Publisher Description

The story of apples begins in an unexpected place: with bears. While popular culture likes to link honey with these creatures, DNA evidence shows that it might be more accurate for Winnie the Pooh to be munching on an ancestor of Red Delicious. And while apples are modern America's second favourite fruit (after berries), their origins lie in ancient China. These are just some of the remarkable details that arise from Barrie E. Juniper and David J. Mabberley's The Extraordinary Story of the Apple. Written by two leading botanical experts, it's a complete natural and cultural history of the apple, using DNA evidence, from its origins in China, along the Silk Road to Europe and onto the Americas and Australia.

Author Biography

Barrie E. Juniper is reader emeritus in plant sciences at the University of Oxford; emeritus fellow of St Catherine's College, University of Oxford; and co-author of The Tradescants' Orchard (Bodleian Library, 2013) and The Story of the Apple (Timber Press, 2006). David J. Mabberley is ex-Keeper of the Herbarium, Library, Art and Archives at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and is an Emeritus Fellow at Wadham College, Oxford, Adjunct Professor at Macquarie University, Sydney, and Professor Extraordinary at the University of Leiden, The Netherlands. He is a member of the Order of Australia (AM). He is the author of Mabberley's Plant Book (Cambridge University Press, 2017) and co-author of The Story of the Apple (Timber Press, 2006).

Review

"In this wonderfully illustrated book, including 100 paintings and 100 photographs, Barrie Juniper and David Mabberley detail the cultural history of his quintessential English fruit... there is so much to learn that you will never look at your orchard with the same blinkered eyes again. This is the ultimate accessible academic apple volume."-- "The Field"
"This is a long and thoughtful book by renowned botanical experts, which considers both the geographical history of the apple and its influence on human civilisation through the eras... Richly illustrated throughout, this is a comprehensive and thoughtful tome, which will delight anyone who enjoys the more in-depth approach."-- "The English Garden"

Long Description

Although we may often think of the apple as quintessentially English, its origins lie in China. The apple (the Malus genus) arose in the Tertiary period (5.3 - 1.8 million years ago) in southern China and spread through a continuous corridor of temperate forest as far as western Europe. This book details the natural and cultural history of the apple, using DNA evidence, from its origins in China, along the Silk Road to Europe and onto the Americas and Australia. The apple has long been one of the most important fruits in the temperate regions of the world, and was apparent by the times of the Persians, Greeks, and Romans. The success of the apple's global travel was mainly due to the movement of people along trade routes, and crucially, due to the apple-loving horses on the Silk Road. The book charts this geographical history of the apple and its influence on human civilisation. From Adam and Eve, to the ancient Egyptians, Romans, the Battle of Hastings and Newton's Law of Gravity, the apple has played a key role in human culture. Chapters also cover types of apple and apple crops, grafting techniques over time, archaeological discoveries, use as a food and in cider making, as well as the latest research in apple biology. With colour illustrations, paintings, photographs, and line drawings, this book will make the ideal read for gardeners, growers, botanists, historians, archaeologists and zoologists alike.

Review Quote

"This is a long and thoughtful book by renowned botanical experts, which considers both the geographical history of the apple and its influence on human civilisation through the eras... Richly illustrated throughout, this is a comprehensive and thoughtful tome, which will delight anyone who enjoys the more in-depth approach."

Description for Sales People

* The complete natural and cultural history of the apple* Written by two leading authors in the field, and completely updated from their 2006 book The Story of the Apple* DNA-based evidence that the success of the apple began with favouring and dispersal by bears, followed by distribution along trade routes by humans and their horses, and into Europe, North America and Australia * The book covers all aspects of the apple including its botany, history, geology, presence in art and literature, relationship with zoology and importance to civilisation* Beautifully illustrated throughout with botanical illustrations, woks of art, models, photographs and line drawings* Fascinating read ideal for gardeners, growers, botanists, historians, archaeologists and zoologists alike

Details