The Botany of Desire

The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael Pollan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book certainly makes me want to buy a big piece of property and grow my own food. I have always felt in collusion with nature when I'm in the garden, and this book accentuates that. In addition, after reading what major agribusinesses do to the genetic makeup of plants, I would like to preserve the natural world's method of genetic transformation, as much as I can, in my own little piece of heaven.

The book is surprising in many of its details, especially in its account of Johnny Appleseed, and it makes perfect sense. Every time I go into my garden now, I feel a sense of obligation to the natural world. I'll be buying more of my seeds now, instead of plants that are at the end of the agribusiness production belt, and those from organic sources. I'm going to begin experimenting with heirloom varieties as well.

I'm glad I read this book and I recommend it to everyone who needs to eat.