Often beautiful, sometimes deadly, but constantly ingenious, plants are the sources of life and delight, myth and mayhem.
In his follow-up to the bestselling Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori takes another trip across the globe, bringing to life the science of plants by revealing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. From the seemingly familiar tomato and dandelion to the eerie mandrake and Spanish 'moss' of Louisiana, each of these stories is full of surprises. Some have a troubling past, while others have ignited human creativity or enabled whole civilizations to flourish. There are parasites and carnivores and even plants that destroy telephone wires.
Drori's curiosity about the plant world is infectious. He wears his scientific knowledge lightly and writes with passion and wry humour, whether about intoxicants such as absinthe, iboga and cannabis; flavourings like misunderstood vanilla and the legendary silphium of Roman cuisine; or the imaginative and unflagging search for aphrodisiacs.
With a colorful cast of characters all brought to life by illustrator Lucille Clerc, this is a botanical journey of beauty and brilliance.
