Stephen Buchmann, a pollination ecologist specializing in bees, is affiliated with the Departments of Entomology and of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona. A fellow of the Linnean Society of London, he has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific papers and ten books, including The Forgotten Pollinators with Gary Paul Nabhan, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. He lives in Tucson, Arizona. Visit him at StephenBuchmann.com.
“The Reason for Flowers is an extraordinarily good book. It covers
the subject with thoroughness and scientific accuracy,working it
(as flowers deserve) into history and culture, and written with
poetic sensitivity.”
*Edward O. Wilson, University Professor Emeritus, Harvard
University*
“Do flowers need a reason? In The Reason for Flowers,Stephen
Buchmann reminds us that flowers exist for more than just beauty
and fragrance. They are miniature chemical factories, wireless
signal stations,inspiration for artists, and—of course—sustenance
for the most important creatures living on the planet. In short,
flowers run the world. Stephen Buchmann is a gifted storyteller and
an inquisitive scientist who is intrigued by the dazzling and
intricate world of flowers. Thanks to this delightful new book, you
will be, too.”
*Amy Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of The Flower
Confidential*
"The Reason for Flowers is a riveting account of the science,
history and culture surrounding blooms since the dawn of
humankind."
*Science News*
"[Buchmann's] knowledge and enthusiasm jump off the
page...fascinating."
*Wall Street Journal*
"Humans often use flowers as decorative accessories. But in this
book, Stephen Buchmann, a professor of ecology at the University of
Arizona, explains that they also serve other, more urgent
purposes."
*Time magazine*
"Buchmann, a prolific and ardent pollination ecologist, peels back
the petals to reveal fascinating aspects of
floriculture....Intensely researched, well paced, intricately
detailed, and delightfully accessible, Buchmann’s exploration of
this trove of living sensory delights is a boon to both casual and
committed flower lovers."
*Booklist*
"With a subtitle that serves as a swift, sweet summary, [Stephen
Buchmann] compresses the cultural and natural history of flowers
into a few hundred graceful pages...A volume that is like a Eurail
Pass that will carry you through gorgeous terrain you will want to
explore in more depth."
*Kirkus*
“Accessible…well-researched.”
*Library Journal*
"Buchmann, a biologist specializing in pollination ecology, uses
his eighth book to enthuse about the importance that flowers have
played in human civilization...his excitement is both palpable and
contagious...fascinating...captivating."
*Publishers Weekly*
“Stephen Buchmann is to plants and their pollinators as Jaques
Cousteau, Sylvia Earle and Carl Safina have been to the oceans. He
opens our eyes to wondrous worlds we have never seen before. This
world-renowned explorer of nature’s inner workings will delight you
while unobtrusively edifying you at the same time.”
*Gary Paul Nabhan, Kellogg Endowed Chair in Sustainable food
Systems, University of Arizona*
“The Reason for Flowers is a gardening book and more. Buchmann
entertains with particulars of the patriotic gardens of Washington
and Jefferson, and those of Asia and ancient Rome. We learn how our
most beloved flowers came to be, along with new oddities like the
black petunia. Every gardener and flower-lover will want this
book.”
*Carrie Hulburd, President, Columbine Garden Club (GCA chapter) of
Phoenix, AZ*
“Aesthetically, flowers enrich our lives and symbolize our
emotions, but they are of even greater importance to us in their
natural function in nature. In this attractive book, Steve Buchmann
brings to life for the interested reader the many facets of their
existence and their interplay with insects and other animals,
informing us well about how they evolved and the roles that they
play in our world.”
*Peter H. Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden*
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