Those botanists that have worked in states without a published flora can easily understand the sheer joy that comes with the publication of the Plant Life of Kentucky by Ronald L. Jones. Likewise, those botanists that do work in states with a published flora will recognize the potential that a publication of this magnitude has on further exploration, conservation, and development of botanical understanding at a state and regional level. The book represents a tremendous accomplishment for the author who clearly has a deep knowledge of the plants of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This effort was facilitated through the assistance of the late John W. Thieret as the editorial associate and Charles J. Lapham as the technical associate, and the author and these two associates have produced a text that will have a tremendous impact on the state and the region in the 21st century.