[.uk] Bonsai Survival Manual: Tree-by-Tree Guide to Buying, ... (ISBN 0882668536)

Ahhhh!!! So THIS is how it's done!:
Dear Mr. Lewis, THANK YOU SIR for writing this fabulous little book. See, like many other unnamed persons in this world, I threw away over $300.00 on my first Bonsai attempt at peace and serenity in my home. After many long deep breaths and twinges of * I must be insane to try this again*, I did order two new bonsai-who were every bit as scared of me as I was of them. But see, now Mr. Lewis, I "get it". You have given the Holy Grail, if you will to keep these little buggers alive and flourishing! Never again will I keep my beloved trees too close to a window to burn, or to near a furnace to suffer. No sir, in fact, thanks to your book I know exactly when to water, when to fertilize, and when to remember to breathe and just enjoy the beauty of owning bonsai. I have read dozens of books that were nothing more than pretty pictures, but what I really needed was someone to tell me what NOT to do. There is no better book for a bonsai beginner. I didn't need a book to show me the fine details of repotting or bending delicate bonsai limbs - I simply needed a band-aid to help me get them started in the first place. The Bonsai Survival Manual is worth its weight in gold. Now my little trees won't be so scared of me when they see me pick up all my fancy tools and pretend to "prune". (I can at least pretend for now)

good book to have handy:
Nice book. Details many trees. Could be a bit more on styling.

Learn about your bonsai specie:
This is a very good book to learn about individual species. This book has profiles 50 species of bonsais. It includes out door bonsais and indoor bonsais. Each profile is two pages. It includes one or two pictures, an older bonsai and a younger bonsai. It gives a description of the bonsai, which includes the history and where it is grown, along with a lot of helpful information on growing and caring for each bonsai. It has a chart for each bonsai with includes light, water, temperature, soil and a few other things. The information about each bonsai is very interesting and helpful. Many bonsai books don't give you much information on individual species and their needs. It is very important to know what a bonsai needs before you decide on a bonsai. You need to know if you can meet the needs of a bonsai. At the beginning of the book there is general information on bonsais, buying, care, plus trimming, pruning, repotting, root pruning, shaping with wire etc. This is good information and the pictures are detail, but it is not exceptional. There are better books on the care and training of bonsais. But the book is well worth getting for the information it gives you on the individual bonsais.

Excellent information on individual species:
The book is mainly geared for somebody who purchased a Bonsai and is wanting to maintain it and maybe make it a little better. It doesn't have much information on how to train and style a bonsai. The information on how to care for all the different kinds of trees is more than worth the price of the book. I find myself referring back to this book frequently.

Excellent Primer - Basics but lacks detail:
This is an excellent basics book and would rate it 5 stars if that is what you are looking for. I give it 4 stars because it gives one enough information to be dangerous but not enough to certain . Example: Using fungicides and pesticides. Certain trees Maples for instance, are very sensitive and be harmed using chemicals they recommend are safe for most trees. Define most!! An excellent starter basics book just not the only book one should use in my view.