I truly adored the premise of this remarkable book. It's an undeniable fact that humans have molded the natural world of flora to suit our own needs and desires. Coincidentally, I'm also delving into another book that explores the mutual benefits between plants and animals. However, this particular book specifically examines the perspective of flora in relation to humans and narrates the captivating story of how four plants - the apple, tulip, cannabis, and potato - have evolved in tandem with humans, shaping our needs and desires to align with theirs.

I initially took the most comprehensive notes at the beginning of the book, which is why the section on "apple"占据了 this评论的最大篇幅. But as I progressed, I grew tired and slacked off, resulting in shorter sections for the other three plants.

The chapter on APPLE (SWEETNESS) partially centers around Johnny Appleseed, the American legend who wandered through Ohio, scattering apple seeds and numerous weeds. While I wasn't overly invested in Johnny himself, the historical aspects of his story were incredibly fascinating and eventually drew me in. I discovered that he was likely welcomed by the American frontierspeople because apples were commonly made into CIDER, which was typically alcoholic. The slogan "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" was fabricated by the apple industry during PROHIBITION. People used to consume their apples in liquid form. So, when individuals in the 1800s composed odes to apples, it was a bit tongue-in-cheek as their contemporaries would have understood that the author was actually praising hard cider. It's similar to how, today, if I were to say that grapes are a social fruit, you would immediately understand that I'm referring to wine. Johnny was essentially an American Dionysus.

Fruits have always been naturally associated with desire. The Garden of Eden didn't feature a Forbidden Vegetable. It's intriguing to observe how the concept of sweetness has evolved among humans over time. Different cultures have distinct preferences for saltiness, umami, sourness, bitterness, etc., but everyone has a penchant for sweet things, which makes sense given our bodies' need for fructose/glucose. Additionally, before the advent of sugar (produced in the Caribbean through slave labor), "sweet" was more closely associated with "noble" rather than the superficial cutesiness it represents today.

Before the arrival of sugar (honey bees weren't in North America until the 1600s), fruits were virtually the only source from which humans could taste literal sweetness. Therefore, fruiting plants evolved to take advantage of us mobile beings since we can disperse their seeds. Often, seeds possess traits that render them inedible (e.g., traces of cyanide in apple seeds), and fruits are initially sour, hard, and unappetizing, only ripening once their seeds are ready to be scattered. Plants are truly remarkable at solving complex problems.

Another interesting fact I learned is that all apple trees grown from individual seeds produce completely unique apples, each tree yielding a distinct variety. Every single Red Delicious apple stems from one original apple tree from which branches have been taken, grafted, and then grafted again and again. It's astonishing how humans have been able to manipulate the development of nature. In a sense, the Red Delicious has domesticated humans and ensured the future of its own progeny.

However, the downside of the apple's dependence on humans is the loss of biodiversity. In their orchards, due to our grafting practices, apples no longer reproduce sexually on their own. Without sexual reproduction, there is no creation of new genes. Plants and their pests (insects or viruses) have been engaged in an eternal evolutionary race (or dance), where the plant develops a deterrent, and then the pest evolves a way to overcome that deterrent and continue preying on the plant. Thus, humans have been restricting the apple gene pool and reducing their chances of survival, even as we strive to increase our apple production. To state the obvious: to preserve nature, we must safeguard THE WILD!! (Think of the Irish potato famine/blight. Potatoes that were resistant to the deadly HERB-1 were cultivated using genetic strains from their wildtato cousin from the Andes).

The section on TULIP (BEAUTY) taught me that TULIPOMANIA was a real phenomenon during the Dutch Golden Age. It offered interesting insights into beauty, some evolutionary history of flowers and pollinators, and an intriguing triangle involving "broken tulips" (rare tulips with beautiful patterns - color breaking - on their otherwise monochrome petals), humans who were狂热 for these broken tulips, and the initially unknown cause of what makes these unique tulip bulbs break (it turns out to be a VIRUS! This complicates our understanding of nature exploiting human desire for genetic reproduction, as it's unclear whether it's the flower or the virus using us). The King of broken tulips was the Semper Augustus, which was valued at 10,000 guilders in the mid-1600s (equivalent to 600k USD today). I find it ironic, a bit sad, yet also very fitting that the virus that causes the break also weakens the bulb (which is why broken tulips are rare), and thus also weakens any offshoots. With each passing generation, this uniquely broken tulip grows weaker and weaker until it can no longer flower and the line dies out. The preciousness of a flower truly lies in its transience.

The chapter on CANNABIS (INTOXICATION) contains several interesting elements. Polland shares a humorous anecdote about his own cannabis plant and why he ceased growing it: he almost got caught (and it was highly illegal). He had initially grown it out of curiosity as a gardener. There's also a super interesting history of how the sativa x indica hybrid, which is most commonly planted today, began to thrive indoors (when growers were forced to go underground). The entire process has now become highly artificial to maximize growers' output, yet the plants flourish in these artificial settings and produce more THC than they ever did naturally in the wild. By compelling growers to cultivate indoors, prohibition actually sparked a cannabis revolution made possible by the Sea of Green method. Additionally, there's discussion about THC in our brains, Polland's visit to the Netherlands, and some interesting poetic and cultural aspects related to consciousness, memory, wonder, spirituality, a touch of Aldous Huxley, highs, and quite a bit of neuroscience and the physical world of plants... MMM, I absolutely love this understated philosophy of mind content.

The section on POTATO wasn't as exciting as I had anticipated. The potato famine is indeed a tragic event. Genetically engineered potatoes (such as the "NewLeaf" by Monsanto corp. that produces its own insecticide that disrupts the digestive tract of the Colorado potato beetle) might be a better alternative to the current practice of using chemicals in the soil and pesticides. Polland visited some large potato farmers as well as an organic farmer. I truly admire the extensive research he put into this book! The golden russet, McDonalds, and the need to stop desiring standardization and control, as monoculture is harmful. It's interesting that the desire Polland associated with the potato was the human desire for CONTROL. Once again, there's a plea for biodiversity!

IN PARTING... I'm once again inspired to cultivate my own wild garden (is this perhaps an oxymoron?). This is a truly beautiful book that decenters the human experience. I wish more people would adopt this way of thinking.

This is one of those nonfiction books that presents an absolutely fascinating central premise. However, it bores you to death with its presentation.

Just like another book of this sort, Guns, Germs and Steel, I truly loved the ideas the author proposed. But I could hardly drag myself through the book's endless restating of the same ideas, over and over again. It's as if the reader were too dim to grasp them the first time around.

Pollan combines his thoughts about the interdependence of man and plants with long, dreadfully boring musings about what he was doing and thinking about as he researched the topics he discusses.

Yet, somehow you find yourself glad you read the book because of the valuable points he brings up. Once you've finished reading it, you might wish you had simply heard about it on NPR or read a well-written review of the book instead of reading it yourself.

The book has its pros and cons, and while the ideas are interesting, the way they are presented can be a bit of a slog.

Traukiu į svarbiausių gyvenime perskaitytų knygų sąrašą. This is the second book by M. Pollan that I have conquered, and surely not the last. How interestingly he writes! This time - about plants and how it's not us who choose what to grow, but evolutionarily plants manipulate our minds and needs so that one culture reaps and enjoys, while others cover the largest areas of land. Those smart plants

In 8th grade English class, my classmates and I were mandated to read The Omnivore's Dilemma. At the tender age of 13, this curriculum selection seemed both pointless and dull to me, leading to a mental vendetta I held against Michael Pollan ever since. However, this week, I embarked on a journey to heal our relationship. And what a success it was! I absolutely LOVED THIS BOOK! The copy I read was borrowed from the library, but I filled it with countless sticky notes. I have no idea when I'll remove them and return it.

This book is a comprehensive exploration of our connection to plants. It reveals how we exist in a false perception of control over plants and the wilderness in general. The pendulum of nature always swings back.

"Perhaps more than most, the farmer or the gardener understands that their control is always something of fiction, depending as it does on luck and weather and much else that is beyond his control. It is only the suspension of disbelief that allows him to plant again every spring, to wade out in the season's uncertainties. Before long, the pests will come, the storms and droughts and blights, as if to remind him just how imperfect the human power implied by those pristine rows really is."

Throughout this text, there are numerous small concepts that each deserve their own standalone book. I almost deducted a half star from my rating because the concepts seem to roam freely. You feel like a goat grazing in a field, sampling a little bit of every weed. But some of those weeds were truly delicious, and I craved more.

One of the most prominent thematic threads in the book is that plants are a reflection of us. When we visit the grocery store and peruse the produce, we are essentially looking into a mirror of our own values, culture, and choices, which have evolved over hundreds and hundreds of years of human history. Pollan did an outstanding job of selecting snippets of food history to illustrate this idea. Naturally, the potato famine made the cut.

I particularly adored the section on sweetness (apples) and the section on control (potatoes). Pollan is an incredibly talented writer. He effortlessly combines scientific and agricultural language with poetic and profound expressions. Here's a random sentence about bread that I bookmarked because I found it beautiful and charming:

"While the potato is simply thrown into a pot or fire, wheat must be harvested, threshed, milled, mixed, kneaded, shaped, baked, and then, in a final miracle of transubstantiation, the doughy lump of formless matter rises to become bread."

This book is filled with such gems. Just little sentences that made me exclaim, "Wow, what a wonderful way to phrase that."

Regarding the apple section, much of it centered around Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman). Initially, I was extremely confused by this choice of focus, but I quickly became completely enthralled. The brief exploration of our American concept of sweetness and its connection to the apple was极其 satisfying for me. You know how in old letters and texts, the mention of sweetness felt so sacred? We don't have that anymore. But imagine being a child traveling westward in a wagon during Manifest Destiny and eating an apple. Sweetness used to be so precious.

"As for sweetness, the complicated metaphorical resonance of that word has by now been flattened out, mainly by the easy availability of cheap sugar. What had been a complex desire had become a mere craving - a sweet tooth."

Yesterday, I was at a market purchasing ingredients for a soup, and I actually took a moment to stand over these Fuji apples (the non-waxy kind) and inhale their aroma. These were not the apples of applejack that the pioneers would have eaten (due to our own history and choices, OMG WOW!), but the smell made me reflect on how monumental our everyday sweetnesses used to be.

I didn't say much about the section on marijuana, but it was fascinating. Extremely fascinating. It almost felt like a different book. What I took away the most from it was the concept of memory and wonder. Great stuff.

In that regard, this text serves as a tool to bring wonder (and hopefully conscious consumerism) back to the grocery store. And perhaps we'll all don burlap sacks like John Chapman and embrace our instinct for multiplicity over monoculture.

How can a book that has a chapter on cannabis be so insufferable?

It seems rather astonishing that a book with just one chapter dedicated to cannabis could evoke such a strong sense of annoyance. One might expect that a chapter on this particular topic could offer interesting insights, perhaps exploring its history, cultural significance, or potential uses. However, it appears that this particular book fails to deliver in any meaningful way.

Maybe the author's treatment of the subject is overly simplistic or one-sided, lacking the depth and objectivity that would make it engaging and informative. Or perhaps the writing style is so dry and乏味 that it makes the entire chapter a chore to read. Whatever the reason, it's clear that this book has missed the mark when it comes to its chapter on cannabis.

It's a shame, really, because there is so much potential for a book to offer a nuanced and thought-provoking look at this controversial and increasingly relevant topic. Instead, we are left with a chapter that is simply insufferable.

As a person who loves to give the credit to the books he has read, "Arzunun Botaniği" was a book that did not disappoint me in general.

It is a book that vividly describes the human-nature organism, looks at it from different perspectives, and most importantly, manages to draw attention to both the human and the nature side of the matter.

In addition to being a work that takes the topic from a very different place and drags it along, I would recommend that no one who is not interested in nature read it because it will be boring. I read it because I was curious and had a pleasant reading experience myself.

Wonderful, wonderful book, full of fantastic info and insights.

My main critique is Pollan's main conceit, and the language he uses to express it. He claims that plant species have domesticated humanity just as much as humanity has domesticated them. However, my issue lies in his constant insertion of agency into the process of evolution and his mixing of metaphors between individuals and species. Flowers, as individuals, are not clever, nor are species of flowers. They do not manipulate bees in the same way a botanist manipulates a flower species through artificial selection or genetic modification. Species lack agency, the will to act. Only individuals have that, and as far as we know, individual bees, potatoes, or water buffalo do not willfully offer themselves up as partners to humanity.

Pollan makes an interesting distinction between "wilderness" and "wildness" that I haven't come across in my amateur explorations. He defines "wilderness" in the sense of the Wilderness Act of 1964, as "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." "Wildness," on the other hand, refers to anything that humans cannot control. As Bill McKibben pointed out, our planet's atmosphere is no longer a wilderness, being tainted by the byproducts of our industry, but it is still profoundly wild, as every hurricane and tornado reminds us.

Pollan uses this distinction to emphasize that while all domestication destroys wilderness, it almost never abolishes wildness. The gardener uses his sense of order not to control his plants absolutely but to guide and shape their wildness in certain ways. He further suggests that genetic engineering may violate this pact, as attempting to guide evolution on such a basic level is a powerful new way to eliminate wildness from the equation. However, he also offers the counterpoint that current techniques for gene insertion are sometimes so scattershot that they yield results that are even less predictable than conventional breeding.

The topic of wilderness leads to another interesting point, which is that "memory is the enemy of wonder." He argues that cannabinoids like THC help us experience awe and wonder by causing constant short-term memory loss, and that meditation or physical exertion probably have the same effect, making the view from a mountain peak infinitely more profound after hiking to it instead of driving.

Another insight he has about marijuana is that drugs could be considered the mutagens of culture. If we assume a meme is like a gene and a culture is like a genome, memes are constantly recombining through thought and discourse. But truly new ideas are rare. Pollan suggests that drugs could be thought of as mutagens, radiation bombarding the genetic fundamentals of culture, producing mostly irrelevant or harmful nonsense, but occasionally creating viable gems. It's kind of a fun thought.

Michael Pollan's book is truly an engaging one.

It took root (pun intended) in Pollan's mind one day while he was laboring in his garden. He wondered what if humans were like bumblebees? This is an intriguing perspective on "coevolution", which posits that two entities can interact to further their own interests yet ultimately result in a mutually beneficial outcome.

What if plants could develop characteristics that would prompt other animals to assist them in achieving their reproductive goals? Since plants are stationary, they typically rely on wind and rain to disperse their pollen. However, with the evolution of angiosperms, plants with flowers and seeds, animals had a new incentive to consume those plants and, in the process, spread their seeds or pollen, as in the case of the bee.

He then contends that the four plants he examines have also evolved in a manner that appeals to humans and, by doing so, have been able to distribute their seeds worldwide. The four plants he explores are excellent illustrations of how they have managed to "entice" humans. Pollan also correlates each of these plants with a specific desire. They are as follows:

The apple, which capitalizes on the sense of sweetness.

The Tulip, which exploits the sense of beauty.

The potato, which takes advantage of the sense of control.

The marijuana plant, which utilizes the sense of intoxication.

Each of these plants has a detailed history. You will discover their origin, how they were modified, and how they entered the human realm. The stories are captivating, although I could have done without some of the personal musings. It is the history and the science behind these four plants that make this an interesting book to peruse.

It is not overly technical and is quite accessible to those with a limited scientific background. If you are seeking something more scientifically rigorous, I would recommend passing on this. This is a book that narrates the story of science through the lens of human desire. Pollan does a commendable job of explaining concepts like the Dionysian ideas and how they merged with how humans perceive intoxication and their views on marijuana.

An interesting book that will make you think, and while not science-intensive, it is a book that will appeal to both science and non-science enthusiasts alike. The interesting anecdotes and some cool history make this a rather unique book.

A truly fascinating concept indeed - the idea that plants have domesticated us in much the same way as we have domesticated them. This thought-provoking perspective offers a unique lens through which to view our relationship with the natural world.

The chapters dedicated to the apple and the potato were particularly captivating. The story of the apple's evolution and its spread across the globe, intertwined with human history, is a remarkable one. From its wild ancestors to the wide variety of cultivated apples we enjoy today, the apple has had a profound impact on our diet, culture, and economy.

Similarly, the potato's journey from the Andes Mountains to becoming a staple food in many parts of the world is equally compelling. Its ability to thrive in different climates and soil conditions, and its high nutritional value, have made it an essential part of our agricultural and culinary heritage.

Overall, this book offers a fresh and engaging look at the complex and often overlooked relationship between plants and humans. It challenges us to think about the ways in which we have influenced and been influenced by the natural world around us.

This is an extremely enjoyable book that artfully meanders through the diverse subjects of botany, history, and literary philosophy.

An illustration of the latter is quoted as follows:

\\"For look into a flower, and what do you see? Into the very heart of nature's double nature--that is, the contending energies of creation and dissolution, the spring toward complex form and the tidal pull away from it. Apollo and Dionysus were names the Greeks gave to these two faces of nature, and nowhere in nature is their contest as plain or as poignant as it is in the beauty of a flower and its rapid passing. There, the achievement of order against all odds and its blithe abandonment. There, the perfection of art and the blind flux of nature. There, somehow, both transcendence and necessity. Could that be it--right there, in a flower--the meaning of life?\\"

By the time a reader reaches the end of this book, they will possess a wealth of knowledge about apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes, far more than ever before.

And along the journey, perhaps the reader will have gained a slightly enhanced understanding of the intricate interaction between humans and plant life.

As indicated in the quote above, they will also be introduced to the author's possible insights into the meaning of life. Every topic within this book has been subjected to the Apollo vs. Dionysus analysis at some point.

In the section on marijuana, the author offers a detailed description of what it means in terms of neurochemistry to be under the influence of marijuana. This information was novel to me.

I had the impression that this subject has not been fully explored and there is still some speculation in the descriptions. However, he did make the definitive statement that nobody has ever died from an overdose of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana).

Certainly, this cannot be said for alcohol. So why is alcohol legal while marijuana is outlawed? They both can pose a threat to society if misused, yet one is publicly advertised with the caveat, \\"Please drink responsibly.\\" The other is a crime to possess or use. Surely, there is no rational basis for this disparity.

The final section on the potato takes a rather firm stance against genetically engineered plants. I am not as emotionally opposed to this science as some seem to be.

I am in favor of asking questions and seeking out potential problems that may arise. But I am also willing to consume genetically engineered food in the meantime. I reason that if we wait until we are absolutely certain of no adverse consequences before utilizing scientific advancements, all scientific and technological progress will come to a halt.

My hat goes off to Michael Pollan for his ability to craft an interesting narrative around rather ordinary topics. He has the skills of a talented storyteller, seamlessly combining historical and scientific facts with accounts of his own personal adventures and interviews with others.

I had to award the book five stars because, quite frankly, I found it to be an enjoyable and captivating read.

Here is a brief review of this book from my PageADay Book Lover's Calendar:
THE APPLE TREE’S DILEMMA
“Without flowers, the reptiles, which had gotten along fine in a leafy, fruitless world, would probably still rule. Without flowers, we would not be,” writes Michael Pollan in his absolutely engaging book on the way plants and humans have lived and evolved together. His method is similar to that in The Omnivore’s Dilemma, in that he takes four plants—apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes—and gives us their perspective on the complex relationship between plants and humans. Delicious and nutritious reading.
THE BOTANY OF DESIRE: A PLANT’S-EYE VIEW OF THE WORLD, by Michael Pollan (Random House, 2002)

The following is a discussion of problems related to obtaining adequate nutrition on a vegan diet:
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/1...

Subtitle: A Plant's-Eye View of the World

Michael Pollan, renowned for his later work "The Omnivore's Dilemma", penned this book in 2001, divided into four parts聚焦于 apples, tulips, marijuana, and potatoes. His central thesis is that while we believe we have shaped and controlled these plants through breeding and selection, we are only partially correct. Due to strong evolutionary pressures, these plants have become experts at appealing to our desires, essentially manipulating us as much as we manipulate them.

The section on apples features the historical figure of John Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed. Chapman was more than the sugary character of later tales; he was a real estate speculator and provider of homebrewing raw materials. He played a crucial role in adapting apple tree varieties from Eurasia to the diverse climates and soils of North America. Pollan reveals that the sweetening of apple varieties over the past two hundred years has been more extreme than previously known. Chapman mainly planted "spitters", apples suitable for making hard cider but not for eating. Pollan visits a place that is like a Noah's Ark of apple varieties, amazed by the diversity. Over the last ten generations, we have pushed apples towards sweetness, or as Pollan suggests, the apple has moved in that direction to get us to do more work for it. However, this may have led to a certain sameness, similar to actresses on TV who all look alike after visiting the same plastic surgeon.

The section on tulips is dominated by The Great Tulip Bubble, perhaps the strangest financial bubble in history. While the apple appeals to our taste buds, the tulip appeals to our eyes. Pollan attempts to explain the Apollonian beauty of the tulip compared to the Dionysian appeal of a rose, though some may argue he pushes this point too far. Nevertheless, the story of how the brightly colored and physically large tulip appealed to our desire for more color is entertaining. It makes one wonder why The Great Tulip Bubble is not a common tale in children's books, as it could teach useful lessons.

The section on marijuana includes Pollan's entertaining account of growing a little bit himself and the sage advice that reading Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene" while stoned may not be wise. He surveys the history of humans using plant-derived substances to alter consciousness and provides an in-depth look at how the last couple of decades of the 20th century accelerated the march towards higher potency. He visits a grower near Amsterdam to see how far some varieties have come from their weedy origins. This foreshadows the final section on GMOs.

The last section on potatoes contains some history, including the Irish famine of the mid-19th century. Pollan obtains samples of GMO-optimized potatoes from Monsanto and plants them in his own garden. He tries to be even-handed in his treatment of the GMO issue, despite his instinctive aversion. In the end, the potatoes grow well, but he cannot bring himself to eat them or serve them to others. Pollan also shows some foresight in this section. Years before it happened, he mentions that the development of plants immune to Roundup could lead to wild plants developing more resistance to the herbicide. The book was published in 2001, and it wasn't until 2011 that the problem was first reported. If this has changed Monsanto's view on GMOs, Pollan doesn't mention it. However, the fact that he, a non-scientist, could see the risk while Monsanto was certain it wouldn't happen suggests that Pollan understands the basic principles of natural and artificial selection, and that Monsanto may have been wrong because they didn't want to believe it.

All in all, Pollan's book is both fun and thought-provoking, offering a unique perspective on the relationship between plants and humans.

It makes us question our assumptions about our control over the natural world and the role that plants play in shaping our lives.

Whether we are growing apples, admiring tulips, or dealing with the complex issue of GMOs, Pollan's book reminds us that there is always more to learn and consider.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in nature, science, or the history of our relationship with plants.

This was an extremely fascinating read.

It truly captured my attention from start to finish. I find myself constantly wishing that GR (Goodreads perhaps) had a more comprehensive and detailed rating scale.

If that were the case, this particular piece of writing would most definitely be a 4.5.

There is so much more that I would love to say about it.

However, as much as I enjoy reading, sleep is also a very good thing once in a while.

But there is no doubt about it, reading is even better when it's as excellent as this.

It makes me eager to explore more works of similar caliber and get lost in the wonderful world of literature.

I can't wait to see what other great reads are out there waiting for me.