The Wonders of Weed and Witches

The Botany of Desire

By Michael Pollan

Published in 2001 by Random House

Today's Assigned Reading: Chapter Three (p113-179)

Otherwise known as Desire: Intoxication, Plant: Marijuana

Well, having read all 66 pages of this chapter I must admit that I now feel as if I were taken away on quite a trip.

Sure, I read this in two hours straight, sitting on a windowsill facing south and sun-drunk with the brightening of spring. Right now I have a headache and my eyes cannot quite focus upon my computer screen and I feel I am being called back to that gorgeous sunlight…. but duty calls, so here goes.

In general I have to say that I didn't quite enjoy this chapter as much as I did others; I found it to be wandering and random in some places and yet highly focused in others… perhaps Pollan was trying to make the reader understand what it is like to be high? Certainly his descriptions on pages 160, 161 and 166 - 168 helped with that purpose but honestly I just found the entire chapter to be more than a little confusing.

In my opinion, his described history of pot was interesting but nonetheless lacking in flow — not as good as it could have been. But that's not to say I didn't enjoy some parts; I got quite a laugh from his misadventures and explorations with Marijuana. I very much enjoyed his stories (I love stories), including his experience in growing pot (pg 121-124), his trip to Amsterdam (pg 129) and of the death-defying Assassins doped up on hashish (pg 172-173); however I found these gems spaced far apart with little more than filler placed between them.

I think Pollan could have written this chapter in but 40 pages, or maybe 30, and thus would have captivated my attention a fair sight more so than it did today. I was tempted to give up reading but because this chapter was assigned, I slogged through. *sigh*

On another topic, I totally understand Pollan's desire as a gardener to grow pot… not for the drug but simply to see if he could grow the plant. I must admit for a few years now I've wanted to grow hemp (outside, just to be clear) and add to my collection of odd and random garden plants… but it is next to impossible to acquire reputable seeds that haven't been shelled or irradiated. Although a few years ago I was offered some pot seeds by a friend…………………….

Finally, there is one last thing I want to comment upon… the revelation about how witches really "flew" on their broomstick (p119). Prior to this revelation, I was following along fine and I'll admit, especially amused by how Pollan was talking about witches using various items such as belladonna, datura, and toad skin… items which I was sure were relegated to fantasy or perhaps Harry Potter.

Indeed, I was certain Pollan was going to say they had no active nature and that witches flying in the night sky with a full moon to their back is but a myth - for we all know you cannot sit on a broom and launch yourself into the sky. Everyone knows that witches didn't exist; they couldn't really fly.

I guess up until this point I'd never stopped and wondered where the idea of witches and warlocks came from - surely there must be some reason but I guess I'd always assumed it came from fanciful stories and tales told to frighten young children.

So I'm sure you can imagine my shock and surprise when Pollan revealed that witches were indeed real, what a "broomstick" actually was, and how those woman launched themselves into flight…. And for fear of getting my blog R-rated or shut down, I'll just say that if you don't know what I'm talking about go get the book and read page 119 yourself.

I'm not sure what perturbed me most by this revelation - that the idea of "witches" actually has a basis in historical fact, that the ingredients they used to fly were exactly like what is used in Harry Potter… or that witches actually flew (just not in the way I - and most people, I'm sure - thought or presumed).

Sure changes your perspective on the game of Quidditch, eh?