Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
- Downloads：5511
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-04-21 13:57:21
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Robin Wall Kimmerer
- ISBN：014199195X
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
As a botanist， Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science。 As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation， she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers。 In Braiding Sweetgrass， Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on "a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific， as sacred as it is historical， as clever as it is wise" （Elizabeth Gilbert）。
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist， a mother， and a woman， Kimmerer shows how other living beings-asters and goldenrod， strawberries and squash， salamanders， algae， and sweetgrass-offer us gifts and lessons， even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices。 In a rich braid of reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today， she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world。 For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth， and learn to give our own gifts in return。
Reviews
Amber
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Warm， Soothing and kind。 This book champions generosity and reciprocity with all humans， animals and plants。 Robin Wall Kimmerer breathes wisdom and care for our beloved world and points us all to true stewardship and what the meaning of true wealth is。
Tara Morton
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This book was informative， poetic， and overall a lovely read。 I have a new way of looking at the land and my relationship with it。 While being critical， it is still filled with optimism。
Meredith Fields
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Learned a lot from this book！ A really well done blend of history， personal storytelling and scientific knowledge。 I found the first half hard to put down。 The second half felt a bit different - the focus tended to shift from motherhood/interpersonal relationship themes to bigger picture connections between nature/myth/modern global culture。 I slowed during the second half and started splitting the later chapters over the course of a month。 I recommend that experience -> it broke up some of the Learned a lot from this book！ A really well done blend of history， personal storytelling and scientific knowledge。 I found the first half hard to put down。 The second half felt a bit different - the focus tended to shift from motherhood/interpersonal relationship themes to bigger picture connections between nature/myth/modern global culture。 I slowed during the second half and started splitting the later chapters over the course of a month。 I recommend that experience -> it broke up some of the conceptual repetition。 Since each chapter was somewhat self-contained， the pauses also didn’t disrupt the flow of the story。Overall great read！ 。。。more
Matt Rabski
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So heartfelt。 These well told stories were nearly universally moving and the author narrates the book very genuinely。
Kristi
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I listened to this as an audiobook on loan from the library。 I'll be purchasing it to add to my bookshelf。 I listened to this as an audiobook on loan from the library。 I'll be purchasing it to add to my bookshelf。 。。。more
Phyllis Bismanovsky
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I don't really know how to rate this book。 Over 400 pages of small type。 I could only read 10-20 pages at a time and gave up after 120 pages。 Just too difficult to read。 I enjoyed the parts referring to Native American tradition but the book just didn't hold my attention。 I don't really know how to rate this book。 Over 400 pages of small type。 I could only read 10-20 pages at a time and gave up after 120 pages。 Just too difficult to read。 I enjoyed the parts referring to Native American tradition but the book just didn't hold my attention。 。。。more
Lisa Blum
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Is there such a thing as a 10 star review？ This book is incredible！ It flows like poetry and carries both a beautiful and important message。
Michael Citrino
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If you liked the Hidden Life of Trees or the Overstory， consider this as essential reading。 The wisdom presented will touch your core and the questions posed will stay with you as spirit guides。
K Kriesel
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If you enjoyed this book and want more， I highly recommend reading "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko。The stars aligned to get this audiobook to me right after I moved to the Driftless Region permanently， after 15 moves in 15 years。 As I finally put down roots and learn all I can about local ecosystems， this has been the perfect book to listen to。 This is a book of establishing Home， of forming a mutual relationship with one's surroundings。 The audiobook is very well done and easy to listen to。 If you enjoyed this book and want more， I highly recommend reading "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko。The stars aligned to get this audiobook to me right after I moved to the Driftless Region permanently， after 15 moves in 15 years。 As I finally put down roots and learn all I can about local ecosystems， this has been the perfect book to listen to。 This is a book of establishing Home， of forming a mutual relationship with one's surroundings。 The audiobook is very well done and easy to listen to。 。。。more
Lisa
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This book was both well written and enlightening。 Robin Wall Kimmerers writing brings forward the urgency and importance of rebuilding our relationship with the earth in a way that is interesting and touching。
Kay
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The best thing about this book is that it’s so incredibly well written。 Parts of it cross the genre lines into poetry。
Aditi Jain
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Amazing book！ So we’ll written and such engaging content。 I would give this book 10 stars if I could
Nadja Maril
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A memoir to slowly savor。 Integrating Native American History and knowledge with the events of her life， Kimmerer tells a powerful and sad story of our responsibilities to the earth and the land。
No Mail
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The message is important。 Supremely important。 The prose a bit repetitive。
Cassie Wilson
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I never wanted this book to end。 I listened to the audiobook and it brought me comfort， smiles， laughter， and tears。 This may be the first book I ever reread。 So special to read this as winter turned to spring。
Danna Kedrowski
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This was such a refreshing mix of prose and science。 I really enjoyed the writing and the overall lessons contained within each chapter。 I learned about plants， but also about indigenous culture。 There are so many lessons that can be taken from these pages。 Highly recommend if you are curious about plants and indigenous life。
Carmen Lishman
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I cannot recommend this book enough。 It provides a whole education on history， botany， the teachings of the first peoples of our geographic area。 Beautiful， eye opening， uplifting。
Nicole T。
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I went into this book expecting science-y facts about how chemistry/ biology/ ecology provide objective evidence in support of traditional indigenous uses of plants。 It is really not that kind of book - although there's a little bit of that - it's part memoir， part manifesto， part a mural of words bringing to life Maple， Cattail， and of course Sweetgrass。 And expecting science-y facts is exactly the thing a well-meaning person NOT steeped in indigenous North American culture would do， isn't it？T I went into this book expecting science-y facts about how chemistry/ biology/ ecology provide objective evidence in support of traditional indigenous uses of plants。 It is really not that kind of book - although there's a little bit of that - it's part memoir， part manifesto， part a mural of words bringing to life Maple， Cattail， and of course Sweetgrass。 And expecting science-y facts is exactly the thing a well-meaning person NOT steeped in indigenous North American culture would do， isn't it？The chapters "Witch Hazel" and "A Mother's Work" moved me to tears with the simple， profound beauty of their ideas and conveyed feeling。I'd love to re-read this book on （gulp） dead tree （I read the epub version）。6 out of 5 stars。 。。。more
Kristina Sawyckyj
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This author did a wonderful job sharing her Native American culture and history with the readers。 She shares many cultural antidotes and folk lore to bring the reader into her childhood and Ancestors。
Mallory Reader
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I so badly wanted to love this and I just didn’t。 Lots of great parts but a bit dense and lacking a clear storyline on its own。 I think a more structured organization would’ve made it read smoother maybe。
Hannah Bergstrom de Leon
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This book was recommended to me by my spiritual director and I ended up listening to it on Audible。 I enjoyed having the author narrate this set of deep and personal reflections on her life， heritage， condemnations and hopes for society。 I am glad I listened to it， but I also thinking there would be real power in reading this book and spending more time in contemplation with her conclusions and challenges。 The overarching value as I heard it was reciprocity in relationship。 Wall Kimmerer is spea This book was recommended to me by my spiritual director and I ended up listening to it on Audible。 I enjoyed having the author narrate this set of deep and personal reflections on her life， heritage， condemnations and hopes for society。 I am glad I listened to it， but I also thinking there would be real power in reading this book and spending more time in contemplation with her conclusions and challenges。 The overarching value as I heard it was reciprocity in relationship。 Wall Kimmerer is speaking mostly to the specifics of humanity and creation， but I also think the value of reciprocity holds true through human to human relationships as well。 She helped me find voice for the value of life and land that I would like to nurture in myself and cultivate in my children for which I am deeply grateful。 Definitely worth your time if you enjoy these sort of reflective narratives。 。。。more
L。G。 Cullens
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Both a shameful reckoning and a hopeful emergence， in essence this writing presents a perspective that is at odds with our horse-blinkered， materialistic culture's views of the natural world。 The perspective is not one of an idealistic utopia， but rather one of respectful coexistence with all life， and balance with the natural world that in providing a conducive environment is essential for our existence — one of honest appreciation for the gifts that enable being， and of meaningful reciprocity Both a shameful reckoning and a hopeful emergence， in essence this writing presents a perspective that is at odds with our horse-blinkered， materialistic culture's views of the natural world。 The perspective is not one of an idealistic utopia， but rather one of respectful coexistence with all life， and balance with the natural world that in providing a conducive environment is essential for our existence — one of honest appreciation for the gifts that enable being， and of meaningful reciprocity to further the continuum of all life。 This from a merging of Native American perspective and hard science， which I find more credible in intent and practicality than Janus-faced offerings of our money-grubbing， destructive mores。 [You might find the allegorical chapter， Windigo Footprints， telling in its succinctness， and the allegorical chapter， Defeating Windigo， instructive。] Together with the beneficial evidence of following this path is the hard evidence of how at our hand so far our little blue canoe is changing at an accelerating rate， which has the potential of leaving us behind in like haste。 To me， it is unadulterated hubris to ignore Nature's sway and the diminishing circle of life that supports our being。Each chapter builds on the premise with accomplished writing to further evidence the perspective， and increase one's understanding of the circle of life， which results in a longish book。 To those with a like understanding it may seem overdone， and to those in denial it may be exasperating in exposing the ignorance of our materialistic tainted erudition。 In my view， the thoroughness and accuracy of the book are necessary to enlighten those desiring a better understanding of practicable mitigation of the consequences of our increasing biosphere plight。I found this a meaningful and heartwarming work of literature。 If only more had such wisdom and respect for the little blue canoe that gives us life。 Finding it difficult to discover books that I consider meaningful and thought provoking， and that I haven't yet read， I'm thankful I came across this one。 Thank you Robin Wall Kimmerer for this honest， articulate， and insightful rendering of how humankind could be a beneficial component of Earth's biosphere。In grateful receiving， unasked giving， and caring， the heart grows。 In taking， keeping， and wasting， the heart shrivels。 The fire of life may seemingly have all the fuel in place to blaze， but without the spark of true wisdom it won't sustain your inner being。 。。。more
Brooke
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This has been my favorite book I’ve read so far this year。 I can’t stop thinking about it。 Kimmerer has beautifully woven indigenous traditions with scientific method and has changed the way I think about so many things， from fields of goldenrod and asters to meandering rivers and cedar trees。 It is a combination of poetry and science in the best way possible。
Sarah
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I listened to this on audiobook （read by the author） and I am floored！ This book is amazing， it made me think critically and question what I "know" about the natural world in all the best ways。 After I finished listening to the book， I purchased it （from my local indie bookstore） because I must read it again， with my eyeballs。 I listened to this on audiobook （read by the author） and I am floored！ This book is amazing， it made me think critically and question what I "know" about the natural world in all the best ways。 After I finished listening to the book， I purchased it （from my local indie bookstore） because I must read it again， with my eyeballs。 。。。more
Jenni Svrcek
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I’m happy I listened to the audio book rather than reading this one， hearing the authors voice read this was more al encompassing and drew me into the book more。 I loved learning about the plants and language and so many other facets that intermingle。
Miz Lizzie
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Robin Wall Kimmerer brings her academic training as a biologist and her Potawatomi worldview to this powerful book of essays about the wisdom of plants and our culture's damaged relationship with them。 There is grief and despair but always， ultimately， hope。 This is another mentor text for me， on how to move forward。 This is a book I will return to again and again。Book Pairings:For the environmental aspects: Essays by Terry Tempest Williams and Barbara Kingsolver。For the connection of land and s Robin Wall Kimmerer brings her academic training as a biologist and her Potawatomi worldview to this powerful book of essays about the wisdom of plants and our culture's damaged relationship with them。 There is grief and despair but always， ultimately， hope。 This is another mentor text for me， on how to move forward。 This is a book I will return to again and again。Book Pairings:For the environmental aspects: Essays by Terry Tempest Williams and Barbara Kingsolver。For the connection of land and story: Martin Shaw and Sharon Blackie 。。。more
Rebecca Chevat
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Beautiful love letter to Mother Earth！ Very informative and well written。 Learned more about nature and the Potawatomi Nation。
Tyra
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This is a poem and a lesson。 I will keep it out and pick it up to learn again。
Helen Rix
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Excellent book。 。。。 If you have some great stories like this one， you can publish it on Novel Star， just submit your story to hardy@novelstar。top or joye@novelstar。top
Degan Walters
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