The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
 

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World

by Michael Pollan

Working in his garden one day, Michael Pollan hit pay dirt in the form of an idea: do plants, he wondered, use humans as much as we use them? While the question is not entirely original, the way Pollan examines this complex coevolution by looking at the natural world from the perspective of plants is unique. The result is a fascinating and engaging look at the true nature of domestication.
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Top tags: sciencebotanyfoodnaturenon-fiction (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

SYZ
  • Rated 5 stars

Clever writing that teaches new information about topics that we all think are familiar. You'll be surprised by how much you learn.

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Community:
  • Rated 4.162577 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4.4 stars
 

Newest Comments

  • Christina H

    christina h said:

    I found it EXTREMELY fascinating - as is true with much of Pollan's writing - that he writes from the view point of the plant. The idea that the plants have a motive to modify their taste, look, yield, and effects so that they become more desirable to humans is very intriguing. I think that it has the effect of both minimizing the idea that humans have a god-like effect on the planet and other species and it seems to give the feeling that plants develop Darwinian modifications so that they can be the ones that survive.

    I wonder if this way of looking at it reduces the idea of mutual development? His writing tends to give the plants "motivations" rather than engage the perspective of co-generation. How does anyone else feel?

    posted Wednesday, September 10 2008
  • Summersnow

    summersnow said:

    Unexpected surprise says it well. If you like a book with new ideas -- here's a good one!

    posted Monday, August 25 2008 ( | view 1 reply )
  • s5618jim

    s5618jim said:

    This was an unexpected surprise and a big hit with our bookclub.

    posted Monday, October 1 2007
  • deb_h20

    deb_h20 said:

    I keep running into this book in somewhat odd places and feel drawn to it. It's definitely stored in my mental want-to-read list...

    posted Wednesday, September 19 2007
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