Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
For readers of Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire and Mark Kurlansky's Salt.
A fascinating social history of orchards, complete with stunning illustrations and astonishing science from across the globe.
The story of orchards is a human story, says author Bernd Brunner in Taming Fruit. It is also a story of how humans have bent and shaped nature to our tastes and desires for millennia.
The first orchards may have been oases dotted with date trees, where desert nomads stopped to rest. In the Amazon, Indigenous tribes maintained mosaic gardens centuries before colonization. Modern fruit cultivation and grafting developed in the Mediterranean, Asia, and the Middle East over thousands of years. As populations expanded, orchards sprang from the lush gardens of the wealthy and monasteries to fields and roadsides, changing landscapes as they fed the hungry. When settlers colonized North America, they brought apple orchards and orange groves. Today, rewilding efforts are breaking down fences, encouraging nature to play a more active role.
But orchards are not only for growing fruit; they are also places of worship and creativity, inspiring poems, music, and art. This sweeping account of orchards explores an important focal point of our relationship to nature, a relationship that, like a fruit tree, is forever changing its shape.
Synopsis
"Beautiful ... Brunner is an astute guide to the fascinating relationships between orchards and human culture."--David George Haskell, author of Pulitzer finalist, The Forest Unseen.
For readers of Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire and Mark Kurlansky's Salt.
The story of orchards is a human story. It is also a story of how humans have bent and shaped nature to our tastes and desires for millennia.
In Taming Fruit, award-winning writer Bernd Brunner interweaves science, literature, art, history, and geography to tell the complete and fascinating story of orchards and humans.
The first orchards may have been oases dotted with date trees, where desert nomads stopped to rest.
In the Amazon, Indigenous tribes maintained beautiful mosaic gardens centuries before colonization.
Modern fruit cultivation developed over thousands of years in the West and the East. As populations expanded, fruit trees sprang from the lush gardens of the wealthy and monasteries to fields and roadsides, changing landscapes as they fed the hungry.
When settlers colonized North America, they brought apple orchards and orange groves. Today, rewilding efforts break down fences, encouraging nature to play an active role.
But orchards are not only for growing fruit; they are also places of worship and creativity, inspiring poems, music, and art.
This sweeping account of orchards explores an overlooked focal point of our relationship to nature. It also offers gorgeous illustrations of orchards past and present, each one more beautiful than the last.
Synopsis
A captivating cultural and scientific history of orchards, perfect for readers of Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire and Mark Kurlansky's Salt
Throughout history, orchards have served many sacred purposes: they aresites of worship and rest, inspiration for artists and writers, and vibrant community hubs. Moreover, they are places of sustenance. In Taming Fruit, award-winning writer Bernd Brunner interweaves beautiful illustrations and prose to show that the story of orchards is a human story. It is also a story of how humans have shaped and bent nature according to our desires for millennia.
As Brunner tells, the first orchards may have been oases dotted with date trees, where desert nomads stopped to rest. In the Amazon, Indigenous tribes maintained mosaic gardens centuries before colonization. Modern fruit cultivation developed over thousands of years in the East and the West. As populations expanded, fruit trees sprang from the lush gardens of the wealthy and monasteries to fields and roadsides, changing landscapes as they fed the hungry.
But orchards are not only for growing fruit; they have also inspired great artists. Taming Fruit shares paintings, photographs, and illustrations alongside Brunner's enchanting descriptions and research, offering a multifaceted--and long-awaited--portrait of the orchard.
Praise for Taming Fruit:
"Fruit was there at the beginning of the human story, Bernd Brunner argues in this crisply written and lushly illustrated book."
--Zach St. George, author of The Journeys of Trees
"A beautiful exploration of the life-giving bonds between trees, fruits, and people."
--David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen
"An enchanting journey through the world of orchards and botanical curiosities. Anyone who is even a tentative gardener will cherish this lovely book."
--Brian Fagan, author of The Little Ice Age and The Intimate Bond
Synopsis
A captivating cultural and scientific history of orchards, for readers of Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire and Mark Kurlansky's Salt. A perfect gift for gardeners and nature lovers.
Throughout history, orchards have nourished both body and soul: they are sites for worship and rest, inspiration for artists and writers, and places for people to gather. In Taming Fruit, award-winning writer Bernd Brunner interweaves evocative illustrations with masterful prose to show that the story of orchards is a story of how we have shaped nature to our desires for millennia.
As Brunner tells it, the first orchards may have been oases dotted with date trees, where desert nomads stopped to rest. In the Amazon, Indigenous people maintained mosaic gardens centuries before colonization. Modern fruit cultivation developed over thousands of years in the East and the West. As populations expanded, fruit trees sprang from the lush gardens of the wealthy and monasteries to fields and roadsides, changing landscapes as they fed the hungry.
But orchards don't just produce fruit; they also inspire great artists. Taming Fruit shares paintings, photographs, and illustrations alongside Brunner's enchanting descriptions and research, offering a multifaceted---and long-awaited--portrait of the orchard.
Praise for Taming Fruit:
"Fruit was there at the beginning of the human story, Bernd Brunner argues in this crisply written and lushly illustrated book."
--Zach St. George, author of The Journeys of Trees
"A beautiful exploration of the life-giving bonds between trees, fruits, and people."
--David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen
"An enchanting journey through the world of orchards and botanical curiosities. Anyone who is even a tentative gardener will cherish this lovely book."
--Brian Fagan, author of The Little Ice Age and The Intimate Bond
Synopsis
A captivating cultural and scientific history of orchards, for readers of Michael Pollan's The Botany of Desire and Mark Kurlansky's Salt.
Throughout history, orchards have nourished both body and soul: they are sites for worship and rest, inspiration for artists and writers, and places for people to gather. In Taming Fruit, award-winning writer Bernd Brunner interweaves evocative illustrations with masterful prose to show that the story of orchards is a story of how we have shaped nature to our desires for millennia.
As Brunner tells it, the first orchards may have been oases dotted with date trees, where desert nomads stopped to rest. In the Amazon, Indigenous people maintained mosaic gardens centuries before colonization. Modern fruit cultivation developed over thousands of years in the East and the West. As populations expanded, fruit trees sprang from the lush gardens of the wealthy and monasteries to fields and roadsides, changing landscapes as they fed the hungry.
But orchards don't just produce fruit; they also inspire great artists. Taming Fruit shares paintings, photographs, and illustrations alongside Brunner's enchanting descriptions and research, offering a multifaceted---and long-awaited--portrait of the orchard.