Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Bulbs => Galanthus => Topic started by: mark smyth on February 02, 2011, 12:55:37 PM
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Why didnt I find this weeks ago :'(
http://priceprobe.co.uk/galanthomania-best-price/books/p4181113 (http://priceprobe.co.uk/galanthomania-best-price/books/p4181113) from £14.37
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Curiously although prices are given most state 'unknown' stock. Asda are out of stock.
Even more curious on Amazon, you can get a Used copy for £8 more than a New copy ???
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Why didnt I find this weeks ago :'(
http://priceprobe.co.uk/galanthomania-best-price/books/p4181113 (http://priceprobe.co.uk/galanthomania-best-price/books/p4181113) from £14.37
How much was it to pre-order Mark?
Seems a very reasonably priced publication at £15 or less!
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Mine's now arrived ;D
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How much was it to pre-order Mark?
Hi Sean
Mark posted where to order it a couple of months ago - from memory I think it cost me £16.sh from the book depository (free postage).
Glad I did as it will definitely help to keep me amused for the season. 8)
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Arthur I see many books listed higher than normal asking price
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It won't be released here until July 2011 according to Amazon.ca.
Wondering if there is also an edition in Dutch? Thinking of a gift.
johnw
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John why dont you order from the UK send it to one of us and then have it sent to Canada? I'll accept it for you
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It won't be released here until July 2011 according to Amazon.ca.
Wondering if there is also an edition in Dutch? Thinking of a gift.
johnw
John,
if I'm correct it's bilingual (English/Dutch) in one book. I ordered it for € 25 here in Belgium. Still have to receive it.
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Wondering if there is also an edition in Dutch? Thinking of a gift.
Johnw
Hi John
The edition is in both languages. Often the left page is Dutch (I presume it is Dutch ?) and the right page is English.
I've had another glance at it while taking a tea break from work this afternoon and I think it is a really good sixteen GBP worth.
Looks like a great book to keep me happily occupied for the years between 'snowdrops 1' and 'snowdrops 2'.
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From the little time i have had to peer at it , it does seem to be a great book. More snowdrops to put on the wish list ::) I'm very pleased to see Angela Winfield in there, shes wearing a hat i knitted for her :D ( complete with embroidered snowdrops )
I had better start saving now for the yellow trym Joe Sharman mentions :o
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Galanthomania: Snowdrops (Hardback) (English/Dutch; Flemish) By (author) Hanneke Van Dijk
The book cover:
[attach=1]
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shes wearing a hat i knitted for her :D ( complete with embroidered snowdrops )
If you can create me a blokes 'butch version' of the knitted hat in black or dark navy with embroidered snowdrops I will be very interested in having one for wearing on special occasions, ;D 8)
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John, thought you would go for a camouflaged one at least ;D
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John, thought you would go for a camouflaged one at least ;D
Pure black knitted hat with snowdrops embroidered would almost be winter camo ;) ....
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I've known about Joe's yellow Trym for a couple of years now but trying to get a photo from him is like getting blood from a stone.
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Galanthomania: Snowdrops (Hardback) (English/Dutch; Flemish) By (author) Hanneke Van Dijk
The book cover:
(Attachment Link)
Thanks for that Maggi and Wim. Noticed the Flemish ( ;)) and Ken said he saw somehwere there was a Dutch version but hasn't been able to find the reference since. Thanks for the offer Mark, I'll look into that otherwise I shall be in a sweat till mid-summer, however shipping would probably be the same as the price of the book.
johnw
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Obviously the white flower fans are rather excited about this new book from Hanneke van Dijk.
She published an article in the Dutch bulb growers' journal in July where she described the new classification system.
As the KAVB is the official Registration place for Galanthus, she had previously explained to the KAVB Committee about her ideas and plans for a key.
I expect the Committee gave her some useful ideas as well that she could incorporate into her manuscript.
Hannike worked on this this Classification together with Forumist Wim Snoeijer ( you may know him from his Agapanthus book and of the Classification system for Clematis), who is very knowledgable on this subject.
Here are two pdfs of the article..... in Dutch but not unreadable, I think, when one works out the likely words for the subject!!
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
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If you can create me a blokes 'butch version' of the knitted hat in black or dark navy with embroidered snowdrops I will be very interested in having one for wearing on special occasions, ;D 8)
I can do that ;D no problem
I've known about Joe's yellow Trym for a couple of years now but trying to get a photo from him is like getting blood from a stone.
Shame ,just have to wait till it get posted on Ebay in 10 years time :-\
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My God, I thought another new topic and called "Galanthomania?" What are all the others about then?
But yes, I see you're actually serious. :o
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shes wearing a hat i knitted for her :D ( complete with embroidered snowdrops )
If you can create me a blokes 'butch version' of the knitted hat in black or dark navy with embroidered snowdrops I will be very interested in having one for wearing on special occasions, ;D 8)
Wouldn't a green cap with white ear-flaps be more appropriate? It could be all the rage for snowdrop viewing parties! ;D With maybe an embroidered green patch towards to the tips ;D
And the very special ones could be gold ;D
Emma
you could start a trend!
cheers
fermi
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shes wearing a hat i knitted for her :D ( complete with embroidered snowdrops )
If you can create me a blokes 'butch version' of the knitted hat in black or dark navy with embroidered snowdrops I will be very interested in having one for wearing on special occasions, ;D 8)
Wouldn't a green cap with white ear-flaps be more appropriate? It could be all the rage for snowdrop viewing parties! ;D With maybe an embroidered green patch towards to the tips ;D
And the very special ones could be gold ;D
Emma
you could start a trend!
cheers
fermi
Emma - I think fermi is onto something here, these hats could go viral. I'd like a big knitted one for Canadian winters, just like 'Colossus'.
johnw
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Having only quickly looked through the book,the small pictures in the back,Rodmarton looks wrong to me
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this forum is mentioned on the page about lattice pots :)
mmmm i shall have to get knitting ;)
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Galanthomania: Snowdrops (Hardback) (English/Dutch; Flemish) By (author) Hanneke Van Dijk
Hanneke Van Dijk usually attends the Galanthus Gala with a tour party from Holland. This might be an opportunity to get your copy of her book signed, if she is willing.
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You'll have to take orders Emma, how about one with South Hayes on it ;D
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I'm sure she will. She is selling the book at the Gala
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My book was mailed on Wednesday and hasnt arrived.
I did get a look at one yesterday. I'm quoted in the lattice pot section. Should I get a free book? ;D
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No but you get a free lattice pot.
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Mailed on Wednesday my book arrived today.
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Please all who received the book! What is your opinion on it? Is it 'must have' or no?
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I don't know yet, Olga.... I ordered the book from Play.com... who said they had several copies in stock but it has not arrived and on checking the order now it says they are waiting for stock. :'( :'(
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Please all who received the book! What is your opinion on it? Is it 'must have' or no?
Hi Olga
If you want lots of descriptions of plants then it is not the book for you.
But if, like me, you love to know a tiny bit about peoples and their passions then it is good. It only takes 2 or 3 hours to read but many Galanthophiles are talked to. There are also 500 close up photos of snowdrops (lots of them not in the bible book) so for me it is a good 20 GBP worth.
And of course there is the new classification system - but I haven't made my mind about that yet.
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John, thanks a lot! I have bible book only in computer (photographed). I'd like to have something to read in comfortable armchair with a cup of coffee. :) I am very interested in new classification and species descriptions less in photos. Ideally I dream about something like The Genus Epimedium. But I understand I want too much. 8)
Maggi, what a pity! I was going to order from Play.com too. Amazon.com does not have the book yet. ??? We missed bestseller?
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Maggi, what a pity! I was going to order from Play.com too. Amazon.com does not have the book yet. ??? We missed bestseller?
Mine came from http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9789089892430/Galanthomania - it has gone up a few pounds since I purchased it - but their site does not say out of stock.
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Olga
I recommend you get it. AND.. at the Gala today there were fliers for a new snowdrops book from Gunter Waldorf; " the book presents more than 300 varieties of snowdrops for the first time in brilliant photographs in their natural surroundings." Tempted? Order by email to "waldorf@oirlicher-blumengarten.de". No relation.
Steve
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In English or in German or both???
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Please all who received the book! What is your opinion on it? Is it 'must have' or no?
Amazon now have it.I have just ordered it at£19.70 post free
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Looks like only in German.
To be published in August.
http://www.oirlicher-blumengarten.de/seiten/links/links.html
Günter Waldorf
Schneeglöckchen
Zauber in Weiß
(Snowdrops- White Magic)
160 pages
300 colour illustrations
€ 19,99 (D) / € 20.60 (A)
CHF 30.90 * (* recommended. Price)
ISBN 978-3-421-03831-9
For the first time over 300 snowdrop varieties are displayed in such abundance in natural surroundings and in brilliant photographs . Essential for Galanthophiles, the book makes the beginner more curious and for the expert is a practical and beautiful reference book. A must for every snowdrop enthusiast.
The first 100 orders can, if desired, get the book with a dedication by OLIVER KIPP and GÜNTER WALDORF .
Published in August 2011
for each € 19.99 plus shipping costs, delivery, after the publication in August 2011
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Thank you John, thank you John, thank you Steve, thank you Maggi. :)
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First impressions of "Galanthomania" - an unreasonable amount of space given to pen pictures of snowdrop personalities, many photographs of poor quality and, being bilingual, it is essentially half a book.
To give a positive note: there is a good photograph of Martin Baxendale. Perhaps, that will save it.
To be fair, that is a first impression and I will read it more carefully and may change my mind, but don't think so.
Paddy
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Paddy I dont like it either and regret ordering it. I know others not happy.
Maybe I should jump on the band wagon and create a multilingual "A Pocket Guide to Galanthus"
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For all of us junior galanthophiles the book is worth the money for the'poor' pictures at the back.
I cannot instantly recognise snowdrops and trying to find them using the 'bible', well life is just too short. Using the gallery at the back of Galanthomania - excellent.
The book is many times better than Aaron Davies' PhD thesis, that cost an arm and a leg and could not be read without constant reference to the glossary - unless you happened to be a botanist.
The pen pictures were also good for those of us outside the inner circle :)
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Maybe I should jump on the band wagon and create a multilingual "A Pocket Guide to Galanthus"
If I sold one copy for every hit my snowdrop web site gets ...... ker-ching
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I didn't even know I was going to be in it, Paddy. The text attributed to me seems to be loosely based on a talk I gave to Hanneke and the rest of the Dutch contingent the night before last year's snowdrop gala.
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As you say, nice photo. :)
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I think you stole the show, Martin.
And, what did you think of the book?
Paddy
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I haven't had time to read it properly yet, just flicked through it very quickly. Strikes me as more of a coffee table book about the phenomenon of galanthophilia than a plantsman's guide to snowdrop collecting and growing.
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Strikes me as more of a coffee table book about the phenomenon of galanthophilia than a plantsman's guide to snowdrop collecting and growing.
Coffee table book - good description.
I am glad I got it.
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I'm sure there will be plenty of people, including a fair few snowdrop enthusiasts, who will enjoy it for what it is - a comparatively light coffee table book read about galanthophilia and galanthophiles, but others who were expecting something more heavyweight with lots of practical and detailed info on snowdrop cultivars and how to grow them may well be disappointed. Maybe it's all a question of expectations. My advice to anyone who hasn't pre-ordered it but is thinking of buying would perhaps be to try to see the book in the flesh, at a bookshop, or maybe a friend's copy, before buying and have a flick through it to see if it's what you expect it to be.
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And of course if it helps to get more non-galanthophile gardeners (who might not need a mass of heavyweight practical info initially) interested in snowdrops, then that can't be a bad thing.
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And of course if it helps to get more non-galanthophile gardeners (who might not need a mass of heavyweight practical info initially) interested in snowdrops, then that can't be a bad thing.
Here, here, Martin. It is certainly not an academic tome, but I find myself picking it up and reading a page when I've got a couple of minutes. It is very nice to see who all these well-known galanthophiles are after having read all the mentions of them elsewhere. Obviously useful, and attractive, to those who only have a slight temperature rather than the fully blown condition ;)
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I do agree with Brian, i have only had a short look in the book and its completely diffrent then the snowdropbible. Its understandable and readable for everyone. If you would like to write a new snowdropbible and i know you have experience with writing Martin. Just remember how much work needs to be done before you have it all complete, and what will be a reasonable sellingprice? I think there wont be any profit after all that work :'(
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No, Gerard, I certainly won't be trying to write a new snowdrop bible ;D I know just how much work would be involved, and anyway the team who brought us the first one are already working on producing a second one with new cultivars named since the first came out.
I don't mean to attack Hanneke's book. I have heard that some people have been disappointed by it, probably because it didn't turn out to b quite the kind of book they were expecting. I was just trying, in response to Paddy's question, to give an honest and positive view on it.
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Martin you could write a snowdrop collectors cartoon booklet
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No, Gerard, I certainly won't be trying to write a new snowdrop bible ;D I know just how much work would be involved, and anyway the team who brought us the first one are already working on producing a second one with new cultivars named since the first came out.
This century? ;D
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It's not often a new book on snowdrops comes out so I for one was pleased to obtain it. A light read with some nice descriptions of the mania and nice pictures. I'm glad to have it but I would buy any book that featured snowdrops as the main subject....!
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Ann,
I think you were part of the target audience for this book - a person who would buy anything to do with snowdrops. Perhaps, "Galanthobookmania" might have been a suitable title. And there are many, many more like you; I being one.
It is, as you say, a light book.
Paddy
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I like all the thumbnail pictures in the back pages,makes it easier to compare different plants.
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But, it's not a comprehensive listing of photographs, Jim, and many are of poor quality.
Paddy
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I think, if I was to criticize anything, I was disappointed with the quality of the paper it was printed on, finer paper would have meant better looking reproductions.
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I'd like to criticise the delivery service from play.com.... I still haven't got mine. >:(
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I was happy to see a photograph of G. 'Lady Moore'. That brings up the positive points for the book. Paddy
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I often find myself searching on SRGC to see if there are photos of snowdrops not in 'snowdrops 1' so I am very happy to have 500 more reference pics all in one easy to find place. 8)
(the picture of 'Hans Guck in die luft" doesn't look right to me
I wasn't going to say anything due to the disclaimer on page 5 "While the utmost care has been taken with the names in this book, some degree of discourse is inevitable". But thought it worth mentioning in case anyone is attempting a comparison.)
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One of the best pics in the book is GRÜNER SPLITTER ;) ;) ;)
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This is the photograph of 'Hans Guck in die Luft' from "Galanthomania". Paddy
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Thank you Paddy !
Sorry to say ....but this pic of "Hans guck in die Luft " is wrong ( thank you also John F )
Here are the orginal pics from my garden :
Please read also here :
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1343.0
This is not a pure G.elwesii ( like Grumpy and similar ) it is a hybrid between G.elwesii X G.plicatus
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One of the best pics in the book is GRÜNER SPLITTER ;) ;) ;)
That could be because it looks to be such a good snowdrop Hagen ;D
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One of the best pics in the book is GRÜNER SPLITTER ;) ;) ;)
And that chap photographed on the page across from it, page 78, who is he?
Paddy
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Here is a "fresh" picture from today :
Hans guck in die Luft
Enjoy
Hans
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Here is a "fresh" picture from today :
Hans guck in die Luft
Enjoy
Hans
I DO enjoy 'Hans guck in die luft': with that face he is a lovely snowdrop, thanks for the picture Hans. 8)
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The story of "Johnny, Head in the Air" is here, a translation from the original German by Mark Twain:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12116/12116-h/12116-h.htm#The_Story_of_Johnny_Head-in-Air
Paddy
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Thank you Maggi :D that you like my snowdrop !
....and the good thing is :
It is a good grower ! ( many friends have confirm it )
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I have just written to Hanneke van Dijk that her picture in this book is wrong and I send her my own pictures
Now I wait ....
Hans
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Here is a "fresh" picture from today :
Hans guck in die Luft
Enjoy
Hans
It is nice :) and a good grower is even better ;D
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Purely out of interest, I wonder where the photograph of 'Lady Moore' came from.
Paddy
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I have just received a friendly answer from Hanneke :
"Sorry the picture is not right. We always write down where we take pictures, so we will ask where they got or bought your snowdrop.
All the specialists who checked the snowdrops and names missed it.
We really tried to get it as perfect as possible but such things can always happen.
I will make a note so I can correct it in a second version."
I would be interest to hear from which person came this wrong named plant / or pic
Hans
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Here is a "fresh" picture from today :
Hans guck in die Luft
Enjoy
Hans
And a picture of one flower still holding onto it's petals in my garden this afternoon Hans (in the rain). My very last flower on the clump but there have been many flowers for a long time and it increases very well. 8)
thank you :)
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Thank you John F :D
here was last night -7° C .....and this morning I had "Hans in the ice" .....
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I had "Hans in the ice" .....
Just had a very good laugh. The German word for ice slipped my mind so I went online and what a hoot the translator says "intercity-expresszug". Then somehow I saw eis in the I.C.E. The old mind is a bizarre thing.
johnw
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;D ;D ;D
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On the subject of the photographs of snowdrops in the back of the book. I noticed yesterday that there is a photograph purporting to be Lady Fairhaven, what a shame that this myth is being continued in a book which will, no doubt have a wide distribution. :-\
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The story of "Johnny, Head in the Air" is here, a translation from the original German by Mark Twain:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12116/12116-h/12116-h.htm#The_Story_of_Johnny_Head-in-Air
Paddy
and.. For Johnny
by John Pudney
Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.
Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.
Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.
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and.. For Johnny
by John Pudney
Do not despair
For Johnny-head-in-air;
He sleeps as sound
As Johnny underground.
Fetch out no shroud
For Johnny-in-the-cloud;
And keep your tears
For him in after years.
Better by far
For Johnny-the-bright-star,
To keep your head,
And see his children fed.
Thank you Steve :D
Sorry - but my english is not so well so I can not understand all 100 %
Hans
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Lieber Hans
Die gereimten kann nicht gut übersetzen!
Nicht verzweifeln
Für Johnny-Kopf-in-Luft;
Er schläft als gut
Als Johnny Unter Grund.
Bring aus keine Leichentuch
Für Johnny-in-die-Wolke ";
Und halten Sie Ihre Tränen
Für ihn in späteren Jahren.
Bei weitem besser
Für Johnny-der-hell-Sterne
Um Ihren Kopf halten,
Und seine Kinder sah zugeführt.
Gruss
Steve
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Dear Steve ,
now I'm really surprised :o :o :o
It seems your german is very well :)
ahhh ....not only Maggi speaks german ....
maybe in future I could more write in german - thats much easier for me ;D
Thank you !
Hans
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Can anyone recommend a European site where I can purchase this book in Dutch for a friend in Holland? A Dutch friend here can help me navigate the language.
johnw
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Can anyone recommend a European site where I can purchase this book in Dutch for a friend in Holland? A Dutch friend here can help me navigate the language.
johnw
Well do NOTuse play.com, John, I'm still waitng for my copy. >:(
Edit: Now I've cancelled the order.... never again!
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Maggi,
Is there any truth to the rumour, doing the rounds in personal messages, that you have pre-ordered and pre-paid for the next edition of the snowdrop book?
I dismissed it as incredible fantasy but many believe firmly in the suggestion, several wagering quite large amounts on it.
Paddy
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Maggi,
Is there any truth to the rumour, doing the rounds in personal messages, that you have pre-ordered and pre-paid for the next edition of the snowdrop book?
I dismissed it as incredible fantasy but many believe firmly in the suggestion, several wagering quite large amounts on it.
Paddy
Paddy all I can say in reponse to these mischievous allegations is this: do you think I am made of money? :o
I can recount that on Tuesday 22nd I even returned "part1" back to the local SRGC Group Library ;D
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So, I have placed my bets wisely, then?
Paddy
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Can anyone recommend a European site where I can purchase this book in Dutch for a friend in Holland? A Dutch friend here can help me navigate the language.
johnw
You might order it from here, as I did:
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9789089892430/Galanthomania
"Galanthomania" is in Dutch and English, each copy.
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Can anyone recommend a European site where I can purchase this book in Dutch for a friend in Holland? A Dutch friend here can help me navigate the language.
johnw
You might order it from here, as I did:
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9789089892430/Galanthomania
"Galanthomania" is in Dutch and English, each copy.
Thanks so much Thomas. I was reading John Grimshaw's review on his blog and thought 'Sneeuwklokjes' was the same book but solely in Dutch. I now see it is an earlier book by Hanneke. Which do you think is more suitable for a casual Dutch gardener who thinks we are all totally mad about "our tiny bulbs" as she calls them?
johnw - bracing for extremely heavy rain. 60mm+
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John, on my snowdrop party last Saturday a friend, who is not a Galanthophile and new to all this, considered "Sneeuwklokjes" as the more pleasing book. There exists a German translation,"Schneeglöckchen", which is unfortunately out of stock. It is a very good introduction. So, if the Dutch version is still available, maybe this one first and then, later, "Galanthomania" :)
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Thanks again Thomas. I will order definitely Sneeuwklokjes for her and Galanthomania for myself but it seems the site you recommend does not have it. Any possible good Dutch sources?
If lucky when she visits in July perhaps she will bring it along so I can have a peak. I wonder why she comes in July and not March? ;)
johnw
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I have ventured a review of Galanthomania on my blog: http://johngrimshawsgardendiary.blogspot.com/2011/02/galanthomania.html
John Grimshaw
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I have ventured a review of Galanthomania on my blog: http://johngrimshawsgardendiary.blogspot.com/2011/02/galanthomania.html
John Grimshaw
John writes..... "(Fortunately there is no Primark group...)"
..... such a shame, no move for 'drops for the masses then ::) :-X
Very useful review, John, thanks.
I may not worry too much about buying it yet awhile.... after all I still have a fat tree tome yet to be opened which is calling me........ when do folks have time to read nowadays if not on a train?
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This strikes me as a very fair and balanced assessment of the book. The classification system is of little use. The portraits of snowdrop enthusiasts are interesting though shallow and the selection haphazard. The collection of photographs at the rear are of poor quality.
Overall, it is a very light-weight book with little to contribute for anybody with more than a passing interest in snowdrops.
Paddy
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Paddy,
I am very glad I cancelled it after reading other forumnists comments.
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There you go, John, money saved.
I suppose to compare it with the snowdrop book, it is one you would read and put away while you go back again and again to the snowdrop book.
As I recall someone describe a book, it is memorably forgettable.
Paddy
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Very interesting review from John Grimshaw, can't argue with that!
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I'm very happy to have discovered that there was a large surge in sales of my novel, The Snowdrop Garden, in February - no doubt as a result of it being featured in Hanneke's book. Hope it keeps up ;D
Still on special offer on Amazon, by the way, reduced to £6-39 from £7-99.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowdrop-Garden-Martin-Baxendale/dp/095505009X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1299511796&sr=1-1
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I have ventured a review of Galanthomania on my blog: http://johngrimshawsgardendiary.blogspot.com/2011/02/galanthomania.html
John Grimshaw
John
Thanks for this lucid critique. Stating complicated things in a simple fashion can't be as easy as it looks.
Steve
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[]
Well do NOTuse play.com, John, I'm still waitng for my copy. >:(
Edit: Now I've cancelled the order.... never again!
[/quote]
Hi Maggi, just to mention, I ordered the book by amazon, it was out of stock but today the told me they posted it to me yesterday!
Martina
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Thanks, Martina. :)
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......As I recall someone describe a book, it is memorably forgettable.
Paddy
I prefer Dorothy Parker: "This is not a book to be tossed aside lightly; it should be thrown across the room with great force."
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Ah, Gerry,
I have an admiration for anybody who goes to the bother and hard work of writing a book and am, generally, reluctant to be over critical in my comments. "Galanthomania" suffered mostly from not living up to its pre-publication publicity and this is, perhaps, the fault of the publishers rather than the author. However, that aside, it is not an excellent book. Perhaps, we will just lob it across the room to land on the pile of those never to be looked at again.
Paddy
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I find I am struggling to read many of those pages that are white text on a coloured background, particularly in poor light. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
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Not a problem reading but the choice of colour is bad
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I find I am struggling to read many of those pages that are white text on a coloured background, particularly in poor light. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Oh goodness, I didn't realise it was like that.... I find that very tough going.
I'm told such colouring is very "trend forward" and the height of modern design.... :-\
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I've not seen this particular book so can't comment about the white on black/colour background but what you say Alan, is certainly true of many other publications I've seen and tried to read recently, especially magazines. And I bought an expensive book at Christmas, a cookbook, to find the recipe ingredients are all in a very pale blue/grey colour against the white ground. Literally, I can only read then in bright daylight and with a magnifying glass. Modern or trendy design it may be but it is BAD design, like cutlery with square ends which hurt the palms of one's hands, and kitchens where the shelf for the microwave is above shoulder height (above waist height, in my opinion) because having to lift casseroles and the like from above horizonal arm height (and bent at the elbows) is downright dangerous when they're filled with very hot food. I could write a whole book about bad design.
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There was a report of a similar nature on BBC "Breakfast" this morning where people had written in to complain that the background music in a recently shown new programme was too loud. People of a certain age and certain hearing ability/disability seem to prefer a clear voice with no distracting background sound. This background sound is similar to the background colour on the printed pages mentioned above.
Paddy
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Well those people have my sympathy Paddy. OK, so we degenerate a little as we age but that shouldn't mean that we're sidelined for the sake of the young who will undoubtedly go deaf sooner than we have, because of the appalling garbage they listen to and at a monstrous decibel level.
I also prefer to eat or drink where there is little or no background music and can actually listen to and hear, the person I'm with and converse on a sane level. Of course a pub with a good Irish or Scottish band, is great fun and to be welcomed, but then, the music is the point, not the unwelcome distraction.
I think this should be in the Moan, Moan thread. ???
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Well, it certainly isn't what you'd expect from a scientific/ botanical treatise and there are forward trend issues for old tired eyes but I found the appraoch novel and interesting with its quirky personailty based approach which does raise some real issues that more serious books don't address. At least one person said there are far too many similar varieties, others admitted to be crazy collectors - a good cross section of what a bunch of nuts plants-people can be.
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Hello Trevor.... nice to hear from you. Your take on the book is an interesting one.... plenty room in the market for variety in book treatments, eh, if not for more identical snowdrops ;) :-X
Certainly great scope for plant nuttiness all round.... as we prove time and again here..... thank goodness they can't touch us for it. ;D
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I have the book and read it. The only good thing in the book is the classification.
The rest is not worth to read. How can you write such a book!
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I have the book and read it. The only good thing in the book is the classification.
The rest is not worth to read. How can you write such a book!
Then, you found nothing good in it.
Trevor, it was,indeed, interesting to read of the personalities who collect snowdrops.
Paddy
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I have at last ordered Janis's Crocus book. I ordered it from AmazonUK on Wednesday and it arrived here post free on Friday! A superb book as everyone who has it, knows.
I also ordered a DVD, an American movie 'The Lake House.' I'm not specially a fan of either Sandra Bullock or Keanu Reeves but have seen it twice on TV and it really intrigues me, having a sort of twisted time dimension to it and I'd like to see it again and then again later. Unfortunately Amazon sent a note to say they are unable to supply it outside the UK and Europe, something to do with the owners having forbidden general distribution I think. Damn it. I'm unable to get it in NZ.
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Lesley, we saw The Lake House at the cinema and enjoyed it. Amazon.uk have it quite cheap. I have some other stuff to order from amazon so will order a copy, enjoy it a couple of times and mail it on to you.
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Martin, that's lovely of you. I'll email you privately. Thanks so much.