Book Review: December

My Favorite Plant: Writers and Gardeners on the Plants They Love, by Jamaica Kincaid. 

Well.  And well.  This is an interesting assortment of pieces.  Interesting. 

I find I have to talk about the book itself, as Tracy  has done, only in a different perspective.  This book has texture.  The essays, poems and writings are smooth, and rough, and light, and dark.  Some are high and some are low.  I have to believe that this was the intention of Kincaid, else I can't fit one piece into this book. 

I have to come around from the back of the book, traveling back through my thoughts through the pages, to make the one jarring entry fit.  I'm not even sure it does then.  It's only eight pages.  Eight slim pages that seem entirely out of place. 

The flower in the title is not loved.  The plant that is the (literal) touchstone of the protagonist is a fungus.  The story is difficult to read.  It is low and dark. 

I was further dismayed to note that the piece appears to be a fiction work.  Something autobiographical might better sit with me, presented in this context. 

It is unfortunate that the tone and content of this one story should so affect my enjoyment of the book overall, but that is what has happened.  This may just be a personal failing.  Or it may not. 

Otherwise, this was a thoroughly enjoyable book to read.  The poems 'Bearded Iris' and 'Purple Anenomes' revealed themselves charmingly.  I've not read D. H. Lawrence, and was surprised by his sly humor and astute observations. 

I find myself wanting to seek out the clove carnations praised by Graham Stuart Thomas; and Ken Druse only maddens my desire for Arisaema.  Thomas C. Cooper wryly notes that Pelargorium are not Geranium.   Nancy Goodwin lists cyclamen for me to try.  I, like Thomas Fischer, crave the blue of the delphinium.

But finally, my favorite piece in the book is the dry text of Geoffrey B. Charlesworth, on the tiny but mighty Physoplexis comosa.  Sometimes you have to get right down to the level of the dirt to truly appreciate a small beauty.

But watch you don't pick up ringworm...

Physoplexis comosa (scroll down to the fifth image)

Ringworm.

Comments

[Carol]

Wonderful review. I've struggled a bit to get started reading the book, but reading what you wrote, I find I want to check out some of the essays. I am especially curious about the fungus and the essay by Geoffrey B. Charlesworth...

I'll be including you in the wrap up post at the end of December. Thanks for participating!

[Jenn]

Hi Carol.

I will find it interesting to see what others think of the light and dark/ high and low aspects of the book.

[Carina]

That's a great review, Jenn. I should make a note of that book...I have two serious gardening friends, though I've already bought their Christmas prezzies. One is a professional, designs and oversees commercial landscaping projects all over the east half of the US, and has a degree in...botany, or something.
I always enjoyed D.H. Lawrence. Books and poetry both.

[Don]

I was disappointed to find out that this book is just a compilation of old articles; I'd love to see a new version.
Don

[Jenn]

Ha! Don, who's on your list to ask?

I'd have to be a smart ass and include Martha Stewart - surely she has a favorite, no? I used to get her mag just for the picture spreads she would do on flowers - one of these days I'm going to tear into all those back issues and just pull out those lovely photos.

And Hinkley, and Druse again, and... wow. So many, huh?

Maybe we can all go to our favorite little nursery and ask the owners? Or the owners of those little websites like Ken Asmus at Oikos Tree Crops, or Russell Stafford at Odyssey Bulbs?

Or do you think we should all blog *our* favorite plants, and then paper publish the best of?

I must be cabin crazy, already. I like this idea.

[Carol]

I like the idea of all blogging about their favorite plant, too. In fact, I suggested that those who could not find the book or find the time to read the book could do just that, write about their favorite plant. I am going to post a reminder about that later this evening.

[kim (blackswamp_girl)]

Jenn, I don't know if I want to read this book or not--not just based on your review, but also the reviews of other Garden Bloggers. I did love the page you found with the physoplexis and other alpine plants. Now I'm trying to figure out where I could put an alpine garden!

(By the way, I can't tell you how many of Martha's sumptuous layouts that I have torn out of her books through the years. How can she make everything from photograph negatives to thumbles look like such high art? I aspire to the magazine's level of presentation...)

[Jenn]

Hey Kim:

It's an interesting book. A surprise choice for the second book out in our reading series.

I did enjoy the rest of the book. It's just a really uneven assortment of works.

As for alpines - I've been contemplating a miniatures garden for years, and have an assortment of small hostas as a start. I'm thinking about making something in hypertufa to house these little guys.

[Annie in Austin]

Your review makes me think I'll enjoy this book eventually [it was ordered, but didn't arrive], and I do like collections of essays. Thanks, Jenn.

I love our hypertufa - go for it!

Annie at the Transplantable Rose