Remarkable Trees of the World (Hardcover)

by Thomas Pakenham (Author) "SIX YEARS AGO I WROTE Meetings with Remarkable Trees..." (more)
Key Phrases: bunya bunya, remarkable trees, dragon tree, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Jomon Sugi (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Following Meetings with Remarkable Trees (Random, 1998), which features trees in Britain and Ireland, this book sets out to discover more such natural wonders elsewhere. In Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, he finds 60 commanding giants and dwarfs, Methuselahs, shrines, and "dream" trees of many kinds. Whether he is meeting baobabs, sequoias, or banyans, he finds magnificence, beauty, and, sometimes, sadness. He has a genius for communicating his sense of each tree as an individual being, engendering wonder, awe, and respect for it in readers. His thoughtful but brisk narratives bring his travels to life and readers feel that they are participants in an adventure as he experiences trees, their ecological and historical contexts, and the challenges of creating photographs of such difficult and special subjects. And Pakenham's color photographs are truly remarkable as he conveys the tactile aspect of bark, the sense of size or majesty, or the rare moment when the light is just right to capture the spirit of the tree. Chapters are further enhanced with historical illustrations (often, earlier views of the same trees) and snippets of poetry ranging from Alfred, Lord Tennyson to Ogden Nash. Pakenham ends with a chapter on "Trees in Peril." This beautiful and unique book is sure to be appreciated by nature lovers. And though it is a highly personal work and not a scientific text, it demonstrates keen and accurate observation; it could also serve as an excellent supplement to studies in science, history, and geography.
Christine C. Menefee, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Pakenham took a break from writing such acclaimed historical works as The Scramble for Africa (1991) to indulge his fascination with the trees of Britain and Ireland, a passion that resulted in the best-selling Meeting with Remarkable Trees (1997). Buoyed by his success, Pakenham ventured further afield and sought out trees possessed of a "strong personality" in New Zealand, California, Madagascar, Botswana, Sri Lanka, Japan, Bavaria, Italy, and beyond, visiting and photographing one breathtaking living wonder after another. Charming and amusing in recounting his adventures, Pakenham nonetheless pays significant tribute to the extraordinary trees he portrays, relating their lore and protesting the many threats against their continued existence, as well as that of their less conspicuous brethren. By spotlighting trees notable for their godlike immensity (giant sequoias, redwoods, baobabs), tough compactness (dwarfs both natural and artificial), longevity (trees that are 4,600 years old), sacredness (trees as shrines), and trees of unusual configurations, locations, and histories, Pakenham inspires readers to cherish and protect the life-sustaining glory of all trees. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393049116
• ISBN-13: 978-0393049114
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #295,749 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Astonishing+, October 11, 2002

By	Frank Paris (Beaverton, OR USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I bought Pakenham's precursor to this book ("Meetings With Remarkable Trees"), I was astonished then. Now I've run out of superlatives, hence the plus sign suffixing the title of my review. As enjoyable as his poetic writing style is, that's just a bonus. The highly detailed photos in this book are, well, astonishing+. He uses a heavy, large-format camera, lugging it all around the world to photograph some of the most amazing trees on the planet. And as fine as the print quality was in "Meeting With Remarkable Trees", the print quality of this book surpasses the former. I am constantly amazed at the print quality of the best books being printed today, and this is right up there at the top of the heap. You'll swear you're looking at fine, lithographic prints. I am a fanatic tree lover to begin with, and this book is just glorious, and satisfies my wildest dreams for such a book. It gives me a sense of ecstasy over being alive.

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for all tree lovers, January 8, 2003

By	J. N. Mohlman (Barrington, RI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In "Remarkable Trees of the World" Thomas Pakenham has taken his personal love of trees and turned it into a remarkable book. By turns photo album, travelogue and field guide, this book transcends any one of these classifications and becomes something truly "remarkable" as a result.

First off, the photography is absolutely spectacular, and all the more impressive because the author took the pictures himself. Anyone who has wiled away the hours beneath the branches of a particularly noble arboreal friend, can't help but be enchanted by these shots. Reproduced with beautiful clarity and color, Pakenham succeeds in capturing the essence of each of his subjects.

Secondly, Pakenham's descriptions of how he came across these trees are engaging in their own right. The "World" in the title isn't just for show; he literally travels to the ends of the earth to capture his remarkable subjects. His musings about what trees reflect of the surrounding culture and geography are fascinating and engaging. While anyone who buys this book is clearly doing so for the photography, that doesn't mean that the writing is at all sub-par.

Finally, while this isn't a botanical study by any means, Pakenham does discuss some interesting aspects of tree-ring dating, conservation, and evolution. While no particular topic is considered in any great detail, he offers plenty of jumping off points for anyone interested in pursuing the subject matter in more detail.

"Remarkable Trees of the World" is a must have for any nature lover. Pakenham does a superb job of surveying a broad variety of trees, and there were several I'd never even heard of. Moreover, he offers great suggestions about which of these trees will survive where; I'm already looking forward to a more varied planting than I had planned on in my backyard this spring!

Enjoy!

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Love of Trees got bigger, October 14, 2002

By	P. Greer "Peege" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I heard Thomas speak at Swarthmore College this past Spring(2002)at the woody conference. I was tempted to leave early on this beautiful Friday afternoon, but my conscience prevailed for after all my job had sent me to this conference to learn some things. Was I glad I stayed to hear Thomas, what a delightful speaker and presenter. He had the audience spell-bound and of course we all wanted the book, which he did not have for sale at the event. Why, I cannot imagine, because I am positive he would have sold out.

This book is so wonderful it is almost impossible to describe, except he takes one to another level of appreciation for trees. I already loved trees and was almost arrested one time for trying to stop a huge stately live oak from being murdered to make way for, of all things, a Burger King. As if we needed one more hamburger stand. Anyway, Thomas showed me there are so many unusual trees around the world that I *must* see, but until I can travel, I can open that book and plan my adventures.