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

"Seeds reads like the best of a roundtable discussion amongst John Muir, Bill Bryson, and David Sedaris. From the fields of Gettysburg to the home of Kerouac, Horan takes an unlikely premise and weaves it into a story that's poignant, insightful and unexpectedly humorous. This is more than a book about seeds—it's about literary heroes, forensic forestry, and self-discovery." —Spike Carlsen, author of A Splintered History of Wood

The Orchid Thief meets Botany of Desire meets Driving Einstein’s Brain in Richard Horan’s Seeds, the chronicle of one man’s literary pilgrimage to understand the influence and impact of trees in American life and literature—and his mission to collect seeds from the homes of Kerouac, Welty, Wharton, Kesey and twenty other American writers, to preserve the literary legacy of American forests for generations to come.

This pilgrimage across America unearths more than just seeds—it reveals the deep connections between the landscape and its most celebrated storytellers.

• A Unique Travel Memoir: Join author Richard Horan on a cross-country road trip, from the home of Jack Kerouac to the fields of Gettysburg, in a quest that is equal parts humorous, insightful, and deeply personal.
• Literary Landmarks: Discover the surprising histories of the trees that stood sentinel for authors like Faulkner, Thoreau, Edith Wharton, and Harper Lee, witnessing their moments of creative inspiration.
• Nature and Literature: Explore the profound, often-overlooked connection between the American landscape and its literary legacy, blending history, botany, and a love for great books.
• A Singular Mission: Follow a fascinating mission to collect and preserve seeds from these historic trees, a living tribute to the roots of American creativity and a message of conservation for the future.

From the wooded road made of golden hemlock running past L. Frank Baum's childhood home to the lonely stump of Scout's oak in Harper Lee's Alabama, author Richard Horan gathers tree seeds—and stories—from the homes of America's most treasured authors. At once a heartfelt paean to literature and a wise, funny, and uplifting account of one man's reconnection with nature, Seeds celebrates Horan's triumphs and calamities on his quest to link trees with great writers—a delightfully original meditation on the nature of inspiration and a one-of-a-kind adventure into literature.

“Seeds reads like the best of a roundtable discussion amongst John Muir, Bill Bryson, and David Sedaris. From the fields of Gettysburg to the home of Kerouac, Horan takes an unlikely premise and weaves it into a story that’s poignant, insightful and unexpectedly humorous. This is more than a book about seeds-it’s about literary heroes, forensic forestry and self-discovery.” - Spike Carlsen, author of A Splintered History of Wood

“Seeds reads like a talk between John Muir and Bill Bryson. Horan takes an unlikely premise and takes a journey that’s poignant, insightful and unexpectedly humorous. More than a book about seeds—it’s about literary heroes, forensic forestry and self-discovery.” - Spike Carlsen, author of A Splintered History of Wood

“Once in a decade a book as good as Seeds appears from nowhere to astonish and delight us. Something very remarkable is unfolding here—Horan’s odyssey to collect seeds from the trees that lingered near the homes of his favorite writers. Some of his tales are full of interesting lore, others are touching, more than a few are funny as hell.” - Thomas Powers

“Once in a decade a book as good as Seeds appears to astonish and delight us. Some of his tales are full of interesting lore, others are touching, more than a few are funny as hell.” - Thomas Powers

“What an invigorating way to be reminded of the depth of America’s literary and natural heritage!” - Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet

“Horan goes personally to find and get to know the trees in numinous places; he has adventures, and we have the good luck to accompany him. The pleasures of travel, dendrophilia, literature, and history are all richly present in this rare and engaging book. Horan comes to us as a friend, not a teacher, and through intimacy, wins our hearts.” - William Bryan Logan, author of Oak: The Frame of Civilization

“Seeds is more than a book: this sashay across literary America plants a literal sacred grove. Horan sees the cloud floating inside every work of literature. He helps redeem every tree that ever died for our solace and delight.” - David James Duncan, author of The Brothers K and The River Why

“In Seeds, Horan pays homage to famous American writers and the trees of their youth. Horan is a terrific writer, and very funny at times!” - Amy Goldman, naturalist and author of 3 books on heirloom seeds

“Horan goes to find the trees, and we have the good luck to accompany him. The pleasures of travel, literature, and history are all richly present in this rare and engaging book. Horan comes to us as a friend, not a teacher, and wins our hearts.” - William Bryan Logan, author of Oak: The Frame of Civilization