Bamboo

Botanical

by Susanne Lucas

 We may think of bamboo only as a snack for cuddly panda bears, but we use the plant as food, clothing, paper, fabric, and shelter. Drawing on a vast array of sources, this book builds a complete picture of bamboo in both history and our modern world. Susanne Lucas shows how bamboo has always met the physical and spiritual requirements of humanity while at the same time being exploited by people everywhere.
 

Lucas describes how bamboo’s special characteristics, such as its ability to grow quickly and thus be an easily replaced resource, offers potential solutions to modern ecological dilemmas. She explores the vital role bamboo plays in the survival of many animals and ecosystems, as well as its use for some of the earliest books ever written, as the framework for houses, and for musical instruments. As modern research and technologies advance, she explains, bamboo use has increased dramatically—it can now be found in the filaments of light bulbs, airplanes, the reinforcements of concrete, and even bicycles. Filled with illustrations, Bamboo is an interesting new take on a plant that is both very old and very new.

Genres: Nonfiction

184 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a very nice, clear, interesting topical book about bamboo. Bamboo is great! You can eat it, built houses from it, make bowls and bicycles and books and all sort of things. It's environmentally friendly, self-renewing, cheap, easy-to-use. Could probably alleviate much world hunger and housing shortage if properly distributed and popularized.

[Boon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers almost every aspect of bamboo, making it a solid introduction to the subject. It explains the anatomy of bamboo, different species, where it grows, and how people have used bamboo in daily life across cultures. It also touches on modern uses and possible future applications of bamboo.

The writing style is closer to a textbook than to a narrative one, which makes it clear and informative. It’s an excellent book for understanding bamboo for the first time and building a strong foundation of knowledge.

That said, if you want to go deeper into specific topics—such as cultivation, construction, or industrial use—you will need to read additional books focused on those areas. Overall, this is a very good starting point for anyone interested in the world of bamboo.

[Msoneworld4me · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled on this one and found it to be an overall good read. I knew some about Bamboo, but now I know a lot more! The information is well written, making for an interesting and informative read. Book will be a resource in my home library.