The Botany of Desire Young Readers Ed..., Michael Pollan
The Botany of Desire Young Readers Ed..., Michael Pollan
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The Botany of Desire Young Readers Edition
Our Surprising Relationship with Plants

Author: Michael Pollan

Narrator: Sean Patrick Hopkins

Unabridged: 5 hr 40 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/09/2023

Synopsis

By the bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, this is Michael Pollan's ingenious companion book about the surprising and close relationship between people and plants.

In this entertaining young readers edition of the environmental studies classic, Michael Pollan demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a reciprocal relationship. He links four fundamental human desires—sweetness, beauty, energy, and control—with the plants that satisfy them: the apple, the tulip, coffee, and the potato. In telling the stories of four familiar species, Pollan illustrates how the plants have evolved to satisfy humankind’s most basic yearnings. And just as we’ve benefited from these plants, we have also helped them to thrive.

The Botany of Desire is perfect for STEM-focused young readers who want to learn more about:
human history, biology, and environmentalismclimate change and its impact on our relationship with plantsgardening and the human-plant relationship

About The Author

For more than thirty years, Michael Pollan has been writing about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect. In addition to magazine and newspaper writing, including regular contributions to the New York Times Magazine, he is the author of nine books, seven of which have been New York Times bestsellers. He has received numerous awards, including two James Beard Awards, the John Burroughs Prize, the U.S. Humane Society’s Genesis Award, and the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace. In 2009 he was named one of the top 10 “New Thought Leaders” by Newsweek, and in 2010 he was chosen by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Michael Pollan grew up on Long Island, New York, was educated at Bennington College, Oxford University, and Columbia University, and teaches journalism and nonfiction writing at UC Berkeley and Harvard. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, the painter Judith Belzer.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Molly on February 13, 2025

I read the adult version years ago and loved it so it was a pleasure to read this with my teen. Thirteen is a perfect age to delve deeply into our place in the environment and how our choices impact the world. I love Michael pollan's voice and storytelling.......more

Goodreads review by Quade on July 11, 2023

Summary: In this book, Michael Pollan takes readers on a STEM journey, exploring the relationship between people and plants. For centuries, humans have cultivated plants for beauty and function. But are the plants active in that relationship, evolving and adapting to meet their goals to thrive and g......more

Goodreads review by Jason on March 01, 2025

Good book about the relationship of humans with the Apple, the Tulip, Coffee and Tea, and the Potato. This is the adult version : The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World.......more

Quotes

"Pollan’s friendly, conversational tone and first-person recollections bring levity and enthusiasm; his sharp wit and self-awareness give much-needed life to what would otherwise have been more esoteric and dryly scientific sections. Pollan’s passion for his subject is evident and infectious as he encourages readers to psychologically reconnect with nature . . . those who are drawn to it will find a wealth of information and food for thought. A fascinating and accessible adaptation for science-minded or history-obsessed youngsters." —Kirkus

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