The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants [Hardcover]

Wolfgang Stuppy (Author), Rob Kesseler (Author), Madeline Harley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2009

Science and art collaborate to reveal a stunning, even sensual, microscopic world.

Three landmark books -- Pollen, Seeds and Fruit -- were published in 2006 and 2008 to rave reviews: "breathtaking," "ravishing," "spectacular," "enlightening," "truly revelatory" and "beautiful almost beyond description." In The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants, the authors bring the best of these books together in one volume that is a fascinating union of art and science.

Visual artist Rob Kesseler uses special light techniques and scanning electron microscopy to create astonishing images of a variety of pollens, seeds and fruits. His razor-sharp cross sections reveal intricate interiors, pods, pouches, keys and other examples of botanical architecture and seed dispersal.

Seed morphologist Wolfgang Stuppy and palynologist Madeline Harley deftly explain the botanical purposes of the pollens, seeds and fruit, how they fulfill their missions and their roles in preserving the biodiversity of our planet. Literary references to plant reproduction are featured along with early botanical illustrations.

The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants is groundbreaking in its intimate examination of plant reproduction. It is an essential reference for artists, designers and photographers and will fascinate gardeners and general readers.

(20091201)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Nature’s default mode is beauty. Consider the tiniest grains of pollen, works of architecture so intricate and elegant as to defy belief. Humans have been able to appreciate such wonders only after inventing the electronic microscope, which has enabled scientists to fully study the elaborate and dynamic reproductive strategies of plants, but it takes an artist to fully appreciate their aesthetics. Enter Rob Kesseler, who transforms black-and-white informational images into photographs as resplendent as jewels. Palynologist Harley and seed morphologist Stuppy teamed up with Kesseler to produce three large, dazzling volumes—Pollen (2006), Seeds (2006), and Fruits (2008). The trio now presents a single, more compact and mobile, and equally gorgeous and mind-blowing volume about the marvelous yet secret lives of plants. The astonishing pictures are matched by scientifically exacting explanations of how plants, which produce oxygen and “feed—either directly or indirectly—all life on Earth,” have evolved “sophisticated survival strategies,” including symbiotic relationships with pollinators. The authors hope to inspire awe and gratitude, because, as they so graciously remind us, we owe our lives to plants. --Donna Seaman

Review

Lush and otherworldly...This is truly a look into the secret life of plants. (Susan Reimer Baltimore Sun 20091108)

The most visually striking-and unusual-plant-related book of the year...that will forever change the way you look at plants. (Jodi De Long Halifax Chronicle-Herald 20091206)

The illustrations of magnified seeds and pollen combined with otherworldly-seeming photographs of plants make this a visual treat. (Laura Gold Phoenix Home & Garden 20100105)

Seen in a larger-than-life fashion, pollens and seeds become complete life forms with unique purposes. (Joel M. Lerner Richmond Times-Dispatch 20091225)

Accessibly written and filled with stunning photographs, this book will be enjoyed both by specialist and general readers. (SciTech Book News 200912)

Fantastic photos -- images that transcend the bounds of the ordinary -- dominate the book... An unforgettable feast. (William Scheick, University of Texas at Austin Texas Gardener 20100303)

Like fireworks in the night sky, startling images burst forth from the glossy black pages... a spectacular treatise. (The National Gardener )

A single, more compact and more mobile, and equally gorgeous and mind-blowing volume about the marvelous yet secret lives of plants. (Donna Seaman Booklist )

Sometimes it's nice to have a book that just wows you. (Charlie Nardozzi National Gardening Association )

These entrancing images are accompanied by interesting information... What a great way to increase your botanical knowledge! (National Gardener )

This visual treat... invites readers to discover the thrill of looking at the everyday from an uncommon perspective. (Natalya Stanko Sierra Club )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (September 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554075335
• ISBN-13: 978-1554075331
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,494 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Botany
  • #98 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stirring and inspiring., December 11, 2009

By 

Robert Busko (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants (Hardcover)

The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants by Wolfgang Stuppy, Rob Kessler, and Madeline Harley is almost a spiritual experience to thumb through and read. A fairly short book at 144 pages, The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants still contains an impact that is awe inspiring. I'm not sure how many will actually read the included text but Madeline Harley did a masterful job in creating an engaging story that competes well with the photos.

If you want to engage children of all ages in the beauty of the natural world, then this is the book to let them browse through. We'll create another generation of scientists and environmentalists for sure. I was hooked on astronomy as a hobby because of beautiful photos of Saturn. They changed my life. This volume might work the same majic.

Peace to all.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing world opened at the microscopic level, May 27, 2010

By 

Paul Sas "Paul Whitmore Sas" (Berkeley) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants (Hardcover)

Amazing photos, with quite illuminating explanatory text. Lots of opportunities to learn obscure botanical terms too, such as anemochory (the strategy of dispersing seeds via the wind). My one peeve is that the labels for all the beautiful microscopic images are pushed to an appendix, so that one has to jump to the back to find out what is depicted. Since over half the pages don't even have page numbers, this task of decryption is extra hard. I wish that the authors would have found a design method for including a modest amount of identifying text on the page with each image. This quibble, notwithstanding, the book is a joy to page through, and repays frequent returns to study the unusual shapes of each surface.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning photos of the beauty of nature, January 21, 2011

By 

Stan Spector (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bizarre and Incredible World of Plants (Hardcover)

These photos are really stunning. It shows the true beauty of nature. School age children show look through it to get an appreciation for nature.