The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World by Michael PollanMy review
rating: 3 of 5 stars
The problem I have with this is the same I have with most "soft" science or history non-fiction -- Pollan plays fast and loose with his quotes and sources. Would it have killed him to have footnoted or endnoted his sources? No. Instead he treats it like a book-length NY Times article -- fascinating but only citing actual quotes. It's too bad, as it's a great premise and has lots of fascinating tidbits. Also, he's far too concerned with the personal side of it -- I couldn't care less what gardening memories the apples, tulips, etc. bring up for him. The bibliography at the back is woefully short on detail.
In short, he needs more "Guns, Germs and Steel" and less "Memoirs of a Gardner."
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