The lotus. The lily. The sunflower. The opium poppy. The rose. The tulip. The orchid. Seven flowers; each with its own story full of surprises and secrets; each affecting the world around us in subtle but powerful ways. But what is the nature of their power and how did it develop? Why have these particular plants become the focus of gardens; literature; art―even billion dollar industries? The answers to these questions and more are what drove journalist and author Jennifer Potter to write Seven Flowers. Drawing on sources both ancient and modern; and featuring lush full-color illustrations and gorgeous line art throughout; Potter examines our changing relationship with these potent plants and the effects they had on civilizations through the ages. The opium poppy; for example; returned to haunt its progenitors in the West; becoming the source of an enormously profitable drug trade in Asia. In the seventeenth century; the irrational exuberance of the Dutch for rare tulips led to a nationwide financial collapse. Potter also explores how different cultures came to view the same flowers in totally different lights. While Confucius saw virtue and modesty in his native orchids; the ancient Greeks saw only lust and sex. In the eye of each beholder; these are flowers of life and death; of purity and passion; of greed; envy and virtue; of hope and consolation; of the beauty that drives men wild. All seven demonstrate the enduring ability of flowers to speak metaphorically―if we could only decode what they have to say.
#2615690 in Books iUniverse Publishing 2011-08-17Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x 1.44 x 6.00l; 1.85 #File Name: 1462027245636 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Lords of Darkness: highly readableBy P S AmblerCol. Wood's account of the 45th is highly readable; even by non-military me once I got more familiar with the acronyms. The book is richly detailed with first person experiences as it tells the unit history. Some of the behind the scene revelations are not particularly comforting but are straightforward and a necessary part of the history of the Vietnam War period.Provides important history as well as an enjoyable read.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great readBy lepoulI bought this book for my husband. He's in the Army - special ops - and these are the only types of books he'll actually read. He really liked it shared a lot of it with me my father ( a Vietnam vet).0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. History of OK ARNG Aviation BnBy CustomerPersonal insight of the history of 1/245th Avn Bn (SO)(A).
