The Secrets of Wildflowers, ©2003, is one of my favorite books. I didn't do this jacket design, but it fits my interior design for this book well. The interior is a very cool mix of wildflower photography and pen-and-ink period sketches printed in nicely toned-back colors that will be familiar to anyone that knows my art. The book is slightly more than 300 pages, and includes a very well researched bibliography and index. The book measures 8 1/2 x 8 inches, and includes just about any wildflower you've ever heard of. Along with the detailed text for each flower family, there are poems and songs about wildflowers, as well as "old wives tales" and short anecdotes. The author, Jack Sanders, also writes for The New York Times, and was editor of Wildflower magazine. His previous book on wildflowers, Hedgemaids and Fairy Candles, is considered by many to be a classic.
This was another one of those labors of love for me. The interior features a lot of art, photos of many wildflowers I hadn't even heard of (shocking I know, lol!) and so much information about wildflowers you'll never take a walk in the countryside the same way again. The "backstory" of many flowers is surprising—which flowers came from Europe with the first settlers, which flowers are indigenous to the area. why certain flowers were planted around outhouses, it's all in here. The book met with great critical acclaim, and has been reprinted. Amazon has new and used copies for sale.
U P D A T E : The author, Jack Sanders, has left a comment, and the book was recently updated and reprinted and is currently available new. YAY! Doncha just love this world-wide-web thingy, lol?
Reviews at Amazon include these:
"This book should be in the library of every wildflower lover."
--Mary Beth Wiesner, American Horticulturist
"It's important to credit the designer, Casey Shain. This is the handsomest book on wildflowers I've ever had the pleasure of holding in my hands."--Ridgefield (CT) Press
(I had to include that second one, lol!)--Mary Beth Wiesner, American Horticulturist
"It's important to credit the designer, Casey Shain. This is the handsomest book on wildflowers I've ever had the pleasure of holding in my hands."--Ridgefield (CT) Press
• For the Amazon link to this book, click here. There is a "Look Inside" feature which allows you to scan several interior pages from the book so you can see my design "in action." Amazon also has a link to this new 2010 edition.
The back cover jacket includes these interesting tidbits.
CASEY,
ReplyDeleteWHEN GRAMPS AND I LIVED NORTH OF DALLAS BACK IN THE DAY, IT WAS RANCH LAND THAT HAS TURNED INTO PART OF THE CITY. SAD BUT TRUE. ANYWAYS WE HAD A COUPLE OF ACRES LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT LIVED IN THIS FANCY COUNTRY SETTING. IT WAS ALWAYS SO BEAUTIFUL EVERY SPRING WHEN THE WILDFLOWERS WOULD START TO BLOOM. INDIAN PAINT BRUSH AND BLUE BONNETS WERE THE MAIN FLOWERS. THE OPEN FIELDS WERE A PAINT BRUSH OF RED AND BLUE. THEN MAN CONTINUE TO MOVE OUT THERE . YOU GOT IT THE FLOWERS ARE GONE. REALLY MAKES ME SAD WHAT WE DO TO GODS LAND. I WISH I COULD LIVE WHERE THERE'S NOTHING BUT BEAUTY AND NATURE. SOMEDAY SOMEDAY.
A TEAR FELL.
GRANNY
Thanks Casey, will have to check it out!
ReplyDeleteI am such a dork...when I read
"It's important to credit the designer, Casey Shain. This is the handsomest book on wildflowers I've ever had the pleasure of holding in my hands."--Ridgefield (CT) Press
All I could think of was "I KNOW HIM!!!" and how proud I am of the work you do! As always, well done!!
mare
thank you, you two!
ReplyDeleteThis book is still in print. In fact, it's in a new edition that is LESS expensive than the original, but still hardbound! =jack sanders
ReplyDeleteHi Jack!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for letting us know. If you have a link to the new publication, I'll post it.
-Casey