What's your favorite Bonsai book?

shinmai

Chumono
Messages
900
Reaction score
2,091
Location
Milwaukee WI
USDA Zone
5b
Rick is arriving in Milwaukee on Friday, and staying at my house. He’s doing a lecture/Q&A during our monthly meeting on Saturday morning, and then workshops on Saturday and Sunday. The workshop trees are shohin-sized hinomaru with these amazing fat chunky trunks. He’s also the featured guest artist for our annual exhibition in 2924, which has been moved from its traditional last weekend of August to the first week of June when everything is blooming. He came to our AE last August, direct from picking up the first boxes of books, and did a wonderful book signing. I got the deluxe edition, inscribed, and a copy of the regular edition in case I spill a drink while I’m re-reading it.
 

JesusFreak

Shohin
Messages
356
Reaction score
277
Location
Tifton, Ga
USDA Zone
8B
Just found a signed copy of John Naka’s bonsai techniques II and it arrives today. So excited!! I also have Principles of Bonsai Design by De Groot and it is excellent. But my favorite is Literati Style Penjing by Zhao Qingquan.
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,783
Reaction score
23,330
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Just found a signed copy of John Naka’s bonsai techniques II and it arrives today. So excited!! I also have Principles of Bonsai Design by De Groot and it is excellent. But my favorite is Literati Style Penjing by Zhao Qingquan.
The Zhao book is also my fav.
 

shinmai

Chumono
Messages
900
Reaction score
2,091
Location
Milwaukee WI
USDA Zone
5b
Just found a signed copy of John Naka’s bonsai techniques II and it arrives today. So excited!! I also have Principles of Bonsai Design by De Groot and it is excellent. But my favorite is Literati Style Penjing by Zhao Qingquan.
You were indeed blessed to find that book, and signed to boot! I have the original, spiral bound book which was a collection of newsletter articles, and the first ‘real‘ edition. Haven’t got the second edition yet, but friends tell me it’s great.
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,783
Reaction score
23,330
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Why is that?
Have you seen it? The works are simple yet elegant and soooo inspiring. The text is also poetic in its own
way, and speaks to each aesthetic principal each tree is based on. There is also a very good section about how the trees are made.
 

leus

Yamadori
Messages
85
Reaction score
189
Location
Santiago, Chile
Have you seen it? The works are simple yet elegant and soooo inspiring. The text is also poetic in its own
way, and speaks to each aesthetic principal each tree is based on. There is also a very good section about how the trees are made.
Haven’t seen it at all. The little I’ve seen about penjing tells me it’s not my cup of tea, and that’s why I ask since people seems to be drawn to this book. I’ll take a look at it for sure :)
 

JudyB

Queen of the Nuts
Messages
13,783
Reaction score
23,330
Location
South East of Cols. OH
USDA Zone
6a
Haven’t seen it at all. The little I’ve seen about penjing tells me it’s not my cup of tea, and that’s why I ask since people seems to be drawn to this book. I’ll take a look at it for sure :)
For me, it is more Literati oriented as opposed to penjing.
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,170
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Have you seen it? The works are simple yet elegant and soooo inspiring. The text is also poetic in its own
way, and speaks to each aesthetic principal each tree is based on. There is also a very good section about how the trees are made.
Most on here would be horrified by "twig breaking" technique😲🧐 but is valid nonetheless. Also I have this book.
 

JEads

Mame
Messages
115
Reaction score
210
Location
Portland, OR
In addition to the Japanese show books for study, I think the best books out here are my teachers book "Bonsai Heresy" and "Forest, Rock Planting & Ezo Spruce Bonsai" by Saburo Kato. both can be gotten on Stone Lantern:
 
Top Bottom