Reviews with content warning for Genocide - Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants

I really enjoyed the combination of memoir style writing infused with nature writing providing lots of interesting info. The writing is beautifully descriptive and moving. As someone who grew up in the area (outside Syracuse) she writes about a lot, there was a nostalgic factor for me as well.

My one qualm (and this could be indicative of this being published a decade ago) is I think Wall Kimmerer shies away a bit from giving any real solutions besides to become "closer to nature" which reads a bit naive considering where we are as a world right now. Unfortunately we are just so far past the way indigenous people used to live that I struggle to see a path that leads anywhere near back there.

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turidt's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

5.0

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thereadinghammock's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

Robin Wall Kimmerer reads this weaving of story, history, cultural reclamation, and scientific exploration in beautiful narrative and such a calming voice. I was entranced by the cultural stories, celebrations of the land and natural world by the Indigenous communities across the country. I enjoyed seeing the marrying of traditional land stewardship with contemporary western science; possibly even more when traditional stewardship shows how care and respect for the world around us can also care for us in turn.

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