Book Review: "Vision of My Soul" by Robert Steven

[Attila Soos]

Yes I think we both agree on this. My point, which always gets overlooked, Is that art is always judged after the fact not while it is being made, so no matter how great a book about art is, it will never help you make art. That is my point.

I agree to a certain point. The books cannot make you into an artist, that I believe.

But if you already have it in you, then it can give you that extra little push that may help. Sometimes, that's all we need. Just a little help, encouragement, a glimmer of hope, to get you over the next hill. After that, we can speed up on our own. Like pushing an engine that is hard to get into gear.

Of course, it would be nice to have Robert in person in our backyard, watching him live, creating his masterpieces. But having his book is the next best thing.

 

[Attila Soos]

Just one more thing Al,

You may value instructional books more than the inspirational ones, but I am not sure that you realize this: Inspiration is the biggest thing in the world. Inspiration is what puts you on a path for lifetime. Inspiration is what drives some people to give up their lives for an idea (see the Middle East).

If I can inspire my 7 year-old son to do anything, bonsai, sports, or whatever, I can make him into a champion. But if there is no inspiration, I can show him all the techniquest in the world, he would not care and won't learn anything.

If we are inspired, finding the means and the techniques is a piece of cake. Any idiot can do it.

I can put the inspiration into monetary terms for you, just to illustrate my point:
How much a technician can charge for his/her services? A good professional can earn $80+ an hour. I, myself, can charge may be $150 an hour. A good attorney can charge $800 an hour. This is all technical work - your area.

Now, let's see how much inspirational work charges. A speech from Tony Robbins, or similar inspirational giants? How about $10,000 - $50,000 an hour. Some great speakers.....may be $100,000 for a two-hour long session? How do you think Bill Clinton is making his millions? By instructional, or inspirational speaches? I am sure you get my point. Money is where the value is... at least most of the time.

When you go to all those exhibits and conventions this spring, how many brand new techniques do you think you will learn? Techniques you never heard of? I suspect NONE. I suspect that in the last 27 years you already learned all the techniques there is, to bonsai. And yet, you keep spending thousands of dollars on these events. You know why? Inspiration, my friend. Seeing all the great bonsai, and talking to all those people, inspires you. Anybody who has an inkling of artistic inclination, has a constant thirst to be inspred. That's the only reason we are still dong bonsai. In fact, that's the whole point of living our lives. And this is why we like Robert's book.

How do you think Obama, from the son of a jobless single mother, became the president of United States? Reading a techical book "The Idiot's Guide to Become President"? No, the passion/inspiration is what took him this far. You know the saying: Where there is a will, there is a way. I know that technique, and the "how to" is important, but it is nowhere near what makes life worth living for.

 

[Smoke]

Al,

You and I come from the same mold so yeah we are going to be hostile with each other. Tell you what, come off your podium and I'll be civil. This goes back a long way as you know. Either way it doesn't matter. Or do I need to grow breasts so you can be tactful

Actually if you read the thread there was no podium here. I never addressed you nor had any interaction with you. I saved that for study group. All I did was ask for a little background from someone I knew and knew I would get a decent answer from. I did and now I have a better understanding of why this book is good for some and not so good for me. I have read it all before, repackaged yes but still the same.

Either way its still a good book. Those that wish to own it be my guest. I own it, but then it was given to me so I don't really know if I might have bought it. I looked at Mission of Transformation and decided to pass it. For many it may be a great read.

If my little nursery carried Kokufu books I'm quite sure I would own them all.

BTW breasts might not do it, but if you looked like Johnny Depp we might talk.

 

[greerhw]

I think I'll wait for the movie to come out, hope it's in 3-D.
keep it green,
Harry

 

[Smoke]

Just one more thing Al,

You may value instructional books more than the inspirational ones, but I am not sure that you realize this: Inspiration is the biggest thing in the world. Inspiration is what puts you on a path for lifetime. Inspiration is what drives some people to give up their lives for an idea (see the Middle East).

If I can inspire my 7 year-old son to do anything, bonsai, sports, or whatever, I can make him into a champion. But if there is no inspiration, I can show him all the techniquest in the world, he would not care and won't learn anything.

If we are inspired, finding the means and the techniques is a piece of cake. Any idiot can do it.

I can put the inspiration into monetary terms for you, just to illustrate my point:
How much a technician can charge for his/her services? A good professional can earn $80+ an hour. I, myself, can charge may be $150 an hour. A good attorney can charge $800 an hour. This is all technical work - your area.

Now, let's see how much inspirational work charges. A speech from Tony Robbins, or similar inspirational giants? How about $10,000 - $50,000 an hour. Some great speakers.....may be $100,000 for a two-hour long session? How do you think Bill Clinton is making his millions? By instructional, or inspirational speaches? I am sure you get my point. Money is where the value is... at least most of the time.

When you go to all those exhibits and conventions this spring, how many brand new techniques do you think you will learn? Techniques you never heard of? I suspect NONE. I suspect that in the last 27 years you already learned all the techniques there is, to bonsai. And yet, you keep spending thousands of dollars on these events. You know why? Inspiration, my friend. Seeing all the great bonsai, and talking to all those people, inspires you. Anybody who has an inkling of artistic inclination, has a constant thirst to be inspred. That's the only reason we are still dong bonsai. In fact, that's the whole point of living our lives. And this is why we like Robert's book.

How do you think Obama, from the son of a jobless single mother, became the president of United States? Reading a techical book "The Idiot's Guide to Become President"? No, the passion/inspiration is what took him this far. You know the saying: Where there is a will, there is a way. I know that technique, and the "how to" is important, but it is nowhere near what makes life worth living for.

Wow I have done a terrible job at making my point. Inspiration is all there is. Barbara will find this out tomarrow when she sees what I have brought. I think she will be awed.

I take it you read the study group thread?

One more thing, I know some will never be able to grasp this, but the images in that book have fallen flat in the last 5 years with me. I was hoping to be more inspired with the second book but in some ways it went backwards.

al

 

[Rick Moquin]

BTW breasts might not do it, but if you looked like Johnny Depp we might talk.

...mmmmmmmm you like 'em skinny then

One more thing, I know some will never be able to grasp this, but the images in that book have fallen flat in the last 5 years with me.

...then perhaps you may educate us by posting pictures that move you and why? Because I believe some may find it hard to follow your reasoning. We have explained why the book is useful to us...

I was hoping to be more inspired with the second book but in some ways it went backwards.

al

You need to remember Al not everyone has been at this for 27 years. Who knows we may all share the same opinion years from now.

 

[Attila Soos]

I take it you read the study group thread?

No, I didn't.

 

[Anonymous User]

5 pages, 47 posts to date, most likely the longest discussion on any single bonsai book I have seen.....this alone makes the book a success, in my opinion, not to mention the incredible sales of the first (sold out) and the second edition.

Some people can't be pleased, some just look for reasons not to like something (or anything it would seem) and others are blantantly biased.....all in all this was a great book that took us places that just wasn't being traveled to in the mass of how to bonsai books that flood the market.





Will

 

[Yamadori]

This has helped because It is easy for me to understand that you and I read bonsai books for two different reasons. You allow yourself to be carried away with the emotinal writing which is good. I am there for a totaly different reason. You almost read his book as a fiction romance noval, while I read it as non-fiction instructional guide book. I can see why we have differing interpretations of the work.

Do you realize how patronizing this sounds? First to assume I only read a book for one reason is oversimplification. I am never that simple. To say that I, "Allow myself to be carried away with the emotional writing" is insulting. You speak as if i am too weak to resist the writing, as if it is somehow overpowering my judgement. I very clearly see and choose to feel what he is expressing. That has nothing to do with being carried away. I believe it takes a level of emotional sophistication to really understand what Robert is expressing.

Fiction romance novels are pretty trashy simplistic writing. You say I, "read this book as a fiction romance novel while you read it as a non-fiction instructional guide". Can you be any more condescending and chauvinistic? Equating my interpretation of Robert's book to a genre otherwise described as, "juicy, cheap, predictable, and devoured in stupefying quantities by legions of loyal fans" while stating that you read it as non-fiction instructional guide, implies that you have a superior intellectual ability to read and interpret what you have read and that I am no more than a simplistic woman too weak to resist an emotional appeal. Al, that is a poor choice of attitude. If you want to be insulting to my intellect I do not want to continue this dialog. I hope we don't end up in opposite corners of a cyber boxing ring.

 

[Klytus]

I noticed Western Bonsai can be so unike the more genteel pursuits,such as Horology.

 

[Yamadori]

Klytus, You have reminded me to check my clepsydra. Wouldn't want it running dry now.

 

[Yamadori]

Just one more thing Al,

Inspiration is the biggest thing in the world. Inspiration is what puts you on a path for lifetime. Inspiration is what drives some people to give up their lives for an idea.

But if there is no inspiration, I can show him all the techniques in the world, he would not care and won't learn anything.

If we are inspired, finding the means and the techniques is a piece of cake.

Seeing all the great bonsai, and talking to all those people, inspires you. Anybody who has an inkling of artistic inclination, has a constant thirst to be inspired. That's the only reason we are still dong bonsai. In fact, that's the whole point of living our lives. And this is why we like Robert's book.

I know that technique, and the "how to" is important, but it is nowhere near what makes life worth living for.

Atilla,
I really agree with the statements you made that I selected above. They ring exceptionally true for me. Particularly, "Inspiration is what drives some people to give up their lives for an idea." At one phase of my life I gave up everything to walk across this country for something I believed in. There were no technical guides for what we did. We traveled on inspiration and conviction. Inspiration was the driving force from which our learning occured. It was the greatest experience to live realizing every day mattered.

As a school teacher and administrator I can tell you that all the text books that focus on technique have never inspired a child to greatness. Yes, they will learn essential rote process like how to apply distributive and inverse properties of multiplication, but it takes an insiring book, experience, or person to light their drive to be a mathmatician or a physicist. It makes an absolute measurable difference.

 

[Attila Soos]

At one phase of my life I gave up everything to walk across this country for something I believed in. There were no technical guides for what we did. We traveled on inspiration and conviction. Inspiration was the driving force from which our learning occured. It was the greatest experience to live realizing every day mattered.

Must have taken a lot of courage to do that...

 

[Yamadori]

Must have taken a lot of courage to do that...

I suppose. A strong conviction and the right inspiration can overcome fear. It was a formative experience for all of us. It launched my life in a powerful way. It was 24 years ago and I still communicate with many of the folks I walked with. We have a life long bond not commonly found, except maybe with war veterans.

 

[Rick Moquin]

I suppose. A strong conviction and the right inspiration can overcome fear. It was a formative experience for all of us. It launched my life in a powerful way. It was 24 years ago and I still communicate with many of the folks I walked with. We have a life long bond not commonly found, except maybe with war veterans.

Well done, but I would like to enhance your last statement. Albeit war veterans do share a common bond that, to many is incomprehensible, war is not the common denominator in the equation, but serviceman in general. I have strong bonds with individuals that stem as far back as 35 years, some mean more to me than the relationship I share with my siblings, and yes I am a vet.

 

[Yamadori]

war is not the common denominator in the equation, but serviceman in general. I have strong bonds with individuals that stem as far back as 35 years, some mean more to me than the relationship I share with my siblings, and yes I am a vet.

Yes Rick, that makes sense. A shared experience of great intensity where reliance on another is essential and followed through. The ability to predict the actions and reactions of others in the group. An acceptance of each others quirks, with respect. A shared view of the world. That is a bond for life. My bonds with these friends are far stronger than with my siblings. I refer to them as my family of choice.

Thank you for your service. I am a military brat. My father was an Air Force Major begining when it was the Army Air Corp. He trained B17 turret gunners in WWII. I was raised with respect for the armed services. However, I didn't like the medical care, well except for all the cute male corpmen nurses in the Navy hospital. They made surgical recovery more enjoyable. I still love a navy hair cut to this day.

 

[Yamadori]

Sorry Chris, We have gone way off topic here.

 

[Chris Johnston]

Sorry Chris, We have gone way off topic here.

I'm not surprised. Wait till you see my review of book 2.

 

[Rick Moquin]

I'm not surprised. Wait till you see my review of book 2.

We might have strayed off course but I believe this horse had been dead for some time now. Will you need a flack jacket?

 

[Chris Johnston]

We might have strayed off course but I believe this horse had been dead for some time now. Will you need a flack jacket?

I might but it won't be because I wasn't fair.