Among all the books available about trees, the first edition of this book (CH, Sep'00, 38-0293) became this reviewer's favorite because Thomas (Keele Univ., UK) pulled together so much salient information about how trees and shrubs grow and function in the landscape, and presented it in an accessible, concise package. Thus he was very pleased to learn about the updated, expanded second edition. The new version has a slightly larger format, is about 100 pages longer, and is enhanced with color photographs and illustrations. The chapters are organized first by parts of a tree--leaves, trunk/branches, roots, flowers/fruits/seeds. These are followed by chapters on how a tree grows, how the next generation is produced, and finally how trees defend themselves, age, and die. If a reader has ever wondered why trees have distinctive shapes, how growth rings are used for dating old houses and understanding past climate conditions, or what causes colorful fall foliage in deciduous trees, this book summarizes current understanding of these and many more questions. Professionals such as arborists, foresters, horticulturists, and grounds/park managers should have this book on their shelf. Since it is written in a nontechnical style, anyone curious about how trees live and function will also find it fascinating. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. --Glenn D. Dreyer, Connecticut College