Inverting the natural tendency to believe that people are somehow outside of nature, he asserts that plants manipulate our desires to help them survive and proliferate that we are, in essence, rendered human bumblebees. Apr 03, 2014 beware this talk will make you rethink your entire life and work life changer duration. Perhaps it is this invigoration of growth that compelled me to reread michael pollans book, the botany of desire. Pollans work has played a significant role in my personal perceptions of the connections between nature and culture. A plantseye view of the world, asks the reader to stop considering only the human point of view of nature and to take the perspective of the plants themselves. In the botany of desire, michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed reciprocal relationships similar to that of honeybees and flowers. The botany of desire brings michael pollans bestselling book to pbs, showing how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history. In it, author michael pollan explores human impulse and its connection to the life of plantsour desire for the apples sweetness, the tulips beauty, the intoxication of marijuana and our desire to control nature by producing the perfect genetically. The following is a transcript of a conversation between michael pollan, the author of the botany of desire, and michael schwarz, the producerdirector of the film. Michael pollan presented his lecture as the 2002 2003 avenali chair in the humanities at the townsend center for the humanities, uc berkeley.
Pollan returns home he plants some seeds from his trip to help make his garden a bit sweeter. In the botany of desire, pollan makes a persuasive case that the plants we. Michael pollan promises a plants perspective of the world in the botany of desire and delivers a book about human nature. In the botany of desire, pollan explores the concept of coevolution.
The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers genes far and wide. Each, by offering some quality that we humans find valuable, has managed to propagate itself throughout the world. Im interested not only in how the potato altered the course of. In the botany of desire bestseller, that was named a best book of the year by borders, amazon, and the american booksellers association, michael pollan. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. May 31, 2002 the botany of desire by michael pollan 306pp, bloomsbury. It might be romanticism or doubleentry bookkeeping, chaos theory or pokemon. The botany of desire by michael pollan 1462 words 6 pages. I m a writer allergyfree gardening, from ten speed press myself and a lifetime horticulturist and i guess they figured id appreciate this book.
In the botany of desire, michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates how. The botany of desire, by michael pollan essay 946 words. Focusing on the human relationship with plants, the author of second nature uses botany to explore four basic human desires, sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control, through portraits of four plants that embody them, the apple, tulip, marijuana, and potato. Oct 25, 2011 michael pollan presented his lecture as the 2002 2003 avenali chair in the humanities at the townsend center for the humanities, uc berkeley. The seeds of this book were first planted in my gardenwhile i was planting. In the botany of desire, michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. Weaving fascinating anecdote and accessible science, pollan takes the reader on an absorbing journey through the landscape of botany and desire. The new yorker we can give no higher praise to the work of this superb science writerreporter than to say that his new book is as exciting as any youll read.
He masterfully links four fundamental human desiressweetness, beauty, intoxication, and controlwith the. What michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates in the botany of desire is that people and. Pollan presents case studies that mirror four types of human desires that are reflected in the way that we selectively grow, breed, and genetically engineer our plants. In 1985 henry hobhouse published an important and original piece of historical writing called seeds of change. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of how to change your mind, cooked and the omnivores dilemma, one of the most trusted food experts in america every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of how to change your mind, cooked and the omnivores dilemma, one of the most trusted food experts in americaevery schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers. The botany of desire may 28, 2002 edition open library. Reflecting the theme of the title, there are four human desires that are associated with these plants. How could flowers, of all things, become such objects of desire that they can drive men to financial ruin. In the botany of desire, michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and. All four plants are integral to our everyday lives and pollan demonstrates how each has thrived by satisfying one of humankinds most basic desires. Pollan presents case studies that mirror four types. The botany of desire brings michael pollan s bestselling book to pbs, showing how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He is the son of author and financial consultant stephen pollan and columnist corky pollan. He masterfully links four fundamental human desiressweetness, beauty, intoxication, and controlwith the plants that satisfy them. Michael pollans 2001 nonfiction book, the botany of desire. In the botany of desire, michael pollan argues that the answer lies at the heart of the intimately reciprocal relationship between people and plants.
I call this book the botany of desirebecause it is as much about the human desires that connect us to these plants as it is about the. I m interested not only in how the potato altered the course of. Michael pollan writes about the places where nature and culture intersect. In telling the stories of four familiar plant species that are deeply woven into the fabric of our lives, pollan illustrates how they evolved to satisfy humankindss most basic yearnings and. Pollan was born to a jewish family on long island, new york.
My premise is that these human desires form a part of natural history in the same way the hummingbirds love of red does, or the ants taste for the aphids honeydew. The botany of desire is a book which presages two of pollans later books, the omnivores dilemma, and how to change your mind. He doesnt advocate strange food preferences or choices merely reports the science botany of desire read this. Every schoolchild learns about the mutually beneficial dance of honeybees and flowers. Oct 28, 2009 directed by michael schwarz, edward gray. A plantseye view of the world kindle edition by pollan, michael. In michael pollans the botany of desire, we get four stories. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times. A plantseye view of the world by michael pollan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The first edition of the novel was published in 2001, and was written by michael pollan. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of how to change your mind.
Two different people sent me copies last week of michael pollans book, the botany of desire. That said, there is much to learn in reading the botany of desire bod, hereinafter. Open books is a nonprofit social venture that provides literacy experiences for thousands of readers each year through inspiring programs and creative capitalization of books. A plantseye view of the world new edition by pollan, michael isbn. The botany of desire by michael pollan the guardian. I call this book the botany of desirebecause it is as much about the human desires that connect us to these plants as it is about the plants themselves. Pollan a place of my own, 1997 uses four plant species to support his thesis. In the novel, the botany of desire, michael pollan tells the intriguing story of how plants are domesticated from the perspective of the plant with regards to four specific plants. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 297 pages and is available in paperback format. Michael pollan, recently featured on netflix in the fourpart series cooked, is the author of seven previous books, including food rules, in defense of food, the omnivores dilemma, and the botany of desire, all new york times bestsellers.
But i then want to go a little bit deeper into what weve learned and what we re learning about cannabis and the cannabinoid network and memory since the book has come out. Im speaking of apples, tulips, cannabis, and potatoes, however. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world, seen from the plants point of. A plantseye view of the world is a 2001 nonfiction book by journalist michael pollan.
Pollan starts by telling the reader of his infatuation of the tulip then realizing vegetables and fruits were the things to. He writes about how humans have affected the evolution of plants and in turn plants have affected our evolution as well. The botany of desire book the seattle public library. Inverting the natural tendency to believe that people are somehow outside of nature, he asserts that plants manipulate our desires to help them survive and proliferate that we are, in essence. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the botany of desire. His book takes an imaginative leap into the plant world which fascinates, irritates and challenges in equal measure. The botany of desire by michael pollan, may 28, 2002, random house trade paperbacks edition, paperback in english.
The botany of desire a plantseye view of the world book. The botany of desire a plantseye view of the world. Beware this talk will make you rethink your entire life and work life changer duration. It is a stunning insight, and no one will come away from this book without having their ideas of nature stretched and challenged. The number four is also operative in the botany of desire, which was published in 2002. May 08, 2001 the botany of desire is a book which presages two of pollans later books, the omnivores dilemma, and how to change your mind. Pollan starts by telling the reader of his infatuation of the tulip then realizing vegetables and fruits were the things to grow, as he was a young boy. Botany desire by pollan abebooks shop for books, art. You might not think the story of a plant would be very compelling, but as our plaza branch baristas book club learned, pollan intrigues readers through careful management of historical facts, research, and personal anecdotes. The botany of desire by michael pollan 306pp, bloomsbury.
In 1985 henry hobhouse published an important and original piece of historical writing. In the botany of desire, pollan makes a persuasive case that the plants we might be tempted to see as having been most domesticated by humanity are in fact also those that have been most effective in domesticating us. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 297 pages and is. But i then want to go a little bit deeper into what weve learned and what we re learning about cannabis and the cannabinoid network and memory since the. The new york times pollan has a wideranging intellect, an eager grasp of evolutionary biology and a subversive streak that helps him to root out some wonderfully counterintuitive points. A plantseye view of the world by michael pollan 2002, paperback at the best online prices at. What michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates in the botany of desire is that people and domesticated plant species have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship, a relationship that is just as common and essential to the way nature works. Michael pollan, a professor of journalism and a student of food, presents the history of four plants, each of which found a way to make itself essential to humans, thus ensuring widespread propagation. Those who have the book, botany of desire, will recognize some.
1252 469 802 819 970 66 207 1339 297 370 1299 958 7 1452 388 323 1434 1264 1119 218 598 257 575 177 330 1424 1421 857 17 1461 513 1044 345