By Any Other Name, 9780861540525
Hardcover
A thorny flower’s beautiful conquest of hearts across history.

By Any Other Name

a cultural history of the rose

$42.40

  • Hardcover

    304 pages

  • Release Date

    4 January 2022

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Summary

The Seduction of a Rose: A Global Journey

The rose bursts with meaning: love, sensuality, deceit, death, and the mystical unknown. Today, it enjoys unrivaled popularity, ever-present at life’s pivotal moments.

Grown in the Middle East two thousand years ago for its scent and medicinal properties, it has attached itself to us, its needy host, to become one of the most adored flowers across cultures. The rose is well-versed at enchanting human hearts – no longer selected by na…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780861540525
ISBN-10:0861540522
Author:Simon Morley
Publisher:Oneworld Publications
Imprint:Oneworld Publications
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:304
Release Date:4 January 2022
Weight:527g
Dimensions:234mm x 153mm x 28mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

‘Quite brilliant… A powerful reminder of how humanity simply cannot exist without the support of nature’s beauty represented by this simple shrub.’

‘Fascinating material, surveyed with relish and acumen.’

– Times Literary Supplement

‘Fascinating. Morley moves effortlessly from ancient Greece and Rome to the latest research in neurobiology, taking in alchemy and Pre-Raphaelite art, Modernist poetry and the Grateful Dead along the way. I’ll never look at a rose in quite the same way again.’

– Adrian Tinniswood, author of Behind the Throne

‘Morley’s book is, in part, the story of how humans came to raise roses so consistently and abundantly that we demand them even in freezing February. First, though, By Any Other Name recounts the love affair with a flower that drove us to want to do that in the first place.’

– Wall Street Journal

‘An intellectual and artistic journey… digging around the history of how roses have become entangled with human life. By Any Other Name will be a source of inspiration for us.’

– Kim Wook-Kyun, President of the South Korea Rose Society

‘Quite brilliant… A powerful reminder of how humanity simply cannot exist without the support of nature’s beauty represented by this simple shrub.’

– Jonny Norton, Head Gardener at Mottisfont Abbey

By Any Other Name…explores the many facets that make the rose stand out from the rest. Morley expertly crafts the story of the rose from its humble beginnings to its present reality.’

* Washington Gardener *

‘From the etymology of its name to the breeders’ search for perfection, via its role in poetry, prose and art, rose growers with a penchant for learning will find this a satisfying read.’

– Choice

About The Author

Simon Morley

Dr Simon Morley is a British artist and modern historian who specializes in the theory and practice of contemporary painting. He is the author of several books on modern and contemporary art. His essays have been published in the TLS, Modern Painters, Tate Magazine and the Independent on Sunday. Previously a lecturer at the Sotheby’s Institute and at Winchester School of Art, he is now Assistant Professor of Fine Art at Dankook University, Republic of Korea. He is also a keen amateur gardener.

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