The Propitious Esculent facts for kids
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| Author | John Reader |
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| Publisher | Random House |
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Publication date
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2008 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 0-434-01318-8 |
| OCLC | 176824296 |
The Propitious Esculent: The Potato in World History is a fascinating book by John Reader. It explores how the humble potato has played a huge role in shaping world history. The word "esculent" in the title simply means something that is good to eat!
This book has also been known by other names, like The Untold History of the Potato and Potato: A History of the Propitious Esculent. The potato has been important in many big events over the last 500 years. These events include major discoveries and changes that led to our connected world today.
Potatoes originally came from just one area. How they traveled around the world affected both the types of potatoes we see and the people who started growing them. John Reader's book helps us understand the potato's place in history. He built on the ideas of two important experts, Redcliffe N. Salaman and William H. McNeill. Reader combined their work with new information, like genetics, to give us a full picture of the potato's journey.
Contents
The Potato's Global Journey
John Reader's book divides the potato's story into three main parts. These sections cover its origins in South America, its arrival and impact in Europe, and finally, its spread across the entire world.
Where Did Potatoes Come From?
The first part of the book takes us to South America. It describes the Andes Mountains and the high plains called the altiplano. This is where the potato first grew naturally. About 3,000 years ago, people living there started to use this wild plant.
Over a long time, people worked with the plant. They helped it grow into a valuable and tasty food source. This tuber (the part we eat) became a very important part of their diet. Reader explains how the Spanish arrived in South America. They set up colonies to mine for minerals and use the local workforce. It took many years for the Europeans to truly see how valuable the potato was. The book also shares details about how potatoes are still grown in the Andes today.
Potatoes Arrive in Europe
In the second part, Reader follows the potato's journey across the Atlantic Ocean. The plant made many stops on islands in the Atlantic. This gave it time to get used to different climates and day lengths.
When potatoes first arrived in Europe, people were not sure about them. Some even thought they caused diseases like leprosy! But over time, people's minds changed. The potato became known as a very healthy food.
The potato also caused big changes in how people lived and how many there were. This was especially clear in Ireland. Reader explains what happened during the terrible European Potato Failure from 1845 to 1850. This event was not just caused by a fungus. The book suggests it was also due to a series of government decisions. These decisions were made because of how important the potato had become.
The Potato Spreads Worldwide
The final part of the book talks about how the potato spread all over the world. It also explains how people are now working to protect the potato's genetic health. After the Great Famine of Ireland, scientists and farmers learned important lessons. They created ways to stop the fungus that caused the blight.
Protecting the potato's genes is very important. This is because so many people around the world rely on potatoes for food. Humans have been involved in developing the potato for a long time. This means some of its original genetic traits have become rare. Also, some weaknesses have appeared in its genetic code. Experts from around the world, including biologists and ecologists, are working together. They are securing all the different types of potatoes at places like the International Potato Center.
