- ISBN13: 9780802140111
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
In his articles and in best-selling books such as The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan has established himself as one of our most important and beloved writers on modern man’s place in the natural world. A new literary classic, Second Nature has become a manifesto not just for gardeners but for environmentalists everywhere. Chosen by the American Horticultural Society as one of the seventy-five greatest books ever written about gardening, Second Nature captures the … More >>
Even though the garden philosophy gets a little tiresome, the other 90% of the book is educational and extremely interesting.
Rating: 4 / 5
That’s not entirely fair, but…this is a book of essays, not a natural history or gardening book. It is about Pollan’s perceptions of nature and landscape, through the gateway of his garden. He does only enough research to flesh out his musings with historical fact and literary reference – and he is very selective. He leans heavily on Thoreau, and neglects wider scholarship. His essays bog down in pedantic and turgid language (he abuses at least one 5-syllable word per essay). The writing is much like Bill Bryson’s, about whom, I’m also kinda lukewarm. I didn’t love it, although there are good bits – the story of his first rose plantings was interesting, and inspired me to drop a few snobby old roses in the sod.
Rating: 3 / 5
This book verbalized the fascination with gardening as a form of human interaction with (and manipulation of) nature. Interesting ideas and entertaining stories!
Rating: 5 / 5
I found this book on the “giveaway” shelf of my apartment building and it turned out to be the best thing I’d read in about a year.
Rating: 5 / 5
One of my favorite all-time books. Excellent thinking, wise perspective, superb writing
Rating: 5 / 5