I bought this guide when it first came out and enjoyed every tree, word and atticism. I am going to revisit this wonderful book to journey back into the life of a city's street trees. Wonderful, delightful and perfectly good reading for the neighborhood tree-hugger. A must have for any one who appreciates trees and literature. Mr. Plotnik gives us a vortiginous account of what trees are. "It's not what you look at, but what you see." - H.D.T.

I will always keep this book close at hand throughout my journey through life. Excellent. Vostellung!

When after all those rave reviews I bought a copy I was slightly dissappointed. This is an unassuming paperback. There are books on trees you buy for the illustrations: this is not one of them. The illustrations are nice, even tasteful (although I assume they would look a lot better in color) but are nothing more than just that, an illustration of the text.

However, when actually reading in the book I was quickly forced to the conclusion that this is a real find. Arthur Plotnik not only is inspired by trees, he also did his home-work (in a big way!) and he surely can write. This book reminds me very strongly of D.C.Peattie, as he would write if he were to live today. What can I add to that?

P.S. I can add that this book has an impressive list of references for further reading and a perhaps even more impressive list of internet sites on trees.

Typically, when I browse learned books, be they history, science, art, whatever, if the author's qualifications to teach me about the subject don't measure up, they go back on the shelf. Talented amateurs have their place, but with so many good books out there, I can't afford to risk having my time wasted.

This book is a great exception. By touching only lightly on the dry botanical aspects of the trees, and focussing on their characters, the author shows confidence in the subject while letting his enthusiasm and wit have full rein.

Again, most illustrations drawn by authors' partners usually serve for breaking up the text. Not these. The unison between the illustrations and the textual descriptions is evidence of true collaboration and a rare conjunction of talent.

If you're interested in "those big things with the leaves", and you don't happen to live in a forest, but this book.

Reading the great quotations, the thesaurus, or anything else that features vivid expression is valuable advice. It almost makes up for the book's two fatal flaws. First, "Elements" is jokey, sophomoric, and superficial in too many places. Second, the book's main prescriptions are neither summarized for ready reference nor linked to any underlying principles of good composition. Strunk & White's "Elements of Style" is more systematic and a better choice for my money.

Believe it or not I keep this book by my bed and enjoy reading the anecdotes over and over. The book is fun and a helpful tool if you are new to public speaking. Plotnik is a wordsmith who loves what he writes about. Sure, if you want a pedantic, academic, in depth, boring, "The Bible" of editing, writing, and grammar you should buy the Chicago Manual of Style. If you want to have fun with a good coaching on expressiveness this book will help. I know it made me change the way I did any public speaking. Plotnik made me analyze my speeches, and now I am aware of the sins which could make my speeches stink. Plotnik's sense of humor is a treat in the world of serious-language-salad-tossers, and he doesn't hold back any punches. In addition, his book entitled, Elements of Authorship, is one of the most depressing books I've ever read, but I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in writing. We mortals need all the help we can get to embrace expressive communication. Like spitting in the ocean; every little bit helps.

I am an Asian who came to this country when I was 25 for a Ph.D. in science and I am in my late 30's. All these years I took my horrible English for granted --awkward, lifeless and monotone. This book was a positive answer after a long search for a solution and finally my English made a much needed quantum leap. Great book!

Whilst the other reviewers loved to thrash a decent book, I for one would like to throw in my two pennies in defense of this fine book. It's not as useful or insightful as I thought it would be, but for a beginner it contains a lot of interesting anecdotes for those who haven't really stepped into the publishing world. The section on printing and photography is very good for giving a general idea which is exactly what I needed. Not the Bible it could've been, but still worth its existence. Want something better, just buy the Chicago Manual of Style.

As someone who has edited newspapers at the college level, I thought I was getting something that would give me a great reference point for a future in journalism. Plotnik's book assumes that the reader has experience with journalism but is new to editing. It is not intended to be a primer showing the would-be editor how to edit; rather, it is designed to be a guide into avoiding pratfalls that can befall a novice (or even a veteran) editor.

While I am fairly pleased with the extent of his advice that can be translated from the time he wrote the edition I am reading - 1982 - into modern times, I am dismayed that the technology he refers to is so outdated. The modern editor does not have to spend 10 minutes staring at a proof page to look at how to set type any longer thanks to technology desktop publishers have at their fingertips.

Plotnik would have been much better served if he had someone well-versed in modern publishing technology update his technical knowledge base.

Plotnick's book may be a tad dated, but his insight into the process of editing and the relationships formed about editors and the rest of the publishing crew are insightful and sound. The book doesn't pretend to be an exhaustive look at the minutiae of editing, but rather to set the stage for the intelligent person to gain context on what goes into making a good editor, along with some of the frustrations along the way. Good primer for the editor's shelf. I've been in the business about 20 years and wish I'd had something like this when I started out.