laughterbynight's review against another edition
4.0
4 stars from me because I enjoyed the swerve between Ingram’s story and details about WWII Japan that I was not previously aware of. I can see how that might be a turn off to other readers but personally it kept me engaged.
The overall tone was hit or miss. I find Ingram’s story fascinating and I’m obviously glad his work was able to preserve and reintroduce varieties of Sakura that had died out in Japan. That said, the sort of romantic notion of spreading Sakura all over the world has the naturalist in me cringing. I understand the inclination but I’m left wondering what ecosystems have been disrupted by these introductions. To be clear, Ingram isn’t the first or last person to do this. We see it every day in our yards and all around town, I just have a hard time rooting for that sentiment when we are now actively working to restore natural ecosystems and remove invasive species.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone with an interest in Sakura and/or WWII Japan. It serves both purposes. Particularly hearing about average people of the time vs the government. I always find that far more interesting.
The overall tone was hit or miss. I find Ingram’s story fascinating and I’m obviously glad his work was able to preserve and reintroduce varieties of Sakura that had died out in Japan. That said, the sort of romantic notion of spreading Sakura all over the world has the naturalist in me cringing. I understand the inclination but I’m left wondering what ecosystems have been disrupted by these introductions. To be clear, Ingram isn’t the first or last person to do this. We see it every day in our yards and all around town, I just have a hard time rooting for that sentiment when we are now actively working to restore natural ecosystems and remove invasive species.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone with an interest in Sakura and/or WWII Japan. It serves both purposes. Particularly hearing about average people of the time vs the government. I always find that far more interesting.
monigiri's review against another edition
2.0
Tanto interessante nel contenuto quanto noioso nello stile.
lasiepedimore's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Avevo una gran voglia di leggere questo libro perché racconta una storia che non conoscevo e che all’apparenza sembra incredibile vista l’importanza dello hanami (l’ammirazione per la fioritura dei ciliegi ornamentali) in Giappone: eppure c’è stato più di un momento storico nel quale molte varietà di ciliegi ornamentali hanno rischiato di scomparire per sempre. I motivi sono gli stessi per i quali si tende a devastare l’ambiente in lungo e in largo: industrializzazione selvaggia, incuria, disinteresse, propaganda politica e una passione tutta umana per appiattire le varietà della natura in una semplicità più maneggevole.
La varietà di ciliegio ornamentale Somei-yoshino costa poco, cresce e si propaga in fretta e fa dei fiori molto scenografici (quelli che tuttə noi abbiamo imparato ad associare al Giappone, visto che ormai sette ciliegi su dieci appartengono a questa varietà). Ciliegina sulla torta, sono alberi clonati, quindi fioriscono tutti insieme per quei magici otto giorni che hanno resa perfetta l’analogia con la brevità e la fragilità della vita. Un’analogia che sarà terribilmente pervertita durante il regime ultranazionalista che condurrà il Giappone alla Seconda Guerra Mondiale.
Eppure avere una maggiore varietà di ciliegi ornamentali permetterebbe alla stagione dello hanami di estendersi per due mesi, grazie ai diversi periodi di fioritura. Non sarebbe meraviglioso godere per tutto questo tempo di questa floreale bellezza, nella sua varietà di forme e colori? Ma l’uniformità dei Somei-yoshino per il momento la fa da padrona ed è solo grazie agli sforzi di persone come Collingwood Ingram, Seisaku Funatsu e Manabu Miyoshi se molte varietà di ciliegi ornamentali sono ancora tra noi. Soprattutto di Ingram, che ha provveduto a regalare marze a chiunque gliele chiedesse e fosse evidentemente unə amante di questi alberi: il gentiluomo inglese voleva essere sicuro che finissero in buone mani.
Ho trovato questa storia molto appassionante e a tratti anche commovente nel leggere di queste persone opporsi a un’uniformità che non era solo floristica era anche morale e cercare di salvare la bellezza della varietà, nella speranza che un giorno sarebbe tornata importante e avrebbe contribuito a sanare le ferite che l’ultranazionalismo e la guerra avevano inflitto a migliaia di persone. In un mondo nel quale si parla di armi con una pericolosa leggerezza, è importante tenere presente della devastazione che portano, sia alle popolazioni sia all’ambiente.
Certamente, il comportamento di Ingram oggi ci sembra a tratti bizzarro e poco professionale (vogliamo parlare del suo giudizio morale sulla varietà Kazan, accusata di avere dei fiori così osceni da non essere adatti a essere piantata nel cortile del prestigioso collegio femminile dove aveva studiato sua figlia e avrebbe studiato sua nipote: questi poveri fiori furono incolpati di essere “come prostitute, sciatti, sempre pronti a mettersi in mostra”. Insomma, anche meno), ma non dobbiamo dimenticare che stiamo davvero parlando di un uomo di altri tempi: uno di quegli aristocratici ricchi ed eccentrici che, per non annoiarsi, si trovava un hobby nel quale spendere tempo e denaro. Con Ingram almeno ci è andata bene.
completingmytbr's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book! The writing was very eloquent and the narrative was told beautifully. The author mixed interesting tid bits and personal information in very well.
shays's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.75
The Sakura Obsession contains a fair bit of introspection about Japan’s culpability in the war, and how the militaristic government of the period exploited the history and symbolism of the cherry blossom to send a generation of young men to their early deaths even well after the war was effectively lost. Abe also delves into how that same ideology helped the Yoshino cherry become the predominant variety in urban Japan, threatening the local biodiversity. Unlike other artifacts exported (and often outright stolen) from the East by colonial powers, plants continue to grow and propagate, and their cuttings or scions can be returned to the places that gave birth them while also remaining in their transplanted soil around the world. Ingram obtained cuttings from acquaintances and fellow enthusiasts in Japan and sent their descendants and hybrids back in turn. What the book does not explore so much while venerating Collingwood Ingram for preserving the various cherry blossom varieties abroad, is the implications it might have for the ecosystem of the British Isles of introducing so many non-native species, often at the expense of local fruit-bearing varieties. Nevertheless, I found this to be a fascinating and informative read.
Full review: https://shayshortt.com/2023/05/30/the-sakura-obsession/
Full review: https://shayshortt.com/2023/05/30/the-sakura-obsession/
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Sexual assault
wrennert's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting read, especially if you're interested in horticulture or japanese history.
The history of the cherry tree and its many varieties are interwoven with the history of Japan , Britain, and the world in a way that puts it all in a new perspective.
I found it so fascinating how deeply the cherry tree is intrinsically connected to Japanese history. Different time periods had different effects on the proliferation and diversity of the cherry tree, depending on the cultural shifts.
The history of the cherry tree and its many varieties are interwoven with the history of Japan , Britain, and the world in a way that puts it all in a new perspective.
I found it so fascinating how deeply the cherry tree is intrinsically connected to Japanese history. Different time periods had different effects on the proliferation and diversity of the cherry tree, depending on the cultural shifts.
lokster71's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those books that comes from a kind of reading tag. I've read a decent amount of Japanese literature recently - classic and modern, poetry and prose - and found myself fascinated by Japanese culture. And deeply imbedded in that is cherry blossom. Hence I picked up this book.
The thing about this book is it isn't simply a biography of 'Cherry' Ingram. It's also a cultural history of cherry trees in Japan. Some of the most fascinating stuff revolves around the way the militarised culture of Japan in the 1930s and 40s turned the Cherry tree into a symbol of sacrifice. Connecting the fall of cherry blossom with death in the name of the Emperor.
But 'Cherry' Ingram was one of those Englishmen whose wealth allowed them to carve out a corner of expertise untroubled by the pressures of work. His first love was ornithology, but then he gradually became fascinated by plants and then by Japan.
It's also not just the story of Ingram himself. It is a tribute to the dozens of people who were involved in propagating, planting and sharing their cherry knowledge and samples both in Japan and in Europe, the UK and the US.
It is also, surprisingly moving at a couple of points, which took me by surprise as did Ingram's early environmentalist credentials.
I read this on Kindle btw but I think I'd like to get a hard copy of it as there's a lot of lovely photos included. O and the page count is a little deceptive as again the main bulk of the text is about 65% of the count. Footnotes, appendices and index make up the rest.
Well worth a read.
The thing about this book is it isn't simply a biography of 'Cherry' Ingram. It's also a cultural history of cherry trees in Japan. Some of the most fascinating stuff revolves around the way the militarised culture of Japan in the 1930s and 40s turned the Cherry tree into a symbol of sacrifice. Connecting the fall of cherry blossom with death in the name of the Emperor.
But 'Cherry' Ingram was one of those Englishmen whose wealth allowed them to carve out a corner of expertise untroubled by the pressures of work. His first love was ornithology, but then he gradually became fascinated by plants and then by Japan.
It's also not just the story of Ingram himself. It is a tribute to the dozens of people who were involved in propagating, planting and sharing their cherry knowledge and samples both in Japan and in Europe, the UK and the US.
It is also, surprisingly moving at a couple of points, which took me by surprise as did Ingram's early environmentalist credentials.
I read this on Kindle btw but I think I'd like to get a hard copy of it as there's a lot of lovely photos included. O and the page count is a little deceptive as again the main bulk of the text is about 65% of the count. Footnotes, appendices and index make up the rest.
Well worth a read.
alexaamarok's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
Overall I really enjoyed this book though the structure is a bit repetitive. The same topics are covered in two to three sections of the book from slightly different angles but still getting to the same point in each section.