Second Nature

A Gardener's Education

By: Michael Pollan

Narrated by: Michael Pollan

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

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 75 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.

©2003 Michael Pollan (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“ Second Nature reads like brilliant entertainment, but it is serious wisdom. Michael Pollan…is a genuine heir to my favorite nature writer, Mark Twain.” (Simon Schama, The Boston Globe)

not for me

I like Pollan's books, thoughtful and sincere. To me, this book is not his best book. To another reader this book may resonate, but it didnt for me. But it does not stop me from recommending his books to my friends. I tell them he is the David McCullough of journalism.

Entertaining and educational.

This story is both entertaining and educational as it takes is on ones man's journey to build the garden he had dreamt in his head and make peace with the land he is gardening.

Not a Curmudgeon in Sight!

Where does Second Nature rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

"My tales of gardening" books are usually full of curmudgeons and rants; Pollan infuses this books with his humility and joy. I simply love Pollan and his elegant prose, sometimes I had to re-"wind" the book just to re-listen to a particular turn of phrase; because of this, when I found the book at a local second-hand store, I bought the paper version in order to be able to re-read those lines and sections of the tale.

What about Michael Pollan’s performance did you like?

Pollan is an excellent writer, and his own voice brings his prose to life in a way other narrator's haven't done.

It was pretty good

I think I may check out other books from Michael. I didn’t feel like this was a best seller but telling about his experience in gardening. I can appreciate that but I was left needing “more on gardening”.

if you respect animals, Do Not listen to th

He murders a woodchuck in his garden!in first few minutes of 1st chapter. disgusting lack of respect for life!
I am Vegan for Pete's sake!

Enthralling Journey through the Garden of Words

Michael Pollan's "Second Nature: A Gardener's Education" is an absolute treasure trove for both seasoned gardeners and green-thumbed newcomers. It is a harmonious blend of narrative storytelling, philosophical discourse, and a passionate love letter to the world of gardening.

Pollan's eloquent prose seizes your imagination from the outset, immersing you in his gardening world. His infectious enthusiasm for the natural world is palpable, creating a magnetic pull that makes it near impossible to set the book down. His words paint vivid images, illustrating every detail of his beloved garden, and it is his meticulous descriptions that truly turn the pages into soil, seeds, and sprouts.

One of the defining features of "Second Nature" is the depth of thought it provokes. Pollan expertly weaves profound insights into his narrative, prompting us to ponder the connection between humankind and nature. This is not just a book about gardening; it is a journey into the essence of our relationship with the environment.

Pollan's storytelling skills are par excellence. He shares his experiences with such transparency and authenticity that we feel his triumphs, frustrations, and moments of awe as if they were our own. His anecdotes about his garden and his struggles are shared with good-natured humor, which makes this book not only enlightening but also entertaining.

In "Second Nature", Pollan effortlessly shatters the clichéd view of gardening as a mundane hobby. He redefines it as an engaging, thought-provoking, and deeply satisfying venture that intertwines us with the intricate web of life.

In conclusion, "Second Nature: A Gardener's Education" by Michael Pollan is more than a gardening book - it's a manual on co-existence, an ode to nature, and a philosophical masterpiece. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in not just gardening, but also in life's fundamental lessons hidden beneath the soil. With this work, Pollan has truly solidified his standing as a luminary in the field of nature writing.

Fun read for gardeners

I loved this book! It's full of gardening history and facts, along with Michael Pollan's observations about his own garden and the gardening scene. I especially enjoyed his comparison of plant and seed catalogs (very funny) and his history of roses (informative and entertaining). I listened to this book while weeding my own garden, and found myself laughing out loud several times. I will definitely listen to this book again.

Not Bad

This book is a nice light read, though I have to say from glowing review of American Horticultural Society I was really expecting more. On one hand he states our shared criticism of Thoreau very well, yet in many ways he is writing his own updated version of Walden. There are tidbits of philosophy, history, science and art which make this a fun and encouraging read for a gardener, or someone who wishes to start gardening. On the other hand if you are looking for real philosophy, history, science or art in gardening (or biology/agroscience) you will probably want to pick up another book.

Meh.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

None of my friends, anyway. This is a book more of philosophy than practice. I was looking for someone who had the rich range of experiences in gardening and small farming as I had. I just wasn't very entertained by city boy's philosophical musings.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Oh my god, no.

Any additional comments?

I'm sure this is an outstanding book for some people. IT just didn't do much for me.

more philosophy of gardening than a "how-to" man

Listened to over a course of weekends as I tended my own developing garden, I found this a be a thoughtful invitation to consider gardening in a new way unfamiliar to many Americans, neither merely as a responsible, "moral" means of food production, nor as ornamentation with which to impress passers-by; neither as an omage to the elusive notion of supposedly pristine, mythically unchanging "nature." Instead, the author advocated a fourth way somehow acknowledging the roll the previous approaches have to play but freeing the gardener from any rigid notion of orthodox rules.
Most of all, I appreciated the author's historical survey narrative on the world of garden landscapes.