The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
Description
In this groundbreaking exploration of human-plant relationships, Michael Pollan invites readers to see the world through the eyes of four plants—the apple, the tulip, the cannabis plant, and the potato—and discover how these species have shaped human civilization as much as we have shaped them. Rather than viewing plants as passive subjects of human cultivation, Pollan reveals how plants have actively leveraged human desires—for sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and sustenance—to ensure their own survival and proliferation across the globe. Through engaging narratives that blend botany, history, and cultural analysis, the author demonstrates that the relationship between humans and plants is far more complex and reciprocal than we typically assume. This elegant and thought-provoking work challenges readers to reconsider their place in nature and recognize the agency and intelligence embedded in the plant kingdom. Pollan's signature style makes sophisticated scientific and philosophical ideas accessible and utterly captivating.
Available Editions
paperback
Random House Trade Paperbacks
Published May 28, 2002
304 pages
ISBN: 9780375760396
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Details
First Published
2001
Language
eng
Content Warnings
No content warnings identified.