Chasing Centuries

[Gee.S]

Well, it's pretty much official at this point, so I s'pose I have an announcement:

Chasing Centuries: The Search for Ancient Agave Cultivars Across the Desert Southwest

Edit: Now available!

[Spination]

Awesome.

[mcvansoest]

I second that: Awesome!

Congrats Ron!

[toditd]

Oh, how exciting!

[DesertDweller]

Nice! Can't wait to check it out.

You should totally do one of those deals where you set up shop at a local bookstore and sell some signed, advanced copies. All for a hefty premium price, of course, to support future treks into habitat.

[Azuleja]

Fantastic! Count me in for an autographed copy.

[Gee.S]

Thanks all! You could always wait for the movie! Currently in talks with Bruce Dern for the lead, but only because Walter Brennan is not available.

[Meangreen94z]

I will definitely pick it up

[Gee.S]

I have updated the web page, and have now been informed that the book should be available from the publisher (Sunbelt Publications) sometime around Dec 15, with wider distribution to all the usual retailers to follow within 2-3 weeks.

[Stan]

Nice doings Ron!
Whats a Gee.S?

[Gee.S]

Nice doings Ron!
Whats a Gee.S?

Thanks Stan! I actually have an answer for that! For many years I had a fairly wide presence on the interwebs as "GermanStar" (I administered a fairly well-known political forum under that moniker for years), the name of my company. So one lovely day, I woke up and decided to retire, selling my business in the process. Once sold, I felt it inappropriate to continue as GermanStar, and went instead with the shortened version by which most referred to me anyways, GS. Many forums don't permit two-letter user names, so Gee.S.

[Gee.S]

Pub sent me a pic of the book today. This stuff is starting to get real!

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[Meangreen94z]

You’ll have to start a new section on here for Big Horn sightings

[Gee.S]

Huh? Mine is on the right. No, the other right.

[Meangreen94z]

I was kidding.

[Meangreen94z]

Oh and congratulations. Let me know when and where and I’ll purchase on day one. Looking forward to reading it

[Gee.S]

You’ll have to start a new section on here for Big Horn sightings

Erm, how is this for a sighting?

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[Meangreen94z]

That was a really good shot. Any plans on a follow up? I think an expansive book on agave in habitat with extensive photography is due. Most are either outdated or focus more on landscape use. Greg Starr’s book “Agaves” was a good mix, but I always hoped for a follow up. I guess the internet has made the business end of such books a hard sell to publishers.

[Gee.S]

Wait. You want a follow up to a book that isn't available yet?

If you want a bunch of habitat pics, pick up the John Pilbeam book.

Or I know a forum that has a few.

I don't see how a follow up to Greg's book might work. I could see a second edition working out, but his publisher (Timber Press) doesn't seem so interested in gardening books as it once was.

[Meangreen94z]

No, don’t get me wrong, I was not downplaying your amazing effort at all. Any one of your habitat threads has more detailed photos on that specific area than the rest of the internet combined. It’s just a subject that fascinates me, and I’m always looking for more information. Maybe years from now I’ll have the time to put something together myself.

[Paul S]

Keeping my eyes peeled for when it makes it over our side! If it is anything like a distillation of your fabulous threads on here it will make for fascinating reading.

[mickthecactus]

Congratulations Ron,

That really does look a magnificent book.

[Gee.S]

Thanks! It will definitely feel familiar to all here, but while my habitat threads represent field research in real time, the book ties them all together in a comprehensive and somewhat conclusive package. And there is a good measure of archaeology and botany in there. It's an odd duck of a plant book, to be sure -- I've never seen anything quite like it. I guess time will tell whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

[Paul S]

It is precisely your unique experience within that blend of disciplines that I find appealing. If you were simply churning out the same old same old I guess you wouldn't have been published!

[Gee.S]

Books arrived at the publisher yesterday! Books will be available from the publisher and from yours truly next week. I have been told by the publisher that wider distribution to all the usual sources may take an additional 3 weeks or so.

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