Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty

[rockm]

I picked this book up this weekend at Barnes and Noble. I'd seen it online and on bookstands a few times, but hadn't looked at it.

It's worth the purchase if you want to learn about the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in D.C. ALOT of really interesting tidbits about how the bonsai in the collection arrived here (and continue to arrive), as well as their use in diplomatic visits here in D.C., especially the White House. (President Carter was one of those "Can I keep my tree indoors" beginners, Nixon too, but he didn't ask, he just did apparently--his "indoor" penjing is lost to the mists of time).

Profiles of how John Naka, Yuji Yoshimura, Harry Hirao, and a few other prominent U.S. bonsaiists fit into the picture--BTW Ted Creech is my hero.

https://www.tuttlepublishing.com/books-by-country/bonsai-penjing-hardcover-with-jacket

 

[Lazylightningny]

Yes, I've seen this book around. Reletively new, published in 2016. I wonder if Nixon tapped Naka's phone to get some tips on bonsai cultivation.

 

[Lonefrog]

I was wondering if that book was worth the purchase. I don't think my local B&N carries it.

 

[rockm]

I have a soft spot for the National Arb. The book contains a lot of basic info about bonsai and its history, BUT the majority of it goes into details of how the arb's effort to get bonsai, as well as a short history of other bonsai collections in the U.S. The back section is a history written by (I think) former intrepid plant collector and former Arb Director John Creech, about how the first 50 bonsai arrived in the U.S.
https://capitalbonsai.wordpress.com/tag/dr-creech/

The story is long and reads kind of like an Indiana Jones' adventure in parts.