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The Botany of Desire
A Plant's-eye View of the World
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Check link for latest rating. ( 59,965 ratings, 4,350 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for readers interested in science, nature, and the intricate connections between humans and the natural world, as well as those who appreciate well-crafted narrative non-fiction.
Pollan tells the story of four domesticated species - the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato, and describes how each has thrived by satisfying humankind's most basic desires.
Shortlisted for the Natural World Book Prize
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Description
A farmer cultivates genetically modified potatoes so that a customer at McDonald's half a world away can enjoy a long, golden french fry. A gardener plants tulip bulbs in the autumn and in the spring has a riotous patch of colour to admire. Two simple examples of how humans act on nature to get what we want. Or are they?
What if those potatoes and tulips have evolved to gratify certain human desires so that humans will help them multiply? What if, in other words, these plants are using us just as we use them?
In blending history, memoir and superb science writing, Michael Pollan tells the story of four domesticated species - the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato. All four plants are integral to our everyday lives and Pollan demonstrates how each has thrived by satisfying one of humankind's most basic desires.
Weaving anecdote and science, Pollan takes the reader on a journey through the landscape of botany and desire in The Botany of Desire.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Critics praise Pollan's work for its engaging storytelling and insightful observations. The Sunday Telegraph highlights its "curious facts and bold superstitions" and its challenge to rethink our role in nature. Penelope Hobhouse calls it "beautifully written, as compelling as a detective thriller," while The Independent deems it "immensely readable and thought-provoking."
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780747563006
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 03 March 2003
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Edition: New edition
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 530g
Pages: 320
About the Author
Michael Pollan is the author of two prize-winning books, SECOND NATURE and A PLACE OF MY OWN. A contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, Pollan was recently awarded the first Reuters-World Conservation Union Global Award for Excellence in Environmental Journalism. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and son.
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