Seeds of change: Five plants that transformed mankind [Hardcover]

Henry Hobhouse (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0060156317 | ISBN-13: 978-0060156312 | Publication Date: 1986 | Edition: 1st US ed

In the manner of Barbara Tuchman and Paul Johnson, a superior, popular account of how five plants--quinine, sugar, tea, cotton and the potato--have determined the course of history. Illustrated.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book, devoted to quinine, sugar, tea, cotton, and the potato, is not just about plants but about history. It shows how certain plants influenced the course of human affairs, often negatively. Quinine, for instance, cures malaria, but that quality allowed temperate-climate peoples to exploit tropical areas. The development of cheap sugar is linked with slavery, and tea with opium. Seeds of Change is fascinating and well researched. (The chapter notes would have been handier as footnotesthey are too interesting to be overlooked.) Recommended. Katharine Galloway Garstka, Intergraph Corp., Huntsville, Ala.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Five plants--quinine, sugar cane, tea, cotton, and potato--have been powerful political historical catalysts, argues this speculative journalist. "Wise and witty . . . deserves to become a classic."--Publishers Weekly --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 252 pages
• Publisher: Harper & Row; 1st US ed edition (1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060156317
• ISBN-13: 978-0060156312
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Five economically important plants from a historical view, September 13, 1999

By 

Dennis Littrell (SoCal) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Seeds of Change: Five Plants That Transformed Mankind (Paperback)

If James M. Cain wrote history, this is the style he would employ.
Hobhouse's terse, unflowered prose moves the narrative along, and he
has an an attitude: cynical. If you liked Marvin Harris and Jared
Diamond, and I know you did, you'll like Henry Hobhouse because he has
a similar myth-exploding, cant-debasing, and finely tuned BS detector
a-working.

The five plants are quinine, the potato, sugar cane,
cotton, and tea. He's a little thin on the properties of the plants,
but strong on the historical consequences. His explanation of why
slavery died and why it remains a dead institution is excellent. (NOT
because it is immoral, although it is that, but because slavery is
inefficient, economically speaking.) Beware some unusual syntax.

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hobhouse's Unvaring Modes of Excellence, December 10, 1999

By 

Prof. James E. McGregor (Foxboro, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeds of Change: Six Plants That Transformed Mankind (Paperback)

On first reading of H. Hobhouse's Seeds of Change, it covered only 5 plants. So finding that he had added Cocoa was a surprise. It was also a pleasure. As before Henry has done a great job. He has taken his insights of the changes caused by these plants further in his book FORCES OF CHANGE. As with Jim Burke's CONNECTIONS, Mr. Hobhouse has done an excellent job in presenting the hidden impact of the biologicals over the last several hundred years. Our generations are seeing the immense impact of the Internet. His doumentation of the impact of plants which led to "Forces of Change" had still not been adequately treated in tech and in academic forums. We are still "snowblind" on the global impacts of so many things. It is not surprising that the rapid changes are still obscured by the dust of change. Ultimately, however, I think that H. Hobhouse's contribution to "systemic insights" will be an excellent clarifier of the values of our times as well as the differentials of the last half millenium.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plant influences on World History, December 24, 2000

By 

David E. Feinberg (Blodgett, Or) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeds of Change: Six Plants That Transformed Mankind (Paperback)

Totally fascinating. Reminds me of Howard Zim's People's History of the United States. Lot's of facts, figure, and dates without being overwelming, with good continuity throughout the various sections. There is so much about the forces on world history that we don't understand. Would the world have been without widespread Black slavery if there had been no sugar and cotton plantations? What would Africa and the United States be like now? Would China have become a major world power in the 19th century if it had not been for the tea and opium trade? Very thoughtful. I listened to a books-on-tape version from the local library and want to get copies for friends and family.