TULIPS Book Review — Blooms, Haiku, and Elton John

Posted on by Theressa Malone

The cover of Tulips depicts eight tender bulbs, delicate in pastel pink and gold. They seem poised towards a goal. Is it the reader? On page 8 we read they are “bowing” in “reverence” to “face the evening sun”. With every page we are presented with the fusion of nature, language, and art.

World renowned fine art photographer Peter Arnold has produced a book of intricately captured flowers, and you too may think it feels like a breath of fresh air in these uncertain times. Elton John introduces the 140 pages of high resolution images that zoom in on details in tulip petals that readers may never have had the chance to notice otherwise.

TULIPS
Page 31, Tulip and Haiku

The flowers are accompanied by haiku poems that seem to put words to the decoration of each petal. For example, on page 31 we are presented with a vibrant tulip, which seems to explode in rich hues of crimson and yellow against a black background. The words “First the leaves and then the buds - / stems grow strong and straight. / Colors show as flowers bloom, / emerging like the morning sun” hover next to the stem, almost as if to remind us of the undying bond between nature and art.

Arnold, an accomplished contemporary artist, strikes this writer as having a knack for exposing the vulnerability of each flower: their tender pistils and stamen are revealed at close range, adorned with fragile dew drops.

TULIPS Presents Beacon of Hope

We learn that the tulip is one of the most popular springtime flowers, and often considered a symbol of optimism. As the Northern Hemisphere emerges from a long and unsettling winter, this book arrives at a perfect time: a splash of colour for reader’s hungry eyes and souls.

Arnold’s exquisite collection of tulips presents the history and exposé of a bulb we learn has historically been the most expensive flower in the world. Readers can sit with this book and study each leaf and petal for hours at a time.

This book will likely appeal to a wide ranging audience of all ages, particularly those who are interested in gardening, horticulture, and flower photography.

 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Nominate this for The Picture This Post BEST OF 2020???
Click Readers' Choice

Vote Securely! Vote Privately! And Make Your Vote Count-- as all voting should be!!

Yes!! Please note my vote to add this to the Picture This Post BEST OF 2020

For more information and to obtain a copy of the book, visit the teNeues Publishing webpage for TULIPS by Peter Arnold.

Images courtesy of teNeues Publishing and Peter Arnold
© 2020 Peter Arnold. All rights reserved.

Follow teNeues Publishing on Social Media here:

Facebook:  @teNeues

Instagram:  @teneuespublishing

Theressa Malone
Theressa Malone

About the Author: Theressa Malone

Theressa is a writer and web developer based in France. Originally from New Zealand, she has worked as a writer and editor in Wellington, San Francisco, and Paris. She founded the literary journal Milly Magazine, and enjoys working with literature in translation.
Share this:
    5

Make a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *