Suiseki: The Japanese Art of Miniature Landscape,

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Looking for something new to do? Something out of the ordinary? Something inexpensive and relaxing?

Maybe its time to collect suiseki (soo-ee-sek-ee).

Felix G. Rivera, founder of the California Suiseki Society, explains how to collect and appreciate suiseki in his book, Suiseki: The Japanese Art of Miniature Landscape Stones.

Rivera began collecting more than twenty years ago. Since then he has written and lectured internationally about the centuries-old art of suiseki collecting.

New and experienced collectors alike will find his book interesting and helpful.

Although they may look like nothing more than plain rocks to the casual observer, suiseki are very special stones. The forces of nature have carved them into miniature mountains, islands, waterfalls, and other landscapes. Some suiseki resemble humans or animals. Suiseki collectors are simply people who search for intriguing stones, which they bring home, clean, and display.

Among the benefits of collecting suiseki is time spent enjoying the outdoors and a fascinating stone that reminds you of the good time you had finding it. Rivera says "the true spirit of suiseki is a shared experience," and for many,the search is as pleasurable as finding that one perfect stone.

Suiseki are never machine cleaned or polished; collectors spend many relaxing hours lovingly hand-rubbing their tiny landscapes. Other than perhaps grinding off the bottoms so that they may be displayed, suiseki are not altered in any way by humans.

Rivera writes that "a suiseki may be viewed quite simply--as a pretty stone with a nice shape--or it may be viewed at various levels of complexity that embrace art, philosophy, or mineralogy or that serve as a metaphor for the connections between one's private world and the universe." He says that the various levels at which one can enjoy and appreciate suiseki make them not only art, but also enable collectors to "achieve personal satisfaction and peace."

He has filled his book with tips on where to search, what to look for, and how to clean and display suiseki. Rivera provides general and introductory material for new collectors, and detailed references for the more experienced. He includes drawings and photographs, including 32 full-color plates with detailed captions. The appendices include a glossary, bibliography, and lists of where to obtain more information, such as maps and collectors clubs.

In his forward to Rivera's book, Arishige Matsuura, Chairperson of the Japan Suiseki Association, writes "all that is required to enter the world of suiseki is to find something intriguing about the stone." Rivera opens the doors to that enchanting world with his comprehensive, but easy-to-understand book.