Henry Hobhouse - Seeds of Change: Six Plants That Transformed Mankind - The Folio Society - 2007

Henry Hobhouse – Seeds of Change: Six Plants That Transformed Mankind (The Folio Society, 2007)
Illustrated Edition – With Slipcase

A fascinating Folio Society edition of Henry Hobhouse’s influential historical study Seeds of Change, a work that explores how six plants — quinine, sugar, tea, cotton, the potato, and coca — shaped the course of human civilization.

First published in 1985 and revised for this edition, Hobhouse’s account examines how these plants influenced economies, empires, and societies — from the spread of malaria treatments and the rise of the Atlantic sugar trade to the Industrial Revolution and global capitalism. Richly researched and elegantly written, it offers a unique perspective on the intersection of nature, commerce, and history.

Content
The book traces the profound political and cultural transformations driven by seemingly simple plants. Each chapter unveils the surprising influence of natural resources on world events — quinine enabling European colonization, sugar fuelling slavery, tea reshaping British culture, cotton sparking the American South’s economy, potatoes feeding populations, and coca driving trade and addiction alike.

Features
• Publisher: The Folio Society, London
• Year: 2007 (Second printing, 2014)
• Edition: Illustrated edition with slipcase
• Illustrations and maps: By Neil Gower
• Binding: Quarter cloth with paper sides printed and designed by Neil Packer
• Slipcase: Green paper-covered slipcase
• Printed by: L.E.G.O. S.p.A., Vicenza, Italy
• Paper: Abbey Wove paper
• Typeface: Garamond with Bulmer display
• Pages: 359

Condition
Excellent condition. Binding tight and clean, pages crisp and bright. Slipcase near fine with only minor shelf wear.

Shipping
Carefully packaged and shipped with tracking and insurance.