Armitage, who teaches horticulture at the U. of Georgia, Athens, has considered the vine over many years as a gardener. This handsome volume presents a full selection of vines in an A-Z format by Latin name, with a description of their behavior and attributes, and notes on the varieties, propagation, method of climbing, and etymology. Far from dry and scientific, the entries make irresistable, often funny reading, as Armitage relates his own experiences and those of fellow gardeners in growing and/or controlling the vines (he provides explicit warnings of invasive varieties) as well as the histories of each plant. Heavily illustrated with color plates. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)