From Library Journal: "Magnificent and intriguing photographs and illustrations put these titles on par with works of art and not just coffee-table art. Natural History was produced by Smithsonian scholars and other experts to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. This is an international encyclopedia of life-forms-e.g., fossils, fungi, plants, animals, mammals-that includes vital facts and two to three sentences about each as well as more than 5000 color illustrations in all. Each grouping is introduced by an essay that puts it in biological and evolutionary perspective. The initial introduction considers life on Earth, including basic principles of evolution, cladogram principles, and a large "Tree of Life."