Book summary

In 1966, Cleve Backster, an instructor of polygraph testing, whimsically attached a lie detector electrode to his office plant. What he discovered in the next few hours changed his life and made a dent in the world of botany, for better or worse. His plant demonstrated signs of sentience, reacting "emotionally" to threatening stimuli and even, Backster believes, to his thoughts. Though his findings were mocked by the scientific community and the press, his subsequent tests in controlled lab environments convinced enough scientists of plants' emotional life that many more studies were conducted. Stories like this abound in SECRET LIFE OF PLANTS. A sensation when published in 1973, the book explores this and many other cutting-edge theories about plants and ESP, human auras, force fields, and dowsing. Peter Tompkins's vibrant writing style and respect for the unusual topics covered make this a joy to read, whether you end up convinced by any of it or not.