Second Nature: A Gardener's Education

Book 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 rhythms of our everyday engagement with the outdoors in all its glory and exasperation. With chapters ranging from a reconsideration of the Great American Lawn, a dispatch from one man's war with a woodchuck, to an essay about the sexual politics of roses, Pollan has created a passionate and eloquent argument for reconceiving our relationship with nature.

Customer Reviews:

More about Michael Pollan than gardens.......2007-05-15

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.

Delightful reading.......2007-03-09

Michael Pollan's writing is full of metaphors. This book about nature as a human construct was enjoyable to read. I found some parts frustrating because I like the romantic idea of nature even if it is just a human construct. But overall I would recommend this book for a quick read.

philosopher of gardening.......2007-02-08

I loved this book. It is written in the spirit of earth that author obviously is in love with. The book is divided into four seasons: spring summer,fall and winter. Each of the seasons has it's own unique characteristic that follows ancient tradition of preparing soil, sowing,cultivating, weeding, harvesting and winter nothingness.
However if reader looks for practical advises, he or she will not find it here. It is a wonderfull read for all the nature lovers.

Lawn Mowing et al.......2006-07-22

Pollans description of what is a green thumb and the sysiphean art of mowing reminded me how therapeutic gardening can be and why it cures depression. Thank you Michael for making me look at my roses in a totally different way. You will love this book if you tend to think in pictures and love the art and hard work of gardening.

For the virtual gardener.......2006-06-27

I picked up this book when I didn't have my own dirt to get my hands into, and I was hoping to garden vicariously through Pollan's essays.

There are a lot of lessons to be found. For instance, the chapter on roses explains how human intervention and selective breeding brought about a huge difference between the technicolor tear-dropped buds we see for sale at the grocery store and the rounder and simpler flowers that Shakespeare and his contemporaries wrote about.

Throughout the book Pollan makes the case for uniting culture and nature in the garden rather than pitting them against each other as Thoreau (the naturist) did in his writings or suburban landscaping (very culture-centered) implies today. It is an interesting argument worth considering, but by the fourth part when I found it repeated for the umpteenth time without anything new to add I quit reading the book.

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The Education of a Gardener
Russell Page
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394531345
Release Date: 1983-02-12

Book Description

This is a classic memoir by one of the most famous landscape gardeners of the 20th century which describes the author’s training and the development of his many celebrated gardens. Russell Page was born in 1906 and studied art at the Slade School in London before a love of plants drew him to garden design. In his career he designed gardens all over the world, from Leeds Castle in Kent to the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Garden at the Pepsi Cola Headquarters in New York, as well as in France, his home for many years. The Education of a Gardener is a fascinating portrait of a master of his craft and has proved an inspirational book for many gardeners since its first publication in 1962. Written in clear and elegant prose, it is illustrated with a substantial number of photographs, including, in this edition, hitherto unpublished pictures from Page’s files.

Junior Master Gardener Handbook: Level 1

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Junior Master Gardener Handbook: Level 1
Junior Master Gardener
Manufacturer: Junior Master Gardener
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0967299004

Gerald Durrell: The Authorized Biography

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Durrell: the Unauthorized Species
A conservation hero
Durrell fans, this one's worth having !
In depth, lively biography
Warm, intimate look at a wonderful man

Gerald Durrell: The Authorized Biography
Douglas Botting
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786707968

Amazon.com

Although his work is not widely read today, Gerald Durrell (1925-1995) was among the world's most popular naturalists in the 1950s and early '60s. He traveled to then-remote places such as Siberia, Cameroon, Tierra del Fuego, and Mauritius in search of odd zoological specimens and reported his travels in books like The Whispering Land and My Family and Other Animals. In the first full-length biography devoted to Durrell, Douglas Botting writes of his passage from gifted child amateur to scientifically trained professional. That passage was inspired in part by Gerald's older (and more famous) brother, the novelist and memoirist Lawrence Durrell, who gave Gerald a copy of Jean-Henri Fabre's classic Insect Life: Souvenirs of a Naturalist and encouraged his younger brother to follow his dream of living and working in the wild. Gerald Durrell, as Botting shows, went on to make signal contributions as a conservationist who founded the Jersey Zoo and other organizations devoted to protecting endangered species by breeding them in captivity and then reintroducing them into their native habitats. (Among those species were the Siberian ferret, highland gorilla, snow leopard, bespectacled bear, and golden lion tamarin.) Botting's well-written biography will be of interest not only to admirers of Durrell's work but also to students of the environmentalist and conservationist movements. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

Written with complete access to the Durrell family archives and Gerald Durrell's private papers, this affecting biography follows its subject from an eccentric boyhood in Imperial India to the international prominence he gained in print and on television as one of the world's foremost animal conservationists. The younger brother of the famous novelist Lawrence Durrell, Gerald always viewed his own writing - which includes thirty-seven bestsellers, among them enduringly popular classics like My Family and Other Animals and A Zoo in My Luggage - as the means of financing his greatest passion: breeding animals in danger of extinction and returning them to the wild. In the 1980s, with the production of a dozen different television documentary series on zoology, most notably the widely acclaimed Catch Me a Colobus and Ark on the Move, Durrell's conservationist vision reached audiences around the globe, while the zoo he founded on the island of Jersey realized his pioneering mission to breed endangered species in captivity. It stands as a living legacy of the much-admired Gerald Durrell, who died in 1995 at the age of seventy. "Captivating and deeply moving but surprisingly candid biography." - Publishers Weekly (starred review); "Ambitious.... Rich material for a biography." - New York Times Book Review; "Affectionate yet clear-eyed portrait.... Botting does an excellent job of giving us Durrell the man, not merely the legend." - Toronto Globe & Mail; "Few current biographies read as well." - Denver Post.

Customer Reviews:

Durrell: the Unauthorized Species.......2006-04-03

Douglas Botting's new biography of Gerald Durrell, a charming man whose unique Zoo, Wild Life Preservation Trust and deeply touching , hilarious stories have saved many an animal from extinction and moved people around the world to join the conservation effort, is an "xtrordenry" tale of one man's dream come true. Botting's obvious fascination with Durrell's personality and mission, good grasp of the world of nature and travel, as well as his humorous streak, are an ideal mix of credentials for someone attempting to recount a story of this supreme "raconteur."

After a vivid depiction of Durrell's colorful early childhood in colonial India, Botting perceptively discerns and fits together all the pieces of Gerald's adolescent years that made him into a shy but passionate and original man with a unique vision. It was in the enchanted atmosphere of pre-war Corfu, with its unspoilt fauna and picturesque dwellers, that Durrell's free spirit and sense of wonder first blossomed, enhanced by the lack of stiflingly uniform influence of formal schooling. His widowed mother's warm devotion and faith in Gerald's endeavors, creative encouragement from his older brother and budding writer Lawrence, coupled with his tutors' idiosyncratic influences and the island's offer of the freedom to explore the natural world, all combined to account for the very unconventionality of Durrell's upbringing and personality that would later make people yield to his charisma and daring.

Botting manages to stay true to the spirit of Gerald Durrell, as if the magic firefly of the epilogue lights up his way throughout the book. I also liked Botting's impartiality in dealing with such complicated emotional roller-coasters as Gerald's relationship with his first wife Jacquie and his alcohol problem, which he never downplays, at the same time managing to convey Durrell's intrinsic honesty and charm. The only regret that will forever haunt this biography is that Durrell unfortunately didn't have time to pen it himself.

A conservation hero.......2005-09-06

A mammoth book for an equally large individual, in bulk and spirit. Having read Durrell's first books, was equally curious about the author and was not disappointed..looked forward to each page, particularly his expeditions if not his highly personal life with his two wives. His alcohol consumption was simply sad, and even though the author states it may not have affected his work, I wonder what he would have achieved if he had not been looking forward to each drink, beginning in the morning. But he is a hero to me, and has opened up the wonders of Madagascar, and hopefully to the continuing need to perserve its fauna and flora.

Durrell fans, this one's worth having !.......2000-05-14

Douglas Botting makes a fairly good job of Durrell's biography. Lavishly illustrated with rare photographs, with numerous quotations from Durrell's personal notebooks thrown in for good measure,this book sheds a new light on the life of one of the most amazing men of the 20th century. However, this book is recommended for Durrell fans, and not for the plain inquisitive who want to bone up on the life and times of Gerald Durrell.They would do better to stick to the Gerald Durrell accounts .The author has a tendency of repeating parts of the Durrell accounts in his own words,and relying too much on the Durrell works as his guide( but then again it is difficult to pick up the thread of people and events as many as 50 years later, with a world war inbetween ). All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable 600-pager that Durrell fans will devour in no time at all. Judging by this one,the Gavin Maxwell biography should be well worth reading ..

In depth, lively biography.......2000-03-01

This must be one of the best biographies I have read about anyone. Douglas Botting is to be congratulated on his meticulous research and unbiased approach. He gives us a wonderful insight into this complex man's extraordinary life. All 607 pages are highly readable and I found it hard to put the book down. I particularly enjoyed the account of Durrell's happy go lucky, unconventional childhood in Greece surrounded by his mad mad family. As Gerald Durrell would have wanted, there is a lively quality about the telling of his story. There were so many facets to this man's character and Botting has been at pains to dig deep to bring these to the fore. Having read Durrell's books many years ago I found myself enjoying the adventures of his life all over again, but in a different way, now that I understand more about the man and his background. I feel this is a 'must' read for anyone who has enjoyed Gerald Durrell's books

Warm, intimate look at a wonderful man.......1999-10-24

I always thought of Gerry Durrell as my own secret discovery, and gave copies of his books to all my friends. Also visited the Jersey Trust twice....well worth it. This book reads like the diary of an old and dear friend, sharing much and explaining a lot. He was ahead of us all in his love for the endangered earth and its living creatures.

Mind the Gap: The Education of a Nature Writer (Environmental Arts and Humanities Series)

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Mind the Gap: The Education of a Nature Writer (Environmental Arts and Humanities Series)
John Hay
Manufacturer: University of Nevada Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0874176921

Book Description

John Hay has been acclaimed as one of the most significant contemporary nature writers and environmentalists. In Mind the Gap, an autobiographic memoir and a passionate commentary on our place in the natural world, he retraces the paths that led to his career and explores the literary and environmental influences that shaped his interest in nature.

Born into a respected old New York family, Hay grew up in upper-class Manhattan and rural New Hampshire, between the rigid proprieties of society and the delicious freedoms he discovered during his outdoor adventures. Travel, education, and his own sensitivity and curiosity helped to open the world to him. Shortly after World War II, he moved to a desolate, sandy lot on Cape Cod. Much of the book deals with his life in a small rural community on the Cape, addressing such subjects as the annual herring spawn, resident and migratory birds, local wildlife, his human neighbors, and the complex rhythms of life in this region of plunging winds and vast seas. Hay's vivid, closely observed descriptions of his surroundings support his insightful comments on nature and our intricate relationship to it. He warns us that "in setting ourselves apart from the rest of living creatures, we fall victim to our own ice-bound conceit. It is only in sharing that we know anything at all." Hay shares his knowledge generously, and as readers we are thereby vastly enriched.

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The Creative Gardener's Cookbook
Teri Mitchell
Manufacturer: Ideals Childrens Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0824930576

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Thinking about the natural world

You might like it

Living Wild and Domestic: The Education of a Hunter-Gardener
Robert Kimber
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Ecology | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1585746843

Book Description

An essential book for any naturalist, hunter, dog lover, angler, or thinker.

Customer Reviews:

Thinking about the natural world.......2007-08-10

I thought this book might not be for me. A harrowing visit to a sheep slaughtering works years ago is still too real in my mind, and any discussion of turning live animals into consumables hits a sore spot.

But I was drawn in by Robert Kimber's unsentimental pragmatism, always lightened with humor and thoughtfulness. For example, on stringing a chicken up and sliding an ice pick into its brain (as recommended in USDA literature): "Chicken brains are small and hard to find, but they are large enough to tell chickens that a man grabbing them by the feet and hanging them upside down from a chest-high limb on a red maple tree is up to no good."

Among all the beautifully written essays in Kimber's book, I urge you to read it particularly for the chapter "Dish-fed Retainers," about the relationship between Kimber and his dog Lucy. This is the most sentimental section of the book, but so wry and self-aware that you will smile and remember your own best-loved companion animal.

Kimber fell instantly for Lucy at the animal shelter but tried to conceal that fact from his wife and son, all the while "casually" promoting his choice. "She looks like a sophomore at Wellesley," his son said. Kimber leaped at that comment: "Exactly! ... Young, attractive, intelligent, interested in getting a good education, just the right size, not too big, not too small, looks like a strong swimmer ... athletic, lively, obviously affectionate, charming, beautiful ..."

The sentimental approach Kimber used in choosing (being chosen by?) a dog features in all his essays, though usually along with a much larger portion of rational interpretation!

Kimber's book strikes a pleasing balance between memoir and philosophy. While hunting and fishing are not a part of my life, I thoroughly enjoyed this thoughtful book on living a considered life in rural Maine.

You might like it.......2003-03-20

If you are troubled by killing an animal, whether by accident, such as a spider in a bathtub or a squirrel on the road, or whether on purpose, such as slaughtering a lamb or hunting a deer or hooking a fish, then you will probably like this book very much.

Kimber analyzes the hunting paradox and many related concepts-sport verses food hunting, subsistence hunting/gathering verses husbandry, the wild verses the domesticated-in this thoughtful, well-written book. By pulling in the writings of many other authors, Kimber analyzes them in his own insightful way. The result is often rambling and slightly disjointed, but always thought provoking. Answers are not concise, clear, or black-and-white, because there really aren't such answers.

Customer Reviews:

Junior Master Gardener, Level One, Leader Guide.......2005-03-15

This book has excellent hands-on activities, sound science based lessons, lots of reprintable pages, and facts about gardening. A must have for any jmg group.

Operation Thistle: Seeds of Despair : Plant Growth & Development (Junior Master Gardener, Level 2)

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Operation Thistle: Seeds of Despair : Plant Growth & Development (Junior Master Gardener, Level 2)
Junior Master Gardener
Manufacturer: Junior Master Gardener
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0967299098

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Education of a Gardener
RUSSELL PAGE
Manufacturer: The Harvill Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8MXXK

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Landscape Drawing from First Principles (Art School)
Peter Stanyer , and Terry Rosenberg
Manufacturer: Bookmart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1900032759

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Easy lessons in landscape drawing,: Contained in forty plates, arranged progressively, from the first principles in the chalk manner to the finished landscape in colours
Samuel Prout
Manufacturer: R. Ackermann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008C5WAI

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A series of easy lessons in landscape-drawing,: Contained in forty plates; arranged progressively from the first principles in the chalk manner, to the finished landscape in colours
Samuel Prout
Manufacturer: Printed by L. Harrison
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0008AGX5I

Book Description

Innovation, science and technology and the wealth gained from them make continuous media copy and yet there is a manifest imbalance in society, a paradox of more prosperity but growing exclusion. This book marks the 25th anniversary of the Six Countries Programme, which pioneered the study of innovation from a policy viewpoint but with a radical ethos.

This ethos is continued by the contributors to this book who challenge much of the current thinking on innovation and technology and attempt to provide markers for the way ahead. They propose a systemic approach to the innovation process as the route to a more sustainable future and provide the alternative of a learning society to a knowledge society which seems to be inexorably driven by Schumpetarian dynamics.

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