Poppies: A Guide to the Poppy Family in the Wild and in Cultivation

Average customer rating:

A beautifully illustrated guide to the poppy family

Poppies A guide to poppies in the wild and in cultivation

Poppies: A Guide to the Poppy Family in the Wild and in Cultivation
Christopher Grey-Wilson
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Perennials | Flowers | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Flowers | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Opium Poppy: Botany, Chemistry, and Pharmacology

The Little Book of Opium

Opium Poppy Garden: The Way of a Chinese Grower

Oxy Oxy

Hydroponic Heroin: How to Grow Opium Poppies Without Soil (85278)

ASIN: 0881925039

Amazon.com

A field of common red poppies growing wild by the roadside can transform an ordinary landscape into a place of mystery--their fervent, insistent color seems designed to take the breath away. For readers who've fallen under the poppy's spell, Christopher Grey-Wilson's Poppies: A Guide to the Poppy Family in the Wild and in Cultivation is an exhaustive work of research and classification of this remarkable and mysterious flower.

The book starts out with a brief, no-nonsense introduction that serves as a road map to the reams of information contained in the subsequent pages. Grey-Wilson, botanist and editor of Alpine Garden Society, has organized the poppy family into four main subfamilies: the Chelidonioideae, Eschscholzioideae, Papveroideae, and Plastytemonoideae. Within these subfamilies a series of varieties are delineated. In entries of varying length, Grey-Wilson provides information about zoning, propagation, advice on garden placement, and various other remarkable and somewhat unpredictable details. While some poppies described here can be found at any local garden store, others are not in cultivation and were last sighted in Turkey or Iran. Containing 182 color photographs, Poppies will satisfy readers who want more than just the basics, who want the whole scientific story, and then some. --Emily White

Book Description

Poppies, first published in 1993, was the first book devoted exclusively to these popular plants. Not only are the true poppies, genus Papaver, covered, but all the other members of the poppy family as well, including Glaucium, Dendromecon, Eschscholzia, Arctomecon, Argemone, Canbya, the plumed poppies Macleaya, Meconopsis, Roemeria, and many more. Grey-Wilson concentrates primarily on species and forms in cultivation, together with those species of striking or particular interest that are not present in cultivation but fully deserve to be introduced. For this new edition, the author included much new information about recent discoveries in the wild, as well as new cultivars introduced since Poppies was first published. There are general chapters on the family, cultivation, and classification, and a key to the genera. The individual genera, grouped into their respective subfamilies, are dealt with in detail, as are their more specialized cultivation requirements. Important synonyms have been included to avoid confusion or ambiguity. Botanical authorities are given for all recognized species and synonyms. This work will be very welcome to committed gardeners and horticulturists as a much-needed-and profusely illustrated-source of practical and botanical information.

Poppies, first published in 1993, was the first book devoted exclusively to these popular plants. Not only are the true poppies, genus Papaver, covered, but all the other members of the poppy family as well, including Glaucium, Dendromecon, Eschscholzia, Arctomecon, Argemone, Canbya, the plumed poppies Macleaya, Meconopsis, Roemeria, and many more. Grey-Wilson concentrates primarily on species and forms in cultivation, together with those species of striking or particular interest that are not present in cultivation but fully deserve to be introduced. For this new edition, the author included much new information about recent discoveries in the wild, as well as new cultivars introduced since Poppies was first published. There are general chapters on the family, cultivation, and classification, and a key to the genera. The individual genera, grouped into their respective subfamilies, are dealt with in detail, as are their more specialized cultivation requirements. Important synonyms have been included to avoid confusion or ambiguity. Botanical authorities are given for all recognized species and synonyms. This work will be very welcome to committed gardeners and horticulturists as a much-needed-and profusely illustrated-source of practical and botanical information.

Customer Reviews:

A beautifully illustrated guide to the poppy family.......2001-03-19

This remarkable and beautifully illustrated guide to the poppy family covers both wild and cultivated poppies around the world, updating and extensively revising the only book available on the topic. From general traits and cultivation to specifics to genera and species grouped by subfamilies, Poppies is recommended for college-level horticultural students with a special, technical interest in growing poppies.

Poppies A guide to poppies in the wild and in cultivation.......2001-03-19

Poppies is a well written and well organized book covering the main subfamilies and genera of the poppy species. Illustrations are included to clarify the in depth descriptions. This book is best suited for someone with a biology/botony background. I would not recomend this book to the casual gardener, as it is more of a college level text, complete with scientific names. The color plate in the middle of the book was a nice addition.

Customer Reviews:

On track.......1998-06-15

I used this guidebook while traveling by 4WD in the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Sonora, and San Luis Potosi. No other guide I've seen has covered these areas so well and so comprehensively. Certainly no book comes close in its coverage of the Copper Canyon and Pinacate regions. Descriptions were accurate. and despite its 1994 publication date, most of the hotel info was up to date. The author has a keen appreciation for off-the-beaten-track destinations. Highly recommended; I look forward to the next edition.

Location Descrip. Seem Written by Mexican Tourist Office.......1998-05-12

Prior to leaving for Mexico the book appeared exhaustive and complete. In reality it was passably accurate with respect to hotels and travel arrangements. The major deficiency was in it's description of "places". These were consistently overhyped as if they were written from travel brochures. In fact the descriptions became a standing joke. I recommend that you take these descriptions carefully, for example assume a "great" is a "fair". Use other sources to validate worth before you travel to remote places.

Book Description

Most Americans regarded Antonio López de Santa Anna as a villain for his brutal assault on the Alamo in 1836. What many don’t realize is that few individuals have caused their own nation greater pain. He lost one-third of Mexico’s territory in wars, sold almost another 30,000 square miles while pocketing most of the money, and repeatedly bankrupted the nation. His extravagance was legendary, as testified to by the burial of his amputated leg at the nation’s great expense. He served as his country’s president eleven different times in a span of thirty years and was constantly involved in devious political intrigue. Yet, in spite of his failings and notorious reputation today, Santa Anna was often viewed by his people as a hero and savior. Robert Scheina analyzes this complex man and provides a solid overview of Mexico’s political history against the fabric of social and cultural turmoil.

Customer Reviews:

"Most Serene Highness".......2003-01-05

When I got this book the Mexican-American woman who sold it to me had a disgusted look on her face,"Why do you want to read about him." Feeling that she had about as much affection for him as most have for Hitler I told her simply ,"because he was a bad guy", to which she nodded and approved. I took my book sheepishly but unappologeticly. As I began to read I became fascinated rather than disgusted with the man. Given the circumstances of early Mexico , fresh from a break with Spain, this poor country needed a unifying Caudillo and Santa Ana was the man to run the country, 11 times as a matter of fact! The author explains the poitical times quite apptly and summarily.This is a book that can be read in one sitting or over several short reading periods. Concise and informative it delivers a portrait of a man destined to rule, often by ruthless and self serving means who although not detailed apparently enjoyed cockfighting tremendously and loved to gamble. In spite of his eventual bad guy role in Mexican(and U.S.) history he was able to resurface over and over because of his cunning guile and military achievements. The author has done an outstanding job for the armchair historian, bringing the man to life vivdly with pages of details on his "achievements" without taking a stance. I could not be so kind. The portrait of the ruthless Caudillo is given in terms of his military achievements and their impact on history, specifically between Mexcio and the U.S. Most famous to Americans for the Alamo he is more well known and detested among Mexicans on both sides of the border as the sellout who conceded the vast territories that included California,Texas aand other pats of the southwest, including lands sold in the Gadsen Purchase. Eventually this man got what he deserved as he died poor after squanderng away the millions he stole from the Mexican people but the damage he did changed the destinies of two countries. Recommended for a quick read on an interesting but detestable character who is responsible for the growth of one nation and the schrinking of another. The footnotes abound like a college text, which is helpful if further reading is needed but the bibliography is the real gem and is quite exceptional and extensive. Recommended for history buffs.

Short, Yet Superb Biography of a Controversial Figure.......2002-06-23

This is a superb short military/political biography of a controversial figure. Santa Anna does not fall in my main area of historical work, but given the significant impact he had on US history I have always wanted to read more about him. This book fills the bill perfectly. I say this for three reasons.

1.) Writing historical biographies is a difficult business, especially when trying to keep it concise. I would rather write a 500-page bio than a 100-page bio, it is very hard to get at the significance of a controversial figure, who did so much, in so short a space. But Scheina has done it and done it well. Although the book is subtitled, "A Curse Upon Mexico," and I agree with this general assessment, Scheina presents a very fair biography. Santa Anna could be horribly cruel and extremely generous, heroic and cowardly on the field of battle, shrewd and foolish, savvy and blinded by his ego. Scheina puts it all together -- the good, and the bad, and he puts Santa Anna into military, political, social, and economic context of his times. He has no ax to grind. What a nice change of pace from some recent bios I have read!

2.) Scheina clearly explains the significance of Santa Anna for Mexican history, and thus for other fields, e.g., US history, military history, etc. He writes well, is quite articulate, and the book makes for a good quick read. But then again, it might actually be tough to write a dull book about such a fascinating character. (In 1834 Santa Anna had the distinction of having launched a coup against himself!)

3.) Don't be fooled by the compact size. Everything that needs to be covered is, and the thirteen pages of endnotes provide just what one needs for pursuing aspects of Santa Anna's career in further detail. (The book also has a useful biography, an index, and helpful illustrations on glossy paper.)

I have read pieces of Scheina's work before, but never one of his books. Now I see why he has such a solid reputation, and I look forward to reading the survey history of Latin American warfare he has been working on, which will be published in the latter half of 2002.

This is the second of the books in the Brassey's Military Profiles series that I have read (the other was Farragut by Robert Schneller). Both were excellent, and I will be looking forward to reading more from this series in the future. Given their size, I can also recommend them as very good for course adoptions.

Book Description

Reynolds Price has long been one of America's most acclaimed and accomplished men of letters. In A Whole New Life he presents his most intimate story yet -- a memoir as compelling as any work of the imagination.

In 1984, a large cancer was discovered in Price's spinal cord. Here, he recounts his battle to withstand and recover from this devastating affliction. He charts the first puzzling symptoms, three surgeries, the radiation that paralyzes his lower body, the occasionally comic trials of rehab, the steady rise of pain and reliance on drugs, and his discovery of biofeedback and hypnosis. Beyond the particulars, Price illuminates larger concerns, such as the gratitude he feels toward family and friends and (some) doctors, the abundant return of his powers as a writer, and the "now appalling, now astonishing grace of God." More than the portrait of one person in crisis, A Whole New Life offers honest insight, realistic encouragement, and authentic inspiration -- and stands as one of Price's crowning achievements.

Customer Reviews:

powerful book.......2007-03-08

THis is a great inspirational book for anyone suffering from a major life changing injury.

Outstanding read.......2007-01-19

The best compliment I can provide is I'm buying more copies to give to friends. The book is thought provoking as well as extraordinarily uplifting.

Eye opening.......2007-01-15

Should be mandatory reading of all Medical Students and Residents. Disease process as seen and documentd by a patient. The physical, emotional, and spiritual swings a patient goes through during a long protracted illness.

A TRUE STORY OF HOPE AND HEALING.......2006-07-07

This is a book about severe illness and recovery. It is a true story of hope and healing told without self-pity. Price writes of being faced with a diagnosis of severe cancer of the spine. "Some vital impulse spared me needing to reiterate the world's most frequent and pointless question in the face of disaster - Why? Why me? I never asked it; the only answer is of course: Why not?"

In the same candid, sometimes funny, yet always affecting words, the popular and prolific author tells of his battle with disease. First struck down in 1984, he suffered through surgery, days of agonizing pain and was eventually confined to a wheelchair, unable to function professionally or personally.

He later sought treatment with a hypnotist at Duke University's psychiatric department with beneficial results. Throughout, Price gives credit to the power of prayer, which he calls "the first strong prop beneath my own collapse."

This is not only the story of an illness and recovery, it is the saga of resolve when confronted with a frightening enemy, and it is a tale of family and friendships, the human network that supports us.

Highly recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Superb writing, an emotional journey.......2006-02-18

A very honest emotional description of experiences while dealing with a cancer, a surgery, radiation, learning how to live with pain as a companion, learning how to live as a "gimp"--word used by the author, and many other superbly described experiences. Just the right touch, just the right doze. Very subtle and lithe. Joy to read.

A Whole New Life: An Illness and a Healing

Average customer rating:

A Whole New Life: An Illness and a Healing
Reynolds Price
Manufacturer: Penguin USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NY1X8G

Average customer rating:
Foaling: Brood Mare and Foal Management
Ron Males , and Val Males
Manufacturer: J.A. Allen & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000V19BFS

Product Description

A book on horse care.

Average customer rating:

Foaling: Brood mare and foal management
Ron Males
Manufacturer: Ure Smith
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Complete Book of Foaling: An Illustrated Guide for the Foaling Attendant (Howell Reference Books)

ASIN: 072540387X

Book Description

Every couple wants to announce their wedding with style and aplomb. Savvy, stylish brides are looking for ways to add their own style and sophistication to their wedding without relying on tradition-heavy standards. This beautiful guide contains everything a bride needs to personalize her wedding correspondence elegantly -- but also simply and inexpensively. It includes more than 20 fashionable and fun-to-make invitation and correspondence ideas.

Customer Reviews:

Great ideas for everyone........2007-04-16

I think this book has great ideas and styles for everyone. Some of the ideas are very simple that anyone could do (I am not an artsy/creative person at all), while other ideas are for the more crafty person.

This book was so helpful to me, I saved a lot of money and my invitations are much more personable and more my style than anything I could have bought at a store.

Must be crafty.......2007-04-12

I have found that I am obviously not very crafty. The book tries to lay out the details on how to make the invitations for those of us that are crafty challenged. I decided that there was to much work involved with making your own invitations. There are very nice designs in the book for those people that are willing to put the time and effort into making the invitations.

Wedding Invitations.......2007-03-08

I was looking for more formal invitation options. The term "artful" is correct in the title, for they were crafty. I did not find them to be "stylish" according to my taste.

Helpful.......2007-02-21

This is a nice book. However, it would have been even better if there were more invitation styles included in the book.

Fun and creative ideas.......2006-11-10

This book has a lot of creative ideas for sending out your standard wedding invitation. None of them are extremely hard (though I would skip the one that has your photo plastered onto some sort of zippered card).

Book Description

Focusing on her garden near Seattle as a launching point, author Ann Lovejoy muses on dozens of common and unusual plants. Using a series of full-color illustrations and corresponding planting diagrams, she shows how gardeners in all parts of the country can take the concept of border-building and apply it to the urban garden, where space is often limited.

Customer Reviews:

Very good regional guide for the experienced gardener........1998-12-02

This book could also be used to advantage by gardeners in coastal areas of northern California. Lovejoy takes one through the calendar in a Northwest garden, detailing flowers and shrubs in bloom and garden tasks appropriate to the season. She includes lots of recommendations for design combinations and mentions of unusual plants - with clues in an appendix about where to locate them. Ideas on siting and caring for plants specific to our cool rainy winters/cool dry summers are also valuable. The book contains a through-the-seasons planting guide for a 20' x 40' garden, parts of which could be abstracted for almost any border, large or small. This book is chattier and more personal than some of Lovejoy's more recent works, which I find charming. Drawbacks: 1) The book was apparently put together from a series of separate essays, which occasionally shows - transitions are not always smooth from one chapter to the next. 2) Lovejoy gardens in the warmest part of the Puget Sound area, and her plant picks reflect that - it would be nice if she had included more information on hardiness zones, at least for the more marginal varieties. That said, this will join my collection of indespensable references for my zone 7 Pacific Northwest garden.

The Border In Bloom - A Northwest Garden Through The Seasons

Average customer rating:

The Border In Bloom - A Northwest Garden Through The Seasons
Ann; With paintings & illustrations Emmons, Jean & Nicolay, Kevin Lovejoy
Manufacturer: Sasquatch Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RJ072U

Average customer rating:

Easy read for busy parents

Condescending and sometimes irritating!

Sensitive and Concise

Refreshing

Disappointing and condescending

Trees Make the Best Mobiles: Simple Ways to Raise Your Child in a Complex World
Jessica Teich , and Brandel France de Bravo
Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

Your Self-Confident Baby: How to Encourage Your Child's Natural Abilities from the Very Start

Dear Parent: Caring for Infants With Respect (2nd Edition)

Becoming the Parent You Want To Be: A Sourcebook of Strategies for the First Five Years

What's Going on in There? : How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life

The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night

ASIN: B000F7BP7U

Book Description

Books like Simplify Your Life and Don't Sweat the Small Stuff have encouraged millions of readers to slow down and enjoy life more.Now, Jessica Teich and Brandel France de Bravo help new parents- who barely have time to return a phone call or wash a sock- learn to do less, listen more, and spend focused, fruitful time with their children.Practical and fun to read, Trees Make the Best Mobiles urges parents to treat every task-even diapering and feeding-as a chance to connect with their child, and gives calming advice about hot-button issues from pacifier use to temper tantrums. Parents will be relieved to discover that they don't have to buy lots of stuff-a tree outside a baby's window can serve as a mobile-or shuttle kids from one activity to another.In fact, in today's hectic, high-speed world, children need less "stimulation" and more unhurried interaction with the people who matter most.The authors call their approach "present parenting," because they believe being "present in the moment," without resentment or distraction, is the greatest present any parent can give.

Customer Reviews:

Easy read for busy parents.......2007-07-10

I'm a stay-at-home mom, and my favorite part about this book was that the chapters tended to be short--mostly about 3 to 5 pages, I'd say. This happens to correspond pretty well to my son's attention span at 5 months.

I think that if you agree that simplicity, not commercialism, is the key to raising a successful, happy child these days, you will enjoy this book. I found the writing to be encouraging at least, inspirational at best.

As other reviewers have commented, this is not a how-to book full of ideas of simple ways to raise a child. It's more like a series of meditations, which may inspire ideas of your own.

Furthermore, while I generally agree with theh authors' stance that babies don't need all these expensive bavy toys, I disagree that these toys are bad. I happen to own a jumperoo and keep an exersaucer at my parents' house. I feel that neither of these toys "trap" my sn, as the book suggests. Likewise, we have a play gym. I chose the kind with repositional bars, so that my son can play beside the hanging toys instead of being trapped under them. In my experience, babies will not amuse themselves for long periods of time lying on their backs staring at the ceiling, and when I need a few minutes to prepare something on the stove, I find these toys invaluable. In this regard, I found the book extremely preachy and condescending.

However, these moments were few and far between, and I definitely recommend the book if the main principal appeals to you and you are looking for a source of confirmation and reinforcement.

Condescending and sometimes irritating!.......2007-05-21

Other reviewers have said the same, but I have to put my two cents in. While this book seems like it would be just up my alley (interested in "simplifying" childhood for my young'uns), instead it served to frustrate and annoy me. Do these people have more than one children? Comments like "never leave the baby in a carseat unless you're in a car" are ridiculous. And to insist that babies are never "bored"? Even babies like a change of scenery occasionally. These authors would have you leave them laying on the floor on their backs all the time. Nice theory until they start to fuss...and are perhaps happy in a seat or exersaucer for a few minutes! Some of the stories and comments are interesting, and I found myself unable to give up the book even though it raised my blood pressure as I read it but frankly, I'm glad I took it from the library instead of paying good money for it. If you're in for a guilt trip, read this. Otherwise, you might just skip it. (Oh, and DON'T buy this gift for a new mom. No new mom should have to feel guilty about giving her kid a pacifier or using the carseat as a nice cosy place to nap.)

Sensitive and Concise.......2006-11-26

I found this book while actually looking for another one. Although it is a relatively short book, it contains a treasure of information. The book is divided into very short chapters, and each is dealing with a different aspect of child rearing (TV, potty training, etc.). It is written with tremendous respect to the body and soul of the growing child, without neglecting the parent and his/her needs. I was amazed with how intricate and deep can a few-pages-long chapter be. And it was.
Any parent who is close to the views of this book will find a valuable companion to the (sometime impossible) life task of raising a child in a complex world. Enjoy it.

Refreshing.......2006-10-22

As a new mom, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the stuff I read. Magazines, the AAP book, the What to Expect series . . . then I look up some things online. You find the answer to what you're looking for, because there are two or more sides to everthing. I have not read Gerber nor want another big thick book.

I found Teich's book a quick way to re-focus on what is really important. In just a couple pages, she reminds me to just be there. To be the parent, to be a loving mother, and stop worrying about everything else.

I picked this book up at my library because of the title and paperback style. I didn't expect much, but now I am ordering a copy for my friends that are new parents too.

Disappointing and condescending.......2005-11-04

I too was very disappointed with this book. It is a collection of about 40 short essays by the author. This is another of those books where the title is named after what someone thought one of their ideas was. This book isn't about simlicity except that she doesn't feel a baby needs expensive toys - which most people today have probably already guessed.

The thing I disliked the most was the way she says things like "We all do..." "We never do..." "As worthy inheritors of the 60's..." "We're the generation who..." "We wouldn't dream of taking sleeping advice from the Bible, but..." She is speaking to a certain subset of the general population rather than speaking to the general populous and if you aren't in that subset it can seem very condescending and wrong. For instance, I don't watch TV, so I don't have to curb my habit or break it - it doesn't exist. About half way through the book I was so annoyed by it that I skimmed the rest to get it over with quickly.

If you like Madga Gerber's books and are sold on her approach then you don't need this book. There is nothing new here. If you still would like to read it you may want to borrow it from the library like I did. I'm so glad I didn't spend my money on it.

If you do want to learn more about living simply with your baby I would recommend Madga Gerber's books.

Book Description

Alberto Giacometti, one of the most important artists of the twentieth century, was also one of the most enigmatic. In this major new interpretation of Giacometti and his work, art historian and psychoanalyst Laurie Wilson demonstrates how the artist's secret beliefs and emotional scars are reflected in his evocative sculpture, drawings, and paintings.

Wilson's Giacometti was an extremely imaginative child who entwined fantasy and real-life experiences. As he matured, the artist combined fact and fancy into evolving myths, part conscious and part unconscious. Drawing on biographical data uncovered during a decade of research, Wilson reconstructs traumatic events and issues in Giacometti's life—including family births and deaths in early childhood, world wars and their aftermath, and his intense and ambivalent relationship with his parents—and examines their profound effects on his artistic evolution. These startling new interpretations will forever change the way we understand both the man and his work.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Artist -- A Ridiculous Book .......2006-10-25

The author is an 'art historian and psychoanalyst.' That should make you suspicious immediately. Wilson ignores what Giacometti said about his work and his life and posits absurd Freudian mumbo-jumbo to explain this complex man of genius. For example, Giacometti told biographer James Lord that he did not have homosexual desires. Indeed, Lord (an openly gay man himself)found no evidence whatsoever that Giacometti was not hetrosexual. But Wilson manufactures absurd reasons to insist that he was, in line with Freudian doctrine: Freudians insist, of course, that someone like Giacometti (or you or me) does not really know himself -- only the analyst can uncover the unconscious drives behind our every thought and move. What is amazing is not that a small group of psychoanalysts survives, but that the Viennese quack's nonsense is believed at all today.

As another reviewer pointed out, Wilson's leaps of logic (illogic, really) make her case -- and her book -- ridiculous. There are fine books on Giacometti out there -- Lord's biography is a good starting point -- read those instead.

The other ratings on this page are too high.......2006-04-05

I have been doing extensive research on Giacometti, and this is one of the worst books I have come across. The author clearly has done a good deal of research, and this book may be good for you if you can weed out her ridiculous leaps of logic. She seems almost obsessed with demonstrating his sexual deviancy, at times in excrutiating ways. Besides the absurd psychoanalytic portrait she portrays (which is probably the basis for her contrived leaps in logic), the writing is pompous and pretentiously self assured. Here are some gems:

"Head of a Man on a Rod is usually discussed in terms of the terror Giacometti felt when he saw the Dutchman die...but the cavernously open mouth of the work may also convey unconscious homoerotic longings to be orally penetrated."

"After the failure of Giacometti's much publicized attempt to develop a mutually satisfying loving relationship with a woman...he split all womankind into two. Women could either be idealized, untouchable figures with whom he could have intellectual exchanges on the model of his mother; or they could be subordinates who he could dominate..."

"Giacometti's uneasiness with touching could also help explain his artistic preferences...Giacometti had not been well held as an infant or young boy, and it might have been too painful to see hands holding children with loving gestures"

A meticulous, scholarly, seminal body of work.......2003-11-17

Laurie Wilson (Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, NYU Medical Center, New York Center) has written the definitive biography of the skilled and talented artist Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, And The Man. Tracing Giacometti's roots from his imaginative childhood the traumas in his early life, to surviving the hardships of world wars, and the effects of his life experiences on the nature, theme, and interplay of his art, Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, And The Man offers a excellent wealth of documented insights into the creation and message behind one man's great art. Alberto Giacometti is a meticulous, scholarly, seminal body of work which is especially recommended for academic library collections.

Wilson's Giacometti and the vital necessity of art.......2003-10-18

This biographical work is an exquisite study of the artist and of the vital necessity of his work to himself and to us, his audience. Wilson traces his life with a sensitivity that matches its history of loss and trauma while weaving it into an emotionally attuned connection to his work. The effect is an indelibly affecting portrait of this quintessential 20th century artist. This portrayal blends the best traditions of the psychoanalytic method of examining a life with appreciation of the artist's work on aesthetic and art historical grounds. The author brings to it a richly textured language, which avoids the possible pitfalls of formulaic interpreting, and instead brings to life the artist's personal and artistic existence. This feels particularly satisfying because it echoes Giacometti's own accomplishment: a rendering of human fragility and yet transcending it, and helping us transcend it through art.

Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, and the Man

Average customer rating:

Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, and the Man
Laurie Wilson
Manufacturer: Yale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books