Sophia C. reviewed on 10/7/2011 + 289 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Plants as subjects, humans as bees: The Botany of Desire is an interesting, thought-provoking look at the relationship of humans and plants. Michael Pollan focuses on four plants (apple, tulip, cannabis, and potato) and how they relate to the human desires of sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control, respectively. The PBS documentary of the same name focused more on the scientific aspects, perhaps because those were more visually appealing and less controversial. In book form, Pollan proceeds in a more reflective mode, for example discussing the Apollonian and Dionysian duality throughout. His intelligence, grasp of evolutionary biology and its implications, and love of gardening shine through. The idea that plants and humans co-evolve—that we humans may have done the evolutionary bidding of plants— gives The Botany of Desire paradigm-shifting potential by inviting the reader re-evaluate the proper role of humans in the natural order.

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