- Paperback: 264 pages
- Publisher: Oxford University Press; 2nd Revised edition edition (7 Sep 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0198507445
- ISBN-13: 978-0198507444
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,301,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Review
"This is and erudite treasure trove in which each page sparkles with a concoction of historical anecdote and scientific revelation." --The Good Book Guide
"The book is peppered throughout with the legend, superstition and science of bygone ages, and interesting reading they make." --New Scientist
"This highly entertaining account investigates the evolution of modern medicines. ...Professor Mann does it with great style." --The Lancet
."..an excellent introductory text for those not liable to dizziness as they jump form one culture to another, or one century to the next." --Nature
."..provides intelligent material for those advocating conservation of our global plant resources because of their potentially important reservoir of therapeutically active chemicals for animal and human disease." --The Times Higher Education Supplement
"Delightfully rich... buy and read Mann's wonderful book." --Chemical and Engineering News
Product Description
People have always been curious about the plants and animals with which they coexist. Primitive cultures identified edible and poisonous plants largely by trial and error, and then used them for hunting, executions, euthanasia, and magico-religious rites, as well as for their medicinal properties. In this fascinating book, John Mann investigates the evolution of modern medicine from its roots in folk medicine, and reveals the continuing importance of natural plant and animal products, many of which remain undiscovered but under threat by the wholesale destruction of the Earth's wild places. In this new edition, he has updated the material to include discussion of the background to some of the most talked-about drugs of recent years, including Prozac and Viagra. 'This is an erudite treasure trove in which each page sparkles with a concoction of historical anecdote and scientific revelation.' The Good Book Guide 'The book is peppered throughout with the legend, superstition and science of bygone ages, and interesting reading they make.' New Scientist 'This highly entertaining account investigates the evolution of modern medicines...Professor Mann does it with great style.' The Lancet '...an excellent introductory text for those not liable to dizziness as they jump from one culture to another, or one century to the next. ' Nature '...provides intelligent material for those advocating conservation of our global plant resources because of their potentially important reservoir of therapeutically active chemicals for animal and human disease.' The Times Higher Education Supplement 'Delightfully rich...buy and read Mann's wonderful book.' Chemical and Engineering News
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
This is probably the best known potion in the English language; but did it work? Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
This is probably the best known potion in the English language; but did it work? Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
I think my copy is a first edition so bear this in mind when reading this review. This is a great read for anyone interested in the connection between man and plants with medicinal or psychoactive properties. There are good explanations and it is full of great anecdotes (I was particularly interested in the use of poisonous plants for trials by ordeal) - my only reservation is that some of the anecdotes offered are in fact urban myths or wild speculation (such as Wasson's theories on mushrooms used for religious purposes), regurgitated by Mann but with little analysis.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Intriguing influence of plants and microoganisms on history.
19 Oct 1999
Format:Paperback
John Mann creatively links science and history together by referencing historical events, like the witch trials, to chemicals produced naturally by microorganisms, plants and animals. I use this book in an introductory science course to demonstrate how important natural products are in our society today -- whether the chemical is beneficial or deadly. Easy reading for the non-scientist, but factual enough for the scientist.
My favorite book about natural products
28 Aug 2010
Format:Paperback
This is my favorite book about natural products. It essentially describes the impact of natural products throughout history: quinine and the conquest of the new world, ergot alkaloids and witch trials, absinthe and Van Gogh, etc. A little chemical knowledge is helpful but it can be read by non-scientists.
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