Bohemian Manifesto: A Field Guide to Living on the Edge

Entertaining, to say the least! This book begs the question, "What kind of bohemian are you?". Very detailed and quite flush with artistic and cultural references, this book is fun and informative, and yet somehow still takes itself quite seriously. I thought the "Bohemian Case Studies" were a bit much, however, and really not as interesting as I'm sure the author thought they were. A good read, all things considered, but there is no need to bother with the last sixty pages.

Few books manage to be both magical and humourous, but this is one of the few. Having been on my bookshelves for a few years now, the Bohemian Manifesto is one of those books that I cannot help but return to again and again. Laren Stover observes the bohemian landscape with an artist's eye, generally skipping over the less salubrious aspects of the bohemian lifestyle, and creating an intriguing and enchanting picture of a life of artistic and creative freedom, but the book only benefits from this treatment.

Stover's book is not, however, a lifestyle manual or self-help guide. Instead, it is an almost hypnotically beautifully written homage to the bohemian, both past and present. That is not to say that the reader, bohemian or not, show more cannot pick up a lot from the book; as well as providing a history of bohemian developement through the centuries, Stover also provides 'suggested reading' lists that introduced some new authors to me, along with alternative brands of household products that I had not heard of, but am keen to explore.

What truly elevates this book from the norm, however, is the impecable production. A work of art in every sense, the book is gold underneath the beatiful dust-jacket, as well as being filled with the most exquisite watercolours. Truly an object of beauty. show less

Laren Stover is often a dazzling writer. At the outset she tells us she is a bohemian, but this doesn't deter her from seeing the humor in bohemians and their sometimes wildly unsuccessful experiments in living. In the end though, the allure of the bohemian world and its alternative perspective is opened for readers, possibly to sample themselves. The illustrations also enrich the book. She captures the aesthetic aspects of bohemianism well.

This is a sort of how-to book for Bohemians or wannabees of all walks of life. Laren Stover divides Bohemians into categories, such as gypsies, dandies, beats, etc. and describes the common characteristics and lifestyles of each. Quite tongue in cheek, and fun to read. There's even a quiz to determine which kind of Bohemian you might be.

My husband gave me this book as a gift while we were dating, possibly helped his mom on a gift-giving occasion by picking it out. I loved it. It was informative, funny, and so very true.