Remarkable Trees of the World - Hardcover

Thomas Pakenham

4.4

342 ratings by Goodreads

9780297843498: Remarkable Trees of the World

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0297843494 ISBN 13: 9780297843498

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003

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Following the extraordinary success of MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE TREES, Thomas Pakenham broadens his search for remarkable specimens around the world. From North and South America to Europe, from Asia, South Africa and Madagascar to Australia and New Zealand, he presents us with trees of personality and presence: Dwarfs, Giants, Monuments, and Aliens - the lovingly tended midgets of Japan; the massive 'General Sherman' of Sierra Nevada; the Mexican Tule Bald Cypress; the enormous strangler from India now romping about the University of Palermo in Sicily; and the 4,700 year old 'Old Methusalehs', the bristlecone pines discovered in the White Mountains of California. From ancient yews and ginkos to colossal redwoods and fairytale baobabs, this book is the fruit of Thomas Pakenham's search for the most remarkable trees of the world.

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About the Author:

Thomas Pakenham is the author and photographer of the bestselling MEETINGS WITH REMARKABLE TREES, and author of the critically acclaimed SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA, which won the W.H.Smith award and the Alan Paton Award.

From School Library Journal:

Adult/High School-Following Meetings with Remarkable Trees (Random, 1998), which features trees in Britain and Ireland, this book sets out to discover more such natural wonders elsewhere. In Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, he finds 60 commanding giants and dwarfs, Methuselahs, shrines, and "dream" trees of many kinds. Whether he is meeting baobabs, sequoias, or banyans, he finds magnificence, beauty, and, sometimes, sadness. He has a genius for communicating his sense of each tree as an individual being, engendering wonder, awe, and respect for it in readers. His thoughtful but brisk narratives bring his travels to life and readers feel that they are participants in an adventure as he experiences trees, their ecological and historical contexts, and the challenges of creating photographs of such difficult and special subjects. And Pakenham's color photographs are truly remarkable as he conveys the tactile aspect of bark, the sense of size or majesty, or the rare moment when the light is just right to capture the spirit of the tree. Chapters are further enhanced with historical illustrations (often, earlier views of the same trees) and snippets of poetry ranging from Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Ogden Nash. Pakenham ends with a chapter on "Trees in Peril." This beautiful and unique book is sure to be appreciated by nature lovers. And though it is a highly personal work and not a scientific text, it demonstrates keen and accurate observation; it could also serve as an excellent supplement to studies in science, history, and geography.
Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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