Herbert L. Edlin (1913–1976)

Biased towards a European forest, this is still a lovely book for those of us who are would-be cabinetmakers. The small wood samples included are what make this book extraordinary. I would have wished that the wood sample titles would have been made more exact. Example: 'oak' and oak, brown' are two samples.

This work contains an excellent and very useful section on the colour of flurorescence beneath uv light. Without the ability to run chemical tests, or get close enough to review the tyloses and rays in antique woods on display or unique specimens, this is an accurate and invaluable, time-saving guide. Also of note is the elm-hackberry decision tree to separate this confusing family.

The first five pages constitute a fold-out collection of actual wood samples! Ever wondered what zebrawood looks or feels like? So rad! Makes me wish my American History textbook came with samples of civil war uniforms and a plug of Jamestown tobacco.Also it is a rather awesome bit of carpentry reference material.

With real pieces of wood from around America and the world, like paint chips. It was just fun to leaf through.