Lessons from Plants

By: Beronda L. Montgomery

Narrated by: York Whitaker

We know that plants are important. They maintain the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. They nourish other living organisms and supply psychological benefits to humans as well, improving our moods and beautifying the landscape around us. But plants don’t just passively provide. They also take action.

Beronda L. Montgomery explores the vigorous, creative lives of organisms often treated as static and predictable. In fact, plants are masters of adaptation. They “know” what and who they are, and they use this knowledge to make a way in the world. Plants experience a kind of sensation that does not require eyes or ears. They distinguish kin, friend, and foe, and they are able to respond to ecological competition despite lacking the capacity of fight-or-flight. Plants are even capable of transformative behaviors that allow them to maximize their chances of survival in a dynamic and sometimes unfriendly environment.

Lessons from Plants enters into the depth of botanic experience and shows how we might improve human society by better appreciating not just what plants give us but also how they achieve their own purposes. What would it mean to learn from these organisms, to become more aware of our environments and to adapt to our own worlds by calling on perception and awareness? Montgomery’s meditative study puts before us a question with the power to reframe the way we live: What would a plant do?

©2021 Beronda L. Montgomery (P)2021 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Educational and an excellent philosophical take on botany!

The information offered is wonderful! Very elementary such that it is understandable by most listeners, yet it reveals many little known facts about plants and how they relate to the human condition. As an ecology educator, I can recommend.
The only downside is the narration. I suspect the author is channeling Robin Wall Kimmerer, but her difficulty with the letters g, l, and ch was distracting. That said, I feel she did a fine job of making the “plant/person” parallel. Thanks.

so informative

I'm an amateur gardener who thoroughly enjoyed this book. Did not know the depths of the intricacies of plants. Interesting how humans think we're so complicated applicated not lending the same characteristics to other living organisms especially plants.

Interesting Book

Would have liked to heard more about some unique plant features/techniques/etc. But an interesting book.

Amazing

I am not a botanist, however, I absolutely loved this book. After listening to this book, i look at all plant life very differently. Although there were lots of technical terms used to explain plant life, I managed to follow at a very surface level and was astounded at what a plant goes through to thrive and survive. I am in awe. I too agree that we can learn a lot from plants, how to live together in spite of our differences, to adapt rather than disassociate, etc. The narrator was good. I recommend this book. Outstanding.

Good information. Bad delivery.

enjoyed the information in the book but couldn't stop focusing on the narrator's lisp (like she has a retainer in her mouth) and the slow delivery. I usually enjoy nonfiction audiobooks.