Cherry Blossoms: Sakura Collections from the Library of Congress

Love it. Simply beautiful! This is a treasure of a book filled with gorgeous prints and photographs displaying the history, meaning, and culture of the cherry blossoms. It literally takes the reader on a virtual walk through time with a pair of highly knowledgeable guides (Mari and Katherine) telling an interesting, detail-filled narrative about how the sakura is honored in Japan, how it came to flourish in D.C. and the deep symbolism it carries with it. In many ways, the book itself is as much a messenger of peace and goodwill as the flower it spotlights. Am very honored to find my grandfather, Hirosi Saito, pictured at the start and quoted at the end of this book. Thanks to Cherry Blossoms, I have enjoyed this sakura season with an enriched and heightened sense of appreciation and will revisit it again and again!