One of my Garden Books

Here in the Blogger Community it is common practice to start so-called memes. Now, you might not be familiar with the term, even if you have seen and perhaps even participated in memes in the past; you might even have started your own meme at some point. Anyway, I am joining another meme today, and I thought I would spend a few moments explaining what a meme is, and where the word comes from.

If you look up the word meme on the Internet you might find hundreds of different explanations, some of them very lengthy, technical and with lots of examples, I prefer this one: “a meme is an idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve.” The term and concept of meme is from the 1976 book by Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene. Though Dawkins defined the meme as “a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation,” memeticists vary in their definitions of meme. The lack of a consistent, rigorous definition of what precisely a meme is remains one of the principal criticisms levelled at memetics, the study of memes. (from the Wikipedia)

I am already posting on one meme, the Garden Blogger Bloom Day, every 15th of the month, where gardeners all over the world can show what flowers in their garden. Today I am joining another meme; Holleys meme called Garden Book Review, on her Roses and Other Gardening Joys.

Now I just need to find a book to review! Not that I should have a problem with finding one, I have lots and lots of books within the very wide category Holley has given: “Any book about gardening, gardens, or has a garden influence in it is fine.” Well, ehhh, I have so many gardening books that fit that description, so…eeny-meeny…. OK, I have decided! I am going to review a garden book which is a typical ‘Coffee table book’, a book with mostly pictures. The only text is the preface by the author on page 3, and a short introduction before each chapter. The book is called Kew Gardens - Kew, as seen through my camera lens, 104 pages, published in 2010.

In the preface the author writes how the book came about and gives an insight into the relationship with Kew Gardens in London, where all the photos are taken. It is a lovely book, but don’t take my word for it, here are a few photos from the book.

OK, if you are now slightly indignant over the fact that I have used the photos from the book, probably breached the copyright law etc, etc….let me hurry up and give you a piece of information that I omitted in the beginning of my post; the name of the author. Her name is Helene U. Taylor; yours sincerely, and I own the copyright to all material so it’s perfectly fine to share it here with you :-)

If you would like to see the whole book YOU CAN SEE IT HERE, at the company Blurb, who is printing all my books. Click on the book, wait for it to load, then click on the ‘View Fullscreen’ in the bottom right corner for a better view of the pictures. Depending on your screen size you might be able to read the text too.

Here is the back cover of the book, you might just about be able to read what it says? (Click on each photo to see a larger version of them). I have always wanted to make a book, I think I was less than 10 years old when I started thinking about writing a book, but my ideas never made it out of my desk drawer until Internet, digital cameras and computers made it possible to do things like this.  I am currently working on book number 5 and 6, two very different books, number 5 is made to order and 6 is just something I am doing for myself because I enjoy it – working title on number 6 is ‘Roses in my garden’. I have no idea when it will be published, but that’s one of the big advantages of being author, agent, editor and publisher all in the same person, it’s all up to me!! I have absolutely no deadlines, this is my hobby and I am not expecting it to put money in my purse or bread on my table, – if so, I would have been a very hungry gardener/author :-)

So that was my contribution to January 2012 Garden Book Review, hope you enjoyed the book, and if it gave you inspiration to make your own books all I can say; give it a go! The feeling of getting your own books in the post, fresh from the printer, with your name on it - after all the hard work you have put in to create it, well, I won’t compare it to having a baby, but it’s definitely pretty close! Take care :-)