The Triumph of Seeds: How Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses, and Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped Human History Kindle Edition

I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. I feel like the author wandered a bit--the central "theme" is pretty loose, as it's not really a Point A to Point B to Point C kind of book. It is, however, a fascinating exploration of a question that never would have occurred to me: why do seeds work?I'm not a non-fiction person, nor much of an outdoorswoman. However, by the time Hanson got around to discussing things like defense mechanisms and dispersal, my interest was piqued. In short: I am not the target audience for this book, but I do think if you're interested in gardening, or plants, or agriculture, you'd enjoy this a LOT.The chapter on coffee was definitively my favorite, and not just because I like the stuff. Hanson discusses the history of coffee as the beverage of choice in the Middle East, long before it became trendy for white folks to enjoy, and explains how it came to be grown in the Americas. The narrative doesnt' get too political, but I do, and I found it all rather thought provoking: coffee as a billion dollar industry, and even (in some senses) a kind of cultural appropriation. Oh, and caffeine is a natural insecticide.All in all, a good read, and one I might keep a digital copy of to reference back to now and again.

A good read. Evolution always has some surprises that are counter intuitive. Teasing out those facts in some seeds makes for very interesting reading and provides impetus for viewing life around you with a wider vision to understand why, how and where plants live.But the section on coffee making kind of stunned me and made me shake my head. Really? Brewing to a half degree and to seconds? Considering that amount of sun, rain, nutrients and other variables in the process of getting those coffee beans to your cup of java, I had a good laugh. Even a scientist is not above falling for hyperbole and marketing.

I love both reading/learning about plants and working with them. This was a good look at seeds and the profound influences they have on human life. The writing was interesting with bits of humor and for someone like me anyway, kept me avidly reading. The science and history behind seeds and their use is fascinating. The tiniest criticism I have for this book is that the author sometimes wandered into personal tales that had little to do with seed function and history. I would also have enjoyed a few more examples of odd seeds or plant adaptions to distribute seeds. But I found the book enjoyable and well worth reading.

Very well written. I love the way Thor Hanson writes. This is the second book of his that I have read. Feathers is equally an excellent book. It's as if he were in the room talking to you with an exuberance that shows his curiosity about a subject, striving to find answers, going to the experts to probe their knowledge. I never thought much about seeds before thinking they are just the means to produce another plant. This book shows both the simplicity and the complexity of life, really the hand of a loving God who brings both sustenance and delight to us. Mr Hanson writes about evolution, not God. This "baby in a box with it's lunch" is a fascinating read.

This book does a good job talking about a lot of different seeds, including the almendro seed, which is given considerable attention. It talks about how seeds evolved into having different compounds as well as how people have utilized these chemicals for various applications. This book goes to more of a surface level for many different things rather than going in depth on one particular theme and is overall a well written, easy to read book. Great for people who like science and plants.

Really enjoyed reading the book. It was well written and the content was good. He treated the changes in agriculture over recent years in a fair and balanced way. I would recommend this book to those interested in plant biology, agriculture, and their interplay with culture.

I'm about half-way through this book, and it is wonderful. Interesting mix of science and personal anecdotes. I, too, have read "An Orchard Invisible," which is also informative. I am a botanical artist driven to learn about what I attempt to paint. Nuts and seeds are fascinating to look at and hold - so many shapes, sizes, colors, textures. Thor Hanson is good at describing what is going on inside those seeds, and some of the reasons why they vary. I've got some seed packets left over from last year and will try my hand at attempting to get them to sprout.I think I will read Thor's other books as well.

Really enjoyed this book. Nothing super surprising, if one has read Michael Pollan and followed various science sources, etc, but an excellently written book about seeds and how they work. This is science journalism that makes a topic truly accessible. Well written. Read some aloud to husband as I was reading it.

This is a wonderful book and combines good writing with so many interesting facts that it's hard to pick a favourite. I enjoyed the image of dropping a desk repeatedly onto a seed and only succeeding in disrupting lectures nearby!A lot of research has gone into this book, and it has really opened my eyes. We take seeds for granted and yet they are so important in ways we hadn't even realised.I only bought this book because Thor Hansen also wrote "Feathers" which I enjoyed tremendously, but I wasn't disappointed. On the contrary, I can't wait for him to write about something else now, and very soon please, because I can read quicker than he can write and I want more!

I have read a number of books on seeds recently and it is difficult to believe how different and yet fascinating they all have been. Peter Thompson's Seeds Sex and Civilisation and Jonathan Silvertown's An Orchard Invisible are both worth getting hold of if you enjoyed this book which maintains the standard with only a certain amount of overlap.

I love this book. It is not academic or stuffy - but is well researched and thought through. Anyone with a keen interest in horticulture and where the world is going with food production & many other ecological issues will love this read.

Great

Brilliant read.