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 and Vera Webster, the books were written by experts in their field and illustrated in a simple straightforward style.

Golden Guide
Early Golden Guides, published from 1949 to 1955.

Edited byHerbert Zim, Vera Webster
Original title
Golden Nature Guides
IllustratorJames Gordon Irving
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
PublisherWestern Publishing
Golden Press
St. Martin's Press (2001–present)
Published1949–2002
Media typePocket book
No. of books84
Followed byGolden Field Guide
WebsiteOfficial website

Intended for primary and secondary school level readers, the first books were field guides illustrated by James Gordon Irving, with such titles as Birds (1949), Insects (1951), and Mammals (1955). The series later expanded beyond identification guides to cover a wider range of subjects, such as Geology (1972), Scuba Diving (1968), and Indian Arts (1970).

In 1966, Zim launched a related series, the Golden Field Guides, aimed at high school or college-age readers.

An updated series was relaunched in 2001 as "Golden Guides by St. Martin's Press", illustrated largely with photographs but retaining some of the original 1950s illustrations.[1]

List of Golden Guides

edit
Title Author(s) Date Published
Acadia National Park Grant Sharpe 1968
American Antique Glass Elizabeth Oliver 1977
Antiques Ann Cole 1967
Architecture Charles Rambert 1969
Bats Of The World Gary Graham 1994
Bicycling George Fichter & Keith Kingbay 1972
Bird Life Stephen Kress 1991
Birds Herbert Zim & Ira Gabrielson 1949
Birds Of Europe Bertel Bruun 1967
Botany Taylor Alexander, R. Will Burnett, Zim 1970
Butterflies And Moths Robert Mitchell & Herbert Zim 1962
Cacti Frank Venning 1974
Camping Robert Smallman 1965
Casino Games Bill Friedman 1973
Cats George Fichter 1973
Dinosaurs Eugene Gaffney 1990
Ecology Taylor Alexander & George Fichter 1973
Endangered Animals George Fichter 1995
Everglades National Park Herbert Zim 1960
Evolution Frank T. Rhodes 1974
Exotic Plants Julia Morton 1971
Exploring Space Mark Chartrand 1991
Families Of Birds Oliver Austin 1971
Fishes Herbert Zim & Hurst Shoemaker 1955
Fishing George Fichter & Phil Francis 1965
Flowers Herbert Zim & Alexander Martin 1950
Flying Barry Schiff 1971
Fossils Frank Rhodes, H. Zim & Paul Shaffer 1962
Gamebirds Alexander Sprunt & Herbert Zim 1961
Geology Frank Rhodes 1972
Guns Larry Koller 1961
Hallucinogenic Plants Richard Schultes 1976
Heart Sarah Riedman 1974
Herbs And Spices Julia Morton 1976
Horses Moira Duggan 1972
Indian Arts Andrew Whiteford 1970
Insect Pests George Fichter 1966
Insects Herbert Zim & Clarence Cottam 1951
Israel and The Holy Land Rinna Samuel 1967
Italy Paul Friedlander & Joseph Brooks 1955
Kites Wyatt Brummit 1971
Landforms George Adams & Jerome Wyckoff 1971
Light And Color Clarence Rainwater 1971
Mammals Herbert Zim & Donald Hoffmeister 1955
Mexico Herbert Zim 1969
Modern Painting Michel Hoog 1970
Non-Flowering Plants Floyd Shuttleworth & Herbert Zim 1967
Oceanography Gilbert Voss 1972
Orchids Shuttleworth, Zim & Gordon Dillon 1970
Pacific Northwest Herbert Zim & Natt Dodge 1959
Painting - From Its Origins Genevieve Monnier 1969
Painting, Gasser's Guide to Henry Gasser 1964
Photography Herbert Zim & R. Will Burnett 1956
Planets Mark Chartrand 1990
Pond Life George Reid 1967
Power Boats Bill Wallace 1961
Reptiles and Amphibians Herbert Zim & Hobart Smith 1953
Rocks And Minerals Herbert Zim & Paul Shaffer 1957
Rocky Mountains Herbert Zim 1964
Sailing Bill Wallace 1960
Scuba Diving Wheeler North 1968
Sculpture, An Introduction To Guillaume Janneau & Simone Hoog 1970
Seashells Of The World R. Tucker Abbott 1962
Seashores Herbert Zim & Lester Ingle 1955
Ski Bill Wallace & Bob Beattie 1966
Sky Observer's Guide R. Newton, M. Mayall & Jerome Wyckoff 1965
Snakes Sarah Whittley 2002
Southeast, The American Herbert Zim 1960
Southwest, The American Natt Dodge & Herbert Zim 1959
Spiders & Their Kin Herbert Levi & Lorna Levi 1968
Sports Cars Mortarini, Leopold & Waterfall 1968
Stars Herbert Zim & Robert Baker 1951
Trees Herbert Zim & A. Martin 1952
Tropical Fish Bruce Halstead & Bonnie Landa 1975
Venomous Animals Edmund Brodie, Jr. 1989
Washington D.C. Robert Smallman 1964
Weather Paul Lehr, R. Will Burnett & Herbert Zim 1957
Weeds Alexander Martin 1972
Whales And Other Marine Mammals George Fichter 1990
Wines Henri Fluchère 1973
Yosemite Douglass Hubbard 1970
Zoo Animals Donald Hoffmeister 1967
Zoology Will Burnett, Herbert Zim, & Harvey Fisher 1958

References

edit
  1. ^ Fandrich, Leslie (Fall 2012). "The Golden Nature of James Gordon Irving". Uppercase (15): 46–50.
edit