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| Cultivating Delight: A Natural History of My Garden | 
| Author: Diane Ackerman
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy Used: $0.13
You Save: $13.82 (99%)
New (30) Collectible (3) from $3.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 157697
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 6.5 x 0.7
ISBN: 0060505362
Dewey Decimal Number: 508
EAN: 9780060505363
ASIN: 0060505362
Publication Date: October 1, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Good solid overall condition, mild to moderate general wear, clean inside.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Classic Ackerman, another feast for the senses. November 7, 2001
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book is a rich feast for the senses. In fact it reminds me so much of A Natural History of the Senses that I think of it as a continuation taken outside into the garden. It's classic Ackerman, another beautifuly-written, deeply felt celebration of life. She manages her large garden with minimal help or fuss, but an endless supply of curiosity, wonder, humor, and passion. It's the perfect book to re-read this winter while I wait for spring.
 Not vintage Ackerman! November 4, 2001
15 out of 18 found this review helpful
CULTIVATING DELIGHT lacks the charm and sense of wonder that
captivated me in THE MOON BY WHALELIGHT and A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SENSES. Other gardeners, e.g., Vita Sackville-West and
Beverly Nichols, wrote in a way that allowed others to share their experiences much more so than does Ackerman. Although the book is organized seasonally, "staying with" it is difficult because her thoughts ramble so much. The connection between each season and her thoughts and activities is often vague. There is a place for anecdotal material and for sharing thoughts. However, when these seem to become "insertions" or an "oh-by-the-way . . ," they prevent the writing from being seamless and flowing -- and effective. A personal reaction: It's hard to believe that someone who shifts hated gardening chores to others is at heart a true gardener. Only when one gets "down and dirty" and does the dreaded chores does she truly experience delight in cultivating a garden that pleases her. The "Plant Inventory" with which the book closes adds little to the education and nothing to the pleasure of the reader. A sketch of the overall garden would be helpful. If the book is meant to be a memoir of one gardener's responses to her garden, it succeeds. If it is meant to invite others to share her pleasure, it fails.
 THE UPSIDE AND DOWNSIDE.... October 31, 2001
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
To the author's credit, the book has some creative ideas for the garden and the book is particularly well organized. However, on the downside, Ackerman's melodramatic prose was just a little too much on the mundane side for my liking. The metaphors were "too run of the mill" and lacked originality. Contrary to what some editorial reviews portrayed, I did not find this book to be "emotionally charged," but every reader is entitled to his or her own opinion. Personally, would I buy the book again? To be perfectly honest, no, it came up short of my expectations.
The New York Times Book Review was right! October 28, 2001
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
The New York Times Book Review was right-- Ackerman's attention to sharp details is as delicious as her voluptuous joy in gardening. She is indeed excellent company on every page. I found the book brimming with natural history surprises, unexpected humor, and also powerfully moving digressions. She's a brilliant observer of the world of nature and humans, an important thinker, but also a modest and delightful one. The gardening dramas and lore are endlessly fascinating, and the lyrical style took my breath away. It's sheer poetry. On so many levels, this is among the richest books I've ever read.
 Quite disappointing October 23, 2001
6 out of 13 found this review helpful
I had never read one of Diane Ackerman's books so when I saw this well-reviewed in the NYT, I decided to check it out. As someone who's read a fair number of reflective garden books, I found Ackerman's prose weak and lacking in much real service. From a natural history standpoint, she wrote nothing that surprised me. I can't comment on how it compares to her previous work, but I can say that I wouldn't buy this book again.
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Wildlife, nature and the Environment
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