During this new and so-far wonderful marking period, I plan on enjoying The Botany of Desire, a book examining the symbiotic relationship between humans and their domestic plants. Written by Michael Pollan, this book specifically focuses on how the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato respectively satisfy the human desires of sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control.
After noticing this Pollan book on Mr. Yost's 100 Great Nonfiction Books source, I decided to read it when it mentioned domestic plants evolving to satisfy human desires. I had always heard about animals evolving as they became domesticated – wolves teamed up with humans and eventually evolved into the modern dog – but never thought about plants becoming modified over time. So, intrigued about how dynamic plants really are, I picked up The Botany of Desire at my local B&N. I expect to learn all about how wild grasses 100,000 years ago became modern-day wheats, corns, and potatoes.
Should be an entertaining historical read!
No comments:
Post a Comment