Book summary

A century ago, before mass media arose to dominate the realm of celebrity, scientists and inventors were among the most famous individuals on the planet. Alexander Graham Bell, Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, Luther Burbank. . .Luther Burbank? Today, few people remember the enormous contributions Burbank made in the fields of genetics and botany, which makes this incisive story of his life and achievements a welcome act of biographical recovery. Jane Smith reveals that Burbank pioneered the practices of grafting and hybridization of plants, which led to bigger and better varieties of all sorts of fruits and vegetables, basically revolutionizing the field of agriculture. She documents his fascinating life as a turn-of-the-century scientific celebrity, complete with some "shocking" scandals, while also elucidating the lasting relevance of his work into today's era of organics and hydroponics.

Media reviews

"[There are] many reasons to appreciate THE GARDEN OF INVENTION, [Jane S. Smith's] colorful, far-reaching book about the genetic, agricultural, economic and legal issues raised by [Luther] Burbank's life and legend."