۞  Erudite & entertaining, it sets a standard for ethnobotany. Dr. John Carothers, Professor of Biology, Cabrillo College, California

۞  Comprehensive, Amazing, and Gorgeous!. I was a little hesitant in spending $80 on a book, but once it arrived I was so glad I did. As a plant book alone it is just one of the most beautiful ones I've seen. Even if all you want is a coffee table book to thumb through and see pictures of different varieties of bananas, it's worth the price alone. This book is so comprehensive, I am just amazed at all the information, page after page. The focus here is on Hawaiian varieties, and they spend much of the book describing the varieties in great detail, including historical and mythical background on each of them. I knew little of these varieties until reading this book, and this in not information you can just find easily on the internet. Even if you aren't interested in Hawaiian varieties, the book would be worth it for all the information on banana growing and all the other varieties it covers. So far I have spent hours reading it and absorbing the pictures and I'm only 1/4 of the way through. If you grow and are interested in bananas, just buy this book! Rob in CA