What's your favorite Bonsai book?

[Cmd5235]

The Bonsai Survival Manuel by Colin Lewis was the first book I bought when I started out.

That was my second book and got me hooked before I was 10 years old. I used to read that book along with “The Bonsai Workshop” by Gustafson from cover to cover when I was home sick from school

 

[Paradox]

First edition or second?

I would have said the current version available which I believe is the red/brown second one you posted as it is the most up to date version.
I own all 3 lol

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

I would have said the current version available which I believe is the red/brown second one you posted as it is the most up to date version.
I own all 3 lol

I purchased the first one as you probably already saw, but I have two on the way which should keep me busy for awhile. Besides any edition is going to help for me.

 

[Taste]

Bonsai, Deborah Koreshoff

 

[Emeraldtarpon]

Dan Barton's book is excellent...if you can find it.

 

[Emeraldtarpon]

Here's one of Dan Bartons creations...something very different

 

[dbonsaiw]

Bonsai Maples - Andrea Meriggioli

​

 

[Frozentreehugger]

Bonsai from the wild . Nick Lenz . A book I no longer have Loaned and never returned . There are lots of great books . Especially on design . And this being my second round of bonsai I really like the . The amount of more in-depth . Books on specific species and or technique. I think it shows level of growth in the obsession. In the west . But bonsai from the wild . Is no 1 for its dramatic effect on myself . For what was possible with native material . At a very early point in my journey. Changing my outlook . From a Japanese tree in a Japanese pot to the wide world of bonsai that is today

 

[Shogun610]

These books and my own notes for current trees , future needs , projects , cost of materials and pots etc .. budgeting too and some design sketches / future garden ideas. I love collecting books besides bonsai / pot collecting and trying to expand my bonsai book collection trying to find Kokufu or Gafuten etc books for a good price as well as older Japanese bonsai books , I love books with dust covers and old binding , I know how to repair bindings

 

[Frozentreehugger]

View attachment 468105
View attachment 468106
These books and my own notes for current trees , future needs , projects , cost of materials and pots etc .. budgeting too and some design sketches / future garden ideas. I love collecting books besides bonsai / pot collecting and trying to expand my bonsai book collection trying to find Kokufu or Gafuten etc books for a good price as well as older Japanese bonsai books , I love books with dust covers and old binding , I know how to repair bindings

Where I grew up rural Ontario Canada . There was a old guy near by that lived alone . In a small house hardly went anywhere . Sat on his porch often reading a book . And smoking a pipe . Was interesting to talk to when I was a kid seemed to have a great knowledge . Especially about the history of Europe and England . Most people just thought well he is a old English guy . Not much money nothing to do but read his books . When he died they found several million dollars of rare . Books . In his house . Sone very old stuff . Religious texts in Latin . History of warfare in Europe wrote in the 17 and 18 centuries

 

[ShadyStump]

Where I grew up rural Ontario Canada . There was a old guy near by that lived alone . In a small house hardly went anywhere . Sat on his porch often reading a book . And smoking a pipe . Was interesting to talk to when I was a kid seemed to have a great knowledge . Especially about the history of Europe and England . Most people just thought well he is a old English guy . Not much money nothing to do but read his books . When he died they found several million dollars of rare . Books . In his house . Sone very old stuff . Religious texts in Latin . History of warfare in Europe wrote in the 17 and 18 centuries

I want to be THAT guy when I grow up.

 

[Gabler]

I saw that first edition for $200 (on amazon), I've never owned a two hundred dollar book before & I'm not sure I'm going to.

Cheaper than most textbooks. I’d rather spend $200 on a neat old bonsai book than $400 on the new edition of the same textbook I bought used for $300 the prior semester.

 

[canoeguide]

View attachment 468105
View attachment 468106
These books and my own notes for current trees , future needs , projects , cost of materials and pots etc .. budgeting too and some design sketches / future garden ideas. I love collecting books besides bonsai / pot collecting and trying to expand my bonsai book collection trying to find Kokufu or Gafuten etc books for a good price as well as older Japanese bonsai books , I love books with dust covers and old binding , I know how to repair bindings

Who's the author of "The Art of the Japanese Garden"?

 

[Shogun610]

Who's the author of "The Art of the Japanese Garden"?

Tatsuo Ishimoto

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

I’ve got lots of books, 50+, dunno which one is the best. Yet if I was to buy a good starter book that would be a long lasting quick reference of basic to advanced techniques, for all but azalea bonsai. I’d recommend it would be:

Understanding Bonsai by Pieter Loubser. He actually wrote two. The one I have is 1993 version. It’s running about $32 on Amazon. It’s comprehensive and covers a multitude of techniques succinctl, some not seen together in one book.



For azaleas there isn’t a really one good overall book imho, even the very newest ones leave something to be desired to give one a good handle on these trees. Yet there are a couple I highly recommend together for folks starting off for the first 1 - 4 years. These are:

Floral Treasures of Japan by Alexander Kennedy a good basic book. It’s on Amazon for about $25. (Last year and a half there was a shortage of available copies and the price jacked up to $125 +…. No longer!

…and Satsuki Bonsai by Janine Droste. About $40. Lots of photos, writing is spare and to the point.


cheers
DSD sends

 

[Michigan Tree Murderer]

Cheaper than most textbooks. I’d rather spend $200 on a neat old bonsai book than $400 on the new edition of the same textbook I bought used for $300 the prior semester.

Textbooks at college are insanely priced. Forgive me I'm having flashbacks to my wife paying $1200 for 3 textbooks for one course. Books that she'll never use again. Highway robbery I tell ya.

 

[SC1989]

Bonsai from the wild . Nick Lenz . A book I no longer have Loaned and never returned . There are lots of great books . Especially on design . And this being my second round of bonsai I really like the . The amount of more in-depth . Books on specific species and or technique. I think it shows level of growth in the obsession. In the west . But bonsai from the wild . Is no 1 for its dramatic effect on myself . For what was possible with native material . At a very early point in my journey. Changing my outlook . From a Japanese tree in a Japanese pot to the wide world of bonsai that is today

A book I would like to own. Bonsai heresy is great. The art of growing miniature trees- Peter Chan , was decent as well. Those are two cheaper options. Bonsai from the wild is not cheap

 

[Gabler]

Textbooks at college are insanely priced. Forgive me I'm having flashbacks to my wife paying $1200 for 3 textbooks for one course. Books that she'll never use again. Highway robbery I tell ya.

At the risk of veering too far off topic, I took a two-part course over two consecutive semesters, and the professor used the textbook he wrote. Worse still, he published a new edition of the same book between semesters and made us buy the new edition of a book we already owned. He owns the rights to the book. He could have sent us a PDF with the few new chapters for free, but we all had to buy brand new copies of the book for well over $400.

He’s the Dean, and he‘s the kind of guy who goes out for lunch with Clarence Thomas, so he can do whatever he wants.

 

[sdavis]

I'll second that.

I'll third it!

 

[shinmai]

With out question, Rick Garcia’s “Satsuki Azalea Bonsai: A Fundamental Study”.