The Triumph of Seeds, by Thor Hanson, was a relatively quick read but packed with fun gems of knowledge and anecodotal stories from the author. Hanson keeps the language direct and fun. How many science books have you read with sentences like, “Before seeds, plant sex was pretty dull stuff.”
The book pulls from history, science, personal experience, and current events, which keeps it relevant and engaging. I’d highly suggest reading the endnotes as well, as there are often little nuggets of interesting information tucked in there that would get missed otherwise.
I often gauge a science book by how much it makes me want to continue learning about the subject, and while it’s a little unfair since I’m admittedly very into this subject already, this book definitely made me want to continue studying seeds. It’s both a compliment and a criticism to say that there were often points in the book where I wanted more information.
For a science book that’s target audience is the general public, I think The Triumph of Seeds does a great job at keeping it’s appeal for everyone. I didn’t find it life changing, but it did keep me entertained and interested—which I prize in a science literature.