This image of a leaf from a Ficus religiosa (peepal tree) in India, by Patricia de la Rosa, is just one of dozens of magnificent photographs of trees, and parts of trees, in Lewis Blackwell's The Life & Love of Trees (Hachette, $80, hbk), which, though a "coffee-table book" in style, is very much more.
Indeed, it is the most wondrous collection of photographs of trees I've ever come upon in one book, where the mechanical image-making process has been entirely submerged in the pursuit of art.
But the book also has a text and a purpose beyond art.
Lewis Blackwell's love affair with trees, and his conviction of their importance to continuing human life on this planet, is given full rein (though in a typeface smaller than desirable).
He discusses in great detail how trees function as living entities, and later, how we humans feel about trees.
His passion is a touch florid in expression, but you cannot doubt his sincerity.
The photographers and the location of the images are well identified and attributed; and there is a helpful bibliography including, I'm glad to see, website listings.
• Bryan James is the Books Editor
