** spoiler alert ** I thought this was an interesting but long winded book. The author discusses 4 different plants and how they have 'coevolved' with humans to reap the benefits of human interaction. It is best summed up in one of the first chapters of the book as the author ponders if he planted potatoes in his garden out of his own accord of did the potatoes, by virtue of their deliciousness, pursuade him to plant them?

One of the main things I learned from this book is the value of diversity. From the loss of heritage apple varieties due to the desire for sickly sweet varieties to the monsanto NewLeaf potatoes that are themselves registered with the EPA as a pesticide i was introduced to this monoculture idea that I didnt know existed.

I was shocked to learn about the stringent potato requirements of the fast food industry - only 1 type of potato without blemish is acceptable for french fry production. With the razor slim profit margins of farming a farmer selling to these companies nearly HAS to use GMO crops and/or huge amounts of pesticides to make ends meet.

This definitely changed the way I think about organic vs non organic foods. I used to think buying non-organic potatoes was alright, but faced with the fact of what could potentially be in them (one of the potato farmers wouldnt even eat the potatoes he grew) i now feel that i really need to buy local and or organic for the sake of my health.