Henry Hobhouse, a former journalist for the Economist and the Wall Street Journal, and an early director of CBS-TV News, tackles history and the changes that have shaped our world in three fascinating books.
In Forces of Change, Hobhouse puts forth a case that three things were pivotal to the development of the modern world: population growth, disease, and food supply. He narrows this down in his other books, Seeds of Change and Seeds of Wealth.
His theories make me think of the butterfly effect, as defined by WiseGeek: "The term butterfly effect was applied in Chaos Theory to suggest that the wing movements of a butterfly might have significant repercussions on wind strength and movements throughout the weather systems of the world, and theoretically, could cause tornadoes halfway around the world." Hobhouse uses the term "seeds" literally in his titles, describing how something as tiny as a plant seed can cause bigger ripples in our way of life than a revolution or a war.
In Seeds of Change, Hobhouse discusses "six plants that transformed the world"—quinine, sugar, tea, cotton, coca, and the potato. As Hobhouse notes, "If we dismiss plants as less than fundamental in history, we deny the kind of truth that every observer of nature has to admit. The world cannot evolve solely through the actions consciously willed by man. Nature can halt our progress and nature can advance it, and man would be foolish to overlook his role as a propagator of the seeds of change."
In Seeds of Wealth, Hobhouse focuses on five plants that have brought great wealth while also becoming an integral part of our every day lives. When the book was first published, the author only included four plant-based products and the industries revolving around them: timber, wine, rubber, and tobacco. Since then, he has added a chapter on coffee.
These books are well worth a read, whether you are a historian, an economist, a horticulturist or, like me, someone who was intrigued by the titles. They would also make interesting Father's Day gifts for bookish dads.
Can you think of any other plants that have changed the way we live? I'd add wheat and soybeans to Hobhouse's list, and possibly hops. Any others?
Becke Davis is the senior writer for The Landscape Contractor magazine, a member of Garden Writers of America and the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association. She has written well over 1,000 published articles and is the author of five garden-related books in addition to being the moderator of B&N's Mystery book club.
