The Book of Bamboo: A Comprehensive Guide to This Remarkable Plant, Its Uses and Its History - Softcover

Farrelly, David

Softcover

ISBN 10: 050027911X ISBN 13: 9780500279113

Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1996

Synopsis

Bamboo is the oldest, most remarkable resource on the planet, used for thousands of years to make a vast array of items - from basic necessities such as clothing and housing to more exotic and luxurious objects like acupuncture needles, sedan chairs and musical instruments. This practical and historical guide to the versatile and plentiful wood contains a series of chapters covering subjects as diverse as shelter, architecture, cultivation and 1000 things made of bamboo. It discusses the plant's biology and life cycle, offers tips on harvesting and planting and describes lore about this ancient wood. It argues that bamboo is an abundant resource that could replace many of the less sustainable materials now commonly used in our daily lives.

About this title

About the Author

David Farrelly has taught at Washington University, the University of Iowa, and the University of Saskatchewan. He has worked at planting, harvesting, and building with bamboo in rural Mexico, Nicaragua, France, and the United States.

From the Inside Flap

e once again with a new preface by the author, The Book of Bamboo introduces us to the oldest, most remarkable resource on the planet. Part catalog, part history, The Book of Bamboo shows us how this versatile wood, which is both sustainable and plentiful, has been used for thousands of years to make items ranging from things needed for survival like clothing and housing to more exotic and luxurious objects like phonograph needles and children's toys, as well as dozens of others. With information both practical and wistful, David Farrelly tells us about the plant's biology and life cycle, gives tips on harvesting and planting, and lore about the ancient wood. Farrelly conveys the rich and timeless message that bamboo -- strong, flexible, and beautiful in both its natural and its finished states is an abundant resource that could beneficially replace many of the less sustainable materials now commonly used in many aspects of our daily lives and transform our culture in the process.

Edition details

• Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 050027911X
• ISBN 13: 9780500279113
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 340