Waiting on the new Zillis book

[Canadian-hosta-girl]

Yes, that's an idea. He can name this exclusive variety 'Better Late Than Never'.

and it will be a slow growing hosta ?

[jgh]

I, too, gave up being excited a couple of years ago and moved it into the "I'll be interested in looking at it" category. I've definitely heard the "coming soon" hype for at least 4 years. In fact, Mark told me he had started on the new book, in concept, when I rode the bus with him at the 2000 convention. He already knew then that the new book was not going to be an updated, expanded, or companion book to the original Handbook, that he wanted to go a different direction. So 7 1/2 years later we are still waiting - thus some of the frustration being vented.

I think a lot of the delay stems from the same quality that made the first Handbook so valuable - Mark is anal about collecting the latest and most accurate information. With the field of hosta expanding so rapidly, no matter when you publish you will be obsolete. It felt like the project kept growing and pushing the publication farther away.

Frankly, the main reason I lost my initial excitment is that the book is not going to be the book I hoped for... meaning Hosta Handbook II. I consider the original a hosta bible, my primary resource. I would love to see a second book just like the first, only adding all the new developments and varieties.

I don't need another coffee table book with pretty pictures to put up on my bookshelf - I was pretty disappointed with the Grenfell book. I want a supplement resource book to add the newer information since the original Handbook was published. I'd buy that book. Since Mark isn't going to do it, I guess nobody is going to... so the book he is doing is one of those that I will get from our library and read through, but I probably won't buy a copy.

[greenguy]

I agree I would have really liked a handbook II
and he could have only put in new hostas that were not in the first handbook - same format same size just new hostas

then a III version and so on ......................

[Marlys]

I would love a 'Hosta Handbook II' but we have the 'Hosta Library' which is wonderful.

And if we all get really-techo and carry a 'Blackberry' hand-held thingee with us, the 'Hosta Library' could be in the garden with us just a few clicks away.

One thing is for sure, the garden & the world is forever changing.

MM

[bengal]

I love books. I really love coffee table books. Lots. But then, I actually read the things.

Anyway, IMHO, lots of people here are correct, all at the same time:

The book's a long time in coming.
Books take a long time to produce.
Hosta Handbook II would have been very useful
The latest book will be great

Me? Since I have a couple of the Handbooks and the Grenfell book and am just a neophyte anyway, I'm not toe-tappingly impatient. I'll snap it up right away when it comes out of course, but it won't make a difference to me when that happens. (I'll still be oohing and aahing over a 15-year-old hosta I just discovered. )

BTW, you guys don't know when you have it good, so stop yer whinging. ....we've bought art from a gallery owner here, very, very knowledgable guy who's writing a book on these artists. He told us early last year all he had to do is write the introduction. It still isn't out. I just met a guy last week who told me that Gallery Owner had started this book eight years ago.

So count your blessings!

[renaldo75]

Linda P - that's exactly what Zillis said about the book 2 years ago when I was at Winter Scientific. I had it on tape. Even wrote about it in one of the articles I did for the ROHS newsletter. And it never happened then either.

And he had made similar rumblings at my 1st WS in 2003...

I'll buy it when I hold it in my hands. I'm not gonna waste any more time worrying about it until then.

[largosmom]

Well, I'm excited about any new Hosta book.

OK, maybe not excited, but still looking forward to it!

[Hostahaveum]

Great idea w/ the Blackberry & HL ! Only bad thing is the print is too small & us old folks can't read-um... Forget it; I'd lose it w/ my glasses & cell phone....just hook me up to the GPS & point me to the gardens !!

[Linda P]

Yep, Reldon, I was sitting right beside you. Now, I'm not holding my breath, either, but I'm really hoping it will be out sometime in the next 3 or 4 years.....
Linda P