John J. Audubon’s Breathtaking Book of Birds

In the early 19th century, John James Audubon set out to do something no natural history illustrator had attempted at such scale: depict North American birds at life size, in vivid, animated poses. The result was “The Birds of America,” one of the most ambitious — and physically imposing — sets of books ever produced. The Library preserves a full set of the four books, weighing a combined 196 pounds. The 435 illustrations are still in brilliant color.