An Empire Of Plants: People And Plants That Changed The World

For over three hundred years, plants have been at the heart of Europe's trade and power. This compelling book explores the stories of seven plants - tea, tobacco, sugar, opium, quinine, cotton and rubber - whose discovery and cultivation changed the destinies of countries from America to China, India to Brazil. It investigates the complex legacy of trade routes overseas, the engine and imperative for colonial expansion, and shows how great fortunes were built upon a dark history of espionage, slavery, danger and conflict. From the race to colonise the Americas and control India to the devious smuggling of tea from China and the cynical opium trade, the compulsive historical drive towards riches and exploration is vividly evoked. Interwoven with fascinating details of plants themselves and their impact at home and abroad are the tales of those who depended on them, from pioneering planters and their workforces to merchants who risked piracy and shipwreck in the pursuit of profit. Together, these dramatic stories offer a unique perspective upon events whose consequences still reverberate today.