Completely brilliant India Knight A gorgeously subtle memoir of depression, that intertwines in surprising and often uplifting ways with the healing power of nature. Monica Ali I loved The Ballast Seed. I couldn't put it down. Beautiful and sad and hopeful all at once-luminous and lush, full of dirt, darkness, sun light and soft new growth. It's a story of vulnerability, persistence and the will to live. This is a memoir that will make you weep, then roll up your sleeves and plant the seeds of a new life. Cal Flyn author of Islands of Abandonment The Ballast Seed is a book to read... The language is evocative, the writing beautiful, intense and personal... the book is infused with the thrill of discovery and knowledge... a compelling and profoundly hopeful read.