I was inspired to delve into this true tale about seeds when a good friend at Awbury Arboretum, whose mission is to connect an urban community in Philadelphia with nature and history, told me The Triumph of Seeds was selected to be featured in the amazing Longwood Gardens’ Community Read program. Both Longwood Gardens and Awbury Arboretum are wonderous Philadelphia-area sources for some nature zen. I love Awbury because it has so many amazing programs that are incredibly cheap or free and introduce nature to children, teens, and adults, alike. I’ve been to Awbury several times and plan to return many more. I have lived in Philadelphia for a few years now, I have not yet made it to Longwood. The Triumph of Seeds will be my inspiration!
So…how about you? What will this seedy book inspire you to do? An arboretum? A trip down your local garden store’s seed aisle (with eyes wide open now!). Or, maybe you love nature and gardens, but are more in the mood to nibble on some seeds than see their result? No doubt The Triumph of Seeds will inspire a trip to a seed-food festival or plant-based restaurant like one of these at the seed festival in Miami? Or…some freshly baked whole grain bread from Seed Bakery in California? Or maybe, this Fall you’ll want to whip up your own seedy delight? (Wait, did that sound naughty? lol) Anyway, this Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds recipe from Joy, Food, Sunshine sounds delish!
Oh! For those with scientific interests or even morbid fascinations with death, The Triumph of Seeds will satisfy you immensely! Somewhere around midway through you’ll learn exactly what seed was responsible for stumping the CIA and making the James Bond movie, The Spy Who Loved Me, one of the highest grossing British films of all time. Yep, a tiny seed did that. Well, sorta.
Seriously, though, a list about the ways to bring this book about seeds to life could just keep… well, …. growing!
Here’s the publisher’s skinny on The Triumph of Seeds:
“The genius of Hanson’s fascinating, inspiring, and entertaining book stems from the fact that it is not about how all kinds of things grow from seeds; it is about the seeds themselves.” –Mark Kurlansky, New York Times Book Review
We live in a world of seeds. From our morning toast to the cotton in our clothes, they are quite literally the stuff and staff of life: supporting diets, economies, and civilizations around the globe. Just as the search for nutmeg and pepper drove the Age of Discovery, coffee beans fueled the Enlightenment and cottonseed sparked the Industrial Revolution. Seeds are fundamental objects of beauty, evolutionary wonders, and simple fascinations. Yet, despite their importance, seeds are often seen as commonplace, their extraordinary natural and human histories overlooked. Thanks to this stunning new book, they can be overlooked no more. This is a book of knowledge, adventure, and wonder, spun by an award-winning writer with both the charm of a fireside story-teller and the hard-won expertise of a field biologist. A fascinating scientific adventure, it is essential reading for anyone who loves to see a plant grow.”
