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.

Reviews

[Review of earlier edition: ] The 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" (10/05/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] Filled with stunning photographs created with electron microscopy.--David Hobson"Kitchener-Waterloo Record" (11/25/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] A fascinating scientific journey through the evolutionary world.--Jessica Damiano"Melville Newsday" (12/28/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] A tiny, fantastic world.--James MacGowan"Ottawa Citizen" (12/10/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] A gorgeous display of full-page close-up images and facts: perfect for the general interest collection.--Diane C. Donovan"The Midwest Book Review" (05/01/2007)
[Review of earlier edition: ] Bright color and deep magnification show us the stunning range of shapes and detail hidden in the microworld.--Barbara Julian"Victoria Times Colonist" (01/14/2007)
[review for first edition] Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers represents a collaborative effort between an artist and a scientist who use an electron microscope to reveal the intricate structures and diversity of pollen. The sequence of events from pollination to fertilization and ways in which pollen affects daily lives is revealed in a gorgeous display of full-page close up images and facts: perfect for the general-interest collection.-- (05/01/2007)
[Review of earlier edition: ] To the allergic, pollen never looked so good.--Allergic Living (09/30/2007)
[Review of earlier edition: ] What images they are! Vibrant, detailed, highly colored, and, generally, crisply captured.... accompanied by stunning close-up photographs of flowers... succinct but well-written ... a fine introduction to pollen and its study.... I have spent many hours entranced and absorbed in the pictures. These pollen images are both startling and truly fascinating and revelatory... an excellent addition to the small library of pollen textbooks as well as a superb addition to the larger library of botanical and scientific art books.-- (01/01/2007)
[Review of earlier edition: ] Magnetic... much in the way of information as well: basic descriptions of plant cycles, the history of botanical science, functions of seeds and pollen, and, also enhancing the artistic angle, the history of illustration of the subjects. Large, glossy, elegant, and a treat.-- (12/01/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] Visual artist Kesseler unveils the delicate artistry and vibrant wizardry of these horticultural workhorses in an incandescent blend of exacting science and extraordinary art... Hartley 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.-- (12/01/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] [reviewing Pollen and Seeds] Pollen never looked so pretty, so otherworldly... The books are full of interesting nuggets, too.-- (12/24/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] [Pollen] comes in thousands of varieties, many quite fantastic looking... These mere specks, many only 50 microns across, are gargantuan on the ultravivid pages of [this book].-- (09/01/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] [Globe and Mail 2006 Holiday Gift Book selection] Beautifully produced ... This intriguing book is both informative and beautiful.-- (12/09/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] Images so astonishingly vivid that they verge on the bizarre... People with a fuzzy knowledge of pollen will likely be surprised at just how sexy the topic can be.-- (11/24/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] Astonishing, possibly even groundbreaking... beautiful almost beyond description. You've never seen botanical photography quite like this.-- (12/01/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] The most beautiful microscopic structures in nature... each grain of pollen appears a tiny, fantastic world... This detailed study of flower anatomy reveals unimaginable diversity.-- (11/18/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] One can almost feel the sensuality in a close-up of lily anthers, languishing under the weight of their thick coating of fertile powder... If plants could read, they might be appalled to see their sex lives explored so up close and personal, but we human beings can only marvel and delight.-- (12/01/2006)
[Review of earlier edition: ] This is a beautiful book. From cover to cover, it contains some of the most spectacular images of pollen available in press... page after page of high-quality photographs, illustrations, and electron micrographs that demonstrate flower and pollen morphology in glorious detail and diversity. Embedded within the artwork is text that is clear... contains sufficient detail and background to educate and inform the reader on a large range of pollen-specific subjects.-- (03/01/2007)
[Review of earlier edition: ] [reviewed with Seeds] These books ... will be appreciated by gardeners and nature lovers who also dig art. They're both gorgeous and educational ... Kesseler's microphotography is fabulous ... It's fascinating to be reminded that plants reproduce sexually in much the same way humans do, except plants perfected the skill millennia before we did.-- (12/02/2006)