The Living Art of Bonsai: Principles & Techniques of Cultivation & Propagation [Paperback]

Amy Liang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

"With 288 color pages, Liang's is one of the best [books on the subject]. Her book includes a breath-taking photo gallery of bonsai, basic styles, group planting, plant physiology, cultivation, propagation, transplanting and repotting, and training and dwarfing--in other words, everything the bonsai grower needs to know."--Booklist

Cultivating bonsai is a fine art, and this extravagantly produced volume, filled with hundreds upon hundreds of lavish full-color photographs, showcases the very best and most beautiful specimens. Many of the trees have won international awards, were gifts bestowed by heads of state, and have been featured in TV documentaries. Some have even been the subjects of a commemorative stamp series. Professor Amy Liang, a world-famous leader in the field, surveys the history of bonsai in its many schools and styles, and offers practical techniques and highly detailed instructions for those who want to shape and nurture their own trees. The remarkable images display dazzling miniature evergreens, flowering and fruited trees, and their foliage.

Editorial Reviews

From Book News

Belying the association of bonsai with Japan, the art originated in China. Liang, who has taught (Seattle Pacific U.) and lectured in the US, has pursued bonsai for 20 years and here presents a dazzling gallery of her own (huge) collection with extensive comment upon the art, its history, styles, and the cultivation and training of specimens. Hundreds of photos, drawings and paintings support the text. No bibliography. A lovely, utilitarian book. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1402719019
• ISBN-13: 978-1402719011
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #259,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have for beginners and experts alike!, August 3, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Tacoma, Wa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Living Art Of Bonsai: Principles & Techniques Of Cultivation & Propagation (Paperback)

I have been cultivating and growing Bonsai for 6 years. Although I am not new to this "living Art" I learned a great deal from Dr. Liang who gave such profound insight from her many years of practice. This book is a wonderful reference tool for soil and watering regimines, repotting as well as style designs and tips on the whole picture a Bonsai portrays. From pot selection to choosing stock, to ornament placement. She has truly unique work and her expertise shows is this book that is very pleasurable to look at as well as read.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a value even for those just interested in the photos, February 18, 2000

By 

Bryan Macy (Northern Cal, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Living Art Of Bonsai: Principles & Techniques Of Cultivation & Propagation (Paperback)

This is the most interesting book on bonsai I have seen yet, and a great deal. With 286 pages, and many full color full page photos of most excellent examples of bonsai, this book would be a great coffee table book on its own, even if the owner did not pursue the art. It is in depth, and maybe a little too much for someone with a passing fancy to read through, but if you have a serious interest this is it!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Reaction, September 21, 2006

By 

Paul Ferrari (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Living Art Of Bonsai: Principles & Techniques Of Cultivation & Propagation (Paperback)

I ordered this book because it sounded comprehensive and promised lots of photos. Having spent a good bit of time looking it over, I confess to very mixed feelings about it. There is a lot of excellent information inside and some very handsome bonsai portraits, but the overall subject treatment varies: sometimes Dr. Liang goes into depth, while at other times her approach remains superficial. Her section "Bonsai Creation," for instance, runs all of 4 pages (primarily photographs) and essentially recommends spending a lot of time looking at trees. Worse, I couldn't escape the sense that the book is in some regards a vanity publication. Many of the pictures focus on Dr. Liang and her trees, occasionally including family members, and very few of those pictures are instructive; they seem intended instead to show off her collection. And while the writing is generally solid, the English is at times stilted and could have used editing by someone for whom it is not a second language. Having said all that, it's not a bad book by any means and it does contain useful information. However, I recommend thinking of it as one source among many and suggest buying a used copy to save a few dollars.