The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
by Michael Pollan
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Book Summary Information
Author: Michael PollanEdition: Paperback
Published: 2002-05-28
ISBN: 0375760393
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Book Reviews of The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World
Book Review: Interesting enough, but don't expect any shattering insights
Summary: 3 Stars
This book presents an interesting conundrum, how can a book with a relatively weak central premise still be a good read. Pollan's thesis is that plants, by acting upon our desire, can ensure themselves immortality more certainly than they ever could through purely "natural" selection. Unfortunately his argument doesn't quite hold water as his narrative is littered with subspecies that disappear once man's fickle interest shifts elsewhere. However, even though the book's concept is flawed (or at least the argument used to forward the argument is flawed), the book is an interesting read. Pollan is quite entertaining as he meanders around the history of each of his examples (apple, potato, marijuana and tulip). Granted sometimes he wanders too far from his subjects, but there are plenty of little pearls that make the exercise worthwhile.
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