The Urban Tree Book: An Uncommon Field Guide for City and Town

by Arthur Plotnik

Book Overview

Open The Urban Tree Book and discover the joys of forest trekking--right in your city or town. This first-of-a-kind field guide introduces readers to the trees on their block, in neighborhood parks, and throughout the urban landscape. Unlike traditional tree guides with dizzying numbers of woodland species, The Urban Tree Book explores nature in the city, describing some 200 tree types likely to be found on North America's streets and surrounding...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812931033
• ISBN13: 9780812931037
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.9" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Mighty Acorn of a Book

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.

A budding Peattie?

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.

An Uncommonly Fine Field Guide

Typically, when I browse learned books, be they history, science, art, whatever, if the author's qualifications to teach me about the subject don't measure up, they go back on the shelf. Talented amateurs have their place, but with so many good books out there, I can't afford to risk having my time wasted.This book is a great exception. By touching only lightly on the dry botanical aspects of the trees, and focussing on their characters, the author shows confidence in the subject while letting his enthusiasm and wit have full rein.Again, most illustrations drawn by authors' partners usually serve for breaking up the text. Not these. The unison between the illustrations and the textual descriptions is evidence of true collaboration and a rare conjunction of talent.If you're interested in "those big things with the leaves", and you don't happen to live in a forest, but this book.

Must-read for tree lovers

As a traveller, walker, and jogger, I've spent a lot of time perusing various urban landscapes over the past quarter-century. If only I'd had "The Urban Tree Book" handy all those years! Like many, I've acquired a superficial knowledge of the trees and shrubs I've encountered by perusing guides and fieldbooks, but those aren't books for reading. Arthur Plotnik's book, loaded with fascinating facts, lively personal observations, and helpful illustrations, is the exception. I bought it out of idle curiosity but immediately proceeded to read it straight through. Mr. Plotnik, clearly a tree "amateur" (lover) in the best sense of the word, has brought the writer's art to the tree guide. "The Urban Tree Book" has the feel of a good travel book, written by a friendly and knowledgeable companion eager to share the delights of the journey. It's a book I'll return to frequently and can recommend highly.

Long live our city trees!

A dream book for all city tree lovers. Chock-full of accessible and thoughtful descriptions of city tree types. Excellent resource section offering an informative glossary, further reading section, internet sites, and how to keep our city trees healthy.