My Book is Coming Soon

grouper52

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Hi Folks,

I’m posting this announcement in anticipation of the release of my book, due out in late August or early September, entitled, “Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees: The Life and Works of Dan Robinson - Bonsai Pioneer.”

A JPEG of the front cover is included below to wet the appetite.

I researched, wrote and published the book. Victrinia Ridgeway collaborated with me on the photography, and Walter Pall has been kind enough to write a great Foreword.

The book will be an oversized, 10” X 9” or so hardcover book of 292 pages, printed with high quality materials, and chock full of stunning pictures. Preliminary feedback from a number of people in the know has been strongly positive: I have no doubt that Dan’s unique bonsai wisdom and artistry will appeal to those at all levels of the art, and many others outside the field might evenn delight in his humor and humanity, as well as the sheer beauty of his works.

We hope to have autographed copies available from www.elandangardens.com. Stone Lantern will also carry it, and perhaps Amazon and other outlets as well. It will retail for USD $49.95.

I also hope to have a DVD available either at the time of the book’s release or shortly thereafter, featuring several slideshows of photos from the book set to music, as well as a highly instructive and inspiring old video Dan recorded years ago about collecting and styling trees.This will be available separately from the book at a price that has yet to be determined, or as an optional add-on to the book at a discounted price.

I’ll post more here later when I know the book's specific availability dates.

Will/grouper52
 

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rockm

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Wow. Really looking forward to this one.
 

mcpesq817

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Wow, that's really cool. Definitely not one of your standard cookie cutter bonsai books that are out there :rolleyes:

Congratulations on getting it published. I'm sure it's been a very rewarding project :)
 

Bill S

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I will give you guys a big Yahooooo! on this post too, cover looks great, book should be too.:)
 

bonsai barry

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The cover looks very intriguing. I generally am too cheap to buy a book new, but in this case I think I'll make an exception. I couldn't tell from your decription: Is it an appreciation style book or is it a how-to?
 

Dwight

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Congrats Willl , I know how long and hard you've worked on this. Good show !
 

grouper52

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Thanks, everyone.

The book is not a how-to, but it contains a great deal of bonsai wisdom and details in various places that will help bonsai folks at any level with their collecting and styling, perhaps less so with the horticultural aspect. I tried to use even the 100 page gallery as an opportunity to put Dan's collected wisdom forward for those who would like to learn more. Several chapters are devoted specifically to collecting or styling, and of course Dan's approach to styling will come through in the inspiration of his trees, even if the details of the techniques are not emphasized. (Vic, BTW, has expressed interst in writing a second book on Dan's actual techniques, so if people are interested they can push and nudge and light a fire under her! :D )

I agree, and so have all who have seen the book thus far. It is far from the usual cookie-cutter bonsai book. It is part biography, and part retrospective, and running throughout is the beauty of Dan's trees and his approach to creating them. I hope everyone enjoys it.

Will
 

M.B.

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Hey G52 will the book be available at the GSBF convention Santa Clara the end of October?
Mary B.
 

ericN

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Looking forward in getting a copy of this book.

eric
 

grouper52

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Hey G52 will the book be available at the GSBF convention Santa Clara the end of October?
Mary B.

It should certainly be available by that time, Mary, but I don't know that we will be offering it at a booth there or anything. Dan is invited to several venues for demos and workshops around that time, but I don't recall him mentioning that one. You might contact his wife, diane, at www.elandangardens.com, who will be handling the bulk of the distribution for the book. She can tell you, and maybe even talk with you if you want to set up a booth and sell some copies there.

Atilla - I think I know you well enough to predict that you will really enjoy the book. Money back if you don't!

Will
 

grouper52

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Hey G52 will the book be available at the GSBF convention Santa Clara the end of October?
Mary B.

Hi Mary.

An Update: Dan is now thinking of going down to the convention there, and is looking into having a table/booth to sell autographed copies. Not a sure thing yet, but it looks like a strong possibility.

I'll post this in the General Discussions forum as well.

Will
 

amkhalid

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Looks great, but I can see some photoshop artifacts in the cover image you posted (a couple of brush strokes above/below the author names). I'm sure those didn't make it to the final print though.
 
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Hey Grouper,

I'm tired of hearing all the screaming, just tell me when the baby is born! If the inside of the book is anything like the cover, you'll have a hit. But do me a favor, just tell me where and when I can get it and if I can get one with Dan's signiture.

JC
 
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Attila Soos

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grouper52

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There continue to be set-backs, but there is still a small chance it will be available Sept 15th or so. Yu order or pre-order one from Stone Lantern or Elandan Gardens, and the latter may be able to get you a signed copy.

Not in favor of teasing when women do it, but selective cases of water boarding seem reasonable . . . :D
 
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Dude,

You may be able to get a signed copy if you pre-order? Look, take a few days, or even a week, figure out pricing, release date, whether or not Dan can or will sign pre-ordered copies and get back to us. You're starting to sound a bit unsure of yourself and I don't think you want to come across like that. So sit down with your people and work out all the details, we'll wait.

JC
 

grouper52

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Dude,

You may be able to get a signed copy if you pre-order? Look, take a few days, or even a week, figure out pricing, release date, whether or not Dan can or will sign pre-ordered copies and get back to us. You're starting to sound a bit unsure of yourself and I don't think you want to come across like that. So sit down with your people and work out all the details, we'll wait.

JC

It matters extremely little to me how I "come across" to someone who doesn't know me, and yet addresses me as "Dude". Only in the refined world of BonsaiNut, I suppose.

Have you written, Sir, photographed, published and then had printed a book like this? If so, you would know the many uncertainties inherent in the process, especially at this stage. I'm not unsure of myself at all. What I am sure of is that nobody can predict the vagaries of the shift from photographic computer files to printed page as the proofs role out, or the length of time involved as hard copies of discs and proofs travel back and forth and get reviewed both here and at the printer in Hong Kong, nor the shipping schedule of the boats leaving Hong Kong for Tacoma, or the length of the transition process offloading the books to the ground shippers who will take them at their own pace to the storage and fulfillment centers at Elandan Gardens in Bremerton, Washington, and Stone Lantern Publishing, in Passumpsic, Vermont.

I am sure of the few things I can be sure about. I do know the book is coming out. I do know an approximate time. I do know you can pre-order. I do know that Wayne Schoech has written a pre-review. I do that it may be possible to get a signed copy, and how to inquire about that. I am sure of those things, and I have given out that info here. Sorry if that does not suffice to meet your criteria for a more respectful tone, and a more respectful greeting than "Dude".

G52
 
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Mr. G52,

I didn't realize you were so thin skinned, so from now on I'll address you as Mr. G52. I realize you require a certain level of respect and I deeply apologize for over stepping my bounds! First of all, welcome to the business world, everything you've described is a normal part of getting a product to market. Secondly, I was just poking some fun at you, but now I know that you don't roll like that so from now on I'll temper my comments accordingly.

Your humble bonsai hobbyist

JC
 
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