With expansive and more often than not treeless vistas many Midwesterners might not have the opportunity to experience the breathtaking transformations of the foliage in more arboreal climes. But luckily the city of Chicago can claim itself as an exception to the rule, especially here on the U of C campus whose streets are liberally flanked with elms, willows, and a variety of other species of deciduous trees. If you happen to live in such an area, you might find casual contemplation of their seasonal displays rewarding enough, but Allen J. Coombes’ new book, The Book of Leaves: A Leaf-by-Leaf Guide to Six Hundred of the World’s Great Trees, promises to deepen anyone’s appreciation of the often stunning beauty trees and their humble vestment, the leaf, bestow upon our environment. Both visually stunning and scientifically engaging The Book of Leaves includes life-size, full-color images of each specimen in the book along with brief scientific and historical accounts of each tree, with fun-filled facts and anecdotes to broaden its portrait.
For more about the book see these sample pages (PDF format, 3.8Mb) or navigate to the book’s page on the Press website.