Howard Miller & Samuel Lamb had forestry careers, but were partial to the oaks. Their book has three major parts: history & uses of oaks, oaks of the East, & oaks of the West. Very helpful in identification are the keys for each section of oaks. The authors often trekked hither & yon in search of each species to photograph the oak & its leaf, acorn, & bark. Accompanying each is an informative chapter of description, & details of identification, growth habitat, & excellent range maps. They mention ways each species is useful & unique from the other oaks. Did you know a northern red oak near Sheffield, Illinois was used as a surveyors point to lay out the Rock Island Railroad in 1851?