Seed to Seed: The Secret Life of Plants

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"It's about seeing"

It Was A Very Good Year

Seed to Seed: The Secret Life of Plants
Nicholas Harberd
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1582344132
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Book Description

A brilliant evocation of the natural and genetic beauty of the plant world, in the form of a year-long journal from one of the world’s leading biologists.

Nicholas Harberd, a father, scientist, and nature lover, spends his days at the lab directing a team discovering the secrets of how plants grow, using a common weed as their example. Concerned that he’s losing sight of the weed’s ordinary days in the world, he sets out to find an example of the same plant in the wild. And so begins this unique and beautiful book—part field notebook, part sketchbook, and part journal. Building on a narrative of the passing seasons of 2004, Harberd relates that narrative to the life history of what becomes an iconic plant. As a biologist and close observer, he is able to describe both what is visible and the hidden molecular mechanisms that underlie the visible events in the plant’s life. In the process, he reveals what the daily life of a scientist truly is.

Beautifully produced, with dozens of diagrams and drawings, and written with thoughtfulness and passion, Seed to Seed is a testament to the wonder of the world around us.

Customer Reviews:

"It's about seeing".......2006-12-04

Completing a research project and polishing off a journal paper left Nicholas Harberd at loose ends. While casting about for a new project, he struck out on a new course. It is good for us that he did. His quest led him to reflect on Nature's mysterious ways in terms that turned him away from his laboratory work to seek fresh insights. Many years of study of the thale-cress, a humble-looking but informative little plant, had provided much detailed information. Harberd, finding a thale-cress atop a grave in a church cemetery, began considering the plant in a fresh view. He developed a broader vision by studying it in Nature instead of his laboratory.

As the notes progress, Harberd describes the processes involved in the plant's growth and development. He explains how the leaves bud, then expand, each new leaf set 137 degrees away from its neighbour. The angle is a mystery, but many plants make rosettes of leaves, each with their own separation formula. The core of plant is the meristem, and there are two of these in each plant - one for roots and one for the shoot. There are genetic triggers launching the growth process. Harberd explains how these work and, as far as is known, how they interact. The plant, all plants apparently, start with a set of proteins, the DELLAs, that actually inhibit the growth process. He develops the scene with other genes and their proteins that "restrict restraint" allowing the plant to flourish - if the conditions are right.

This book is a reflection of his thoughts, dreams, research problems and other facets of his life and work. Harberd describes the conditions of each day of his note-taking, the weather, the other plants, the soil conditions. The notes are expressive of his reaction to the environment around him, the meanderings of his thoughts as they jump from the pressure of his work to the progress of the little thale-cress. There are setbacks, of course. A slug finds the cress. So does a rabbit, which nearly terminates his study. His reactions in each case are mixed - should he relocate the slug elsewhere? What to do about the rabbit? What happens if caretakers clean up the grave site? Underlying it all are the questions about the next project and what kind of contributions might his group now undertake? What new views of Nature and plant life might result from their work?

Non-scientists don't understand researchers or what they do, claiming scientists lack feeling, notes Harberd. Yet, "wonder is what drives us" says this scientist. The feeling of wonder at how things work is the basis of all research. Nature isn't driven by divine mandate, yet Harberd insists that all research results in a sense of awe. As the notes progress over the days and months, the words "wonder", "exciting" and even "breathtaking" appear with increasing frequency. He rediscovers that himself during an Autumn review of his jottings.

It's impossible not to be caught up in his enthusiasm as he depicts the experiments he and his team perform in developing new ideas or confirming older ones. One experiment, half a century old, proposed an idea for one plant type. Harberd and his group refined the test and tried it on the thale-cress. It confirmed the earlier findings and expanded on it. This kind of work demonstrates the uniformity of cellular processes across many plant species, from scrawny cress to towering redwood. "Wondrous", indeed! [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

It Was A Very Good Year.......2006-05-10

You know about writer's block, the frightening state of an author who just cannot come up with another idea about which to write. Nicholas Harberd had researcher's block. He had done plenty of work as a laboratory scientist, working out the biochemical mechanisms of some very basic capabilities of growth in plants. Having gotten some answers, there turned out to be more and deeper questions (the familiar pattern that will keep science going forever), but he was not inspired into a next project. What to do? Part of the charm of his book, _Seed to Seed: The Secret Life of Plants_ (Bloomsbury) is that he lets us know how he as a working scientist came to solve that problem. He lets us in on some biological secrets, as he opens up some of the mechanisms that are at the core of what roots and shoots do. Best of all, he gives himself, and imparts to us, a higher appreciation for the natural world, invoking a mystic unity inspired by science, and an appreciation for all the paradoxes that this entails.

The specific subject of Harberd's research and his book is _Arabidopsis thaliana_, the thale-cress, a humble weed which has gained stardom as the first plant to have its DNA entirely sequenced. To dismantle the block that has left him uninspired to start up any new project, Harberd started a journal for 2004 to record the history of one thale-cress plant; this book is his journal. His selected plant isn't one of the thousands of plants in his lab, but one in the wild, for which he (and the reader) come to have interest and affection. In watching the plant, he describes for himself and for us the intricate dance between DNA, RNA, and the proteins for which they code. By experimentation, and there is a good deal described in these pages, the exquisitely fine-tuned molecular symphony takes place; even in the humble root of this humble plant there are regulators, and regulators to regulate the regulators, and so on in dizzying iterations.

It is fair to ask what use all this detailed knowledge is. Even his daughter, when being told about proteins that restrain the growth of plants, wants Harberd to use them on a neighbor's sycamore that increasingly is shading their garden. The real goal, Harberd says, is not utility (although it is certainly possible that plants are going to be improved the better we know the details of their molecular workings). And for him, the real goal is also not simply a better understanding of how the molecules do their jobs. "I'm more motivated by the sense that understanding brings me closer to Nature. That there's a link between understanding and reverence." It is a pleasure to read Harberd's musings on how nature may be perceived as a unity in different ways, how his plant is so connected with the air and soil around it that distinctions between those entities seem artificial, or how, if one considers the sun as the nucleus of a globe defined by the spread of its light, then the plants which respond to the light, their germinated seeds, and those of us who live on plants, are all parts of the sun. Harberd has done a wonderful job of telling what a scientist goes through, how decisions get made about what sort of work should be done next, and even about the difficulties of getting published. These are not reflections strictly confined to plant biology, and while _Seed to Seed_ has within it a great deal of explanation about molecular complexity, it is best in its vivid musings on how science can reflect nature and bring us closer to it.

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Seeds from a Secret Garden (Keepsakes)
Gertrude Hyde
Manufacturer: Peter Pauper Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Rhetoric | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Gifts | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0880888903

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Essential Reading for Your First Time

Useful but sometimes very general !

The Rough Guide to First-Time Asia 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Lesley Reader , and Lucy Ridout
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | Travel | Subjects | Books
Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
Rough Guide | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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The Rough Guide to Japan, Third Edition

ASIN: 1843530481
Release Date: 2003-04-28

Book Description

INTRODUCTION

Every year, millions of visitors set off on their own Asian adventure. Some want to see for themselves a few of the world's greatest monuments - to stroll along the Great Wall of China or stand beside India's Taj Mahal. Others are drawn by the scenery: the soaring Himalayas and the chance of viewing Everest at close quarters; the kaleidoscopic coral reefs of Southeast Asia, where you can swim amongst sharks, manta rays and turtles; and the steamy jungles of Malaysia and Indonesia, with the prospect of spotting orang-utans, elephants and even tigers. Few people would say no to a week or two on the dazzling white-sand beaches of the Philippines or pass up the chance to watch the sun rise over the Khyber Pass.

But perhaps the greatest draw is the sheer vitality of daily life in Asia, much of it played out on the streets. You can watch Thai boxing in Bangkok and trance dances in Bali, learn yoga in Varanasi, drink rice whisky in Vientiane, eat dim sum in Shanghai and satay in Penang, buy silver in Hanoi and bargain for mangosteens in Manila.

Nearly all these things are affordable even for low-budget travellers, because most of Asia is enticingly inexpensive: Western money goes much further here than it does in Africa or South America. Not surprisingly, this has put Asia firmly at the heart of the backpackers' trail, and many cities and islands already boast a lively travellers' scene, attracting young adventurers from all over the world. Few travellers leave Asia without experiencing at least one of its fabled hot spots: the beaches of Goa, for example, the guesthouses of Kathmandu, or one of Thailand's notorious full-moon parties. However, Asian travel can also be a shocking and sobering experience. Few people forget their first sight of a shantytown slum or their first encounter with an amputee begging for coins. Many first-timers are distressed by the dirt, the squalor, and the lingering smell of garbage and drains in some Asian cities. They get unnerved by the ever-present crowds and stressed out by never being able to mingle unnoticed among them. And then there's the oppressive heat to cope with, not to mention the unfamiliar food and often unfathomable local customs. There's no such thing as a hassle-free trip and, on reflection, few travellers would want that. It's often the dramas and surprises that make the best experiences, and we all learn by our mistakes.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Reading for Your First Time.......2006-07-23

This book offers a general overview of what to expect in this region of the world. I found it most useful in helping me choose which contires I want to visit and which I don't. It lists the highlights on what each contry has to offer as far as touring and cost and informs about which countries to use caution when visiting. At no point do the authors tell you not to visit a country -- very unbiased. I particularly liked the itineraries they offered for 1- 2- and 4-week stays. They really helped in my planning. The book doesn't mention hotels and all that which is exactly what I wanted -- a gerneral introduction. Nothing is sugar-coated and they tell you about things as they actually are. I found their cross-references (further reading web site suggestions)to be of great value. The information offered is not very dated so if you have a strict budget, you can buy a previous edition and do just fine as you will likely want to buy a more specific book that tells you about hotels and prices at a later point. Overall, it's a great way to start planning your big trip.

Useful but sometimes very general !.......2001-04-25

I bought the first the first edition of this book and I read it in 1 night. I found it very interesting and a with a very special writing style. The short stories included in each chapter from real experiences are really advisable in preparing a trip.

Once in Asia (Tokyo) for studying I read it again several times to plan a big trip after my studies. I think the book concentrates in many places for long trips and it is not useful for a short trip trough Asia for the very "first time". Particularly, I would like next editions of these book will include ideas for routes of trips beginning in Asia. Also, it must include data about travel agencies in Asia that the authors who has traveled here for more than 15 years, should know. As language is particularly a barrier in all these countries, all we would hope English speaking in those agencies.

But anyway, I strongly recommend this book. It is very useful to plan a trip according to particular interests.

Book Description

Energy therapy, more commonly known as Reiki, is rapidly growing in popularity as people discover how this ancient form of healing revitalizes the mind, body, and soul of both humans and animals. One of the greatest appeals of energy therapy is that it can be used by anyone. A gentle, non-invasive form of healing, it treats the whole individual-not just the symptoms of a condition. Clare Wilde has practiced energy therapy for years, and her success with humans led her to apply the therapy to horses. She found that it helped to resolve equine behavioral problems such as spooking, tension, and aggression, and that it aided the healing of physical conditions like injuries, muscle strains, back problems, and metabolic disturbances. Assuming no previous knowledge or experience, Wilde clearly explains the history of Reiki, the process of learning to use energy, treatment guidelines, and the dynamics and practical applications of healing horse and rider.

Customer Reviews:

Very disappointed.......2003-12-17

I bought this book along with "Natural Healing For Animals" by the same author, looking for "Hands On" information. Both could be interesting to read if you have no concept of technique and are just curious, but I am familiar with this in humans and was looking for Flow charts to convert my knowledge to use in horses and cats. This is not a practical guide in any way. Only an introduction to concept. I feel I really wasted my money on both books. There is nothing concrete to work with.

could be much better...........2000-11-09

i read this book and have to agree with Laura (the first reviewer) - it is misleading for those who think they can learn reiki from a book.

also - there wasn't much detail. if you already do Reiki (like me) and are seriously interested in working with animals, it may help a little. for example, two things i specifically wanted to know were the equivalent chakras on a horse and a set of hand positions. these are in the book, but i feel that i would change the hand positions a little from what clare uses.

this was written from one person's point of view, and nowadays there are many variations on Reiki. it doesn't make her view wrong or right - just different! it's not a waste of time, but it isn't all that i hoped it would be.

on that note - i decided i may try a hand at writing a book on reiki & animals (in particular, horses).

Kate

Some good ideas, but not completely accurate..........2000-10-15

I am a traditionally trained Reiki Master/Teacher. I am also a horsewoman of many years, and a horse owner. I found this book to be a mixed bag of the good and the not so good.

My main complaint about this book is the inaccurate way Reiki is portrayed. If you buy this book thinking you'll be able to learn how to treat your horse with Reiki after reading it, you'll be sorely disappointed. Reiki can ONLY be learned IN PERSON from a Reiki Master/Teacher (beware of anyone who tells you they can attune you to Reiki over the Internet, they cannot.)

However, if you are already a Reiki practitioner, this book is a moderately useful tool to assist you in learning to treat horses with Reiki. There are other books out there which cover treating animals better than this, but none are specific to horses, so this might be a good addition to your library if you're looking for horse-specific works. But it's not quite what it promises to be, and there is the potential for people to be misled into thinking they can use Reiki on their horses after reading this book.

Please feel free to email me at "laura@duluth.com" if you have any questions about using Reiki on horses (it's a LOT of fun) or learning to channel Reiki yourself.

Wonderful, informative alternative treatment guide.......2000-04-06

What a great book! I have long been interested in alternative therapy treatment for both humans and animals. This book helped to explain the hows and whys of Reiki and how to apply it to your horse and fellow rider, as well as yourself! The techniques, which are clearly outlined, work amazingly well. I would really recommend this book to anyone with horses.

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1993 94 Ab Bookmans Yearbook the Special
Ab Bookman
Manufacturer: BOOKMAN PUBLISHING
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000U08SUO

Average customer rating:
The 1993-94 Bookman's Yearbook

Manufacturer: A B Bookmans Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Care & Restoration | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Book Industry | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9993786926

Average customer rating:
Ab Bookman's Yearbook 1993-94
EDITED
Manufacturer: Bookman's Weekly
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H10NTA

Book Description

Flowers have the ability to raise our spirits and bring joy into our lives. Now anyone can make flowers last a lifetime by following the methods found in this book. Besides providing information on pressing and designing with flowers, this book details the start-to-finish process, beginning with sowing, growing, and gathering flowers to storing and creating one-of-a-kind projects with them. Dozens of project ideas, complete with lavish photos and step-by-step instructions, are included, each perfect for keeping or giving as a unique gift.

-Dozens of projects. -Pictures, jewelry, bottles, candles, stationery. -Tips and techniques for professional results.

Customer Reviews:

A Nice Souvenir.......2005-12-18

If you visit the theatre and take the tour, this book will contain only a little more information than the English Language tour provides. It does contain glorious photographs which are not permitted during the tour; however, it does not contain photos of any of the basements - which would have been nice.

The book contains both Spanish and English Text.

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One of the greatest pieces of Latino fiction ever written.

Truly a Gift !

Hispanic exodus truly revealed

Boricua's Incredible Journey

Family Installments: Memories of Growing Up Hispanic
Edward Rivera
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hispanic & Latino | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Northeast | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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...y no se lo tragó la tierra / ...And the Earth Did Not Devour Him

ASIN: 0140067264

Customer Reviews:

One of the greatest pieces of Latino fiction ever written........2002-02-15

I met Ed Rivera personally two years ago. He taught creative writing at a college in New York City. I've just read this book now, almost six months after he passed away and it is incredible how inspirational he can be, both in person and in the written word. In Family Installments, Ed Rivera has set the example for future writers. He has done something that not even Piri Thomas, with all due respect, did in his novel, Down These Mean Streets. Ed Rivera presented a story that truly captures the Latino's experience, from the native country all the way to life in the United States, mainly in New York City. Ed Rivera tells this story with a clever blend of grimness and humor that is difficult to imitate. His characters are powerfully vivid and his prose is rich and sharp. These details are what bring the story to life. But what adds to the charm of the story is the way Ed Rivera can make even the most difficult and embarassing situations very humorous. The book is a real treat for Latinos and non--Latinos alike. I give it five stars.

Truly a Gift !.......2001-08-28

This is a must read for hispanics and non-hispanics alike. A treasure for any individual interested in the immigrant experience. An excellent read!!

Hispanic exodus truly revealed.......2001-02-02

Rivera has opened the window to the world of what struggling Hispanic families had to endure just to become an almost invisible dust particle on the sill of America. This book captures the true essence of latin struggle and desperation to find a better life, the rigors of the ruthless yet merciful city (New York), and the good times though turbulent times. This book captures the pain, and frustrations of the Hispanic community coming to a newland, seeing it through the eyes of a developing juvinile into his manhood. This is a small nich in the historical carvings of being Hispanic. Thank you Mr. Rivera for writing this autobiography. As a young hispanic youth growing up in Corona, Queens during the early 80's, I can relate to the struggles your family and yourself have undergone. I was born in New York, but my father shared the same sufferings your father had upon migrating to America for a better life. He told me stories of living in the Dominican Republic and seeing pure poverty, then coming to America to work like a mule for close to nothing, saving every penny to bring my mother over and their new born daughter. We survived in a one bedroom apartment for 14 years...we were seven kids then. "My father also wears glasses fit for microscope". This is a great book, I hope you enjoy it as I have.

Boricua's Incredible Journey.......2000-01-14

This book takes you on a journey from a small town in the rural sector of Puerto Rico to the struggles Puerto Ricans faced and still face in the U.S. Rivera captures experiences so vividly, one can have a clear mental picture of what ia going on. This book captures your emotions and ties you to the story-line and lives of these characters.

Family Installments - Memories Of Growing Up Hispanic

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Family Installments - Memories Of Growing Up Hispanic
Edward Rivera -
Manufacturer: Penguin Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P21KF2

International Fiction vs. Ethnic Autobiography: Cultural Appropriation in Mark Twain and Edward Rivera.: An article from: International Fiction Review

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International Fiction vs. Ethnic Autobiography: Cultural Appropriation in Mark Twain and Edward Rivera.: An article from: International Fiction Review
Udo Nattermann
Manufacturer: International Fiction Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Hispanic & Latino | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from International Fiction Review, published by International Fiction Association on January 1, 2001. The length of the article is 4671 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: International Fiction vs. Ethnic Autobiography: Cultural Appropriation in Mark Twain and Edward Rivera.
Author: Udo Nattermann
Publication: International Fiction Review (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2001
Publisher: International Fiction Association
Page: 13

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