Fionnáin reviewed Through Vegetal Being by Michael Marder
Two worlds entangled
5 stars
Through Vegetal Being is a gorgeous philosophy book that manages to explore topics deeply using very different methodologies and schools. Luce Irigaray and Michael Marder collaborate. They wrote to one another with the same chapter titles, then later combined the book into two perspectives on the same thoughts.
I took joy in jumping from one half to another. Irigaray writes from her experiential perspective, taking embodiment and personal relationships with plants as core to her writing. Marder is more historical and western-academic, yet retains a thoughtful and artistic writing. Both are beautiful at different moments, presenting personal perspectives on how we engage with the world of plants. The result is a book that I loved every moment of, and will read again I am sure.