Triumph of Seeds

Hanson T. 2015. The triumph of seeds. New York: Basic Books. 277.

This book felt pleasantly familiar to me. Thor uses simple words to describe complex topics in a voice that is reminiscent of Lyn’s. The topics Thor discussed were ones I felt fairly knowledgeable about, but he explained them in a way that would be digestible for those not so versed in the topics. If he himself does not have a simple way to explain it, he finds someone else who does. An example of this is the comparison of a seed to “a baby plant in a box with it’s lunch” (pg 9). Of course, this is remarkably similar to Lyn’s voice in my head telling me that a seed is “a baby plant with a winter jacket and a packed lunch”.

This book, though much more technical than the 100-Mile Diet, was just as easy and enjoyable to read. While the 100-Mile Diet prompted an analysis of our eating habits, the information in the Triumph of Seeds left me feeling like I got more from the small part I read. I came away from this reading feeling like I learned something from the things I read.

Thor uses incredibly detailed descriptions to immerse the reader in the story. My personal favourite description is of his desk: “dated from an earlier era, a time when people built office furniture from welded steel, chrome, and double-weight Formica. It was large enough for a fleet of mimeograph machines and teletypes, and heavy enough to withstand the shockwaves of a nuclear attack.” (pg xxii). Thor’s description of the events he finds himself in keeps the reader engaged, even when he begins to go into the more technical parts of the book. He also uses stories to break up the dense knowledge he presents. When he is discussing Mendel’s work, he constantly flashes back to himself planting his own pea plants. This breaks up the dense material and makes it easier to read.

The description of Mendel and his work was something that really stood out to me when reading. Mendel has been a large part of my science education, and to hear of the struggles he went through to be recognized was eye-opening to read. We often think of publications like Mendel’s changing the world immediately, however, Mendel never got to see the effect his work had on our fundamental understanding of life. Ask anyone who studies science who Mendel is and they will not hesitate to explain his work, the work Mendel never had a chance to discuss.