Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton by Richard Horan

Aug 16, 2011 Sue rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-related, nature, travel, u-s, library-book, read-in-2011

At times quite enjoyable, at times very frustrating. Perhaps there was a bit too much serendipity in the quest. I did enjoy learning more about some of this country's famous writer's and their homes but too often that seemed to be upstaged by the author's antics as he gathered the seeds he sought or visited with friends. Instead of being the vehicle for learning more, Horan became the subject. It seemed as though this book wasn't quite sure what it wanted to be nor was Horan sure of his role.

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Feb 16, 2011 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-mt-bookpile

I really wanted to like this book, but the author's voice kept getting in the way. Rather than focus on the writers and their homes and surroundings, the focus is on him collecting seeds. At times, the voice is too self-satisfied when a more distant tone was more called for (the Walden Pond episode, for example).

Early on he says that "no trespassing" signs won't stop him, yet later they do; we also get quite a lot on how he responded to the work of Robert Frost, but his personal response to Kris...more

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May 20, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Published by Harper Perennial of Harper Collins Publishing in New York, “Seeds” by Richard Horan describes one man’s inspired journey to collect seeds from trees that existed during the lifetimes of literary and historical figures of great importance.

Beginning with Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain and William Faulkner, Horan describes not only the natural surroundings of the land on which these historic giants once inhabited, but offers personal details of the people as well.

Throughout the course of...more Published by Harper Perennial of Harper Collins Publishing in New York, “Seeds” by Richard Horan describes one man’s inspired journey to collect seeds from trees that existed during the lifetimes of literary and historical figures of great importance.

Beginning with Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain and William Faulkner, Horan describes not only the natural surroundings of the land on which these historic giants once inhabited, but offers personal details of the people as well.

Throughout the course of the book, Horan travels to the childhood home of Muhammad Ali, as well as to visit the trees among which John Muir first began penning his words in defense of the natural world. He hikes around Walden Pond while pondering the work of Henry David Thoreau and contemplates the poetry of Robert Frost while walking among the woods which inspired his poetic lyricism.

In total, Horan travels to over forty locations describing the natural elements in connection with events such as Gettysburg, and people such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Jack Kerouac, Eudora Welty and Hellen Keller. Horan’s arboreal knowledge is both refreshing and inspiring, as are the details he writes concerning the very figures which have inspired his personal journey, as well as his career. The accounts of the often leery, sometimes helpful individuals Horan met whilst rummaging through mulch and undergrowth in search of sugar maple keys, catalpa seedpods and acorns was often rather funny.

The writing style is quite relaxed, making the reader feel as though one is sitting down over tea listening to the author recount his experiences while traveling. The author provides personal details of both himself and his family, which can be rather amusing or distracting depending on whether the reader has experienced similar circumstances.

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Horan’s honest and open-booked approach, however, lends itself well to readers with limited knowledge of tree and plant species. At no time does Horan talk down to his reader, rather his excitement and fascination with literature, history and the environment are inviting and inspiring.

Just as Horan describes the scenery at each location, so too does he give you an honest and at times, critical view of the museums and home tours set up at the homes of those figures deemed important enough to have foundations in place to preserve their legacies. Horan often describes his waning interest in the home tours, or the manner in which a historical site has been, in his opinion ill-preserved.

Certainly “Seeds” will inspire many to pick up new or old copies by the authors featured throughout Horan’s work. Whether his readers are inspired enough to plan their own journey, or wish to live vicariously through Horan’s words, his readers will also begin collecting their own seeds of knowledge.(less)

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Jul 30, 2011 Jenna rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2000-now, nonfiction

I believe it is easy for a writer to be carried away by his own thoughts and reflections. It was the publisher who should have told Horan when to stop on the personal anecdotes and steer him in the right direction.

The basic idea behind this book was a great one. Since the lifetime of a tree is longer than that of a human’s, Horan’s approach to trees is that they are beings that have relationships with those people who lived around them. Some of these people being great historical people and we c...more I believe it is easy for a writer to be carried away by his own thoughts and reflections. It was the publisher who should have told Horan when to stop on the personal anecdotes and steer him in the right direction.

The basic idea behind this book was a great one. Since the lifetime of a tree is longer than that of a human’s, Horan’s approach to trees is that they are beings that have relationships with those people who lived around them. Some of these people being great historical people and we can get closer to these greats by getting to know the trees in their life. This is a wonderful concept and I was really enchanted by it. Still am. It gives depth and beauty to the life of a simple tree.

The book follows Horan’s journey as he travels the country visiting different homes of great Americans writers. Once there, he seeks a tree that must have known said person and gathers its seeds. His goal is to have a menagerie of tree-children of the trees that knew great American writers. But the problem with this book is Horan is too preoccupied by his process.

As much as I loved the idea, Horan’s extra personal tidbits (such as getting a screw in his tire and having to drive around town to find a car place to fix the problem but not being able to find a place open, etc. etc.) strayed too far from the point. This would have been a great book if he had spent more time discussing the writers themselves rather than rambling through his own anecdotes or taking up the chapter by describing so-and-so who was traveling with him. In some chapters, he barely discusses the author at all. The book would have benefitted from more insightful reflections about the author and deeper research. For example, rather than only describing what the particular author’s place of residence looks like now, he could have compared what it was like when the author lived there, how the author’s life was then, and then comparing how it has changed since. This would have been more insightful, informative, and enlightening and would have better honored the Americans he clearly wanted to honor.

I appreciated Horan’s easy style of writing, it had a nice flow that kept me reading, but in the end, his own voice got in the way of what could have been a great book. As much as I was interested in the project he was undertaking, I was mostly interested for the authors and their lives, not for his decision to take one highway rather than another.

**I received this book in a First Reads Giveaway(less)

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Apr 03, 2013 Tuck rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: natural-history

ah, author horan has a brilliant idea to travel to important writers in the usa and collect seeds/nuts from the trees that could have touched the lives of those living by them. his #1 target were mature trees when the author lived in the house, so at melville's house in pittsfield mass. 1850-1863 he finds some huge white pines (and he thinks perhaps they were planted by melville, but alas, it's just a passing thought and horan does not delve into the the siviculture of the thing, like why white...more

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Aug 08, 2012 Dona rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was a cool idea for a book--in fact, wish I'd thought of it first. Travel around the United States, visiting homes and other sites that were once associated with famous authors and collect seeds from foliage that was probably around during the authors' lifetimes. Then germinate and plant the seeds yourself, creating a kind of tribute forest. But Richard Horan is a total cheeseball. He's got that high school teacher earnestness going on. (I know because I sheepishly recognized it in myself a...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Kate rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir-biography

If "writing a book is like climbing Mt. Everest," as the author remarks in his acknowledgements, then the tiny fragment of us who have actually experienced the world's highest mountain top can nod our heads in approval. This may or may not include Horan himself. Horan may not have witnessed the life cycles and growth habits of many of the trees he visits in his book, and he may not have delved very deeply into researching the famous folks he talks about, but one thing is for certain: he successf...more If "writing a book is like climbing Mt. Everest," as the author remarks in his acknowledgements, then the tiny fragment of us who have actually experienced the world's highest mountain top can nod our heads in approval. This may or may not include Horan himself. Horan may not have witnessed the life cycles and growth habits of many of the trees he visits in his book, and he may not have delved very deeply into researching the famous folks he talks about, but one thing is for certain: he successfully fills many baggies full of tree seeds to take home.

Horan's goal, as it seems, is less about gathering information and experience on trees and people than it is about taking something from them (the seeds) for himself. The self-proclaimed postcard nut, who wishes there was a tree that grew postcards instead of seeds so that he could name it after himself, stops at almost nothing to collect seeds. (Albeit, he does stop at the gift shop on occasion.)While scouring the forest floor with a golf club, looking for acorns in March, he explains "I had chosen a seven iron because I figured a seven would give me enough angle and leverage to slice into the leaves..."

On another occasion, "Doing what I was doing- gathering eucalyptus seeds for planting-would have been considered tantamount to arson in some Californian communities. In no time my baggy was full, and we were walking slowly across the grounds..."

As if his consideration for the ecosystems he tours is not lacking enough, he also spreads misinformation about trees themselves: "And because sycamore is the only common tree (along with field maple and lime) with insect-pollinated flowers, it is a vital source of pollen and nectar for bees- and a major allergy season irritant." Thousands of tree species,some of them major food crops, rely on insects for pollination. Furthermore, it is not these species but the ones that rely on wind for pollination which cause allergy irritation.

Horan gives the same loose regard to the people in his book. It's no surprise that he is always disappointed when he sees a park ranger without a quintessential wide-brim hat, or when he is less entertained by a tour of Thomas Jefferson's estate than by watching an HBO sitcom in his car in the parking lot.

What is surprising is that in the end, Horan is able to grow the seeds into seedlings. He also makes a connection with someone who is genuinely interested in raising them to create an arboretum. Though his book was not a great read, Horan's quest seemed to end in some degree of success.

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Feb 06, 2012 Julia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

I was looking forward to this seemingly interesting project of collecting seeds from trees associated with famous American authors. His prologue seemed very respectful of trees, which are one of my favorite lifeforms. After all, Horan is an English teacher, book reviewer, etc.

However, as I began to notice, the book is more about HIM than the seeds OR the authors. Plus many of the seedlings from the seeds simply died since he didn't know what to do with them. If Brian Sayers, president of the New...more

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Jun 26, 2011 Petrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-on-kindle

Megan gave me this book and it was a perfect fit for me--a book about plants and American writers. The author undertook various journeys to visit the homes and writing places of a number of authors--and to collect seeds from the trees growing on site or nearby. He imagines the various writers being influenced by the trees they looked at, sat under, and possibly even planted. He also threw in a few Jazz musicians and historical people such as Washington and Jefferson for good measure.

He visited...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Gaby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Seeds is a lifelong reader's tribute to American authors. For Horan, visiting the author's homes and the places that may have inspired them is a pilgrimage. His account of the trees and landscape that he finds is a special sort of literary travelogue. In many ways, Seeds seems like a book perfect for the author who describes himself as "a transient most of my life, I have a knack for bonding with any given locale. I need only wander around a place for a little while to feel a keen sense of belo...more Seeds is a lifelong reader's tribute to American authors. For Horan, visiting the author's homes and the places that may have inspired them is a pilgrimage. His account of the trees and landscape that he finds is a special sort of literary travelogue. In many ways, Seeds seems like a book perfect for the author who describes himself as "a transient most of my life, I have a knack for bonding with any given locale. I need only wander around a place for a little while to feel a keen sense of belonging. As a teacher, I've learned that someone's environment has as much to tell us about that person as does his or her friends and family." Sure enough, Horan takes us to some unexpected places.

I particularly enjoyed the account of his visit to L. Frank Baum's childhood home in Northern Syracuse, New York. There is a Wizard of Oz Memorial Oak Grove in North Syracuse where L. Frank Baum had played as a child and was an inspiration for his enchanted forest. A weak and sickly child, Frank spent much of his childhood on his own. At twelve, his family moved to Roselawn Estate in Mattydale, New York. Roselawn was located near the first plank road ever built - a street made entirely of wood, Plank Road was made of hemlock and had an unusual golden color. It was used to transport salt from the nearby lake to southern parts of New York state.

Horan describes the thick woods 2 miles away from the Roselawn Estate which had been owned by friends of the Baum family and is now the Wizard of Oz Memorial Oak Grove. Seven acres in size, it is the most historic old grove in the eastern U.S. Horan comes across a 150 year old giant red oak that is over 100 feet tall and three times the size of a mature oak. Horan describes the plaques on several of the ancient oaks and maples, each with dedications to artists, writers, and people that have changed the world: Walt Disney, Anne Frank, John Lennon, Mahatma Gandhi, William Shakespeare, Martin Luther King,John Lennon, John Muir, Edgar Alan Poe, and L. Frank Baum.

When Horan visits Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald's beautiful old home - which has been transformed into a museum and rental apartments -he writes about the gigantic and majestic pecan tree nearly 100 feet tall and what it must have been like for Fitzgerald working and taking a break by the tree. When he visits to Montgomery, Alabama and the street where Truman Capote and Harper Lee lived, he tells us about the oak that that inspired Boo Radley's tree where he left gifts for Atticus Finch's kids.

When Horan visited Pearl S. Buck's estate, he collected seeds from bamboo and silver maple. He explored the estate, including her grave site. In the description of her home and museum and of the spot in Danby, Vermont, Horan conveys much of Pearl S. Buck and the time in which she lived and wrote. It's difficult to cover Buck's unusual life, particularly through through her possessions and her land. Her books and her life have left a longstanding impact on the world - she lived and described a critical point in China's history. Her books are the best way to know Pearl S. Buck, but hopefully, Horan's visit to her home encourages young people to want to discover her stories.

I found Seeds an unusual and fascinating read.

ISBN-10: 0061861685 - Paperback $14.00
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (April 19, 2011), 384 pages.
Review copy provided by the publisher.(less)

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Apr 09, 2011 Sarah Joyce Bryant rated it 3 of 5 stars

*It is important to note that my review is based on the uncorrected proof.

Seeds covers author Richard Horan’s trek across America in an attempt to collect seeds from the trees of some of his favorite authors. When I was first made aware of this book, I couldn’t wait to read it. The concept sounded fascinating. For the most part, it is a great book and provides a lot of interesting information. However, there are some things that are problematic.

The book seems to alternate between two voices – Ho...more *It is important to note that my review is based on the uncorrected proof.

Seeds covers author Richard Horan’s trek across America in an attempt to collect seeds from the trees of some of his favorite authors. When I was first made aware of this book, I couldn’t wait to read it. The concept sounded fascinating. For the most part, it is a great book and provides a lot of interesting information. However, there are some things that are problematic.

The book seems to alternate between two voices – Horan’s personal voice and his more professional journalistic voice that provides the factual information. It gives the narrative a feel of inconsistency. Also, there were numerous times where Horan interrupted the narrative flow and scenes with asides within parentheses that began with: “Later on I learned…” The reader is pulled completely out of scene to be given this unnecessary information and then forced to try and re-assimilate back into the scene. Nearly every sentence contained within parentheses in the book could be deleted without altering it in any way.

Horan frequently described the people he came in contact with in a condescending manner. It is off-putting to the reader. This book would have been much better if Horan had stayed with one voice consistently throughout, preferably the one that stated the facts as they were rather than the one who randomly interjected personal opinion and unnecessary asides. When Horan interjects his personal opinion it feels as if he doesn’t trust the reader to come to the same conclusions as he did. The facts he provides are enough to bring those same feelings to the reader without his personal opinion which can be quite jarring at times. The details Horan gives are also inconsistent throughout the book. Sometimes he provides minute unnecessary details about every single thing that occurred at a particular moment and sometimes he provides details in a way that feels forced and list-like. Other times he doesn’t provide enough detail and leaves the reader to make assumptions.

I did not like the “Back Home” chapters. They were also inconsistent. For example, Horan’s wife joins him at one point and the reader has to assume that he has been home to pick her up, but there is no “Back Home” section prior to her appearing. I understand the purpose of those chapters and their placement, but the information would have been better blended into the already existing chapters or in a separate chapter at the end of the book. I would also have liked to see at least some of the pictures Horan is constantly mentioning in the book. It would have been great if they were dispersed throughout the book or in a section at the end.

All that being said, I loved the information provided in Seeds and taking the journey with Horan. I especially loved his assertion that trees are living, breathing beings that have witnessed historical events long before we were here and – if we stop being so uncaring – will be witnesses to the future long after we are gone. I think it is fascinating that trees have witnessed so much important history, that they keep many secrets we will never know, and that they have served as constant companions to many of our favorite authors. Another aspect that works really well is that it’s clear Horan is very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter of which he writes. This adds a level of legitimacy to the book. The reader knows Horan chose to do this because he loves it not just as a stunt to get a book deal.

I read Seeds slowly and was excited to return to it each day to continue on the journey with Horan. I loved learning the history behind some of my most beloved authors. If you can get past the author’s personal opinions and unnecessary asides, I believe you will enjoy reading Seeds too.(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 Steph rated it 4 of 5 stars

Seeds is a chronicle of Richard Horan’s journey to gather tree seeds from the homes of the authors, philosophers, and social figures who’ve inspired his life. His journey offers snapshots of the lives of fascinating artists and places, as well as an inspired and conscientious message of the value of our tall, green companions.
Seeds introduces us to the small towns, bustling city streets, and reclusive country homes that artists like Kerouac, Baum, Miller, Thoreau, and Jackson once resided in....more Seeds is a chronicle of Richard Horan’s journey to gather tree seeds from the homes of the authors, philosophers, and social figures who’ve inspired his life. His journey offers snapshots of the lives of fascinating artists and places, as well as an inspired and conscientious message of the value of our tall, green companions.
Seeds introduces us to the small towns, bustling city streets, and reclusive country homes that artists like Kerouac, Baum, Miller, Thoreau, and Jackson once resided in. I was also fascinated to learn about non-literary figures and inspirational locations as well, such as the philosopher Krishnamurti and the artists’ retreat Yaddo. What makes this book thoroughly readable though is Horan’s ability to paint vivid pictures of the places (and the history of those places) that he visited, as well as of the colorful ensemble of friends and relatives who accompany him, and of the characters whom he encounters on his journey.
There is a quote from Horan (and I wished I had followed my inclination to mark it!) in which he asks himself something to the effect of: How can I possibly capture the heart of this journey in words? Horan realizes his ambition by inviting the reader along for an adventurous ride across the U.S. in which we see the sights, hear his thoughts, sit in on his conversations; in essence, experience the journey ourselves.
As a fellow lover of both trees and literature, I fervently enjoyed this book. Horan recalls early on a time when he visited his old elementary school and was drawn to the trees he had played in as a child. He says, “I parked the car and entered the four-acre woods. Nothing had changed but me. Standing there beholding the same wonderful trees of my childhood, I felt a glow of belonging, of embrace” (13). His words caused me to realize just how passionate I am about the trees of my past, of how much I value and cherish trees in general, of how I can stare at them for hours, full of peace. I also found his ruminations on the authors and figures he chose quite fascinating. It’s given me a deeper appreciation for many of the works of literature that I treasure so. I found Horan to be a delightful host to this colorful journey. He and his traveling companions are thoroughly likeable, and offer up some poignant conversations and insights. Furthermore, I enjoyed this book b/c it reminds me of the vacations that my own family takes, in which we find much more delight In searching out natural beauty and historic places rather than frying on a piece of sand eating trans-fatty junk and rotting our brains with chick-and-dick-lit.
I hope the others will read this book and discover the heart of it as I did. I recommend this book for fellow lovers of literature, nature, and all things meaningful.
P.S. This was a “first-reads” book. Thank you to the publishers for allowing me to preview such an exciting work! Thank you Goodreads for your fabulous giveaways!
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Jun 22, 2011 Robin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: forestry, nonfiction, history, memoir

I've been plodding through this book for a month, because I'm the type of person who's determined to finish a book unless it's completely terrible or boring or both. I finally finished it today. This book was challenging for me. I was disappointed to be so bored by/frustrated with a book with such a promising premise. Basically, the author sees trees as a sort of hybrid of witnesses, guideposts, and inspirational figures in our lives. He is moved by the memories of his own special trees from chi...more I've been plodding through this book for a month, because I'm the type of person who's determined to finish a book unless it's completely terrible or boring or both. I finally finished it today. This book was challenging for me. I was disappointed to be so bored by/frustrated with a book with such a promising premise. Basically, the author sees trees as a sort of hybrid of witnesses, guideposts, and inspirational figures in our lives. He is moved by the memories of his own special trees from childhood, and believes that the trees that stood alongside our most celebrated authors as they grew up must have figured prominently into their writing. Therefore, he decides to travel around the country, harvesting seeds from those trees and nurturing them into saplings and eventually trees.

I was hooked by the premise, but the book didn't live up to what I expected. For one thing, the book is more about the author than it is about the trees he encounters and the writers who he believes owe so much to them. The chapter about his second visit to Rowan Oak is less about Faulkner and more about the author's flat tire. Similarly, the chapter about Thomas Wolfe barely mentions the writer; it's mostly about Horan's own adventures around Asheville (Wolfe's hometown) with his friends. I don't know a lot about Wolfe; this chapter could have been a great introduction for me. Unfortunately, I am left having learned mostly that Thomas Wolfe had a home in Asheville. Hrm.

I would have liked to learn more about the trees and the American figures he chose to write about. I would have liked to find out which of the seedlings survived to become trees in their own right, and where they ended up (there's a bafflingly short two pages at the end that explain that they may be on their way to a greenhouse preservation project, but we never find out exactly what happens). Instead, I learned that Horan and his daughters watched an HBO sitcom in the car outside of Monticello, that he and his buddies apparently really like to take road trips, and that he loves to compare himself to the authors he's writing about (Faulkner wrote all over his walls? SO DID HORAN! Welty cried when reading one of her own stories aloud to an audience? SO DID HORAN!).

I finished the book feeling less like Horan sees himself as a small part of a big, magical world, and more like Horan felt like he was doing the world a gigantic favor by undertaking this project. It's a shame, because the idea is a literary gold mine. It's pretty frustrating to see someone come up with such a genius idea for a project and fail at it. (less)

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Feb 18, 2013 Sara Habein rated it 2 of 5 stars

(This is one of those times I wish I had half-stars because this is more of a 2.5)

I'm with Horan on the interesting nature of his project, and the potential it has for reforesting the descendants of old trees, as well as reminding us that some moments cannot be contained to a "sterile" museum. However, I wish Seeds were a better book. He needed to either go the straight history route, or — as I suspect straight history would be difficult for him to write — he needed to be more complete with the...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: any writer, every horticulturist, people looking for hope for the world's trees

Recommended to Anne by: library

As a horticulturist, and I enjoy reading, this book was a real gift for me. The incongruity of the project seemed a stretch throughout the book. But the author kept at it, visiting the homes or locations where primarily authors got their inspiration by living near a special tree. Horan took bits of the soil in order to root the seeds. The project at home must have been daunting! Who has room for a forest in little containers? There's just so much windowsill space! I won't spoil it by revealing t...more

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May 30, 2011 Jo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Richard Horan's book is a fascinating read and his dedication to preserving history by collecting seeds of the trees associated with great writers or famous people and events is admirable. I could have done without some of the asides, which were at times distracting, but for the most part I enjoyed his writing style. However, I couldn't quite understand why he took such offense at having to pay the occasional entrance fee or take a tour of the various estates before collecting the seeds that hol...more

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May 02, 2011 NerdGirlBlogger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Horan does a brilliant job reliving his cross-county adventure, collecting seeds from the trees of his heros, such as Willa Cather, Eudora Welty, Ken Kesey, Robert Frost, Flannery O’Connor, Jack Kerouac, Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hellen Keller and Truman Capote. I honestly felt like I was along for the trip while I was reading this book. What an adventure he had! I’m so jealous–I would have loved to have written a book about collecting the seeds of famous trees, or at least traveled ac...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Deb Hale rated it 3 of 5 stars

A good, informative and enjoyable read that combines literature, botany and interesting tidbits about the lives of some of our country's more famous authors and others. I'll have a longer review later this week at readingwithdebra.blogspot.com.

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Sep 15, 2012 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobiography, writing

The author sets out to gather seeds from trees on or near the properties of some of the US's great writers...the kind of crazy pursuit I can relate to. The result is an enjoyable journey with a writer in honor of writers.

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Aug 15, 2012 Kaye rated it 2 of 5 stars

This would have been a great article but it's a so-so book. Even a literary travel lover (me) finds this to be too much info about seed gathering at famous author's homes.

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Jun 19, 2012 Monica rated it 3 of 5 stars

This inspired me to go back and re-read (or read for the first time, in some cases), the authors mentioned in the book. The concept of collecting and propagating seeds from "America's witness trees" is a great one; the writing is not strong, though, uneven at best.

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Apr 14, 2011 Mary-Kate is currently reading it

I just won this in the First Reads giveaway! I'm so excited to read it! It sounds like a great book. I just received it in the mail today!!!!!! I want to finish my other books first though, so it may be a little while before I finish it.

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Jan 13, 2012 Bcoghill Coghill rated it 3 of 5 stars

An occasional book. I pick it up at odd moments and read a chapter. It does not compel one but one does return. I would not mind at all if it lasts until the summer.

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Jun 08, 2011 Georgia added it

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May 12, 2011 Lauren Bergh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Now this sounds like a vacation I would enjoy. The writing is good, I wish some of the stories were longer... some seem like filler while others are pure joy. Can't wait to look at the web-site. Another good read.

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Apr 22, 2011 Sherry marked it as to-read

I received my First Reads giveaway copy in the mail this week. Being one who loves trees, I feel a profound influence in my own life from the trees that have surrounded my living. I am very interested to read what Richard Horan has to say.

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Dec 20, 2012 Anna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

Interesting premise but not very well written, and after a while I was actually bored. I might go ahead and finish it someday. Maybe.

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May 23, 2011 Yvensong rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, first-reads

3 1/2 Stars

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

I got pretty much what I expected from the book. Some fun antidotes about his travels, interesting tidbits about the people and/or area that he visited, and information about the trees that he harvested seeds from. On the whole, I enjoyed the journey with him with one exception. There were moments when he seemed a bit condescending toward some of the people he met up with, which rubbed me the wrong way, and robbed me of full e...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a charming book, a great pleasure to read. I learned a lot about trees, but more importantly, I felt as though Rick Horan became a new friend.

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Feb 20, 2012 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

The spirit of this book is right up my alley, as the author searches for tangible connections to writers (and a few historic figures/places) who've touched his life. I would say this is not just a work of literature, but also a lifelong project. I learned a lot about the lives of these authors and that I need to read more!

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title link	preview: Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10161186-seeds?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1297783276l/10161186.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10161186-seeds?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton by Richard Horan[/url]

Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton

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Seeds: One Man's Serendipitous Journey to Find the Trees That Inspired Famous American Writers from Faulkner to Kerouac, Welty to Wharton

Friend Reviews

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new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (2)

Genres

About Richard Horan

Books by Richard Horan

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Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Seeds: One Man's ...

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Discuss This Book

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Other Editions (2)