Lichens of North America

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: It is hard to write about this book without an overuse of superlatives. The photographs are a naturalist's dream; they show the salient features of the lichens, but, at the same time, they are frequently works of art displaying the beauty and charm of both the subjects and their settings.The text escapes both of the usual faults of this type of book. It is neither so technical as to confuse and bore the non-specialist nor so superficial as to diminish the book's usefulness for the botanically sophisticated. Brodo's writing is clear, concise and graceful; a joy to read.The organization of the book is also all one could wish for, with a generous natural history section leading into clear, workable keys and descriptions of enough of the North American lichen species to satisfy any generalist and most specialists.All one is left to wish for is a paperback version to toss in the car.

Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous book
Review: The most beatiful and informative book on lichens I've ever seen. The quality is amazing. It is a delight to read from cover to cover. And it is a true bargain at the price list.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful research guide.
Review: This is a book all naturalists will want to own, and it is not surprising that some have said that this is to lichens what Audobon's was to birds. It is a great gift to the naturalist community, courtesy of generous grants from 20 organizations. The text starts out with the basics, is clearly written, and exciting to read. The photos are outstanding. The paper is heavy coated stock: they did not skimp here. A real treasure, well worth it at twice the price. If you already know vascular plants and want to know more about the biological world, or are just fascinated by lichens, you can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: A Joy to Read
Review: This is a book all naturalists will want to own, and it is not surprising that some have said that this is to lichens what Audobon's was to birds. It is a great gift to the naturalist community, courtesy of generous grants from 20 organizations. The text starts out with the basics, is clearly written, and exciting to read. The photos are outstanding. The paper is heavy coated stock: they did not skimp here. A real treasure, well worth it at twice the price. If you already know vascular plants and want to know more about the biological world, or are just fascinated by lichens, you can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful research guide.
Review: Wow sums it all up. The description said "hardcover, color photos, 'X' amount of pages, yet when I picked up a huge, heavy box, I had no idea the book was this great. Touches on just about every lichen in North America, and the pictures are a huge help. Offers identification tips through visual assessment and chemical testing. If you need to research lichen, this book is a great investment at a wonderful price.