The Botany of Desire

by Michael Pollan

First published 1200

From the potato to pot, Michael Pollan reveals the surprising coevolution of plants and people. Blending history, science, and storytelling, he uncovers how our most fundamental yearnings—for sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—have been satisfied and molded by familiar flora. Pollan's captivating tales show how these plants have not just fed our needs, but actively shaped our desires in return. In the end, the question remains: who's really been domesticated here?

Genres: science, nature, environment, agriculture, non-fiction, biology, history-of-science, science-nature

Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking

Tropes: interdisciplinary, narrative-nonfiction

Setting: Mount Vernon, Ohio, Mansfield, Cincinnati, Geneva, New York, Amsterdam, Manhattan, Milford, Mexico, California

271 pages · Paperback · Random House Trade Paperbacks

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