permaculture

["Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>]

from May '96

Christopher Bird, the author who said plants have feelings, at 67
By The Associated Press
BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. -- Christopher Bird, whose book claiming that plants
have feelings became a bestseller, died Thursday at age 67.
Mr. Bird was known for "The Secret Life of Plants: A Fascinating
Account of the Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Relations Between
Plants and Men," which he wrote in 1973 in collaboration with Peter
Tompkins.
The authors said experiments had shown that plants instantly
registered the reactions of people they cared about even if they were
thousands of miles apart.
The book became a bestseller and was translated into many languages,
but that didn't impress skeptics such as one who called the book "the
funniest unintentionally funny book of the year."
Mr. Bird and Mr. Tompkins also collaborated on "The Divining Hand:
The 500-Year-Old Mystery of Dowsing," about locating water sources.
Mr. Bird is survived by his wife, Shabari-Lynda; four daughters;
three stepsons; a stepdaughter; two brothers and four grandchildren.