The Life of an Oak: An Intimate Portrait [Paperback]

Glenn Keator (Author), Susan Bazell (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998

The Life of an Oak takes an intimate look at all aspects of the oak tree, from a microscopic examination of its cellular processes to a survey of the grand Diaspora by which members of this remarkable family have spread around the world and diversified. The separate yet exquisitely coordingated development of male and female flowers, the bursting of buds, the outpouring of leaves, and the groping of roots are described in language and art that will enchant the professional and armchair botanist alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Engrossing....An enormously instructive work on every level." -- Audubon

"Its graceful design and flawless execution achieve a near perfect example of the bookmaker's craft..." -- Permaculture Activist

"The perfect book for nature buffs and amateur botanists." -- Booklist

From the Publisher

Published in conjunction with the California Oak Foundation.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Heyday Books (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930588983
• ISBN-13: 978-0930588984
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #624,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable book, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Life of an Oak: An Intimate Portrait (Paperback)

I picked up this book thinking that I should have it in my library but not much more. I was soon captivated by its lovely figures and pictures and by its insightful discussions of ALL the various aspects of the oak. I'm not a botanist or even an ecologist, and this book is not just for oak-wonks or something. On the other hand, I just gave my copy to the resident scientist at a local oak preserve (in the hills above San Diego) and so here I am back to buy yet another copy for my library. Highly recommended.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book on Oaks, February 12, 2000

By 

Gregory Hall (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life of an Oak: An Intimate Portrait (Paperback)

I bought this book for my father who is developing an oak park. He has an insatiable appetite for books, especially those on oaks, he loved it and said it was the best book on oaks he'd ever read...

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just about everything you ever wanted to know about oak trees and more, August 19, 2007

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Life of an Oak: An Intimate Portrait (Paperback)

This is an outstanding piece of work that may be a bit too technical in parts for some readers. I know it was for me as a neophyte botanist. I may read this again when I've gained more experience because Glenn Keator's in-depth look at oak trees worldwide is as exhaustive as any popular book I've seen, and the artwork by Susan Bazell is wonderful.

Glenn Keator begins with "Oak Architecture," by which he means the nature of the roots, trunk, limbs, branches, leaves, etc. of the tree including epiphytes and the tree itself as an ecosystem. The mighty oak is indeed quite an ecosystem, nourishing many creatures and being nourished itself not only by water, air, sun and soil, but through a mycorrhizal relationship with fungi. Next he goes into the life cycle of the trees from acorn to death to being recycled by nature. The diversity and the evolution of oaks is explored to some considerable depth, and finally there is look at the various habitats that oaks are part of.

I am familiar with the oaks of California, but it was interesting to read about oaks from all parts of the world including those of the high lands of northern Mexico where there is the greatest diversity. Interesting too are the oaks of the tropical rain forests which have evolved differing techniques for survival. Keator reports on the prehistory of the oak and how it has evolved globally beginning at least 40 million years ago.

The most interesting part of the book for me covered the many different kinds of galls that live on these endlessly fascinating trees. Most of us are familiar with the potato and apple shaped galls but how about the rose-colored urchin gall or the mushroom gall or the jumping gall? I had brought some leaves home with what looked like rose-purple colored flowers, each about a quarter inch in diameter, growing on the underside of some leaves, and I wondered what they were. I was surprised to learn that they are but one of many galls that the chemistry of insects incites the oak to grow. Bazell's drawings of the galls on pages 88, 89 and 91 are beautiful and instructive. To me, the presence of so many kinds of galls, which are really ancient adaptations to living with insects, testifies to the great antiquity of the oaks themselves.

I had hoped this book would help me identify oak trees by species--and in the long run it may. But for now what I've learned is that the promiscuous oak, pollinated by the wind, morphs into hybrids that are difficult to identify. Not only that, but what is even more confusing, the oak tree shapes its leaves differently depending on the climate and even on which side of the oak the leaves grow. Furthermore, even though some oaks are named because of the color of their bark, that doesn't always aid identification since the bark is often covered by lichen and mosses. It helps to know that some oaks are deciduous and some are evergreen, and that the acorns themselves are a good key to identification. However the flowering parts of oaks are small and their season is brief, ensuring that those who seek positive identification will have to do some serious fieldwork.

In addition to information about oaks, Keator writes about the other kinds of plants that coexist in oak habitats--flowers, fungi, insects, and other trees, especially beeches.

Complementing Bazell's artwork are full color photos and maps showing the habitats and the global distribution of oaks and similar trees, and there is an excellent glossary. I suspect most people with a spirited interest in oak trees own or are familiar with this excellent book.