Hope Jahren maps her life as a geobiologist through the developmental cycles of trees, seeds, and soil. She reconstructs her childhood in a Minnesota lab and her adult struggle to secure funding for research on paleobiology and plant physiology. The narrative centers on her professional partnership with her lab manager, Bill, as they build three different research facilities across the United States and Norway. Jahren explains the chemical mechanics of leaf growth and the resilience of seeds alongside her personal experiences with bipolar disorder and the isolation of academia.
This memoir attracts readers interested in a realistic portrayal of scientific labor and the sensory details of botany. It appeals to those curious about the physical and financial hurdles women face in STEM fields. Readers walk away with a technical understanding of plant life cycles and the specific collaborative dynamics required to maintain a functioning research laboratory over several decades. The text provides a clear look at how an obsession with the natural world translates into a lifelong career in the geosciences.
- Published
- 2016
- Language
- EN
