Tiny little ET fungus below, bugs with guns of pure asprin above, trees that control them, and cucumbers waged in war against their neighbors. Bodanis takes us into the level of the garden where things are always happening. Laying down in the grass to enjoy a summer's day? You can find out what comes exploring, and how they know how to get back home.

I have read this book several times. I found it on my father-in-law's bookshelf before he was my FIL and very much enjoyed it. When they gave me a bookstore gift card for my birthday I tried to buy a copy--only to find it was out of print! I recently found a copy and couldn't resist picking it up and reading it again. I discovered when I went to shelf it I already had one from somewhere. Oh well! I'm glad I picked up the most recent copy if only because then I re-read it.

The book has photographs scattered through, many of them I believe with an electron microscope. This was a nice pairing with the Microscopic Aliens I read a couple months ago. His discussion of what humans do to try to help plants, and why they should pay more attention to labels talking about which fertilizer and plant spacing, was fascinating. He is a pleasant writer; it is just nice to curl up with the book and read.

Excellent.

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