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Seeds of Hope: Wisdom and Wonder from the World of Plants

Jane Goodall,

Gail Hudson

Michael Pollan (Goodreads Author) (Introduction)

3.92 · Rating details · 736 ratings · 132 reviews

Renowned naturalist and bestselling author Jane Goodall examines the critical role that trees and plants play in our world.

In her wise and elegant new book, Jane Goodall blends her experience in nature with her enthusiasm for botany to give readers a deeper understanding of the world around us.

Long before her work with chimpanzees, Goodall's passion for the natural world ...more

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Hardcover, 370 pages

Published August 27th 2013 by Grand Central Publishing (first published April 2nd 2013)

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Jun 04, 2014 Jessika rated it really liked it

Shelves: nature, netgalley, non-fiction, nook, wishlist

Having my degree in environmental science, when I saw this book up for grabs on NetGalley, I immediately requested it.

Overall, I'd say that I was pleased by Seeds of Hope. I learned a lot, and Jane Goodall's passion for the plant world and for nature itself shines through her words. This book will definitely appeal to certain types of people, but I would still recommend it for those who might be a little wary. Jane Goodall's writing is very reader friendly, and I think that the general public w ...more

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Mar 28, 2014 Cami Evans rated it liked it

Shelves: first-reads

I received an advanced reader copy through a GoodReads giveaway. I would not have finished the book if I did not feel it was my responsibility to give a free gift book a decent chance. I give it 2.5 stars and rounded up because I personally did not really like it or feel it was memorable but I know that it will appeal to a certain type of earth-loving person. This just isn't my thing but I respect her and what she has to say.

I will admit that I know very little about plants, shy away from most a I received an advanced reader copy through a GoodReads giveaway. I would not have finished the book if I did not feel it was my responsibility to give a free gift book a decent chance. I give it 2.5 stars and rounded up because I personally did not really like it or feel it was memorable but I know that it will appeal to a certain type of earth-loving person. This just isn't my thing but I respect her and what she has to say.

I will admit that I know very little about plants, shy away from most animals and especially don't like insects, so I went into this hoping to learn some new things. I enjoyed certain parts of the book - the first chapter really shows her child-like way of looking at plants and made me feel a bit guilty about not knowing how many or what kinds of trees are outside my door, so I resolved to learn and observe more about them. She talks about plants and their tiny details the way my 5-year-old gets excited about them, and that's a good lesson for us all. I liked reading about plants that heal (since medicine is more my speed than the plant world) and how some seeds need animal's to partially digest them or need to utilize fire before they can germinate. The section on plant hunters was like a little textbook within the book; interesting to read as long as I'm not expected to remember those people.

I did, however, feel out of place when she talked about agriculture like it was the enemy. I'm sorry that farmers ruined some of the land she grew up around, but people need to eat, right? I'm not fully on either side but I felt a little pinch inside when she made it sound like industrialization was the end of the world as we know it. For much of the book, I felt depressed and am glad it ended with some hope. I liked the story of the tree that survived the atomic bomb and the tree that survived 9/11.

Most of the book is long-winded and slow-going. The anecdotes don't have transitions between them and it makes for a choppy read. The captions are detailed and repeat what the text says, so you could probably get by in scanning the pictures without reading much of the book in most places.

I probably won't go plant a garden tomorrow or visit the jungles or rainforests of the world, but I will try to look more closely at the plants growing in the sidewalk cracks, try to appreciate the tiny cottonwood blossoms outside my window, look for untarnished, perfect leaves as we hike, and maybe plan a trip to the Redwood forest.

Overall, I found this was an easy book to put down and have no desire to pick up again. I didn't hate it but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it either. I say, go watch Disney's "The Lorax" and check out a good photography book about plants instead. ...more

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Mar 11, 2014 Jana rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, first-reads, 2-stars

Rather disappointing on the whole. The majority of the book consists of sketchy and fuzzy pseudo-scientific statements which are rarely, if ever, backed up by vague semi-scientific "evidence." On the other hand, her personal recollections of interactions with the natural world and its plants/creatures are charming.

Had Dr. Goodall written a book about her childhood growing up among trees, her adolescence and early adulthood exploring the vastly different (and yet fundamentally similar) biomes of Rather disappointing on the whole. The majority of the book consists of sketchy and fuzzy pseudo-scientific statements which are rarely, if ever, backed up by vague semi-scientific "evidence." On the other hand, her personal recollections of interactions with the natural world and its plants/creatures are charming.

Had Dr. Goodall written a book about her childhood growing up among trees, her adolescence and early adulthood exploring the vastly different (and yet fundamentally similar) biomes of Great Britain and Tanzania, and her later years as a champion of biodiversity across the globe, I would have been quite content. Indeed, at times I was enthralled by her descriptions of plants and places that I've never seen, and her own continued sense of wonder toward the natural world. Most people know Dr. Goodall because of her work with chimpanzees, but she deserves recognition for her efforts toward reclamation of rain forests and grasslands from widespread clear-cutting and urban development.

On the other hand, too much of the book is full of anecdotes which have absolutely no basis in scientific fact. For example, she writes about meetings with a medicine man deep in the African jungle, a man who claims to have cured many people who were suffering from HIV with herbal medicine and plant extracts. Testimony is not provided by his patients, and his medical supplies are not given to a laboratory which might be able to verify whether this man is actually successful or merely skilled at swindling others. Goodall herself does not include any text to indicate her feelings on the matter; the chapter simply ends.

In a later passage, she recounts a story provided to the Danish news media from a pig farmer who claims that he had been feeding genetically modified organisms (GMO), namely soy-based feed, to his pigs. According to the farmer, his animals were afflicted with debilitating and life-threatening health problems until he switched their food to non-GMO products. Miraculously, the animals became perfectly healthy within a year. Were his claims verified by a trained veterinarian? Did he submit his livestock for study by a review board? Goodall doesn't say, but one would think that--as a scientist herself--she would be intensely interested in providing factual information to back up seemingly ludicrous statements. Unfortunately, Dr. Goodall's desire to expound upon her opinions appears to have outweighed her commitment to facts.

I wish I could have enjoyed more of this book, and it is possible that other readers may take more away from it than I have.

I received a free ARC of this book through a First Reads giveaway on Goodreads. This did not affect my review in any way. ...more

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Mar 13, 2014 Whitney rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book in the Goodreads First Reads Program.

This book is an excellent introduction to the importance of plants. Reading this book by Jane Goodall feels like you are sitting in a garden or a forest discussing plants with her. The importance of plants and their future is presented in a very personal way. It conveys the horrors that have been done to nature, and the hope that we can fix it.

I enjoyed reading this book. Not only was the information presented in an engaging way, it also pro ...more

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May 31, 2014 Karen rated it it was amazing

Yes, I have a signed Jane Goodall book- be jealous! This book was amazing and really inspired me to make changes in my lifestyle. I never knew plants could be so interesting!

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Oct 01, 2018 Girl rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018

There are portions of this book that are truly inspiring and engrossing, but there are also portions of this book that read as naive -- sometimes painfully so. (The sections on "controversial" plants, especially, where Goodall emphasises repeatedly that "poor" plants are "innocent" but people are abusing them. Eh. )

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Apr 19, 2014 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: advanced-readers-copy, first-reads, history, non-fiction

So, the only thing I ever really knew about Jane Goodall was that she was the lady who worked with chimpanzees. That's it. Turns out, she has done a lot more than that. And a lot of that had to do with plants.

From an early age, Goodall loved plants, and even had a special tree at her grandmother's house. While off fighting to save the chimpanzees she was studying the local vegetation as well. In this book there are some accounts of her own experience, but it is also a book of history and current So, the only thing I ever really knew about Jane Goodall was that she was the lady who worked with chimpanzees. That's it. Turns out, she has done a lot more than that. And a lot of that had to do with plants.

From an early age, Goodall loved plants, and even had a special tree at her grandmother's house. While off fighting to save the chimpanzees she was studying the local vegetation as well. In this book there are some accounts of her own experience, but it is also a book of history and current activities in regards to the plant world and the development of world crops. She covers GMO's, plantations, poisonous plants, beneficial plants and much more. The actual book is broken into four parts. My Love For the Natural World, which is just Goodall's history with plants. Hunting, Gathering and Gardening, which talks about the different gardens and seed banks in the world and even has a special section on orchids. Uses and Abuses of Plants, which includes sections on healing, drug plants, plantations, mono-crops and GMO's. And the Way Forward which shows what is going on now to help preserve some of the different plants of the world that are rapidly becoming extinct.

Goodall is almost always polite. When faced with distasteful topics she kind of side steps around the people who are making it bad and instead focuses on those who are doing good and making differences. So nothing is scathing in this book in regards to anyone. And a lot of her personal stories are very nice too. It's easy to see she was close to her family and enjoyed spending time with her grandmother and the garden that she had.

This book covers some controversial topics. Goodall is a pretty large name and she blasts GMO's and other crop practices pretty hard. There's going to be some mad people as a result. But, since I'm anti-GMO I'm perfectly fine with what she has to say. If you don't believe the same way though, you won't be happy. You have been warned. She did bring up a bunch of topics I knew nothing about and found incredibly interesting. Like the amount of methane that is produced by rice paddies. I always thought rice was a pretty good crop, but on a large scale that doesn't appear to be the case. Just little facts like that make the book well worth reading. And the pleasant tone, despite the hard topics, makes it very engaging and easy to read.

I enjoyed this book by Goodall and because of that would probably read more of her books. She takes an interesting topic and introduces readers to all parts of it.

**This book was received as a Goodreads Giveaway**

Seeds of Hope
Copyright 2014
420 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2014

More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com ...more

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Jan 14, 2018 Sharon rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, non-fiction

I gave this book four stars because I thought Goodall did a very good job discussing practically every issue related to plants in a way that made them accessible to the lay person. It's an easy book to read. Also, it contains amazing, even beautiful, stories about individual plants and trees around the world and things that individuals and groups from various backgrounds have done or are doing to foster the healthy growth and continuing presence of vegetation on earth. Goodall is both a spiritua ...more

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Sep 07, 2013 Dewayne Stark rated it liked it

Read this book before looking at the reviews. Apparently the release of this book was held back awaiting corrections and plagiarism concerns. I was not on a fact checking mission when I started to read this but some outstanding dating issues started to appear as listed in the three examples shown within:

Page 75, "Three hundred and fifty years have gone by since he published the results of his long deliberations in 1753,"

1753 plus 350 makes the current year 2113

Page 182 "They collected, in 1878, ...more

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Nov 08, 2013 Sealove rated it it was amazing

Amazing… What a special glimpse into the world of plants, given by a woman who has lived and seen it all.

It was quite a joy to see this world through Jane's eyes. It brought back all the wonder that we already knew and loved about the plant kingdom and added new pieces to the puzzle that we are so happy to have found!

Mahalo Ms. Goodall!

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Nov 01, 2017 Waffle rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks, checked-out-from-the-library, non-fiction

Expansive (unfocused?) exploration of the things Jane Goodall knows and learned about plants. I am inclined to agree with her position on most things, and found her anecdotes inspiring.

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Jan 27, 2018 Christy rated it really liked it

Shelves: award-winner, non-fiction

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Apr 01, 2018 Judy rated it really liked it

What can I say. It’s Jane Goodall talking about forests and seeds and GM development and seeds. I have learned much. I have reinforced some of what I was already aware of.
I have been genuinely terrified by the sections on the new Super Weeds.
I have been inspired.
I read this as an audio book. I think I will take the opportunity to revisit it via a paper book in the future.
I may not always agree completely with some of Ms Goodalls forays into moralising, but that’s okay.
Recommend to everyone. ...more

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Jul 17, 2018 Flesha rated it really liked it

If you are concerned about our Earth and our lack of care for her, this book is for you. Goodall is a calm, quiet story teller with a voice worthy of listening to.

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Jun 01, 2015 Jose Santos rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2015, biography, gardening, non-fiction

É claro que fiquei bastante curioso ao saber que a conhecida antropóloga Jane Goodall tinha escrito um livro sobre plantas. Não é um livro sobre jardinagem nem sobre botânica, artes que a própria afirma que não domina. Então porquê um livro sobre plantas?
Este é um livro escrito pela naturalista Jane Goodall e a mesma admite que, desde sempre, sente um fascínio e uma grande admiração pelo mundo das plantas. O jardim da casa de família é uma memória constante e as plantas trazem-lhe recordações d ...more

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Jan 17, 2016 Kristin Poley rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: environment, forests, plants

I can't begin to describe how much I hated this book. I don't typically read Jane Goodall because I don't like a lot of her ideals but this book is about plants which I love so I thought I would give it a try. The first third of the book was very interesting and I actually enjoyed it. Then she got into the controversial topics and everything went downhill. Hardly anything she said was backed up by scientific fact and it read like an old lady remembering her glory years. It was so dramatic- every ...more

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Jun 03, 2014 Dwreads rated it it was ok

Jane Goodall is an institution, an inspiration and has made an enormous contribution to the world and environment.
For people who are interested implants, the environment and social change I recommend reading this book. The caveat is
Goodall and her co-author are not great writers, much of the information is too simplistic for people who really know plants or botany
and while I love the topic, the book has been the best sleep aid I have found in years.

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Jul 12, 2013 Leah Moore rated it it was ok

Eh, the first 3/4ths of the book was nothing new or spectacular. I was looking for some good scientific insights, but it was mostly her antidotes. She did have one neat point about chimps eating a certain plant, which was interesting. The last 1/4 she gives examples of what is happening across the globe to ensure that plants do not go extinct. This was more interesting, but not griping or all that motivating.

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Jul 08, 2013 K rated it it was amazing

Shelves: inspirations

I loved how Goodall inspired science and a poetical reverence for nature. Her mention of forest networks and communication between plants, questions she raises about whether food can be grown ethically to feed the planet, and interesting history about how early plant explorers transported and suffered to bring plants into our awareness...misuses of plants and recreational drug use...A great read.

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Sep 27, 2016 Rachel rated it liked it

I never imagined someone could write so much about plants and so eloquently. You can truly hear her love for trees,seeds, roots, and shoots. Great but long. I loved how it incorporated many different aspects including how gmo crops have made such an impact on our lives.

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Mar 12, 2017 Gillian Wong rated it really liked it

This was such an enjoyable read. But Goodall's easy and friendly voice in this book are a call to action to save our planet and the plants and creatures that are a part of it. I enjoyed the variety of subject matter and was impressed that it was presented in such a focused way.

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Nov 06, 2014 E.J. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

As usual, Jane Goodall provides her wonderful, knowledgeable insights.

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Jun 22, 2013 Deb Fett rated it really liked it

Easy to read style. Almost reads like a diary of her love affair with plants. Lots of valuable information.

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May 07, 2017 Anna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Nem tudom, hányadán is állok ezzel a könyvvel. (Hm, mintha mostanában egyre több ilyen lenne...). Egyrészt sok dologban egyetértek az írónővel, és örültem, hogy leírta, főleg a növényekre kihegyezve most a hangsúlyt. Mert még én is hajlamos vagyok arra, hogy felületesen gondolkodjak róluk, pedig növénybiológusként illik tudnom, milyen fontosak is nekünk, de mivel nem olyan látványos sokszor az életük, mint az állatoké, nem figyelünk annyira rájuk. Leginkább semennyire, max csak akkor, ha kirohas ...more

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Nov 30, 2018 Mars Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-owned, genre-environment, genre-autobiography, 2018-books-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 10, 2018 Amanda rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobook, non-fiction

This book is a LOW two star rating. It started out good and then about halfway through it went from Seeds of Hope to Seeds of Depression. I wanted something to make me feel like there was hope for the planet but instead she just pointed out all the ways that humans have absolutely trashed in and I've lost even more faith in humanity. If the book didn't do that for you, then the closing stories of the three "survivors" with one story being focused on the Hiroshima horrors and another on 9/11, wel ...more

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Jun 19, 2018 Benjaminxjackson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Jane Goodall is most well-known for her work with primates, and animals in general. While compiling a book on animals, she gathered enough material for a book on endangered plant species as well.

This book was a great read because it is easy to take plant for granted. They often just fade into a mass of green foliage. But when we start to think about how diverse the plant world is, and how important it can be to us, we gain a broader perspective into the world. Endangered species are not just an ...more

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Mar 24, 2017 Karen rated it really liked it

As I am not a voracious non-fiction reader, this book is perfect for audiobook listening that I started on a road trip to visit my mom. At almost 83 (April 3), Jane Goodall has led an amazing life. She had many wonderful and some unbelievable stories to tell about our plant kingdom. I found the existence of the Millennium Seed Bank fascinating. Can you believe that Jane even mentioned the Bridgeport area of Chicago when talking about efforts being made around the world in terms of urban farming! ...more

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Nov 23, 2018 Sandy Krausnick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books

I listened to this audio book, and it was a real treat to hear JG reading parts herself. That’s always a bonus for me. I learned so much on the journey through this book and fully appreciate JG’s love of trees and plants. She is eloquent, knowledgeable and one of the most dedicated individuals trying to bring awareness to the rest of us Homo sapiens on how to save the only planet we have. Inspiring.

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Oct 01, 2018 Colleen rated it it was amazing

Such an encouraging book! I've found that a lot of recently published ecological books tend to have sort of a doomsday feel to them regarding the future of their subject matter. Goodall clearly presents the serious conservation concerns that treat the plant world, but she does it in such a way that is encouraging and stimulating, rather than depressing. It is also just delightful to read about someone so delighted by the natural world and the world of plants specifically.

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About Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall

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For the Australian academic and mystery writer, see Professor Jane R. Goodall.

Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE (born Valerie Jane Morris-Goodall), is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Strea ...more