He also appeared in the pbs program based on the botany of desire. Subtitled a plants eye view of the world, the botany of desire is based on the bestselling michael pollan book of the same name. Oct 12, 2009 now comes the welcome news that pbs, some eight years after the botany of desire s publication, is turning it into a special narrated by frances mcdormand. In ordering the book through the book store i was informed of the pbs documentary. Chan arts lecturer and professor of the practice of nonfiction at harvard university. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the botany of desire. I had read the book, earlier, and decided to use it as supplemental reading for my university botany course that i teach. A natural history of four meals, which was named one of the 10 best books of 2006 by the new york times and the washington post. Now comes the welcome news that pbs, some eight years after the botany of desires publication, is turning it into a special narrated by frances mcdormand. In 1985 henry hobhouse published an important and original piece of historical writing called seeds of change. Michael pollan focus on flowers indiana public media. Inverting the natural tendency to believe that people are somehow outside of nature, he asserts that plants manipulate our desires to help them survive and proliferate that we are, in essence, rendered human bumblebees.
The first edition of the novel was published in 2001, and was written by michael pollan. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the botany of desire by michael pollan. He is the author of the bestselling and critically acclaimed the omnivores dilemma as well. In the botany of desire, pollan explores the concept of co. I have not used botany of desire so i cannot help in that regard. Botany of desire has anyone used this bookmovie in. An interesting book about the symbiosis between all living organism and how charles darwins evolutionary theory of natural selection is happening. In the botany of desire, michael pollan argues that the answer lies at the heart of the intimately reciprocal relationship between people and plants. The botany of desire brings michael pollans bestselling book to pbs, showing how human desires are an essential, intricate part of natural history. A plantseye view of the world ebook written by michael pollan.
I recently had the opportunity to watch the botany of desire, a twohour special that will premiere on pbs on october 28 at 8pm. A plantseye view of the world is a 2001 nonfiction book by journalist michael pollan. For the botany of desire pbs television documentary guide. A twohour pbs documentary based on the bestselling book by michael pollan, the botany of desire takes us on an eyeopening exploration of our relationship with the plant world seen from the plants point of view. Oct 25, 2009 the botany of desire, to be broadcast on wednesday on many public television stations, is based on michael pollans 2001 examination of plant history and evolutionary science. Oct 28, 2009 the botany of desire on pbs october 28, 2009. Inverting the natural tendency to believe that people are somehow outside of nature, he asserts that plants manipulate our desires to help them survive and proliferate that we are, in essence.
In the botany of desire, michael pollan ingeniously demonstrates how people and domesticated plants have formed a similarly reciprocal relationship. I had it sit in my library of blinks for a while, thinking it had something to do with how plants influence sex, for example explaining aphrodisiacs. Documentary on pollans the botany of desire sfgate. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant. The botany of desire pdf summary whenever we think of ourselves as humans, we think of ourselves as subjects or the ones that can influence everything.
The book was used as the basis for the botany of desire, a twohour program broadcast by pbs. In telling the stories of four familiar plant species that are deeply woven into the fabric of our lives, pollan illustrates how they evolved to satisfy humankindss most basic yearnings and. Recurring themes through the book are how plants benefit from encouraging human attention, and the dangers of monoculture, especially how modern man has taken the diversity. However, i see the comment string drifting toward the omnivores dilemma and thought i would contribute. Michael pollan biography childhood, life achievements. The botany of desire is a pbs documentary narrated by frances mcdormand, exploring the human relationship with the plant world, seen from the plants point of view. Programmet bygger pa boken med samma namn, skriven av michael pollan. Oct 28, 2009 directed by michael schwarz, edward gray.
Chan arts lecturer and professor of practice of nonfiction at harvard university. The botany of desire is an rewarding movie about how certain plants effect. The botany of desire dvd av item,featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world seen from the plants point of view. The botany of desire dvd,featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world seen. In telling the stories of four familiar plant species that are deeply woven into the fabric of our lives, pollan illustrates how they evolved to satisfy humankindss most basic yearnings and by. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world, seen from the plants point of.
The botany of desire michael pollan pbs 2009 domestication is a defining feature of recent human evolution. Michael pollan is a professor of journalism at the university of california at berkeley, a contributing writer for the new york times, and a bestselling author of witty, offbeat nonfiction that examines various aspects of the agricultural industry, the food chain, and mans place in the natural world. A plantseye view of the world by michael pollan and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. In animals first trait selected by humans was behavior. Michael pollan is an author who teaches journalism at the uc berkeley. He is the son of author and financial consultant stephen pollan and columnist corky pollan. Michael pollan is a professor of journalism at the university of california at berkeley, a contributing writer for the new york times, and a bestselling author of witty, offbeat nonfiction that examines various aspects of the agricultural industry, the. Michael pollans purpose in his 2001 book, the botany of desire, he says, is to inspire humans to realize they aremembers of a biotic community.
Pollan was born to a jewish family on long island, new york. This is an excellent documentary of michael pollans book by the same name. He masterfully links four fundamental human desiressweetness, beauty, intoxication, and controlwith the plants that satisfy them. Using this provocative question as a jumping off point, the botany of desire, a twohour pbs documentary based on the bestselling book by michael pollan. The botany of desire, by michael pollan essay 946 words. The only complaint i have about the botany of desire is that the title is misleading. Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world seen from the plants point of view. I didnt even know when i started this that he was a real historical figure, by john chapman. The botany of desire, to be broadcast on wednesday on many public television stations, is based on michael pollans 2001 examination of plant history and evolutionary science. In the novel, the botany of desire, michael pollan tells the intriguing story of how plants are domesticated from the perspective of the plant with regards to four specific plants the four plants he chose for discussion are the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. Sep 09, 2009 featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of. In it, author michael pollan explores human impulse and its connection to the life of plants our desire for the apples sweetness, the tulips beauty, the intoxication of marijuana and our desire to control nature by producing the perfect genetically modified potato.
Michael pollan is an american author, journalist, activist, and professor of journalism. Michael pollan promises a plants perspective of the world in the botany of desire and delivers a book about human nature. A plantseye view of the world, asks the reader to stop considering only the human point of view of nature and to take the perspective of the plants themselves. May 31, 2002 the botany of desire by michael pollan 306pp, bloomsbury. The botany of desire pdf summary michael pollan 12min blog.
Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human. The botany of desire by michael pollan teachers guide. Michael pollens book the botany of desire is now a documentary produced by pbs. The main characters of this non fiction, science story are. Michael pollan books list of books by author michael pollan. Pollans work has played a significant role in my personal perceptions of the connections between nature and culture. Books and films the botany of desire pbs documentary featuring. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 297 pages and is available in paperback format.
Results for botany of desire the botany of desire, kikims documentary based on michael pollans bestselling book, is the winner of the award of the minister of agriculture at the life sciences film festival in prague. The botany of desire by michael pollan 1462 words 6 pages. Pbs premiered a twohour special documentary based on the botany of desire in fall 2009. The following is a transcript of a conversation between michael pollan, the author of the botany of desire, and michael schwarz, the producerdirector of the film.
Books and films the botany of desire pbs documentary. Oct 28, 2009 an eyeopening exploration of the humanplant relationship with author michael pollan. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to finish once started. Perhaps it is this invigoration of growth that compelled me to reread michael pollans book, the botany of desire. He is a professor of journalism at uc berkeleys graduate school of journalism. The botany of desire received the borders original voices award for the best nonfiction work of 2001, and was recognized as a best book of the year by the american booksellers association and. It features michael pollan and is based on his book under the same name. He writes about how humans have affected the evolution of plants and in turn plants have affected our evolution as well. The book that helped make michael pollan, the new york times bestselling. Perspectives from the arts, humanities and sciences pbs. A plantseye view of the world by michael pollan introduces the possibility to the reader that plants are using insects, animals and humans to ensure their own survival. The text, usually categorized as a nature and gardening book, presents the argument that four plants have shaped human evolution at least to the same extent that humans have shaped those plants evolution. The botany of desire michael pollan pbs 2009 nature. Narrated by frances mcdormand, the program shows how four familiar species the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato evolved to satisfy our.
Featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening pbs documentary. Michael pollan was born on february 6, 1955 into a jewish family, and grew up in long island. Recurring themes through the book are how plants benefit from encouraging human attention, and the dangers of monoculture, especially how modern man has taken the diversity available in nature and severely limited. You should make a note of that date, because you wont want to miss this. The botany of desire dvd,featuring michael pollan and based on his bestselling book, this special takes viewers on an eyeopening exploration of the human relationship with the plant world seen from the plants point of view. A plantseye view of the world by michael pollan is our choice for discussion. Author pollan takes us on a journey through history, botany, and the human psyche through examination of four plants the apple, tulip, marijuana, and potato. Michael pollans 2001 nonfiction book, the botany of desire.
The botany of desire by michael schwarz michael schwarz. Michael pollan, a professor of journalism and a student of food, presents the history of four plants, each of which found a way to make itself essential to humans, thus ensuring widespread propagation. Pollan presents case studies that mirror four types of human desires that are reflected in the way that we selectively grow, breed, and genetically engineer our plants. Pollan is also the author of a place of my own 1997. Michael pollan wrote an intriguing book called the botany of desire. In it, author michael pollan explores human impulse and its connection to the. Michael pollan is the author of the botany of desire, in defense of food. An eyeopening exploration of the humanplant relationship with author michael pollan. This bestselling work explores the nature of domesticated plants from the dual perspective of. Pollan is also professor of journalism at the uc berkeley graduate school of journalism. Perspectives from the arts, humanities and sciences.
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