The Teeth of the Lion

The Teeth of the Lion

The Story of the Beloved and Despised Dandelion

by
Anita Sanchez

Illustrated by
Joan Jobson

Fall 2006, 5 x 8",

144 pages, 15 b/w illustrations
bibliography, index
Softcover $14.95
(0-939923-22-X)

Please click here for sample pages. (Table of Contents, Introduction, and Chapter 1)

Schedule of Book Signings

DESCRIPTION

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are a widespread and well known flowering plant. They occur, it seems, in every backyard, garden, playground, parking lot, and asphalt crack in the country – and far beyond. The word by which we know this common plant derives from one of the French names for it – dent-de-lion, or “lion’s tooth.” And from this meaning stems the title of Anita Sanchez’s book The Teeth of the Lion: The Story of the Beloved and Despised Dandelion.

The Teeth of the Lion is loaded with information and thought-provoking ideas, all packaged into a thoughtfully conceived, engagingly presented, easily accessible collection of focused essays that explore the natural history of the dandelion and the plant’s long association with humans. Readers will come away from this book familiar with the structure and life cycle of the dandelion and the ecology of the species, but they also will learn how the dandelion has been used over thousands of years by humans, what benefits humans have derived from this association, how humans have spread the species to areas far beyond its natural range, and how the perception of the dandelion has changed – dramatically – during recent decades.

What begins as a focus on tiny parts of big processes becomes, toward the end of the book, a focus on large-scale concerns of continental and even global significance. Set within the context of the debate over whether dandelions are good or bad – whether they are fondly appreciated memories of childhood, pretty yellow flowers, or stubbornly wicked weeds – the book confronts the widespread use of great volumes of herbicides on those recently adopted elements of the cultural landscape known as “lawns.” Perhaps no other plant is the target of such a barrage of deadly chemicals, but the herbicides not only fail to eliminate dandelions but also poison birds and other parts of the ecosystem. The final chapter uses the dandelion to illustrate how a little bit of green management of lawns – the use of organic landscaping techniques – can reduce unwanted dandelions but also minimize or eliminate the need to apply chemical toxins in these landscapes.

The Teeth of the Lion will be of interest to naturalists, botanists, environmental educators, interpreters, librarians, and anybody else in the greater public interested in quality natural history writing and becoming familiar with the natural and cultural history of a quite common and usually underappreciated element that is part of our everyday landscape. Beyond self enlightenment and satisfaction, teachers, parents, and others who work with children will find this book to be a treasure trove of information with which to use an abundantly available local resource to assist young minds in expanding their awareness of the natural world and its ecological processes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anita Sanchez was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in upstate New York. She holds a B.A. degree in Ecology/Conservation from Vassar College (1977) and has worked as an environmental educator near Albany, New York, for the past 30 years. She lives in Amsterdam, NY, with her husband, George Steele (also an environmental educator) and their sons, Alex and Timothy.

I wrote this book “to help people understand the subtle interrelationship between plants and animals in the natural world, and to help people become more tolerant of the wild things that share our world. Increasingly, people are becoming disconnected from nature and even afraid of it. And I wrote it out of a sense of outrage at the use of lawn herbicides that take a deadly toll on wildlife and pose serious risks to human health.”

Please click here for Speakers Bureau information

REVIEWS

"Readers will gain appreciation for this humble species..."

-- Marilyn K. Alaimo, garden writer and volunteer; excerpt from Chicago Botanic Garden, Lenhardt Library

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"...a fascinating and surprising look at a common yet mysteriously notable plant."

-- Excerpt from The Ecobeetle Eco-Library -- Books for Kids, 2007

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"An enchanting and fascinating read, highly recommended for plant lovers of all walks of life."

-- Excerpt from The Midwest Book Review, Small Press Bookwatch, March 2007

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" Need gift suggestions? I have a great one for you--this book. Whether one hates dandelions with a passion, can tolerate them, or even eat them, this book is a fascinating insight into the world of the dandelion. ...Being a native Pennsylvanian, I was surprised to learn that one of the sayings of the Pennsylvania Dutch was that, 'if you eat dandelion on Maundy Thursday (early Spring) you'll be healthy all year.' Little did they know that behind this saying is the fact that, 'dandelions are a vitamin powerhouse.' Sanchez backs this with surprising factual information...--this humble plant offers a wealth of gifts. After reading this book, the reader will have a totally different perspective of the dandelion. The recipients of your gift will be delighted, Be sure to treat yourself too."

-- Shirley Dumbold, Federated Garden Clubs of New York State newsletter, The News, Winter 2006-2007, Vol. 78, No. 3

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" The Teeth of the Lion is pleasant, light reading, and also provides an interesting look at history and ecology. Sanchez has used a number of techniques to make this thoroughly readable.... She also gives lots of scientific facts, which are always clearly explained, about how the plant is so successful at growing and spreading. Her scientific explanations include why it is so hard to get rid of dandelions in the lawn, and she gives a suggestion of how to do it easily and safely. ...I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a light read, or a book to introduce some simple ecology and history."

--Nancy Duran, Agriculture Subject Specialist Librarian, Texas A&M University, Medical Science Library, excerpt from E-STREAMS, Vol. 10, No. 1 - January 2007

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"Gardeners and anyone with an interest in nature will enjoy this book. I guarantee you will never look at the dandelions in your lawn the same way again. In fact, you might find yourself considering the dandelion as an addition to your dinner salad or perhaps making a toast with dandelion wine."

-- Shane Smith , Director Cheyenne Botanical Gardens, excerpt from Cheyenne Garden Gazette, Winter 2006-07.

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"Sanchez...is much more than a historian. She writes beautifully, on a topic that most of us would not have thought worth pursuing until we discovered this book. It is difficult to write of The Teeth of the Lion without quoting from it." ... "For anyone on your Christmas list who fancies a good read, whether they have any interest in horticulture and gardening or not, The Teeth of the Lion will make a fine gift."

-- Tony P. Wrenn, excerpt from "In a Virginia Garden," The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, VA.

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"This book is fascinating as it traces some of the history of dandelions. You will find everything you ever wanted to know about dandelions between the covers of this book. I suspect reading it will cause you to STOP using pesticides or weed diggers when it appears in your lawns. You might even want to grow a row of it in your gardens this next summer. After reading about the vitamins found in dandelions, and all of the uses of their flowers, stems, leaves, and roots, I searched online for a source for organically grown dandelion seeds. Next summer I will be growing the "French Improved" variety...."

-- Diana Pederson, Editor, BellaOnline's Christian Literature, January 2007

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The book has widespread appeal. The dandelion is known to everybody; everybody relates to it instantly with some form of personal association, whether acquired in childhood or later, whether positive or negative--and, because the plant is everywhere, everybody is constantly reminded of it.

The quality of writing is accessible and excellent! It is written in a clear, simple, interesting style and cadence, and the content is substantive.

This book contains essays that focus on a great breadth of subject matter--natural history, biology and ecology, taxonomy, medicinal use, natural philosophy, dispersal processes and history, lengthy use by humans, use in magic and ritual, its role in inspiring the excessive use of pesticides, its positive management through the use of organic lawn management, and more.

The book is a great educational resource for parents, teachers, and interpreters to draw upon when engaging children and other adults in both classroom and outdoor educational settings.

The book offers self-enlightenment and personal satisfaction, and contains a collection of items for conversational use.

The audience for this book includes:

Botanists

Horticulturists

Naturalists

Ecologists

Resource Managers

Bio-geographers

Environmental Educators

Interpreters

Libraries

Landscape Architects