Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education.
I am a longtime fan of Michael Pollan. This month, I picked up one of his older books: Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education. He contemplates different philosophies on nature: “Lawns, I am convinced, are a symptom of, and a metaphor for, our skewed relationship to the land. They teach us that, with the help of petrochemicals and technology, we can bend nature to our will. Lawns stoke our hubris with regard to the land.” He reflects on Thoreau’s philosophy that humans should not impose their will on the wilderness, and offers up a middle ground. The book is a potent reflection on man’s relationship with nature.