The Pursuit of Paradise: A Social History of Gardens and Gardening

by jane-brown

This book will provide a new perspective on the way we garden, why we garden and what it means for us.Full of fascinating characters and vignettes – from ancient Greeks to suffragettes, from eccentric military men to Catholics in hiding from persecution – The Pursuit of Paradise looks into how society’s changes have altered our views of gardening, who does it, and how we do it. What drives people to risk their lives in search of a rare Himalayan flower? Why are so many gardeners homosexual? How did gardening become a respectable career for women? When did looking at other people’s gardens become a national British pastime?Using particular gardens to lead into themes like power, refuge, female emancipation, distribution of wealth and fashion, Jane Brown presents a history of the nation through its most popular national pursuit. It will be essential reading for the horticulturally impassioned for years to come.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Gardening

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[Mr_wormwood · Rating 1 out of 5]

a series of disparate essays stitched together to approximate a complete overview does not a 'social history' make.

[Matthew Gilmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

Choppy narrative. Snide, superior commentary at points, leaving an unpleasant taste.

[Meg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't bring myself to finish it. It has lovely flowery prose that doesn't seem to say much at all once you parse through it.

[Ralph Britton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author takes an interesting approach to gardens, most effective in the last hundred years or so. I can remember from my childhood many of the ordinary gardens she describes. Jane Brown concentrates not on the great garden layouts but on what gardening meant to the vast majority of people in Britain. Frustratingly the father back on goes the less information is available. There is much in this book that would interest a practical gardener today as well as anyone who likes to visit gardens of all types and sizes

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book weaving the social history of Britain and further afield with the history of garden design. The author writes beautifully.