The Sinister Beauty of Carnivorous Plants by Matthew M. Kaelin is a beautifully rendered journey into the world of carnivorous plants. The sheer variety of the various species are amazing. Most of us are familiar with maybe a handful, and likely think of Little Shop of Horrors as often as not, but while these species (about 600 species by one count) may lack the personality of Audrey II they more than make up for it in beauty and design.

The photography is amazing and will likely interest any photographer whether there is a corresponding interest in plants or not. In many cases the pictures and the information given prompted me to look up additional information, so this will likely be both a casual coffee table book as well as a portal to learning a bit more about plants, carnivorous ones in particular. Who knows, in a home with children it may spark an interest in photography, botany or both.

Highly recommended for anyone with a love of plants and/or photography. If your interest is primarily in only one of those two areas, don't be surprised if you develop an interest in the other.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss. ( )

It is endlessly fascinating to discover the varieties of life that populate this orb. Carnivorous plants in particular are rare crossover we think of as exceptional. Turns out there are nearly 500 varieties, and they grow on every continent except Antarctica. They are even native to Long Island where Matthew Kaelin grows and preserves them.

He preserves them in photos, and articles and in growing, trading and selling them. They are his passion and it clearly shows in this coffee table book – that is so much more. Kaelin details how he uses common household products to grow them and help them thrive. His macro photographs are stunning, and he reveals how easy and inexpensive it was to take those shots. He tells us about shutter speeds, time exposures and time of day. He even gives us the date of every shot, as if that makes a difference. And therein lies the true story.

The Sinister Beauty of Carnivorous Plants is Kaelin’s documenting of his passion. Every photo is catalogued. Care and feeding are explained in great detail. The photos are perfection magnified. He is doing justice to his life’s work, and documenting it for all of us, for all time. There is need for this, as we continuously wipe out habitats, and cause most of the varieties to be on the endangered list. What is left desperately needs to be cared for and preserved. Kaelin shows us how and why.

David Wineberg ( )