Customer Reviews

Audubon's Birds of America: The Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are a birder and you collect all the great bird books, your collection is not complete until you get this. A beautiful book, contained in a hard case, with excellent printing. A steal at $250 at its original price, now knocked down between $125 to $185. Get this book! A great tribute to Peterson and Audubon.

Let me qualify my remarks by first saying that I have not even seen this version. I have no doubt that the printing is of the highest quality, but I have a serious reservation about the organization of this book. Audubon deliberately mixed his birds in a non-taxonomic order to maintain a freshness and an element of suprise. I recently acquired a large format copy published by Welcome Rain, which follows Audubon's original order. The effect is a delightful romp through nature, full of suprises, drama and movement. He never intended it to be a catalog with all his ducks in a row, it was to be an experience. I have seen an abridged, small format edition of his paintings arranged in the standard, dull taxonomic order of a typical field guide and the effect is nothing like seeing them in the order Audubon intended. Rearranging the plates for convenience of listers diminishes this work, and to a certain extent, is a disservice to the artist. While I am happy to see that his work remains in print and is being reproduced at very high standards, I would hope that it would be viewed as a symphony, not as a random collection of notes needing to be organized alphabetically.

This book is spectacular. The images are breathtaking, and the quality of their presentation is nothing short of superb. Wow!!!

We keep this beautiful book open on a fine antique table in the foyer of our home. Every few days someone will change the page to a new, breath-taking piece of art. This is an American masterpiece and by far the most beautiful and affordable collection accessible to most people. It comes with a very stout slip case and dustjacket. The book is well constructed and I expect it to last a lifetime.

As stated in the Description, it is approximately 15" x 12" x 3" and weighs around 13 pounds! This is a biiiiiiig book, and beautiful! Need I say more considering the other reviews?

My good friend and neighbor owned a book like this, but it was the smaller version. As soon as I layed eyes on it and poured through all of its wonder, I knew that I would have to find one for myself.
I put the book on my Chrstmas list and before I knew it, I was at my grandmother's house for Christmas vacation and she got it for me.
The book is absolutely magnificent and beyond comparison. It greatly surpasses other Audubon books.
Description: All of Audubon's work in full size, unlike other books where most of the art plates are 3x4 images. Needs a sturdy table, weighs 15.4lbs and is exercise just to move it! Foreword by Roger Tory Peterson. Book I received came in a beautiful box case.

This book makes a great gift, but the person who you are giving it to, needs to be in healthy and strong shape.
Book is much too large for normal sized book case.

but it's a great thing for a birder to own. Beautiful plates - the quality is hard to believe. For what you get an incredible price. If you love books and birds, you'll love it.

I adore this book, with it's priceless drawings of birds by members of the Audubon Society. Being a birder, the illustrations are fantastic in helping one delineate between different bird species. It is such a big and beautiful tome, you can also have it on your coffee table for friends and family to admire.

This book is absolutely beautiful. It was good as new. We have it on our family room table and open to a new picture every day. The pictures are large and the colors are beautiful.

This book is very large and very heavy. It arrived in a timely manner and in excellent condition. The photos are beautiful and well written. If you are a bird enthusiast, this is a lovely book to own and peruse.