Darwin and the Art of Botany, by Bobbi Angell and James Costa, is a beautiful book that will look wonderful on display, but is also well worth reading as well.

I make that stipulation because many of us sometimes flip through books like this, pausing over particularly interesting images, but don't actually read the text. The excerpts from Darwin are fascinating and, coupled with artwork from others, gives a whole new appreciation to the work he did that has been overshadowed, understandably, by his Origin of Species.

That said, I have to admit to going through the book looking at the drawings several times, before, during, and after reading the text. They are exquisite and I can imagine keeping this open to various pages rather than sitting closed on a coffee table or display shelves.

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