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We animals account for a paltry 0.3% of the planet's biomass while plants add up to 85%. It is obvious that every story on this planet has a plant as its protagonist. Our world is a green world; Earth is the planet of plants. And when, with just a little training, we are able to look at the world without seeing it solely as humanity's playground, we cannot help but notice the ubiquity of plants. They are everywhere and their stories are inevitably wound up with ours. Not to see this plan, or even worse, to ignore its existence, is one of the most serious threats to the survival of our species.
Neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso is back with a book to tell us about the greenprint of our world. He does it through unforgettable stories starring plants; stories combining an inimitable narrative style and remarkable scientific rigor. From the story of the red spruce that gave Stradivarius the wood for his fourteen violins, to the Kauri tree stump, kept alive for decades by the interconnected root system of nearby trees. From the story of the slipperiness of the banana skin to the plant that solved the "crime of the century," the Lindbergh kidnapping, by way of wooden ladder rungs.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
April 18, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9798765096291
- File size: 160171 KB
- Duration: 05:33:41
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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February 6, 2023
“Believing that we humans have by now placed ourselves above nature is one of the gravest dangers to the survival of our species,” contends Mancuso (The Nation of Plants), a botanist at the University of Florence, in these insightful essays about the wondrous qualities of plants and humanity’s relationship with them. In “Planting Cities,” he explains that cities are hotter than rural areas because their dark surfaces absorb solar radiation, and suggests that “covering our cities with plants” could insulate them from the effects of global warming. Humans, Mancuso posits in “Planting the Underground,” would do well to imitate the “mutual aid” exemplified by certain trees’ natural root grafting abilities, in which a healthy tree’s roots can connect with the roots of a stump and provide the stump with the water it needs to survive. The author is at turns animated and contemplative, best illustrated in “Planting Knowledge” as he recounts his efforts to measure the slipperiness of a banana peel while meditating on how there will always be more to learn. The reflections are as entertaining as they are educational and showcase the overlooked complexity of plant life. Shot through with wisdom and joy, this will captivate readers. Illus. -
September 1, 2023
Mancuso (plant neurobiology, Univ. of Florence; The Nation of Plants), an Italian botanist and the author of several books on the concept of plant intelligence, fills this essay collection with thought-provoking stories about the ways plants communicate with each other and the world around them. These include the origins of forensic botany in the Lindbergh kidnapping, the potential environmental benefits of rewilding urban spaces, and the discovery of spontaneous root grafting that allows zombie tree stumps to survive for years. Narrator David Stifel's upbeat, gravelly tones conjure the image of a slightly nerdy professor delivering a classroom lecture on his favorite subjects. He smartly combines that impression with a more conversational emphasis when Mancuso ranges off the direct path to chase an obscure topic or example. Listeners may struggle with the density of some chapters and the occasional stilted bit of translation, but Stifel deftly guides the narration back to compelling solid ground. VERDICT Recommended for larger collections where Sam Kean's books are in demand or where there is interest in popular nonfiction about ecology and climate change.--Natalie Marshall
Copyright 2023 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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Narrator David Stifel brings a rich, expressive voice to the task of narrating this entertaining audiobook about plants, their importance, and their roles in specific events and periods in history. Topics range from the popularity of liberty trees in France to--with a stop at banana peels--a clue to the kidnapping of aviator Charles Lindbergh's baby. Stifel performs with enthusiasm for his topic, which is a real plus for work of nonfiction like this. His presentation pulls the listener happily through the various vignettes. Those wanting something technical or heavier on the sciences might want to search elsewhere. But listeners who enjoy a well-told limited exploration should be happy with this discussion of the life-forms that comprise up to 85% of Earth's biomass. G.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
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