Fantastic Trees [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Edwin A. Menninger (Author), James E. Eckenwalder (Author) "Along the paths that lead through the forests of the world are many strange trees..." (more)
Key Phrases: snaky roots, breathing roots, stilt roots, United States, New Zealand, South America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
A remarkable book, of special interest to young naturalists, that presents a rogue's gallery of trees that thrust their roots into the air, produce flowers and fruit underground, tell time, make noises, change sex, commit suicide, or create their own rain. This edition includes updated nomenclature.

Book Description
A remarkable book, particularly fascinating for young naturalists, that presents a kind of rogue's gallery of trees that thrust their roots into the air, produce flowers & fruit underground, tell time, make noises, change sex, commit suicide, or create their own rain. This edition includes updated nomenclature.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press, Incorporated (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881923249
• ISBN-13: 978-0881923247
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,572,659 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A "gawker's handbook" on trees, August 6, 2000

By	P. van Rijckevorsel (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a reprint of a 1967 original, but actually it looks even older, both in the kind of illustrations (smallish black & white photographs of a quality that varies from fair to excellent) and in the style it is written. I imagine this will be prevent it from being very popular among today's spoiled readers.

Having said that, there is a wealth of information here measured out in easy-to-digest bits. It is good that this book continues to be in print: it will reward the reader who takes the trouble of digging out what he needs.

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good read, July 13, 2009

By	C. Schneider "A fossil lover" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Fantastic Trees (Paperback)

I must have read a different book. For those literate enough to read epiphanies of various, exotic tree species around the world, as in how they factor in culture and folklore, the products obtained from their fruit, wood and bark and their general geography, one can't do better than reading Menninger's work. Although I have a B.S. in biology and I firmly believe in evolution as well, I wasn't offended by the biblical references found in his writing. In fact it imbues the book with a wellspring of natural theology which I find touching. A great book to read on a quiet evening.

2 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars quaint, June 19, 2003

By	T W Gulliver (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As PvR writes, this book is dated. By more than the 40 some years since publication; it has the flavor of a book from the early 1900's; the protestant missionary - tourist in a hundred exotic gardens whose names are mispelled; unsystematic; creationist. The funny tree the "natives" called tumbo, properly named for the German who "discovered" it and such wonders described in bubbles of enthusiasm for god's menagerie.
And yet a quaint book for your bathroom, for a quick contemplative chuckle at peculiarities of nature and at our silly selves. Very like a whale!