The Roots of Civilisation: Plants That Changed the World - Hardcover

John Newton

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1741962420 ISBN 13: 9781741962420

Publisher: Pier 9, Murdoch Books, 2009

Synopsis

They feed us, shelter us, clothe us, cure us and clean the air that we breathe. The Roots of Civilisation takes a closer look at these plants that most of us just take for granted, but which have changed the world, for better and for worse. The story of these plants is also the story of human survival and ingenuity, the invention of agriculture, the greed of men and their rulers, and the founding of trade routes and empires. Advances in science and medicine are charted and there are the new frontiers such as genetic modification and the plants grown by NASA in outer space. The Roots of Civilisation looks not only at the better known world-changers like opium, tobacco, cotton and the orchid, but also at the humbler flora that have quietly but profoundly shaped human civilisation. Key points: The Roots of Civilisation will appeal to gardeners and lovers of general, and garden, history; with superb production values and lavish illustrations, this will make a beautiful gift; the content covers a wider range of plants than many other publications in this area, which often focus on single plants or on a small number of glamour plants

About this title

About the Author:

John Newton is a freelance writer, journalist and novelist. For Murdoch Books, John has written A Little Taste of Spain and Beppi: A Life in Three Courses. John's awards for food writing include The Golden Ladle for Best Food Journalism in the 2005 World Food Media Awards. John lives in Sydney and recently raised his first broad beans, tomatoes and strawberries in his inner city courtyard.

About this edition

• Publisher: Pier 9, Murdoch Books
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1741962420
• ISBN 13: 9781741962420
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 288