Product Description

A scientific and artistic collaboration reveals a stunning, even sensual, microscopic world.

Pollen grains have fascinated the scientifically curious since the 17th century. They are minute, almost impossible to see without a high-powered microscope, and remain hidden beyond the beauty o the flower until the moment of release. Then the grains, like alien spaceships, are carried by wind, water or animal to achieve their purpose of procreation.

This beautifully produced and highly original book by an artist and botanical scientist portrays the perfect designs of these microscopic organisms. Special light and scanning electron microscopy are used to obtain astonishing images of pollen grains, which are combined with exquisite photographs of the parent plants.

Pollen describes and illustrates in minute detail the reproductive workings of plants ranging from tulips and lilies to orchids and palms. The structure and form of pollen set the scene for the remarkable events that occur from pollination to fertilization. Also included are literary references to plant reproduction, as well as early botanical illustrations.

Pollen is an intriguing book that is both informative and surprisingly beautiful.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #321734 in Books
• Published on: 2006-08-24
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 264 pages

From Booklist
Pollen, the minute building block of plant life, contain firmaments of otherworldly beauty. Through the marvel of scanning electron photomicroscopy, and in collaboration with two renowned experts, visual artist Kesseler unveils the delicate artistry and vibrant wizardry of this horticultural workhorses in an incandescent blend of exacting science and extraordinary art.

Carried by wind, water, birds, and bees, microscopic pollen grains embark on a remarkable journey to fertilize an awaiting plant. Harley writes of the evolution and diversity of pollen and the process of pollination with both the precision of an academic text and the poetry of a heartfelt homage. Whether interpreting the intricacies of symbiotic relationships or extolling the miracle of parthenogenesis, Harley patiently and precisely opens this hidden world to novices and serious students alike. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
This is a beautiful book... page after page of high-quality photographs, illustrations, and electron micrographs... glorious detail and diversity. (Michael A. Campbell Science Books and Films 200703)

These are the most ravishing biology lessons we've ever seen.... An enlightening gift or a personal indulgence. (Beth Botts Chicago Tribune 20070311)

This intriguing book is both informative and beautiful. (Globe and Mail 20061209)

To the allergic, pollen never looked so good. (Allergic Living 20070930)

A fascinating scientific journey through the evolutionary world. (Jessica Damiano Melville Newsday 20061228)

Magnetic... much in the way of information as well... Large, glossy, elegant, and a treat. (Kim Long Bloomsbury Review 200612)

Astonishing, possibly even groundbreaking... beautiful almost beyond description. You've never seen botanical photography quite like this. (Linda L. Richards January Magazine 200612)

Pollen never looked so pretty, so otherworldly... The books are full of interesting nuggets, too. (Mark Ellis Columbus Dispatch 20061224)

What images they are!... Vibrant, detailed, highly colored... These pollen images are both startling and truly fascinating and revelatory. (Alwaynne B. Beaudoin, Royal Alberta Museum American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologist 2007)

Unveils the delicate artistry and vibrant wizardry... an incandescent blend of exacting science and extraordinary art. (Carol Haggas Booklist 200609)

Images so astonishingly vivid that they verge on the bizarre... surprised at just how sexy the topic can be. (Carolyn Leitch Globe and Mail 20061005)

Quite fantastic looking... These mere specks, many only 50 microns across, are gargantuan on the ultravivid pages of Pollen. (Anne Wootton Discover 200612)

Facts are fascinating, and dynamic art will ensure that you never look at a plant in the same way again. (Suzanne Hively Cleveland Plain Dealer 20061202)

One can almost feel the sensuality in a close-up of lily anthers... we human beings can only marvel and delight. (Laurence A. Marschall Natural History 20061118)

Will be appreciated by gardeners and nature lovers who also dig art ... gorgeous and educational ... Kesseler's microphotography is fabulous. (Liz Primeau National Post 20070114)

The most beautiful microscopic structures in nature... a tiny, fantastic world... This detailed study of flower anatomy reveals unimaginable diversity. (Ken Smith London Free Press 20061108)

Bright color and deep magnification show us the stunning range of shapes and detail hidden in the microworld. (Barbara Julian Victoria Times Colonist 20070501)

Stunning. ...will, of course, be of interest to the gardener, but more important, the dazzling images will inspire the artist. (Jarrett Smith Minneapolis Star Tribune 20061210)

A gorgeous display of full-page close up images and facts: perfect for the general-interest collection. (Bookwatch 200705)

A tiny, fantastic world. (James MacGowan Ottawa Citizen )

Filled with stunning photographs created with electron microscopy. (David Hobson Kitchener-Waterloo Record )

A gorgeous display of full-page close-up images and facts: perfect for the general interest collection. (Diane C. Donovan The Midwest Book Review )

About the Author

Rob Kesseler is a visual arts professor and artist. Since 2001, he has been working with microscopic plant material at London's Royal Botanic Gardens.

Madeline Harley, PhD, FLS, is head of the palynology unit at the Royal Botanic Gardens. She is recognized internationally for her work in the study of pollen characteristics.