Bonsai Basics: A Step-By-Step Guide To Growing, Training & General Care

Rating:
Summary: Bonsai Basics
Review: As a bonsai enthusiast (NOT master!), I have been designing bonsai for several years, and have acquired a few dozen books on the subject. Personally, I was unimpressed with this book. While it had some valid information, I noticed incorrect techniques photographed (trees with wire cutting in to the bark, or having wire scars). I didn't find the book particularly helpful.

Rating:
Summary: Authoritative, yet condescending, and culturally uninformed
Review: Surprisingly enough, this book was written by two Westerners, for Westerners. Upon reading this book, one wonders why Orientals are praised in numerous passages as metaphysical "self-questing" masters, (Yoda?)and in as many places, Europeans and Westerners are referred to as catagorically "ignorant." Once one moves beyond these condescending and culturally myopic statements, the book contains much useful information. By the way, Bonsai is an art that is dying out in Japan, and there are few, if any, young people who care anything about it, much less respect it as an art form. Having lived all over Japan during the ten years that I was there, I am of the opinion that young Japanese people are as ignorant of their own culture as the authors claim Americans and Europeans are. And actually, the Americans and Europeans that I came into contact with knew more about Japanese history, customs and culture than the Japanese themselves. Might I suggest sticking to the topic of Bonsai and leaving your reversed cultural biases out of print