Faith in a Seed: The Dispersion Of Seeds And Other Late Natural History Writings (A Shearwater Book) [Hardcover]

Henry D. Thoreau (Author), Bradley P. Dean (Editor), Abigail Rorer (Illustrator), Robert Richardson (Introduction), Gary Paul Nabhan (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: A Shearwater Book | Publication Date: March 1, 1993

Faith in a Seed contains the hitherto unpublished work The Dispersion of Seeds, one of Henry D. Thoreau's last important research and writing projects, and now his first new book to appear in 125 years.With the remarkable clarity and grace that characterize all of his writings, Thoreau describes the ecological succession of plant species through seed dispersal. "The Dispersion of Seeds," which draws on Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection, refutes the then widely accepted theory that some plants spring spontaneously to life, independent of roots, cuttings, or seeds. As Thoreau wrote: "Though I do not believe a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." Henry D. Thoreau's "Faith in a Seed," was first published in hardcover in 1993 by Island Press under the Shearwater Books imprint, which unifies scientific views of nature with humanistic ones. This important work, the first publication of Thoreau's last manuscript, is now available in paperback. "Faith in a Seed" contains Thoreau's last important research and writing project, "The Dispersion of Seeds," along with other natural history writings from late in his life. Edited by Bradley P. Dean, professor of English at East Carolina University and editor of the Thoreau Society Bulletin, these writings demonstrate how a major American author at the height of his career succeeded in making science and literature mutually enriching.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At his death in 1862, naturalist Thoreau left behind a dozen notebooks and other materials. From those hard-to-decipher handwritten pages, Dean, the editor of the Thoreau Society Bulletin , has rescued an unexpected treasure--Thoreau's scientific study of how one plant species succeeds another through seed dispersal. The book includes several shorter pieces, but "The Dispersal of Seeds" is what will lure Thoreau buffs and students. The philosopher of Walden emerges as a dedicated scientific observer, revealing how wind, weather and animals move seeds about to produce new plants. Specialists will appreciate the perspective this book gives on Thoreau's place in the science of his time, refuting as he does the then-prevalent notions of immutability of species and the spontaneous generation of plants. The real treat is for general readers: a chance once again to hear Thoreau's precise, wonderful voice as he roams his beloved woods and finds "the very earth itself as a granary and a seminary." The book is a dazzling debut for Island's Shearwater imprint. Illustrated.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

For Thoreauvians, botanists, agriculturalists, and scholars of 19th-century America, this book represents nothing less than a triumph of editorial skill and integrity over conventional wisdom. A study of plant ecology using Darwinian theory, Faith in a Seed is one of the more interesting books published in our time, so felicitously does it give readers a fresh dose of all that makes Thoreau such a major figure in American letters. The holograph of The Dispersion of Seeds , Thoreau's last major project (as well as the manuscript of Wild Fruits, selections of which appear here along with two other writings probably intended for the title volume) was dismissed by most of the scholars who even knew of it as being taxonomically suspect, uninterestingly concrete, and "best left unpublished." How wrong. It is, in fact, the book that latter-day Thoreau admirers have often wished he had written: sensual, acute, intricate, and altogether fascinating, a text that should cause scholars to reevaluate their assessment of an important writer. A fundamental acquisition for all collections.
- Mark L. Shelton, Athens, Ohio
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 301 pages
• Publisher: Island Press; 1 edition (March 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559631813
• ISBN-13: 978-1559631815
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,065,686 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful addition to any Thoreauvian's library, September 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Faith in a Seed: The Dispersion Of Seeds And Other Late Natural History Writings (Paperback)

Faith in a Seed, a collection of Henry David Thoreau's late nature writings, deserves a place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the plant sciences or Thoreau's life and work. This volume consists of four previously-unpublished manuscripts, which the author left uncompleted when he died in 1862. Although compiled of rough drafts, Faith in a Seed is still very readable and enjoyable. Thoreau's last major project, The Dispersion of Seeds, fills most of this book. In it, he describes the seeds of various New England plants, as well as how they are disseminated by way of animals and the elements. The philosopher of Walden Pond roams the woods, fields, and swamps of "a world that is already planted, but is also still being planted as at first." Although this is a scientific work, Thoreau's wonderful voice and way with metaphor permeates every page, making for a very pleasurable read. Of historical interest, Thoreau was one of the first American scientists to embrace Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. The idea of an ever-changing earth coincided with Thoreau's own beliefs. He felt that "the development theory implies a greater vital force in Nature, because it is more flexible and accommodating, and equivalent to a sort of constant new creation." In addition to the cornerstone of this book, The Dispersion of Seeds, three shorter selections are included. In Wild Fruits, Thoreau writes about the joys of hunting for wild berries, and teaches that "the value of any experience is measured, not by the amount of money, but the amount of development we get out of it." Weeds and Grasses and Forest Trees elaborate on the ideas of plant propagation and forest succession illustrated in The Dispersion of Seeds. On the whole, I found this book to be a welcome addition to my Thoreau collection. Even in his late years, as he became more and more interested in the technicalities of nature, he still dearly loved the wild; and this comes through in Faith in a Seed. Come, saunter with Henry through dark pitch-pine groves, the huckleberry fields of Fair Haven Hill, and the seedling-lined banks of the Concord River. Discover that "the very earth itself is a granary and a seminary."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remarkable Volume, July 26, 2007

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Faith in a Seed: The Dispersion Of Seeds And Other Late Natural History Writings (Paperback)

This book contains the manuscript of one of Thoreau's last works, The Dispersion of Seeds. Through his daily walks in the woods, Thoreau became fascinated with the question of how the plants he was seeing became established. A puzzling riddle of the time that local townsmen constantly asked was why when they cut pine forests, oak forests seemed to grow up, and when they cut oak forests, pine forests would take their place. Thoreau was uniquely able to answer such questions, since he had spent years wandering through the forests, taking notes on everything he saw. In this volume, he not only provides answers to the pine-oak riddle, but he also lays to rest the idea of spontaneous generation of plants, which was still accepted in many circles at the time he wrote this book.

This book represents perhaps some of Thoreau's greatest works in ecology. In it, he lays out his own theory of forest succession based on ecological observation and experimentation. He was one of the first to understand forest succession on the American continent, working almost entirely alone, with little previous research in the literature to draw on. Not only is the book a magnificent ecological study, but the text itself is sheer pleasure to read, being a prime example of Thoreau's well-crafted prose.