In michael pollans the botany of desire, we get four stories. The seeds of this book were first planted in my gardenwhile i. Michael pollan s 2001 nonfiction book, the botany of desire. The botany of desire received the borders original voices award for the best nonfiction work of 2001, and was recognized as a best book of the year by the american booksellers association and.
Michael pollans 2001 nonfiction book, the botany of desire. The bee collects nectar and pollen to make honey and, in the process, spreads the flowers genes far and wide. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human. In the botany of desire, michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and. Pollan is also the author of a place of my own 1997.
Pbs premiered a twohour special documentary based on the botany of desire in fall 2009. A plantseye view of the world new edition by pollan, michael isbn. 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 four plants he chose for discussion are the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of cooked and the omnivores dilemma, one of the most trusted food experts in america in 1637, one dutchman paid as much for a single tulip bulb as the going price of a town house in amsterdam. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. He masterfully links four fundamental human desiressweetness, beauty, intoxication, and controlwith the plants that satisfy them. 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.
The only complaint i have about the botany of desire is that the title is misleading. Well, michael pollan, and the name of the book is the botany of desire. Jun 04, 2018 michael pollan has long been concerned with the moral dilemmas of everyday life. Well, johnny appleseed, in a way, hes kind of a pagan patron saint of the book. The botany of desire by michael pollan minutes read.
In the botany of desire, michael pollan demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. The botany of desire pdf summary michael pollan 12min blog. Michael pollan is an author who teaches journalism at the uc berkeley. Michael pollan is the author, most recently, of cooked. I didnt even know when i started this that he was a real historical figure, by john chapman. 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 four plants he chose.
In 1985 henry hobhouse published an important and original piece of historical writing called seeds of change. A longtime contributor to the new york times magazine, he also teaches writing at harvard and the university of california, berkeley. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of cooked and the omnivores dilemma, one of. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of how to change your mind, cooked and. The text, usually categorized as a nature and gardening book, presents the argument that four plants have shaped human evolution at least to the same extent that humans have shaped those plants evolution. Okay, okay, books by michael pollan are clearly a fad right now, but i have. He is the son of author and financial consultant stephen pollan and columnist corky pollan.
A plantseye view of the world is a 2001 nonfiction book by journalist michael pollan. The botany of desire by michael pollan 1462 words 6 pages. Caffeine has been a boon for civilization, michael pollan. Michael pollan laughs and says, yes, hes on drugs while conducting this interview. A plantseye view of the world ebook written by michael pollan. The apple malus domestica if you happened to find yourself on the banks of the ohio river on a particular afternoon in the spring of 1806somewhere just to the north of wheeling, west virginia, sayyou would probably have noticed a strange makeshift craft drifting lazily down the river. In the botany of desire, michael pollan argues that the answer lies at the heart of the intimately reciprocal relationship between people and plants. A natural history of four meals, was named one of the ten best books of 2006 by the new york times and the washington post. The botany of desire by michael pollan, 9780747563006, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook.
Each, by offering some quality that we humans find valuable, has managed to propagate itself throughout the world. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of how to change your mind, cooked and the. Pollan presents case studies that mirror four types. 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. In it, author michael pollan explores human impulse and its. In telling the stories of four familiar species that are deeply woven into the fabric of our lives, pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to. 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. No, they domesticated us as much as we domesticated them. The main characters of this non fiction, science story are. Oct 28, 2009 directed by michael schwarz, edward gray. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on. Pollan is also professor of journalism at the uc berkeley graduate school of journalism.
The botany of desire pdf summary whenever we think of ourselves as humans, we think of ourselves as subjects or the ones that can influence everything. May 31, 2002 the botany of desire by michael pollan 306pp, bloomsbury. Botany of desire, the by michael pollan, 9780375760396, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In the botany of desire, pollan explores the concept of coevolution. The first edition of the novel was published in 2001, and was written by michael pollan. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the botany of desire. The botany of desire, his third and possibly greatest book, put him back in the garden, though in a more.
This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the botany of desire by michael pollan. In the botany of desire, michael pollan argues that the answer lies at the heart. He writes about how humans have affected the evolution of plants and in turn plants have affected our evolution as well. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of cooked and the omnivores dilemma, one of the most trusted food.
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. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of 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. Michael pollan is the author of the botany of desire, in defense of food. Chan arts lecturer and professor of practice of nonfiction at harvard university.
I had it sit in my library of blinks for a while, thinking it had something to do with how plants influence sex, for example explaining aphrodisiacs. Michael pollan writes about the places where nature and culture intersect. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling author of cooked and the omnivores dilemma, one of the most trusted food experts in america in 1637, one dutchman paid as much for a single tulip bulb as the going price of a town house in. Michael pollan books list of books by author michael pollan. He masterfully links four fundamental human desires, sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control, with the plants that satisfy them. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A plantseye view of the world paperback may 28, 2002. Michael pollan drops acid and comes back from his trip. An interesting book about the symbiosis between all living organism and how charles darwins evolutionary theory of natural selection is happening. Oct 25, 2011 michael pollan presented his lecture as the 20022003 avenali chair in the humanities at the townsend center for the humanities, uc berkeley. Michael pollan is a professor of journalism at the university of california at berkeley, a contributing writer for the new york times, and a bestselling author of witty, offbeat nonfiction that examines various aspects of the agricultural industry, the food chain, and mans place in the natural world. Michael pollan presented his lecture as the 20022003 avenali chair in the humanities at the townsend center for the humanities, uc berkeley. 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. He is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed the omnivores dilemma as well.
The botany of desire brings michael pollan s bestselling book to pbs, showing how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history. The botany of desire 2001 explores the complex and fascinating relationship between humans and plants. Pollan was born to a jewish family on long island, new york. Apr 09, 2018 michael pollan is an author who teaches journalism at the uc berkeley. A plantseye view of the world kindle edition by pollan, michael. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 297 pages and is available in paperback format. In 1985 henry hobhouse published an important and original piece of. Michael pollan audio books, best sellers, author bio. Michael pollans the botany of desire tells the story of four familiar plantsthe apple, the tulip, the marijuana plant, and the potatoand the human desires that link their destinies to our. The botany of desire by michael pollan 306pp, bloomsbury. 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 yearningsand. In this book, well see how plants manipulate humans by taking advantage of our four basic desires for sweetness, beauty, intoxication and control, and how, in turn, we help plants reproduce and even grow stronger. The botany of desire, by michael pollan essay 946 words. Michael pollan is the author of seven previous books, including cooked, food rules, in defense of food, the omnivores dilemma and the botany of desire, all of which were new york times bestsellers. Pollan a place of my own, 1997 uses four plant species to support his thesis. In telling the stories of four familiar species that are deeply woven into the fabric of our lives, pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankinds most basic yearnings. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the botany of desire. Michael pollan has long been concerned with the moral dilemmas of everyday life. In 1985 henry hobhouse published an important and original piece of historical writing.
800 154 1557 1085 695 339 447 1190 729 1659 1383 677 132 1257 1552 1624 177 86 302 972 778 978 1369 680 981 1292 524 1208