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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
All for the Love of the Subject and the Truth,
By
This review is from: A Congenial Fellowship (Paperback)
Is it possible for the non-specialist, a mere layman, to enjoy letters between specialists in botany? Yes, it is, definitely! I confess a personal interest in the matter. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, where Floyd A. Swink worked for many years, is one of the loveliest places on earth. I happen to have grown up in Lisle and went to school (Lisle High Class of 1965) with Mr. Swink's daughter, Gloria, one of my dearest of friends, whose birth is referenced in a letter on page 211 of the paperback edition. It was through Gloria that I met her father and also was introduced to the beauties of the Arboretum. This correspondence is, at many places, quite technical, to be sure. But please do not let that daunt the intrepid reader, lest one miss the true beauty of this personal, and professional, correspondence. What a labor of love! Mr. Swink, in his 20's, initiated the correspondence with Mr. Deam, in his 80's. What impressed me the most about this series of letters is the intense pursuit of truth and the calm, non-defensive revision of previous findings if the facts warrant. Mr. Swink concluded that, "if anyone is going to botanize Chicago, it'll have to be me," even though his dear wife, Marie, thinks all he brings home each weekend is "weeds." The letter writers talk shop, talk truth, "I cannot understand anyone resenting their determinations being checked," "you cannot be diplomatic at the expense of truth," emphasize hard work, "fall in love with your work," are open to criticism, agree with the importance of asking "why?", spend 6 hours typing a letter, do not work for money, and bring to life for the reader a world of the "amateur" (root word, love) become professional. They both became professional at what they did. But they did it for the love of the subject. For anyone who takes the time to read this most technical, personal correspondence, they are brought into a world where there are no ulterior motives, just straightforward love of the subject, devotion to truth and accuracy and excellence. And for me, personally, the treat of Gloria's tribute to her father at the end, at his memorial service in 2000. Richard K. Mason
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