New Titles

 

1) Urfi, Abdul Jamil. The Painted Stork. 2024. Pelagic Publishing. Paperback: 191 pages. Price: $36.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A charismatic and arresting bird, the Painted Stork inhabits the plains and wetlands of India and Southeast Asia. This near-threatened species provides a good model through which to explore a variety of ecology and conservation issues. As a colonial nester, it is also useful for considering questions related to evolution and the development of avian coloniality. The Painted Stork sometimes nests opportunistically in the middle of large cities – the Delhi Zoo colony, for instance, has been active since 1960. This offers a splendid opportunity to study the species at close range, as attested by this book's lively photographic component.

     The Painted Stork is an important indicator of its wetland habitats, which themselves are highly threatened. Since environmental toxins, particularly organochlorine pesticides, travel rapidly along aquatic food chains, the study of piscivorous birds like the Painted Stork assumes special significance. Equally vulnerable today are the nesting colonies, located in marshes, village reservoirs and the wider countryside, including in urban settings. Perhaps because their natural nesting areas are becoming scarce due to habitat loss, colonial waterbirds look for suitable sites in parks and gardens. Hence, the behaviour of this species reflects changes occurring in its environment.

     Birds also help us monitor the effects of global climate change, and one of the most significant dimensions of the Painted Stork is its dependence upon the monsoon. How exactly do these seasonal rains govern the food cycles in wetlands? And what happens when the monsoon fails? Covering all aspects of Painted Stork ecology, behaviour, conservation and its relationship with humans, this accessible monograph contains a wealth of new insights.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with a serious interest in the Painted Stork.  

 

2) Rappole, John H.. Migration Mysteries: Adventures, Disasters, and Epiphanies in a Life with Birds. 2024. Texas A&M University Press. Hardbound: 335 pages. Price: $ 42.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Research scientist John H. Rappole’s lifelong journey has been in search of one thing—finding out why birds migrate. The developer and chief proponent of the “dispersal theory” of bird migration, Rappole takes readers on a tour of the decades-long discovery process that led him to propose a counter to the still–widely accepted “northern home,” or weather-based theory of migration. Migration Mysteries: Adventures, Disasters, and Epiphanies in a Life with Birds starts with Rappole’s early field work and follows through all of the subsequent twists and turns of his career and life.

      In a delightfully approachable style, Rappole introduces the people, places, quandaries, and dangers he encountered during the years he spent in Mexico, Central America, and the United States studying the migration patterns of birds. His account also serves as a wake-up call for conservation as, Rappole observes, the habitats for migratory birds are disappearing year by year.

      Cast as the author’s “swan song” on the topic of bird migration, this lively account of Rappole’s life’s work will delight birders, researchers, and general readers alike. Offered as both a follow-up to his recent, more theoretical work, Bird Migration: A New Understanding, and as a kind of valedictory message to colleagues, friends, supporters, and interested onlookers, Migration Mysteries is more than just what the author describes as “a biography of an idea,” it is also an entertaining and informative portrait of the life and work of one of America’s most influential wildlife biologists. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in bird migration.

3) Sharp, Arthur G.. The Hat That Killed a Billion Birds: The Decimation of World Avian Populations for Women's Fashion. 2024. McFarland. Paperback: 259 pages. Price: $39.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: During the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was common practice for milliners to decorate women's hats with birds' feathers and plumes--and sometimes with the birds themselves. As many as 300 million birds per year were killed for this fashionable enterprise, causing the extinction of some entire species and the endangerment of others. Lawmakers and bird aficionados were slow to react to the effects of this practice, which went on almost unabated for a quarter of a century. Then, noted naturalists like George Bird Grinnell, William T. Hornaday, and President Theodore Roosevelt, who recognized the economic benefits birds provided, banded together to pass meaningful legislation to protect them and to curb the production of murderous millinery.

      This book explores the troubled history of millinery and its complicated relationship to birds and conservation. It explores why it took so long for the slaughter to end and how the efforts of individuals and groups brought about change.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the history of bird conservation.

 

 

4) Bonino, Enrico and Carlo Kier. The Back to the Past Museum Guide to Trilobites II. 2024. Back to the Past Museum. Hardbound: 435 pages. Price: $115.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: This book takes the reader through all aspects of trilobite life over their 300 million years in the Earth's oceans, from their first appearance in the Cambrian to the final living members of the Permian. This new book expands upon the authors' seminal work, The Back to the Past Museum Guide to Trilobites from 2010, with extensive updated sections on trilobites' origins, morphology, and paleoecology. This book includes over 160 pages of full-color photographs of trilobite specimens from various museums and private collections and are organized by the geological formations in which they were discovered.  

RECOMMENDATION: This book is available in North America from Fossilera here. I recommend this book and Andy Secher's The Trilobite Collector's Guide for all hardcore trilobite collectors! 

 

5) Guard, B. Jennifer. Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington. 1995 (2010). Lone Pine Publishing. Paperback: 240 pages. Price: $22.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: This concise and easy-to-use field guide provides a wealth of information about the plants of the rich wetland ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Grouped by habitat, this guide describes wooded wetland, wetland prairie, marshy shore, shrub swamp, and the submerged and floating communities. Wetland Plants of Oregon and Washington includes: * Descriptions of more than 330 plants species * Over 300 exceptional color photos * 74 line drawings providing additional detail * Hints for distinguishing easily confused species * Intriguing notes on endangered plants, wildlife uses, associated species and natural history. * This authoritative and attractive field guide will help raise awareness and improve stewardship of an irreplaceable natural resource. Whether you are a naturalist or an armchair adventurer, you will find this book an indispensable addition to your bookshelf or backpack.

RECOMMENDATION: I recommend this book and A Field Guide to the Common Wetland Plants of Western Washington & Northwestern Oregon (edited by Sarah Spear Cooke, 1997) for those with an interest in the wetland plants of the region.

 

6) Sessa, Emily. Ferns, Spikemosses, Clubmosses, and Quillworts of Eastern North America. 2024. Princeton University Press. Flexibound: 527 pages. Price:  $29.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A comprehensive, richly illustrated photographic field guide to the ferns and lycophytes of the eastern United States and Canada

     This is a comprehensive photographic field guide to the ferns, spikemosses, clubmosses, and quillworts of eastern North America. Accessible yet scientifically accurate, the book will appeal to beginners and experts alike and enhance the field experience of any user.

     Keys, range maps, detailed color photographs, and facing-page species descriptions aid exploration and allow reliable identification of all 305 species found in the area covered by the book—the United States east of the Mississippi and contiguous Canada, except for extreme northern and northeastern Canada. An introduction provides an easy-to-understand overview of identifying characteristics, life cycles, and evolutionary history. Checklists allow readers to record species they have seen, in four subregions. Indexes feature a complete list of common and scientific names, including synonyms, ensuring that users can find the plants they are looking for and keep track of changes in taxonomy. In addition, information about hybrids, polyploids, and reticulate relationships is provided, illuminating the fascinating processes that have led to such a rich diversity of species.

     Modern and innovative, this is the definitive guide to the ferns and lycophytes of eastern North America.

• Covers all 305 species, belonging to 96 genera and 30 families
• Features detailed color photos of all species—and facing-page species descriptions
• Provides checklists for keeping track of species seen
• Includes common and scientific names and notable synonyms

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the ferns and lycophytes of the region! 

 

 

7) Kochanski, Mors. Bushcraft: Outdoor Skills and Wilderness Survival. 2016. Lone Pine Publishing. Paperback: 303 pages. Price: $19.95 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Longtime wilderness educator Mors Kochanski has dedicated his life to learning and teaching about the lore of the forest. With clear instructions, extensive use of diagrams and a color photo supplement, this comprehensive reference includes all the practical skills and knowledge essential for you to survive and enjoy the wilderness: * Lighting and maintaining a fire * Chopping wood and felling a tree * Creating a shelter and keeping warm * Safe use of the axe and bush knife * Plants and animals important for survival * Food, water and outdoor cooking * Wilderness first aid. * This bestseller should be required reading for hikers, campers, hunters, foresters, backwoods adventurers, scouts, youth groups--anyone with a passion for the outdoors.

RECOMMENDATION: This book was originally titled Northern Bushcraft, which describes the region this book is the most useful for!   

 

Books From Hancock House Publishers

 

Recently I got in these five books from Hancock House Publishers:

 

1) Ellis, David H.. Enter the Realm of the Golden Eagle. 2013. Hardbound: 496 pages. Price: $59.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Seventeen years in the making, this anthology offers a treasure trove of literary quotes and compelling stories by dozens of scientists, falconers, and adventurers. With over 400 illustrations by 21 photographers and 15 artists, and more than 100 accounts by 48 authors representing 20 nations, this book will appeal to both the generalist and the academic. Focusing on teaching everyone to value the eagle and the vast open habitats it needs to survive, and the creatures that share its world, this unique work both celebrates the eagle and attunes readers to the challenges facing this species in the modern world. Along with legendary stories from antiquity are chapters on trained eagles hunting large quarry such as gazelle, deer, foxes, wolves, and even man; eagle research and intelligence; and the eagle in the legend and lore of native peoples worldwide, including the acts by North American First Nations people to obtain coup feathers. An additional chapter outlines ways to capture eagles, including the use of helicopters. The book concludes with chapters on three special trained eagles. This book is specially designed to lure readers back into the natural world. 

 

2) Holland, Glen. Encyclopedia of Aviculture. 2007. Hardbound: 832 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The most up-to-date and detailed compilation of world wide Avicultural species recorded to date. Initiated as a book on African birds that feature in private avicultural and zoological collections around the globe, it soon became apparent that much of the information gathered pertained to aviculture worldwide. Recognized avicultural experts worldwide have contributed to make this a truly international avicultural handbook. A wide variety of valuable species are held outside of managed species programs and it is essential that we maximize the breeding potential of these species to ensure they contribute to long-term self-sustainable populations. In this book the aviculturist is provided with proven, practical methods for the successful management and propagation of most of the families of birds in the world. Species accounts vary from the world's largest, the ostrich, to the diminutive hummingbirds and waxbills and include avicultural rarities, such as Congo peafowl, kiwi, saddle-bill storks, bee-eaters, swallows, and red siskins. Vital, practical components for avicultural success that are universally applicable to a wide range of species, such as diets, compatibility with other species, habitat requirements, incubation, and hand-raising techniques are included. Aviculturists today are faced with the challenge of establishing captive-bred strains that are no longer reliant on replenishments from wild stock, while helping to reduce the current rate of species extinctions. 

 

3) Petrovskaya Wayne, Kyra. Quest for Empire: The Saga of Russian America. 1986. Hardbound: 415 pages. Original Price: $22.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Unavailable but it's a novel about the Russian period in Alaska.

4) Klem, Jr., Daniel. Solid Air: Invisible Killer- Saving Billions of Birds from Windows. 2021. Paperback: 222 pages. Price: $24.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Birds behave as if sheet glass is invisible to them. They kill themselves striking clear and reflective panes in all types and sizes of human-built structures the world over. The killing is indiscriminate, taking the fit and unfit species, of any age category- both common and of conservation concern. Window-kills occur in the billions worldwide annually. The victims are always unintended, unnecessary, harmless, and have no voice or other means to protect themselves.

     The science documenting this significant scale of loss has been known for decades, but only recently have meaningful efforts to address the problem occurred. Here, Dr. Daniel Klem, Jr., describes and summarizes the challenges and solutions to this important conservation issue for birds and people that can be used by, among others, architects and developers, legislators, legal professionals, urban planners, and homeowners alike.

     Unlike the complexities of other environmental challenges, such as climate change, this important conservation issue for birds and people can be solved, and the means to do so are described within the pages of this work to guide this worthy effort.

     The author's 44 years of scientific research have revealed answers to create proven bird-safe products for sale. This book ultimately tries to make the case that such a commitment is worthwhile and needed.

 

5) Bell, Robert C.. Out of the Lyme Light and Into the Sunlight: Birding as Therapy for the Chronically Ill. 2022. Paperback: 180 pages. Price: $26.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Out of the Lyme Light and into the Sunlight tells of the journey undertaken by the author, Bob Bell, after developing a bizarre set of increasingly debilitating symptoms, eventually leading to a diagnosis of Lyme disease. He describes his experiences, including the various allopathic and complementary medical treatments he received, and his frustrations in dealing with a skeptical Canadian medical system, which resulted in him seeking out-of-country medical treatment.

     Amidst an exhausting barrage of medications, fiery nerve pain, overwhelming fatigue and chronic pain, Bob turned to his love of nature and discovered the therapeutic benefits of birding to his health. He reflects on birding as his ideal therapy for dealing with both chronic disease and chronic pain, and provides tips on how to begin birding, and enjoy it, too, regardless of one’s physical ability.

     This book is the result of the author’s desire to make this potentially life-changing hobby accessible to everyone, and to give hope to those seeking to feel better.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS: Of these five books, I like the first two the best, although the author of the third book, Kyra Petrovskaya Wayne (1918-2018), led an interesting life including being a sniper during the siege of Leningrad in World War II.

New Titles

 

1) Lovitch, Derek J.. Birdwatching in Maine: The Complete Site Guide (Second Edition). 2024. Brandeis University Press. Paperback: 482 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: An invaluable site guide for New England birders, now available in a new updated edition.

     With over 470 species of birds recorded, Maine offers an abundance of birding opportunities for people of all levels of interest and experience, from those looking beyond their backyards for the first time to knowledgeable visitors looking to plug a hole in their list of sightings. The state’s wealth of undeveloped land and its extensive coastline, countless islands, and varied habitat combine to host an impressive diversity of birds at all times of the year. Birders travel to Maine from near and far to seek hard-to-find species, from the only Atlantic puffins breeding in the United States on offshore islands to Bicknell’s thrushes high in the mountains.

     This book fills an important niche for the birdwatching community by offering comprehensive entries detailing the best locations for finding birds throughout the state for enthusiasts of all levels of skill and interest. It contains descriptions of 202 birding sites in Maine, with explicit directions on how to get there, for all sixteen of the state’s counties, several as large as other New England states! Each chapter features a county map, a brief overview by Derek J. Lovitch, numerous specific site guides, and a list of rarities. The book also contains a detailed and useful species accounts guide for finding the most sought-after birds.
 
      Lavishly illustrated in color throughout, Birdwatching in Maine is the best available resource for finding birds in the largest of the New England states. This updated edition features a new introduction, as well as new birding sites and maps.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone birding Maine!  

 

 

2) Goodfellow, Peter. Avian Architecture Revised and Expanded Edition: How Birds Design, Engineer, and Build. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 176 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The essential illustrated guide to how birds design and build their nests—now fully revised and expanded.

     Birds are the most consistently inventive builders, and their nests set the bar for functional design in nature. Describing how birds design, engineer, and build their nests, Avian Architecture deconstructs all types of nests found around the world using architectural blueprints and detailed descriptions of the construction processes and engineering techniques birds use.

     This spectacularly illustrated book features more than 300 full-color images and more than 40 case studies that profile key species worldwide. Each chapter covers a different type of nest, from tunnel nests and mound nests to floating nests, hanging nests, woven nests, and even multiple-nest avian cities. Other kinds of avian construction—such as bowers and food stores—are also featured.

     Now with more case studies and an updated foreword, this revised and expanded edition includes intricate step-by-step sequences, visual spreads on nest-building materials and methods, and insightful commentary by a leading expert.

• Illustrates how birds around the world design, engineer, and build their nests
• Features architectural blueprints, step-by-step sequences, visual spreads on nest-building materials and methods, and expert commentary
• Includes more than 300 full-color images
• Covers more than 100 bird species worldwide

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in this aspect of bird behavior.

 

3) Pálsson, Gísli. The Last of Its Kind: The Search for the Great Auk and the Discovery of Extinction. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 291 pages. Price: $27.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: How an iconic bird’s final days exposed the reality of human-caused extinction.

     The Great Auk is one of the most tragic and documented examples of extinction. A flightless bird that bred primarily on the remote islands of the North Atlantic, the last of its kind were killed in Iceland in 1844. Gísli Pálsson draws on firsthand accounts from the Icelanders who hunted the last great auks to bring to life a bygone age of Victorian scientific exploration while offering vital insights into the extinction of species.

      Pálsson vividly recounts how British ornithologists John Wolley and Alfred Newton set out for Iceland to collect specimens only to discover that the Great Auks were already gone. At the time, the Victorian world viewed extinction as an impossibility or trivialized it as a natural phenomenon. Pálsson chronicles how Wolley and Newton documented the fate of the last birds through interviews with the men who killed them, and how the naturalists’ Icelandic journey opened their eyes to the disappearance of species as a subject of scientific concern—and as something that could be caused by humans.

       Blending a richly evocative narrative with rare, unpublished material as well as insights from ornithology, anthropology, and Pálsson’s own North Atlantic travels, The Last of Its Kind reveals how the saga of the Great Auk opens a window onto the human causes of mass extinction.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the Great Auk and/or bird extinctions. 

 

 

4) McCune, Bruce and Linda Geiser. Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest (Third Edition). 2024. Oregon State University Press. Paperback: 549 pages. Price: $45.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A key component in healthy ecosystems, lichens can be found in almost any natural habitat in the Pacific Northwest. This comprehensive guide to the region’s macrolichens is intended for use by beginners as well as specialists: weekend naturalists will be able to identify specimens and recognize the great diversity of lichens, while lichenologists and mycologists will gain greater knowledge of the distribution and abundance of various species.

      This updated third edition of Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest includes 95 additional species and an expanded introduction. It features keys to 109 genera and 681 species of Oregon and Washington macrolichens—all the macrolichens known or expected to occur in the two states. The keys also provide excellent coverage for lichens of Idaho and Montana, inland to the Continental Divide. Color photographs and detailed descriptions emphasize lichens prevalent in forested ecosystems.

      The illustrated glossary and introductory material cover the terminology needed to identify macrolichens and provide information on collection and handling. The biology, ecology, and air-quality sensitivity of lichens are discussed; regional air-quality sensitivities are provided for nearly 200 species.

      Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest will prove invaluable to anyone seeking to identify lichens or to better understand these organisms and their vital role in the natural world. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the lichens of the region!  

 

 

5) Turner, Mark and Sami Gray. Weeds of the Pacific Northwest: 368 Unwanted Plants and How to Control Them. 2024. Timber Press. Paperback: 455 pages. Price: $34.99 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A comprehensive guide to the most common weeds of the Pacific Northwest, with essential information on their management and eradication.
 
      Weeds are everywhere. They crowd out valuable agricultural crops, compete with the tomatoes and beans in your vegetable garden, spread rampantly along roadsides, and pop up from the tiniest cracks in sidewalks. In order to manage them, we must first learn how to identify them.
 
     Weeds of the Pacific Northwest is a guide to identifying, controlling, and eradicating over 300 species of weeds that gardeners and homeowners are likely to encounter in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Though they can all cause trouble, each weed is different. The hundreds of user-friendly photographs and detailed descriptions of each species here ensure that you can spot and treat any weed in your path.  As the experts behind this book demonstrate, some plants can be killed by eating them, some by digging, some by smothering, and some only by the judicious application of chemical herbicides—and it is very important for you and your neighbors to know and understand the differences. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the weeds of the region!

 

 

6) Williams, Kevin et al.. Velvet Ants of North America. 2024. Princeton University Press. Flexibound: 440 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: An authoritative, marvelously illustrated field guide to the velvet ants of North America.

     Velvet Ants of North America is a beautiful photographic guide to the species of the wasp family Mutillidae found in the United States and Canada. Featuring hundreds of full-color photos, it covers nearly 460 species―representing more than 9 percent of all velvet ant species, which number in the thousands worldwide―providing comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of this spectacular group of insects. This one-of-a-kind guide serves as an invaluable reference for naturalists, scientific researchers, museum specialists, and outdoor enthusiasts.

• Covers nearly 460 species found in North America and throughout the world
• Features stunning high-resolution photos of each species
• Detailed species accounts and keys allow for easy and rewarding identification
• Sheds invaluable light on taxa from Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, and beyond
• Provides silhouette images depicting the actual size ranges of species
• Includes distribution maps of nearly all diurnal species in the United States and Canada

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in Velvet Ants! 

 

 

7) English, Neil. Choosing & Using Binoculars: A Guide for Star Gazers, Birders and Outdoor Enthusiasts. 2024. Springer. Paperback: 523 pages. Price: $32.99 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Binoculars are life enhancing instruments, uniquely capable of bringing the intricacies of nature into sharp focus. Whether it be birds, majestic lakes and seas, alpine vistas, wild animals or exploring the glories of the night sky, anyone interested in buying binoculars today will be faced with a bewildering number of different models to choose from!

     This book walks the reader through the fascinating world of binoculars, past and present, while exploring all of the main binocular types, their desirable features, how to test out and narrow down the choices a prospective customer should make, as well as looking at some of the best and most-sought-after binoculars money can buy. Uniquely experienced writer and binocular enthusiast, Dr. Neil English, takes the pain out of narrowing down the search for your ideal binocular, whether your budget is $50 or $5,000. Dr. English explores many of the timeless beauties of the binocular world, crafted by top European and Japanese manufacturers, such as Swarovski, Zeiss, Nikon, Leica and others. Sumptuously illustrated throughout with full color images, Choosing & Using Binoculars decodes all the technical jargon without sacrificing accuracy and presents the world’s best compendium of binocular literature for the birder, hunter, inveterate traveler, nature enthusiast and star gazer. Don’t leave home without it!

RECOMMENDATION: Due to size limitations, not all binocular models that birders use are listed in this book, but your average birder should find some good information here.

 

 

8) Varichon, Anne. Color Charts: A History. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 284 pages. Price: $55.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A beautifully illustrated history of the many inventive, poetic, and alluring ways in which color swatches have been selected and staged.

     The need to categorize and communicate color has mobilized practitioners and scholars for centuries. Color Charts describes the many different methods and ingenious devices developed since the fifteenth century by doctors, naturalists, dyers, and painters to catalog fragments of colors. With the advent of industrial society, manufacturers and merchants developed some of the most beautiful and varied tools ever designed to present all the available colors. Thanks to them, society has discovered the abundance of color embodied in a plethora of materials: cuts of fabric, leather, paper, and rubber; slats of wood and linoleum; delicate skeins of silk; careful deposits of paint and pastels; fragments of lipstick; and arrangements of flower petals. These samples shape a visual culture and a chromatic vocabulary and instill a deep desire for color.

     Anne Varichon traces the emergence of modern color charts from a set of processes developed over the centuries in various contexts. She presents illuminating examples that bring this remarkable story to life, from ancient writings revealing attention to precise shade to contemporary designers’ color charts, dyers’ notebooks, and Werner’s famous color nomenclature. Varichon argues that color charts have linked generations of artists, artisans, scientists, industrialists, and merchants, and have played an essential and enduring role in the way societies think about color.

     Drawing on nearly two hundred documents from public and private collections, almost all of them previously unpublished, this wonderfully illustrated book shows how the color chart, in its many distinct forms and expressions, is a practical tool that has transcended its original purpose to become an educational aid and subject of contemplation worthy of being studied and admired.

RECOMMENDATION: This color charts book concentrates on commercially used color charts and not those used by naturalists. It barely mentions Waller's,Werner's, and Munsell's charts and ignores others (e.g. Ridgway, Smithe, etc.).