| Title | : | Emily Dickinson's Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet and Gardener |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0071424091 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780071424097 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 176 |
| Publication | : | First published October 20, 2004 |
Emily Dickinson's Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet and Gardener Reviews
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I feel like Emily Dickinson is my spirit guide. This book was perfect for me, combining floribunda anecdotes interspersed with posies of poetry. Reading it was like lazing on a cloud and counting daisies. Literary luxuriousness. Such a shame her life was snipped short, but how lucky we all are to still enjoy not only her poetic eloquence but also her naturalist passions...
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Meh, the idea was nice but the execution had no soul. I liked the old black and white photos of her house but it would have been better with more substance all 'round. None of the good ideas were carried to fruition. And the pale green text was hard to see. Should have not only mentioned her favorite garden and wildflowers but everything else she grew in her garden (flowerng vines, trees, fruits and vegetables, herbs) and then modern photos of each with info about each. And more poetry. There was very little poetry.
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It's a wonderful mix about Emily Dickinson's gardens, her poetry, and general gardening advice.
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BOOK REVIEW — Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Iconic Poet by Marta McDowell (2019) published by Timber Press. Nonfiction.
Quick Summary: High-quality photos, design, layout + jam packed with info about Dickinson, gardens, flowers, literature and poetry. Extensively researched by an expert gardener; this book is most about Dickinson’s influences for literary/poetic analysis. It’s not a gardening tip book in this way, but perfect for nature enthusiasts or fans of Dickinson. See slides on Instagram (@ahomelibrary) for examples of pages.
“Emily Dickinson was a keen observer of the natural world, but less well known is the fact that she was also an avid gardener. Tracing a year in the garden, the book reveals details few know about Dickinson and adds to our collective understanding of who she was as a person. By weaving together Dickinson’s poems, excerpts from letters, contemporary and historical photography, and botanical art, McDowell offers an enchanting new perspective on one of America’s most celebrated but enigmatic literary figures.”
Review
I love plants, and I love gardens… and I love literature… and I love Emily Dickinson. Combined, I am very happy. So, I found this book to be:
1) highly informative: the extensive research that went into this is obvious, gives a lot of validity to the analysis;
2) beautiful/visually appealing: I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful pictures, botany photography, the design and layout of this book. I would describe this book as “collectible,” as indicated by its high quality of research and visual appeal, it would make a good addition of a home library;
3) Literary Value: I believe I gained some insight on Dickinson’s life and the influences impacting her. At the very least, I was able to see someone else’s perspective on Dickinson’s work, and then from there, I expanded my own understandings. I don’t know everything about authors or their work… so, I find that reading books done like this (not highly academic but facts based) is helpful.
Recommended for: gardening/flower/botany/plant enthusiasts, literary/poetry or Dickinson enthusiasts. Currently has 4.16 ⭐️ rating on GR. -
I recently visited Emily Dickinson's house in Amherst Ma and was a little disappointed in the gardens. After looking through her herbarium book (there is a link through the Harvard Univ website for a digitalized view of this magnificent collection) I was expecting to feel some inspiration through the property gardens...the house and staff were great but I suppose I was looking for something along the gardens and didn't quite feel it. Then I bought Marta McDowell's book used as I don't think it is being published presently- this is where I found what I was looking for. I enjoyed this book very much. I learned so much about a Emily and her life amongst the gardens, also this book is full of garden hints and helpful information.
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A lovely gift for a gardening friend, or someone who wants to further explore the setting in which Emily Dickinson wrote her poems. What could make a better combination than gardening and poetry?
