Pleasant Place No. 7: Daffodils / Narcissus gathers painters, poets, philosophers, and artists around a single genus — Narcissus — tracing the daffodil's symbolic life from personal memory to cultural herald across history and geography.
About This Book
The seventh issue of the Pleasant Place booklet series takes the daffodil as its subject, moving well beyond horticultural description into the territories of scent, memory, and cultural symbolism. An introductory essay on the genus Narcissus by Lou-Lou van Staaveren, accompanied by photographs from Elspeth Diederix, establishes the botanical and aesthetic ground. From there, philosopher Christopher F. Julien traces the entanglement of scent and memory, while artist Tina Farifteh draws on her personal archive to write about daffodils as a symbol of hope in Iran. The result is a compact, cross-disciplinary publication that treats a familiar flower with genuine intellectual curiosity.
Key Features
- 32 pages of essays, personal memoir, and botanical photography
- Contributors include Lou-Lou van Staaveren, Elspeth Diederix, Christopher F. Julien, and Tina Farifteh
- Published by Pleasant Place, ISBN: 9789083284392
What You'll Discover
- How the daffodil's symbolism shifts across cultures — from Western art history to its role as a symbol of hope in Iran
- A philosophical inquiry into the relationship between scent and autobiographical memory
- Elspeth Diederix's photographic interpretation of Narcissus alongside an introduction to the genus by Lou-Lou van Staaveren
- How a small-format publication can hold together botanical, philosophical, and deeply personal modes of writing without losing coherence
About the Author
This issue features contributions from a range of writers and artists. Lou-Lou van Staaveren provides the botanical introduction; philosopher Christopher F. Julien reflects on scent and memory; and artist Tina Farifteh writes from her personal archive about growing up in Iran. Photographs are by Elspeth Diederix.
Specifications
- Format: Softcover
- Pages: 32
- Dimensions: 180 x 245 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9789083284392
- Publisher: Pleasant Place
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Readers drawn to cross-disciplinary publishing at the intersection of botany, art, philosophy, and personal essay — and collectors of the Pleasant Place series.