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

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It's a hit!

Botany of Desire is a very interesting examination of the co-evolution of plants with humans. The author discusses four common plants (tulips, mari... (show more)

Botany of Desire is a very interesting examination of the co-evolution of plants with humans. The author discusses four common plants (tulips, marijuana, apple trees, and potatoes) and how their ability to adapt to nature as humankind alters it [nature]. As we benefit from plants, some species have benefited from us.

Pollan examines the dangers of monoculture both in a historic (Ireland, anyone?) and current view and the growth of agricultural corporations like Monsanto and its New Leaf potato. Government policy and Pollan's personal humorous experiences add degrees of astonishment and humor to the book.

The book is a combination of science, history, economics, and humor. I found it to be very enjoyable and informative. My belief of the evil of Monsanto is once again substantiated. Because of this book and a few others I've recently read, I'll be growing heirloom tomatoes, potatoes and flowers next year. I've been recommending this, and every book by Pollan, to anyone who is interested in either food production or history of nature or US agricultural policy. (show less)

 

 

by Jess O'Rourke

No, it's a flop!

This book represents the very worst of nonficiton; it claims to inform about a topic or perhaps make an argument, but instead it half Pollan's poin... (show more)

This book represents the very worst of nonficiton; it claims to inform about a topic or perhaps make an argument, but instead it half Pollan's pointless rumination, half his even more uninteresting memoir of visiting Amsterdam or organic farms or growing weed or genetically modified potatoes. Don't read this book, no matter how much you liked the Omnivore's Dilemma. (show less)

 

 

by Laura Tortorelli

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  Brilliant! Michael Pollan delves into the histories of four different plants, all representing human desires. Of sweetness, the apple; beauty, the tulip; intoxication, marijuana; and of stability, the potato. While the first three desires are more Dionysian and the last more Apollonian, Pollan agrees with the ancient Greeks that a blend of both will lead to perfection. After all, too much stimulation of the senses (Dionysus) can lead to madness, just as too much rigid ordering (Apollo) can le... (show more)

  Brilliant! Michael Pollan delves into the histories of four different plants, all representing human desires. Of sweetness, the apple; beauty, the tulip; intoxication, marijuana; and of stability, the potato. While the first three desires are more Dionysian and the last more Apollonian, Pollan agrees with the ancient Greeks that a blend of both will lead to perfection. After all, too much stimulation of the senses (Dionysus) can lead to madness, just as too much rigid ordering (Apollo) can lead to death of the spirit.

  Each chapter was brilliantly researched and eloquently written. The story of the apple's spread to America I found particularly fascinating, as Pollan attempts to pull John Chapman, a.k.a. Johnny Appleseed, out from the fogs of myth. The history of the tulip and it's heyday centuries ago in Holland contrasted well with the plant most associated with Holland today, marijuana. The potato chapter as well was very interesting as Pollan wrestles with the issue of which kind of potato is less dangerous to eat: those grown in large farms and are dosed heavily by a variety of chemicals, or a brand new form of potato called NewLeaf: a biologically altered potato patented by the Monsanto Company, that naturally repels and poisons pests on its own, making the use of chemicals irrelevant.

  Definitely a must read for plant enthusiasts and for those concerned with where agriculture is heading in America. (show less)

   

   

  by Josh Ladd on Jul 24, 2009 at 01:34AM

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  My reading club did this book and we had mixed reviews of it, although personally I would recommend The Botany of Desire to others. The genre is supposed to be "nature," but Pollan rambles in different directions, and the digressions are entertaining and make for interesting reading. Of the four sections of the book, we all agreed the tulip section was rather boring, and I would additionally say the book could have been cut down a bit as it could get repetitive... this is an enjoyab... (show more)

  My reading club did this book and we had mixed reviews of it, although personally I would recommend The Botany of Desire to others. The genre is supposed to be "nature," but Pollan rambles in different directions, and the digressions are entertaining and make for interesting reading. Of the four sections of the book, we all agreed the tulip section was rather boring, and I would additionally say the book could have been cut down a bit as it could get repetitive... this is an enjoyable book, but The Omnivore's Dilemma is still preferable to it. However, read the apple section and get the updated version of Johnny Appleseed - he was really an American patron saint of booze - and the marijuana section is also delightful fodder for discussion. Some enjoyed reading about the potato and ranked it in their top sections, and this final section is where the crux of the book lies, for me at least. In the difference between nature's evolution and the new biochemical engineering, furthering Pollan's ongoing focus on biodiversity. (show less)

   

   

  by Leah Freedman on Jul 20, 2009 at 04:48AM

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