The Meaning of Flowers (Hardcover)

by Gretchen Scoble (Author), Ann Field (Collaborator) "FLOWERS CALL TO US..." (more)
Key Phrases: flower language

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Like books, some flowers are merely pretty to look at, while others are pure romance. The Meaning of Flowers presents flowers not only as messengers of our deepest feelings and desires, but as repositories of powerful myths and histories. Lilacs, for example, "express the beautiful sadness of love, the feeling--always available to the lover--of impending farewell.... Potently fragrant, the flower was once thought capable of warding off the Black Death itself." Ann Field's collages strike the perfect mood in this beautifully designed book, ideal for those who love flowers and symbolism.

Product Description
Illustrated with Ann Field's luscious collages, this enchanting tribute to the power and symbolism of flowers draws on botanical, historical, and mythological sources worldwide, from ancient Rome to Victorian England, to present portraits of all-time favorite flowers. 50+ color images.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 108 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1st edition (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811819310
• ISBN-13: 978-0811819312
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 6.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #599,350 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fourth Grade, Sunday Night, September 13, 1998

By A Customer

I am extremely disappointed in this book. I expected to be enlightened to the symbolic nature of flowers, but instead encountered a book that reminded me of a fourth grader's book report written late on a Sunday night. The symbolism discussed was largely limited to one word per flower with little or no explanation as to why this word found itself attatched to the flower in question. I cannot express strongly enough the lack of depth in this book.

To make matters worse, there were not even pictures to accompany every entry! The sparing use of words, one might imagine, would require brilliant pictures to drag the book into respectability. The pictures that *are* included in the book do nothing to justify the purchase of this book. In short, I am sorry to be out my fifteen bucks :-(

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Think of it as an art book, not a reference., March 13, 2001

By	"vera_lynn" (Southeastern VA, United States) - See all my reviews

If you are looking for something to lay on a table & look pretty, you may find something worth buying in this book: The cover is very pretty, and the subtitle, "Myth, Language & Lore" gives a suggestion of depth and sensitivity. If, however you have any intention of cracking the cover in search of useful information, go find something else.

Consider the following entry for heliotrope (quoted below in its entirety):

HELIOTROPE [Heliotropium Arborescens]

The sun-loving heliotrope suggested DEVOTION to the Victorians.

These pale mauve flowers have a strong sweet sweet scent of almonds or cherry pie. Thomas Jefferson once referred to heliotrope as "a delicious flower. One of its varieties has been known in Europe since the dawn of the West, though the variations brought from Peru in the eighteenth century stirred public amazement.

(End of entry.)

The entry, by the way, does not include a picture. In this book, which bases its appeal far more on the quality of its visual presentation than its insight into floral culture, almost half of all entries are without pictures.

I cannot even recommend this book as a starting point for further exploration, since the author has not seen fit to document any of her observations or facts: There are no footnotes, no bibliographic entries, and no hints to further reading. In short, I found it to be a substanceless work. I'd give it zero stars if that were an option, although I suppose it deserves credit for interesting pictures, where pictures have been included.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique view of flowers, an enjoyable experience, November 9, 1998

By A Customer

This book is not to be bought as a reference book for a complete history of flowers and their names. It is a synergistic combination of pictures and words. It is to be experienced as a greeting card from the flowers to you, a photographic essay about flowers and the way they can touch you. The words and pictures are witty and inventive. See this book not as a reference work, but as a special gift for a flower lover and you will be pleased.