The Triumph of Seeds cover art

The Triumph of Seeds

How Grains, Nuts, Kernels, Pulses & Pips Conquered the Plant Kingdom and Shaped Human History

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The Triumph of Seeds

By: Thor Hanson
Narrated by: Marc Vietor
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About this listen

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2015 Thor Hanson (P)2015 Audible, Inc. Biological Sciences Botany & Plants Environment Gardening & Horticulture Natural Resources Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science World Gardening

Critic Reviews

"Marc Vietor's mellow, upbeat narration adds personality and energy, and every chapter brings fresh information and insight." ( AudioFile)
All stars
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A fantastic book. Good narration which is matched to style of book. Very easy to listen to.

fantastic.

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Brilliant and additive!! Never thought about how seeds were the defining resource that enabled homo sapiens to become agrarian and therefore evolve!

Masterful connecting seeds to history, politics,..

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so much to take in. Amazing how seeds vary so much and survive in adverse and changing past climates. The history of how humans maniputated many plants for our gain was very informative. Massive seed banks preserve precious genes. I shall listen to this book again.

Thor opened my.mind to the wonder seeds are.

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Really enjoyed this book with so much information and easy to understand, in-depth descriptions. if you have an interest in plants or the natural world, this book definitely worth it.

Fantastic book

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For someone who was not interested in seeds, this started a little slow. But the book got more interesting as the biology and history of common and peculiar seeds and plants where revealed.

Great book if you don’t know anything about seeds

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.