The Triumph of Seeds

Author: Thor Hanson
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465048722
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 321

Book Description
As seen on PBS's American Spring LIVE, the award-winning author of Buzz and Feathers presents a natural and human history of seeds, the marvels of the plant kingdom. "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.

The Triumph of Seeds

Author: Thor Hanson
Publisher: Civitas Books
ISBN: 0465055990
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 306

Book Description
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 the humble peppercorn drove the Age of Discovery, so did coffee beans help fuel the Enlightenment, and cottonseed help spark the Industrial Revolution. And from the Fall of Rome to the Arab Spring, the fate of nations continues to hinge on the seeds of a Middle Eastern grass known as wheat. In nature and in culture, seeds are fundamental—objects of beauty, evolutionary wonder, and simple fascination. How many times has a child dropped the winged pip of a maple, marveling as it spirals its way down to the ground, or relished the way a gust of wind(or a stout breath) can send a dandelion’s feathery flotilla skyward? Yet despite their importance, seeds are often seen as a commonplace, their extraordinary natural and human histories overlooked. Thanks to Thor Hanson and this stunning new book, they can be overlooked no more. What makes The Triumph of Seeds remarkable is not just that it is informative, humane, hilarious, and even moving, just as what makes seeds remarkable is not simply their fundamental importance to life. In both cases, it is their sheer vitality and the delight that we can take in their existence—the opportunity to experience, as Hanson puts it, “the simple joy of seeing something beautiful, doing what it is meant to do.” Spanning the globe from the Raccoon Shack—Hanson’s backyard writing hideout-cum-laboratory—to the coffee shops of Seattle, from gardens and flower patches to the spice routes of Kerala, 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 worthy heir to the grand tradition of Aldo Leopold and Bernd Heinrich, The Triumph of Seeds takes us on a fascinating scientific adventure through the wild and beautiful world of seeds. It is essential reading for anyone who loves to see a plant grow.

The Triumph of Seeds

Author: Thor Hanson
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0465048722
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Buzz

Author: Thor Hanson
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465098800
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 321

Book Description
As seen on PBS's American Spring LIVE, the award-winning author of The Triumph of Seeds and Feathers presents a natural and cultural history of bees: the buzzing wee beasties that make the world go round. Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They've given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing. As informative and enchanting as the waggle dance of a honeybee, Buzz shows us why all bees are wonders to celebrate and protect. Read this book and you'll never overlook them again.

Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid

Author: Thor Hanson
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 1541672410
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 274

Book Description
*A New York Times Editor's Choice pick *Shortlisted for the 2022 Pacific Northwest Book Awards A beloved natural historian explores how climate change is driving evolution In Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, biologist Thor Hanson tells the remarkable story of how plants and animals are responding to climate change: adjusting, evolving, and sometimes dying out. Anole lizards have grown larger toe pads, to grip more tightly in frequent hurricanes. Warm waters cause the development of Humboldt squid to alter so dramatically that fishermen mistake them for different species. Brown pelicans move north, and long-spined sea urchins south, to find cooler homes. And when coral reefs sicken, they leave no territory worth fighting for, so aggressive butterfly fish transform instantly into pacifists. A story of hope, resilience, and risk, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is natural history for readers of Bernd Heinrich, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and David Haskell. It is also a reminder of how unpredictable climate change is as it interacts with the messy lattice of life.

Seeds of Rebellion

Author: Brandon Mull
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416997997
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 514

Book Description
The thrills continue in the second action-packed adventure in the #1 New York Times bestselling Beyonders trilogy. After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor. Meanwhile, Rachel and the others have discovered new enemies—as well as new abilities that could turn the tide of the entire quest. And as soon as Jason succeeds in crossing over to Lyrian, he’s in more danger than ever. Once the group reunites, they strive to convince their most-needed ally to join the war and form a rebellion strong enough to triumph over Maldor. At the center of it all, Jason and Rachel realize what roles they’re meant to play—and the answers are as surprising as they are riveting.

Seeds of Fire

Author: Gordon Thomas
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781893302549
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 528

Book Description
Gordon Thomas reveals information about China's intentions to use the current crisis to launch itself as a new super-power and become America's new major enemy ... On September 11, 2001, the ... Chinese Peoples Liberation Army ... had come to sign the contract with Afghanistan ... that would provide the Taliban with missile-tracking, state of the art communications, and air defense systems.

Seeds of Yesterday

Author: V.C. Andrews
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1451636989
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 385

Book Description
Now a major Lifetime movie event—Book Four of the Dollanganger series that began with Flowers in the Attic—the novel of forbidden love that captured the world’s imagination and earned V.C. Andrews a fiercely devoted fanbase. They escaped their mother’s hellish trap years ago, but a cruel history of lies and deceit has come full circle… The forbidden love that blossomed when Cathy and Christopher were held captive in Foxworth Hall is one the Dollanganger family’s darkest secrets. Now, with three grown children and even a new last name, the pair seem to have outlived a twisted legacy. But on their son Bart’s twenty-fifth birthday, when the spiteful and disturbed young man claims his rightful inheritance, the full, shattering truth of their tainted past will be revealed at Foxworth Hall—the place where the nightmare began, and where Christopher and Cathy were once just innocent flowers in the attic…

Lovely Seeds

Author: R. H. Swaney
Publisher: Central Avenue Publishing
ISBN: 1771681497
Category : Poetry
Languages : en
Pages : 162

Book Description
“Explores the beauty that can be found in even the most hopeless of situations.”—Cyrus Parker, author of DROPKICKromance “Every page is a gentle reminder to take care of yourself. Lovely Seeds will help you be ok with being you.”—Iain S. Thomas, author of I Wrote This For You R. H. Swaney brings a depolarizing voice to the poetry world with this debut collection. Amongst the topics of mental health, self-love, and social progress, readers will find a soft but powerful voice that uncovers the beauty that exists inside of all of us. Examining life and its circle from seed to withering to regrowth, the thought-provoking nature of this collection will bring readers to a place of self-exploration, reflection, and a deeper understanding of their place in the world.

Miss Maple's Seeds

Author: Eliza Wheeler
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0425288897
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 42

Book Description
This stunning New York Times Bestseller introduces the kind, nature-loving Miss Maple, who celebrates the miracle in each seed—perfect for fans of Miss Rumphius! What happens to seeds that don't sprout? Fortunately, they have Miss Maple to look after them. Every year, she rescues orphan seeds, taking them to her cozy maple tree house. All winter long, she nurtures them and teaches them the ways of seeds and the paths by which they might find their new homes. And come spring, she sends them off to take root out in the wide world and to sprout into the wonderful plants she knows they'll become. Celebrate every season with Miss Maple, from Earth Day to graduations to harvest festivals. Downloadable Activity Sheets available at: wheelerstudio.com/2013/04/03/miss-maples-seeds-activity-sheets/ "Completely enchanting . . . Filled with broad vistas, warm breezes, woodland creatures, and other whimsical imagery . . . With its positive message about the value of nurturing even the tiniest bit of the natural world, this book is simply wonderful."—School Library Journal