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The Seed Detective: Uncovering the Secret Histories of Remarkable Vegetables ...
US $18.51
ApproximatelyC $25.50
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Located in: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
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Estimated between Fri, Aug 8 and Thu, Aug 14 to 94104
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eBay item number:204076096469
Item specifics
- Condition
- Original Language
- English
- ISBN
- 1915294088
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Rizzoli International Publications, Incorporated
ISBN-10
1915294088
ISBN-13
9781915294081
eBay Product ID (ePID)
19057291183
Product Key Features
Book Title
Seed Detective : Uncovering the Secret Histories of Remarkable Vegetables
Number of Pages
320 Pages
Language
English
Publication Year
2022
Topic
Public Policy / Agriculture & Food Policy (See Also Social Science / Agriculture & Food), Specific Ingredients / Vegetables, Vegetables, Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture, Agriculture & Food (See Also Political Science / Public Policy / Agriculture & Food Policy)
Genre
Political Science, Cooking, Technology & Engineering, Social Science, Gardening
Format
Trade Paperback
Dimensions
Item Height
1 in
Item Weight
14.3 Oz
Item Length
9 in
Item Width
6 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Reviews
'If you're a vegetable growing addict or just curious about their origins, there's something for everyone in Adam's new book. Follow the Seed Detective as he searches for beans through Burmese markets, learn when a courgette is actually a marrow, and be regaled with stories about how homegrown red brussels sprouts helped decide his future. The perfect book for anyone who grows from seed!' Rob Smith, winner, BBC's The Big Allotment Challenge; garden columnist; TV presenter; seed guardian, "[A] spirited introduction to the contemporary seed-saving movement. . . . With entertaining anecdotes that feature Syrian fava beans, Ukrainian sweet peppers and broad beans from Myanmar, Alexander's horticultural adventures will surely stimulate and unleash readers' inner gardeners." Shelf Awareness, "Copious but thoroughly engaging research . . . Alexander shares his excitement over the potential for rescuing this lost heritage. . . All of which makes this title worth a serious look." Booklist (starred), 'In our everyday lives, vegetables are often presented to us with limited choice and boring uniformity, so we take their availability for granted, without much thought. Written from the viewpoint of the humble seed, Alexander takes us on a journey that opens the true origin of the vegetables we put on our plates, not just addressing their heritage but also their fundamental role in the cultures of the world. They are the centrepieces of our lives. This book, narrated with personal experience combined with a deep passion, will make you think about the humble veg we consume in a completely different light and my advice to you is to open it up and jump in.' C.M. Collins, head of horticulture, Garden Organic, "The writing is rich, demonstrating [Alexander's] deep integration into the world of seed seekers...It is a clarion call to think about our food in new ways and to carefully consider where it comes from." New Scientist, 'True seeds always have stories, and stories are what make Alexander's book so enjoyable. Stories about grannies who bring their treasured family heirlooms to souks and seed shops all over the world; but also about con artists who improve varieties minimally or not at all, then change the names to invent novelty; and about modern plant breeders bringing a renewed appreciation for flavour into their work. At once explorer, treasure hunter, researcher and sleuth, Alexander brings a joy to his lifetime quest that is contagious.' CR Lawn, founder, Fedco Seeds, 'Whether you know your vegetables by eating them, cooking them or growing them, Adam Alexander's book will enhance those experiences with his tales. Knowing their histories, and the impact they have had on the world, gives them such a special savour that you will never think of them as mere "groceries" again.' Barbara Damrosch, author of The Garden Primer and The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook, 'At a time in history when we have become dangerously disconnected from how our food is produced and when self-inflicted, diet-related diseases are the primary cause of premature death, this book could not be more timely. Catastrophic loss of biodiversity and climate change add to the perfect storm. 'Adam's initial curiosity has taken him all over the world, collecting precious, often endangered vegetable seeds to grow and share with others. 'His passion encourages us to seek out nutritious, flavourful, local varieties instead of the lacklustre, mass-produced vegetables that have contributed to the loss of interest in this vital and delicious food source. 'One of the most inspirational books I have encountered in a long time.' Darina Allen, founder, Ballymaloe Cookery School, 'When you read the fascinating stories behind the origin of seeds in The Seed Detective, it's easy to be enthralled by the agricultural history growing in our gardens. This book takes the reader on a journey to distant lands with a passionate gardener, seed conserver and historian to learn how early cultures survived through seed growing, saving and sharing. It's an important and rare book that will appeal to anyone who grows a food garden or loves food history.' Ellen Ecker Ogden, author of The New Heirloom Garden, 'Reading this book feels like I am having a cup of tea with Adam in his polytunnel while he tells me fascinating stories of the plants around us. From why garlic was fed daily to the builders of the pyramids to the earliest chillies found in a Mexican cave in 6000 bce, Adam entertains as he educates. I have a new-found respect for the humble vegetable.' Katie Caldesi, co-owner, Caldesi restaurants and cookery schools; best-selling author, "Copious but thoroughly engaging research . . . Alexander shares his excitement over the potential for rescuing this lost heritage. . . All of which makes this title worth a serious look." --Booklist (starred), 'A fascinating and original exploration of the horticultural heritage at our fingertips, and an inspiration to follow in at least some of Adam's footsteps. Informative, enlightening and entertaining but also important, The Seed Detective is an invitation to be inquisitive, to experiment, and to make our contribution to the plot-to-plate food movement we need to rejuvenate our relationship with food and the soil.' Mark Diacono, author of Spice/a cook's companion, 'While this book targets a British audience, it is highly relevant to us all. Drawing heavily on his own explorations in distant lands, Adam Alexander recounts endless stories of the origins of most of our important food crops. He is not the first to do this, yet his detailed, insightful and entertaining accounts are truly superb. 'Beginning his odyssey in a dilapidated Soviet-era Ukrainian kitchen, he documents so many sad cases of lost diversity, sounding a shrill alarm for the loss of "culture" in agriculture, yet offering inspiration and encouragement to those of us struggling to recover, preserve and share our endangered crop plant heritage.' Will Bonsall, author of Will Bonsall's Essential Guide to Radical, Self-Reliant Gardening
Dewey Edition
23
TitleLeading
The
Dewey Decimal
635.09
Synopsis
Meet the Indiana Jones of vegetables and join him on his quest to save our heritage produce. Named BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme "Book of the Year" 2023 GardenComm Media Awards Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement Shortlisted for the Garden Media Guild's Garden Book of the Year Award 2023 Longlisted for The Art of Eating Prize 2023 "[This book] is a clarion call to think about our food in new ways and carefully consider where it comes from."-- New Scientist Did you ever wonder how peas, kale, asparagus, beans, squash, and corn have ended up on our plates? Well, so did Adam Alexander. Adam Alexander is The Seed Detective. His passion for vegetables was ignited when he tasted an unusual sweet pepper with a fiery heart while on a filmmaking project in Ukraine. Smitten by its flavor, Adam began to seek out local growers of endangered heritage and heirloom varieties in a mission to bring home seeds to grow, share, and return so that he could enjoy their delicious taste--and save them from being lost forever. In The Seed Detective , Adam shares his own stories of seed hunting, with the origin stories behind many of our everyday food heroes. Taking us on a journey that began when we left the life of the hunter-gatherer to become farmers, he tells tales of globalization, political intrigue, colonization, and serendipity--describing how these vegetables and their travels have become embedded in our food cultures. "We are a nation of vegetable growers and this book explores the wonderful world of rare and endangered heritage and heirloom vegetables - and why we must keep growing them and saving their seed, not only for our gardening and culinary pleasure, but to pass these stories on - vegetables are truly our history on a plate."-- The Seed Detective "Copious but thoroughly engaging research . . . Alexander shares his excitement over the potential for rescuing this lost heritage. . . All of which makes this title worth a serious look." --Booklist (starred) "[ The Seed Detective ] traces the origins and evolution of vegetables that have shaped human civilization."-- Atlas Obscura "[A] spirited introduction to the contemporary seed-saving movement. . . . With entertaining anecdotes that feature Syrian fava beans, Ukrainian sweet peppers and broad beans from Myanmar, Alexander's horticultural adventures will surely stimulate and unleash readers' inner gardeners."-- Shelf Awareness "For Adam Alexander seeds are more than just a job, hobby or passion. They're a lifeline."-- Modern Farmer, Join the Indiana Jones of vegetables on his quest to save heritage seeds from extinction. Have you ever wondered how everyday staples such as peas, kale, asparagus, beans, squash and corn ended up on our plates? In The Seed Detective, seed guardian and award-winning film and television producer Adam Alexander tells of his far-flung seed-hunting adventures, revealing the surprising histories behind many of our everyday vegetables. How the common garden pea was domesticated from three wild species over 8,500 years ago; that the first carrots originated in Afghanistan (and were actually purple or red in colour); how Egyptian priests considered it a crime to look at a fava bean and that the Romans were fanatical about asparagus. Through tales of globalisation, political intrigue, colonization and serendipity, Adam shows us the vital role vegetables have played in our food story - and how they are the undeniable key to our future. Book jacket.
Item description from the seller
Seller feedback (10,230)
- 4***i (4)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThe book was packed well, absolutely perfect condition. New as described and great for fan like me. Shipping was fast, it was mailed out the next day after order was confirmed. The price was on par for a book like this. Thanks It was the great experience with the seller .
- .***7 (27)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseBook arrived in excellent condition—clean, well-preserved, and exactly as described. The book looks great, no marks or damage and well kept pages. Overall high quality - like new and book is in great shape. Seller clearly takes pride in their inventory. Shipping was quick, packaging was very secure, and the price was unbeatable. Clearly handled with care. I’m excited to dive into it! Highly recommend this seller and will definitely purchase from them again. Very happy …A+ experienceManufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media Paperback by E... (#204955310921)
- n***y (190)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseI don't like how the product was shipped, the box was completely crushed during shipping and my heart sank a bit because I just knew all of the books were going to be damaged, however, the books being shrink wrapped to a piece of cardboard saved them all and despite what the box looked like (no photos unfortunatly) the books are prestine. Very happy with the collection. Saving seller for future purchases.
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Seller feedback (10,230)
- 4***i (4)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseThe book was packed well, absolutely perfect condition. New as described and great for fan like me. Shipping was fast, it was mailed out the next day after order was confirmed. The price was on par for a book like this. Thanks It was the great experience with the seller .
- .***7 (27)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseBook arrived in excellent condition—clean, well-preserved, and exactly as described. The book looks great, no marks or damage and well kept pages. Overall high quality - like new and book is in great shape. Seller clearly takes pride in their inventory. Shipping was quick, packaging was very secure, and the price was unbeatable. Clearly handled with care. I’m excited to dive into it! Highly recommend this seller and will definitely purchase from them again. Very happy …A+ experienceManufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media Paperback by E... (#204955310921)
- n***y (190)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseI don't like how the product was shipped, the box was completely crushed during shipping and my heart sank a bit because I just knew all of the books were going to be damaged, however, the books being shrink wrapped to a piece of cardboard saved them all and despite what the box looked like (no photos unfortunatly) the books are prestine. Very happy with the collection. Saving seller for future purchases.