‘For anyone who is interested in plants, gardening, the environment or, indeed, the world in which we live, 'Seeds, Sex and Civilization' is a rare treat’ – Book Group Info

‘The science book of the year, with an insight on every page, a purringly robust prose style and an informing vision that brings together wild nature and human culture in an utterly convincing and compelling narrative … ’ – The Tablet

'… has made a vital contribution to the future of our species' – The Independent

‘Once started, this book is impossible to put down’ – Garden

This is a scientific detective story with heroes and heroines following clues and – eventually – finding answers.

The history of man’s relation to seeds is the history of civilization. To many of us seeds mean little more than tiny objects in paper packets, but we should also think of rice, wheat, coffee, nuts, peas, beans, chocolate and cotton.

Peter Thompson, who was head of the physiology department at Kew Gardens and laid the foundations for the Millennium Seed Bank, unfolds the fascinating story of how, after centuries-long investigations, we have finally discovered what seeds do and how they work.

The book also vividly brings to life the people who have accumulated our knowledge – eccentrics, explorers, amateurs and highly dedicated professionals. Some are well known, such as Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel; others, such as the Russian geneticist Nikolai Vavilov, less so. There are violent confrontations, miraculous successes and heart-rending failures. But the seeds also have a story and appear to have personalities, ambitions and ‘stratagems’ of their own.

The book concludes with a chapter by Stephen Harris on current debates about genetically modified crops, seed conservation and plant ownership. Seeds have been hugely important throughout history. Today, how we treat them is of global significance.

Peter Thompson, for many years the Head of Plant Physiology at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, was a pioneer in the application of seed banking to the conservation of threatened plant species. The work he undertook at Kew’s Seed Unit laid the foundations for the Millennium Seed Bank Project. In his later years he ran a plant nursery and wrote many books for gardeners, including The Propagator’s Handbook and The Self-Sustaining Garden.

Stephen Harris, who contributed the Conclusion and acted as editorial adviser, is Druce Curator of the Oxford University Herbaria and a Fellow of Green Templeton College. He has written extensively on plant systematics, population genetics and the history of plant sciences. He is the author of Ecological Genetics, Design, Analysis and Application.

Also of interest
The Seventy Great Mysteries of the Natural World
The Great Naturalists
    In Association with the Natural History Museum, London
The Great Explorers
Time to Eat the Dog? The Real Guide to Sustainable Living
The True History of Chocolate