The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-eye View of the World by Michael Pollan (English

Description: The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan Pollan tells the story of four domesticated species - the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato, and describes how each has thrived by satisfying humankinds most basic desires. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description A farmer cultivates genetically modified potatoes so that a customer at Mc Donalds 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, 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 humankinds most basic desires. Weaving anecdote and science, Pollan takes the reader on a journey through the landscape of botany and desire. Notes A blend of history, memoir and science writing, this is the story of the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato. "An immensely readable and thought-provoking book" The Independent. Author Biography 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. Review "Pollans stories sparkle with curious facts and bold superstitions ... His aim is to encourage us to reconsider our place in the natural world" Sunday Telegraph "Beautifully written, as compelling as a detective thriller" Penelope Hobhouse An immensely readable and thought-provoking book The Independent Pollens stories sparkle with curious facts and bold superstitions ... His aim is to encourage us to reconsider our place in the natural world Anne Chisholm Sunday Telegraph Promotional Shortlisted for the Natural World Book Prize Kirkus UK Review Michael Pollans book is based on one very simple, elegant and initially unsettling idea: instead of thinking of human beings as subjects, who act on the natural world to make it respond to our wishes, we should think of the natural world as acting equally on us. In the same way that flowers and bees have a mutually advantageous arrangement, so do humans and the plants we cultivate: we may think that we have chosen to farm potatoes but they have also chosen us as a way of propagating themselves. It sounds fey, but its not - Pollan isnt talking about conscious intent but evolutionary strategies. He develops his argument through four examples: the apple, the tulip, the marijuana plant and the potato. The key to each is the desire human beings have for a particular quality - sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control. Pollan is never less than engrossing as he traces the history of our relationship with each species. All have been domesticated by humans, but all have also flourished as a result of our desire for them. Arguably, the book isnt really about botany at all - Pollans remit allows him to talk about biochemistry, genetic engineering, evolution, the nature of consciousness, our historical and legal attitudes towards drugs, and much else. The chapter on marijuana is particularly compelling. Pollan shows that the US clampdown on the drug in the 1980s and 1990s forced marijuana growers to cultivate the plant indoors, under artificial light, with the unexpected consequence that the marijuana grown under those conditions flowered earlier and with a vastly increased potency. His account of how the drug mimics the brains own chemicals that enable us to forget - and why forgetting is an important function of the brain - is startling. The chapter on the potato, unpromising as it sounds, contains probably one of the best accounts of genetic modification, its potential benefits and, more importantly, its potential hazards, that you will find. As with the rest of the book, Pollans explanation is beautifully clear and never less than engaging. Unusually for a science book, this is a rattling good read: well-informed, intelligent and original, without ever being dry or patronizing. Quite an achievement. (Kirkus UK) Prizes Short-listed for Natural World Book of the Year 2002 Long Description A farmer cultivates genetically modified potatoes so that a customer at McDonalds 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, 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 humankinds most basic desires. Review Quote Pollens stories sparkle with curious facts and bold superstitions ...; His aim is to encourage us to reconsider our place in the natural world Promotional "Headline" A fascinating journey into the art of botany that combines the narrative of The Tulip with the science writing of Genome . Details ISBN0747563004 Author Michael Pollan Pages 320 Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Year 2002 ISBN-10 0747563004 ISBN-13 9780747563006 Format Paperback Publication Date 2002-03-03 Imprint Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Subtitle A Plants-eye View of the World Place of Publication London Country of Publication United Kingdom DEWEY 306.45 Media Book Edition 1st Short Title The Botany of Desire Audience General/Trade Language English UK Release Date 2003-03-03 NZ Release Date 2003-03-03 AU Release Date 2003-05-31 Edition Description New edition We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:916477;

Price: 30.15 AUD

Location: Melbourne

End Time: 2024-11-02T02:33:56.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 AUD