Stefano Mancuso is one of the world's leading
authorities in the field of plant neurobiology, which explores
signaling and communication at all levels of biological
organization. He is a professor at the University of Florence and
has published more than 250 scientific papers in international
journals. His previous books include The Revolutionary Genius
of Plants: A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and
Behavior and Brilliant Green: The Surprising History and
Science of Plant Intelligence.
Gregory Conti teaches English at the University of
Perugia and is a regular contributor to Raritan. His recent
translations include “Seven Poems” by Elisa Biagini, The Fault
Line by Paolo Rumiz, and A Soldier on the Southern
Front by Emilio Lussu.
“Mancuso is a genial narrator, who tells the story of plants’
journeys through well-crafted stories that are embellished by the
sweetly decorative watercolors of Grisha Fischer. He effortlessly
interweaves science with history, philosophy, and humor and
introduces fascinating characters, very much including the plants
themselves, which take on human, even heroic, traits.” —Wall Street
Journal
“A gripping series of evolutionary history vignettes about plants
that have coexisted either in spite of or due to human
intervention…a new perspective on that hazy term, ‘nature.’”
—Salon
“An absorbing overview of botanical history and why its
understanding is vital to the earth’s future.” —Parade
“Anecdotes enliven Mancuso’s quirky little global history, which
argues that plants ‘are more sensitive than animals.’” —Nature
“[An] elegant and charmingly illustrated survey…The topics of human
intervention and plant evolution are gracefully intertwined in
discussions of coconut trees, date palms, and bristlecone
pines…naturalists and the culinary-inclined will cherish this
collection of botanical vignettes.” —Publishers Weekly
“Illuminating and surprisingly lively…[Mancuso] smoothly balances
expansive historical exploration with recent scientific research…An
authoritative, engaging study of plant life, accessible to younger
readers as well as adults.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A love letter from a botanist to the plants he studies, written in
a breezy and poetic style. Reading this book will give you a whole
new appreciation for plants and their many remarkable lifestyles
and adaptations. You’ll never look at a blade of grass or a forest
of trees the same way again!” —Steve Brusatte, University of
Edinburgh paleontologist and New York Times/Sunday Times
bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
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