The Golden Field Guides are a series of larger pocket-sized books that were created by

Western Publishing Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company, was a Racine, Wisconsin, firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Its Golden Books Family Entertainment division also produced children's books and ...

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

Golden Guide The Golden Guides, originally Golden Nature Guides, were a series of 160-page, pocket-sized books created by Western Publishing and published under their "Golden Press" line (primarily a children's book imprint) from 1949. Edited by Herbert S. Zim ...

s. Edited by

Herbert Zim Herbert Spencer Zim (July 12, 1909 – December 5, 1994) was a 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 in New York ...

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 went more in-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 go more in-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, New York City, in the Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under si ...

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

(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

(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 (1973) — 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 conchologist (seashells) and malacologist (molluscs). 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 Swedish zoologist and author. He was born in Stockholm. He participated actively in the conservation debate, and was a conservation expert associated with the University of ...

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; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natur ...

(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
Series of books Natural history books