Customer Reviews

Lichens of North America

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As an amateur naturalist and nature photographer I was intriqued by the colors, patterns and variety of lichens, but knew little about them. As my lichen photography collection grew,I wanted to identify the lichen species I had photographed, so I did some research. I returned over and over again to a website that highlighted the chapters and images in "Lichen's of North America." The book seemed an expensive investment for an amateur like myself, but, after reviewing other books on lichens at the library and in bookstores, I realized this book has no equal. Inevitably, I placed my order. When the book arrived, I was first surprised at how BIG it was. Hundreds of four color images jumped off the pages, each a work of art. Most importantly, the text is fascinating and easy to understand, even for a non-scientist. I read the first 14 chapters over the weekend. I was amazed by the important role lichens play in the biodiversity of life. It opened my eyes to an understudied and little understond life form that has a profound influence on the past and future of our planet. I recommend it to anyone who has any interest in biodiversity, natural succession, preserving the environment and nature in general. You will see Lichen in a whole new light!

At last! This book will open the door to the world of lichens for many interested botanists, conservationists, naturalists -- and prospective lichenologists. I had high expectations of this book, and they were surpassed by far: excellent scientific information, presented in a manner accessible to both the professional and the amateur, and extremely beautiful too. The introductory chapters are excellent, and the "flora" portion has excellent keys, range maps, text, and wonderful photographs. This book is a bargain at the list price. If you have any interest in knowing about lichens in North America -- buy it, you will not be disappointed. The quality of the book is extraordinary, in all respects.

It is hard to write about this book without an overuse of superlatives. The photographs are a naturalist's dream; they show the salient features of the lichens, but, at the same time, they are frequently works of art displaying the beauty and charm of both the subjects and their settings.The text escapes both of the usual faults of this type of book. It is neither so technical as to confuse and bore the non-specialist nor so superficial as to diminish the book's usefulness for the botanically sophisticated. Brodo's writing is clear, concise and graceful; a joy to read.The organization of the book is also all one could wish for, with a generous natural history section leading into clear, workable keys and descriptions of enough of the North American lichen species to satisfy any generalist and most specialists.All one is left to wish for is a paperback version to toss in the car.

I haven't been this excited about a natural history book in a long time. I've been eagerly awaiting this one for two years and had high expectations from the publisher, but the reality is even better. The photos are wonderful, the descriptions clear and precise, but it is the excellent and much-needed sections on lichen natural history at the beginning of the book that will make it most useful to a wide variety of professional scientists and amateur naturalists alike.
And this book is huge enough to need its own stand - all it's lacking is the ribbon bookmark!

As a professional biologist, although with a minimal knowledge of lichens, I purchased a copy of the Bardo-Sharnoff-Sharnoff book and was blown away. The photographs are magnificent and well-integrated with the text. The book should serve to enlighten those who seek to understand the living curious and remarkable relationship between certain fungi and their resident cyanobacteria. This relationship we call lichens. Thanks especially to the Sharnoffs, we come to fully appreciate their subtle beauty. Sylvia Sharnoff must be smiling over this book.

This is a book all naturalists will want to own, and it is not surprising that some have said that this is to lichens what Audobon's was to birds. It is a great gift to the naturalist community, courtesy of generous grants from 20 organizations. The text starts out with the basics, is clearly written, and exciting to read. The photos are outstanding. The paper is heavy coated stock: they did not skimp here. A real treasure, well worth it at twice the price. If you already know vascular plants and want to know more about the biological world, or are just fascinated by lichens, you can't go wrong.

It is a book both for the professional and the amateur. Great photos and clear text. Wonderful reference for Lichens.

I first discovered this book when I attended a workshop on lichens (I'm a teacher) two years ago. This is by far one of the most comprehensive guides to lichens in North America available and can also translate to other lichen guides throughout the world. This has been a fantastic addition to my personal library and I still pull it out and read it at home. Since I also collect and identify lichens for my classes, it is often used. I purchased three copies for my students to use during my lichen identification unit at my school. It is easy to use once you develop mastery of the terminology (helps that I'm a science teacher). I have a number of field guides and this ranks among the best. Although not useful for field work due to its size and weight, you can easily use it at home. The author obviously demonstrates his mastery of lichenology and identification techniques throughout the book. Updates can also be found on the book's website as science is an ever-changing field. This is a must have for anyone interested in lichens.

Wow sums it all up. The description said "hardcover, color photos, 'X' amount of pages, yet when I picked up a huge, heavy box, I had no idea the book was this great. Touches on just about every lichen in North America, and the pictures are a huge help. Offers identification tips through visual assessment and chemical testing. If you need to research lichen, this book is a great investment at a wonderful price.

Professor Brodo is one of the great living lichenologists, and in this book he brings his many decades long experience to fruition. Beautifully illustrated, readable, and very complete, it is probably the only work like it on the subject of lichenology. All the main groups and species get covered, and although this is a very technical area, it's written to be accessible to the non-specialist as well.

I had the great fortune to take lichenology from the late, great Dr. Harry Thiers, and the year I took the class (1984), it was the only lichenology class offered at a college in the U.S., which gives you some idea of how esoteric a subject lichenology is even for botanists, who are used to working more or less in obscurity and not having their area get the attention that other more glamorous areas of macrobiology get, such as mammology and ornithology, which are far more popular with the greater public. But for those interested in learning about this unusual and difficult area, this is probably the best book on the subject that has ever been published.