The ''Golden Field Guides'' are a series of larger pocket-sized books about the

natural world Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the laws, elements and phenomena of the physical world, including life. Although humans are part ...

which were created by

Western Publishing Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company, was an American company founded in 1907 in Racine, Wisconsin, best known for publishing the Little Golden Books. Its Golden Books Family Entertainment division also ...

and published under their "Golden Press" line (mostly used for children's books at the time), as a related series to the '' Golden Guides''. Edited by

Herbert Zim Herbert Spencer Zim (July 12, 1909 – December 5, 1994) was an American naturalist, author, editor and educator best known as the founder (1945) and editor-in-chief of the Golden Guides series of nature books. Biography Zim was born 1909 t ...

and Vera Webster, the books were written by experts in their field and illustrated with a simple straightforward style. Unlike the ''Golden Guides'', the ''Field Guides'' covered their subjects in greater depth, being more aimed at the high school/college level. They also had sturdier covers, obviously intending that they be used in the field. Most note that they are a "Guide to Field Identification" on the cover. To cover their subject matter in greater depth, and intended as both identification and educational, most of the ''Field Guides'' limited themselves to North America, while the Golden Guides were usually worldwide. The series, updated, was relaunched in 2001 as "''Golden Field Guides'' by

St. Martin's Press St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan in New York City. It is headquartered in the Equitable Building (New York City), Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishe ...

". Certain titles have been discontinued, such as the ''Amphibians of North America'' and ''Families of Birds'' books.

Series list

* ''Amphibians of North America'', by

Hobart Muir Smith Hobart Muir Smith, born Frederick William Stouffer (September 26, 1912 – March 4, 2013), was an Americans, American Herpetology, herpetologist. He is credited with describing more than 100 new species of American reptiles and amphibians. I ...

(1978) — discontinued by St. Martin's Press * ''Birds of North America'', by

Chandler Robbins Chandler Seymour Robbins (July 17, 1918 – March 20, 2017) was an American ornithologist. His contributions to the field include co-authorship of an influential field guide to birds, as well as organizing the North American Breeding Bird Surve ...

and

Bertel Bruun Bertel Bruun (November 13, 1937 – September 21, 2011) was a naturalist, international conservationist and neurologist. Bruun wrote many books and was the co-author of The Golden Field Guide to Birds of North America first published in 1966. He ...

(1966) * ''Eastern Birds'', by James Coe (1994) — limited release in original but continued by St. Martin's Press * ''Families of Birds'', by

Oliver L. Austin Oliver Luther Austin Jr. (May 24, 1903 – December 31, 1988) was an ornithologist who wrote the definitive study ''Birds of the World,'' eventually published in seven languages. At various times he was Director of the Austin Ornithological Resear ...

(1971) — originally published as a Golden Guide (small format) and later, slightly modified, as Golden Field Guide (large format); later discontinued by St. Martin's Press * ''Reptiles of North America'', by Hobart Muir Smith, Edmund D. Brodie, David M. Dennis, and Sy Barlowe (1982) * ''Minerals of the World'', by Charles A. Sorrell, illustrations by George F. Sandström (1973) — expansion of the "Rocks and Minerals" pocket guide, then later renamed ''Rocks and Minerals'' * ''Seashells of North America'', by

R. Tucker Abbott Robert Tucker Abbott (September 28, 1919 – November 3, 1995) was an American conchology, conchologist and malacology, malacologist. He was the author of more than 30 books on malacology, which have been translated into many languages. Abbot ...

(1968) * ''Skyguide'', by Mark R. Chartrand and Helmut K. Wimmer (1982) — later renamed ''Night Sky'' * ''Trees of North America'', by C. Frank Brockman and Rebecca A. Merrilees (1968) * ''Wildflowers of North America'', by Frank D. Venning and Manabu C. Saito (1984) There were some other "Golden Guides" issued but not normally considered part of the regular series.

Associated Series list

* ''National Parks of the World'', by

Kai Curry-Lindahl Kai Curry-Lindahl, Ph.D. (May 10, 1917 – December 5, 1990), was a Sweden, Swedish zoologist and author. He was born in Stockholm. He participated actively in the Conservation movement, conservation debate, and was a conservation expert asso ...

Jean-Paul Harroy Jean-Paul Harroy (4 May 1909 – 8 July 1995) was a Belgian colonial civil servant who served as the last Governor and only Resident-General of Ruanda-Urundi. His term coincided with the Rwandan Revolution and the assassination of the popular Bur ...

, and the

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

(1972) — volumes 1 & 2 * ''A Golden Guide to Environmental Organizations'', by Bruce W. Halstead (1972) * ''The Golden Guide to Lawns, Trees and Shrubs'', by John Strohm (1961) * ''The Golden Guide to Flowers A Handbook for Home Gardeners'', by John Strohm (1962)

References

{{Reflist

External links

Golden Field Guide from St. Martin's Press
Book series Natural history books