find a wealth of information to help better acquaint themselves with the natural life that perseveres in their midst. --Gregory McNamee
From Booklist
Urbanites love the trees that shade their streets, muffle traffic noise, and soften the city's hard edges, but most possess scant arboreal knowledge. When Plotnik, a Chicago resident, realized how little he knew about the lives of the trees on his block, he launched a dynamic inquiry into the character of city trees and their strategies for survival. The result is a uniquely entertaining and immensely enlightening guide to 200 species of "tough trees for tough places." Plotnik expresses his sense of wonder about urban trees found all over the U.S. with warmth and wit as he recounts their history and lore and medicinal and spiritual legacies. Going beyond factual description, he evokes each species' distinctive ambience, from the way their leaves filter light to the sound they make in the wind. Plotnik also celebrates landmark trees, assesses the new urban forestry movement, and provides a wealth of useful resources. Vetted by experts at the Morton Arboretum and illustrated with Mary Phelan's superbly graceful drawings, this is a tree book with depth and sparkle. Donna Seaman
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
One of Western civilization's most sacred trees. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
One of Western civilization's most sacred trees. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Mighty Acorn of a Book,
By
This review is from: The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town (Paperback)
I got this book to help me learn about--not just identify--my neighborhood trees. It's excellent. It's written for the layman, and it is so comprehensive and interesting to read. I've gone through much of this book with my kids, who, because they're city-dwellers, rarely get a chance to thoughtfully examine the fauna that's all around us. Now my 9-year-old can explain differences between maples as well as point out ash, linden, and several species of oak. This book is great for people who want to train themselves to notice details, like leaf arrangement, general shape, and bark patterns. It makes you a better observer, and it helps you notice much more than the trees themselves (like what lives on, or in, them). This is fun to take on a walk through the park.
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Tree Grows in Nashville,
This review is from: The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town (Paperback)
I bought this guide when it first came out and enjoyed every tree, word and atticism. I am going to revisit this wonderful book to journey back into the life of a city's street trees. Wonderful, delightful and perfectly good reading for the neighborhood tree-hugger. A must have for any one who appreciates trees and literature. Mr. Plotnik gives us a vortiginous account of what trees are. "It's not what you look at, but what you see." - H.D.T.I will always keep this book close at hand throughout my journey through life. Excellent. Vostellung!
5.0 out of 5 stars
A budding Peattie?,
By
This review is from: The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town (Paperback)
When after all those rave reviews I bought a copy I was slightly dissappointed. This is an unassuming paperback. There are books on trees you buy for the illustrations: this is not one of them. The illustrations are nice, even tasteful (although I assume they would look a lot better in color) but are nothing more than just that, an illustration of the text.However, when actually reading in the book I was quickly forced to the conclusion that this is a real find. Arthur Plotnik not only is inspired by trees, he also did his home-work (in a big way!) and he surely can write. This book reminds me very strongly of D.C.Peattie, as he would write if he were to live today. What can I add to that? P.S. I can add that this book has an impressive list of references for further reading and a perhaps even more impressive list of internet sites on trees.
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