The Naming of Names: the Search for Order in the World of Plants

Pavord, Anna

ISBN 10: 1596910712 / ISBN 13: 9781596910713

Published by Bloomsbury, [New York, NY], 2005

About this Item

Medium octavo in color illus DJ; maroon boards; 471 p.: ill. (some col.); 26 cm; bibliographical references (p. 439-448) and index. Table of contents as follows: In the beginning -- All men by nature desire to know -- The Alexandrian library -- Pliny the plagiarist -- The medicine men -- Juliana's book -- The Arab influence -- Out of the black hole -- The image makers -- Theophrastus reborn -- Brunfels's book -- The irascible Fuchs -- In Italy -- The first botanic garden -- The long-nosed nit-picker -- Weaving the web -- Protestants prevail -- Gesner's masterpiece -- New pastures -- Plantin's team -- The last of the herbals -- English achievements -- The American connection -- The beginning of the end. // Publisher's abstract: "Traces the search for order in the natural world, a search that for hundreds of years occupied some of the most brilliant minds in Europe, reaching its apex during the Renaissance. From Athens in the third century BC, through Constantinople, Venice, the medical school at Salerno to the universities of Pisa and Padua, the journey involves a world full of intrigue and intensely competitive egos, from Europe to the culture of Islam, the first expeditions to the Indies and the first settlers in the New World. Gradually, over a long period, plants assumed identities and artists painted pictures of them. Plants acquired the two-part names that show how they are related to other plants. But who began all this work, and how was it done? // Plants -- Nomenclature. Botany -- History. Plants -- classification. Botany -- history. Plantas (identifica??o) Bot?nica (classifica??o) Bot?nica (hist?ria) Plantes -- Nomenclature -- Histoire. Botanique -- Histoire. As New / Mint (an unread copy); VERY FINE in same DJ; No remainder marks.

Seller Inventory # 11431

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Naming of Names: the Search for Order in the World of Plants
• Publisher: Bloomsbury, [New York, NY]
• Publication Date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1596910712
• ISBN 13: 9781596910713
• Binding: Mint
• Edition: 1st U.S. ed.; first printing, stated.
• Condition: Very Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Seller catalogs:
  • Nature, Plants, Animals, The Environment

About this title

Synopsis

An exhilarating new book from the author of the worldwide bestseller The Tulip.
 
The Naming of Names traces the search for order in the natural world, a search that for hundreds of years occupied some of the most brilliant minds in Europe.
 
Redefining man’s relationship with nature was a major pursuit during the Renaissance.  But in a world full of poisons, there was also an urgent practical need to name and recognize different plants, because most medicines were made from plant extracts.
 
Anna Pavord takes us on a thrilling adventure into botanical history, traveling from Athens in the third century BC, through Constantinople, Venice, the medical school at Salerno to the universities of Pisa and Padua. The journey, traced here for the first time, involves the culture of Islam, the first expeditions to the Indies and the first settlers in the New World.
 
In Athens, Aristotle’s pupil Theophrastus was the first man ever to write a book about plants.  How can we name, sort, and order them? He asked.  The debate continues still, two thousand years later.  Sumptuously illustrated in full colour, The Naming of Names gives a compelling insight into a world full of intrigue and intensely competitive egos.

About the Author

Anna Pavord is the gardening correspondent for the Independent and the author of eight previous books, including the bestsellingThe Tulip. She contributes to a number of magazines, both in the US and the UK and regularly fronts programmes for BBC Radio 3 and 4. She chairs the Gardens Panel of the National Trust and sits on the Parks and Gardens Panel of English Heritage.