The Trees of San Francisco [Paperback]

Michael Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2004

San Francisco is home to an amazingly diverse and exciting urban forest. Mike Sullivan shares his enthusiasm for San Francisco's trees in engaging and nontechnical descriptions, stories, photographs, and a series of walking tours. Natives and tourists alike will enjoy the chance to learn not only about the city's trees, but also about historical and environmental forces that have shaped the San Francisco we know.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Trees of San Francisco" should enchant the diehard tree lover and casual boulevardier alike. -- San Francisco Chronicle, March 10, 2004

Chapters come packed with color photos and are organized by tree variety...excellent, unparalleled focus on San Francisco's tree history. -- Bookwatch, The Midwest Book Review, October, 2005

For anyone curious about the trees of the city, this is an informative, fun, and well-written guide. -- Bay Nature Magazine

[This book] is well worth having, especially if you live in, travel in, or are visiting San Francisco. -- John E. Bryan Gardening Newsletter

From the Inside Flap

Mike Sullivan never met a tree he didn't like—well,almost—in San Francisco. When he visited the city in 1983, the trees captivated Sullivan, an upstate New Yorker more familiar with maples and birches than with eucalyptus and gingkoes. He also fell in love with the city itself and its captivating neighborhoods. He found the perfect way to share these passions in "The Trees of San Francisco," a great way for residents and tourists alike to enjoy the city from a new perspective, beyond the bridges and cable cars.

Sullivan acquaints readers with the trees in a reader-friendly manner. He details over seventy of San Francisco's most common and interesting trees, and indicates good places to view them; color photographs of the trees are included. Along the way, he introduces botanical insights, punctuates the discussion with thirteen sidelights (did you know there is a community of parrots living in San Francisco?), and provides touches of local color.

Sullivan also takes us on seven detailed and enjoyable walking tours—an easy-to-use, full-page color map accompanies each tour—providing a most gratifying outdoor experience in the middle of the urban environment. If that's not enough, he groups San Francisco's best trees and their locations within twenty-five selected neighborhoods, and includes check-off boxes so you can be sure youve viewed them all.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Pomegranate Communications (April 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764927582
• ISBN-13: 978-0764927584
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #139,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Forestry
  • #72 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants > Trees

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure for anyone who loves San Francisco!, May 24, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Trees of San Francisco (Paperback)

You don't have to be an arborist to enjoy this gem! Anyone who has ever walked or driven through San Francisco and marveled at the variety of beautiful trees that line the streets will enjoy this book. Each tree described by Mike Sullivan is accompanied by a beautiful color photograph, an exact location to check out a specimen, the history of the tree itself, and any interesting nuggets associated with that tree and the history of San Francisco (like the story of Mary Ellen Pleasant, the mother of Civil Rights in SF, who planted 6 blue gums on Octavia & Bush that are still standing tall--check out the beautiful memorial plaque below the trees).

You can grab the book and take advantage of the wonderful walking tours included for several of the SF neighborhoods, or go out on a random search of your own to see how many you can identify. My 3-year old can spot a "lemon bottlebrush" even quicker than me now.

One last note on the quality of the book. From the cover, to the internal design, the paper selection, the binding, the use of color--this is just a beautiful, beautiful book--that will stand the test of time as you flip through it over and over again.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected pleasure, January 18, 2005

By 

K. Smith (Bay Area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trees of San Francisco (Paperback)

I happened onto a copy of this book, assuming the subject might be a bit too specific for my level of interest in trees. What a blast the book turns out to be! It adds a whole new element (and in fact, depth) to appreciating the specialness that is all around in San Francisco.

Engaging read; beautifully done book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love San Francisco, you'll love this book, May 2, 2006

By 

Tree Lover "Dennis" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trees of San Francisco (Paperback)

This book is an absolute delight for lovers of San Francisco, whether you are particularly fascinated by trees or no. The book is packed with interesting information about San Francisco's trees, and about the city itself. The suggested walking tours rank among the best walks I've taken in this city, and that's saying something. On my first walk with this book, for example, I learned that the word carat is derived from the ancient word quirat, which refers to the carob tree. The seeds of this tree are remarkably uniform in weight and were used by the ancients as a measure of weight. The walk in my own neighborhood, where I've lived for several years, pointed out several remarkable sights that I'd never noticed before. If you live in San Francisco or plan to visit soon, then buy this book. It will enhance your experience of San Francsico immeasurably.