web counter
 

A Gardening Murder Mystery

By Snuggiepants/Kriegerfrau | Posted Under Book Reviews | Comments (13)

3768230976_0fa9312f05.jpg

Well. I love gardening, am obsessed with plants and also love history and a good murder mystery. This book? Has ALL that. The author outlines more than a dozen of the world’s most deadliest plants and includes plants that have wreaked more than their fair share of havoc due to humans such as the coca plant (cocaine), poppies, and cannabis.

What I loved best about this book were the stories of people using these plants maliciously or accidentally, resulting in tragedy. One of the most interesting examples was Hannibal’s use of the belladonna plant to poison the wine he left behind for African soldiers. It’s said to be one of the first examples of chemical warfare. The soldiers came upon the wine, drank it and fell into such a stupor that Hannibal was able to turn his men back and attack, seizing Carthage.

I didn’t know there were exploding plants (they burn themselves, causing their seeds to fly—pretty ingenious, Mother Nature), trees that shed poison arrows, and plants so lethal even touching the leaves causes an almost instantaneous red welt-like rash anywhere it comes in contact with skin.

You really don’t have to be a plant geek like me to love this book—it’s interesting as a piece of history and sociology. But if you are a plant geek, you really MUST read it. It’s fairly short and you can polish it off in an afternoon, but oh it’s fun.

And stay away from that man-eating vine, OK?

This review is part of the Cannonball Read series. For more of Snuggiepants’ reviews, check out her blog, KRIEGERFRAU.









Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance

← Dustin Has Officially Lost It | Why Would He Give This Guy A Spot? | M. Night Appropriately Suggests a Reporter Might Consider Killing Herself | ... and the Faith is Temporarily Resurrected →









Comments

*eyes grass suspiciously, revs up lawnmower, shouts: "All right, you fuckers ! Take THIS! Mwhahahahahhahahha!"

Posted by: , at July 20, 2010 9:24 AM

*--MurderMower

Posted by: , at July 20, 2010 9:25 AM

I've been scared of plants since reading Day of the Triffids.
Sneaky little chlorophyll terrorists.

Posted by: clocker at July 20, 2010 9:28 AM

Now, now. Let's have some tolerance. One man's terror weed is another man's freedom fighter plant.

Posted by: PaddyDog at July 20, 2010 9:34 AM

I have this book and also found it fascinating. I like to keep it on my cookbook shelf to make my husband nervous!

Posted by: ZombieNurse at July 20, 2010 9:52 AM

"Now, now. Let's have some tolerance. One man's terror weed is another man's freedom fighter plant."

Easy for you to say.
I'll bet your tomato plants aren't wearing burqas.

Posted by: clocker at July 20, 2010 10:12 AM

I think I need to read this book. At work, I have been banned from touching anything green due to a very unfortunate run in with the poison ivy/oak last summer. I should probably educate myself on other danger!plants before they try to kill me too.

Posted by: Gabs at July 20, 2010 10:18 AM

Oooh this sounds like fun. Definitely going on my list.

Posted by: figgy at July 20, 2010 11:52 AM

Thanks for the review. I'll be picking this one up.

Posted by: Nicolae at July 20, 2010 1:06 PM

Such a great book! I literally finished it in a day. Like you said, it's not just about plants, it's full of facts that anyone interested in history or murder/mysteries might enjoy. It's small and fits nice in a carry-on.

Posted by: Sar at July 20, 2010 3:13 PM

Tomato plants, the green parts, are actually poisonous, but I learned that from my everyday gardening book, not this one.

Yay, I'm happy to see this review here because it's nice to see some nonfiction thrown in every now and then.

ZombieNurse You made me laugh so hard, the animals jumped. What a novel idea!

Posted by: Snuggiepants at July 20, 2010 7:36 PM

*eeeeeee* Want want want! Thanks for the review, I would never have heard of this otherwise.

Posted by: meaux at July 21, 2010 12:20 AM

You should take part in a contest for among the best blogs on the web. I will advocate this site!

Posted by: nice cardigans for men at March 16, 2011 2:13 PM