A broad, shallow introduction to what a 'green man' is and how he appears in different cultures and different times. Not bad for a 1-hour read. Decent writing, but, with a sentence like "For the first time men had climbed higher than ever before", one wonders about the editor. Some good photos, though heavy on Europe and short on examples from Asia, though discussed in the text. Sort of a tiny coffee-table book, bought as much for the green man plaque included as for the book.

One plus - a list of good places for green man sitings, sorted by continent and country.

Os. ( )

This is a wonderful little gift set that contains a sculpted plaque of the Green Man and a colorful and detailed hard cover book about the Green Man in history, legend, myth and in modern times. The artistry used in creating the plaque is excellent and the deep dark green face of this god of the Green World is happily wild and makes a wonderful addition to a home where Nature is respected and loved.
The book, though small, contains an abundance of information and photographs and images from art of the Green Man in his various guises. John Matthews, one of the leading authorities on the subject of the Green Man treats us to a good sampling of the attributes of this Spirit of Nature as he describes his influence in the art and spirituality of several cultures from around the world. He traces the Green Man from his early roots among ancient agrarian peoples to his fame as a decorative device upon countless cathedrals and other buildings throughout the world. The book also tells of the resurgance of The Green Man's popularity in modern times and his role in the protection of the threatened green world. There is a lovely "walking meditation" included in the book and many suggestions on how to incorporate the Green Man into your own spiritual life. In the back of the book is a list of locations throughout the world where the Green Man can be spotted.
My favorite part of the book is the lovely selection of photographs of the various interpretations of the Green Man. This is a perfect gift set for anyone interested in the Green Man or in Ecology. Gardeners will love it. People embarking on new beginnings will be blessed by it. Old friends of the Green Man will welcome it and people who are meeting him for the first time will be treated to a wonderful introduction. ( )