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leahsbooks's review
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Wellfleet Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm always intrigued by the historical use of plants for medicinal, culinary, and other purposes, and this book does a great job of highlighting so many different plants around the world and how they've been used for various things.
However, I was surprised about how many plants have been used for magical purposes, outside of the ones that I'm familiar with. I enjoyed seeing plants outside of the ones I'm familiar with, and the fact that the author incorporated plants outside of Europe and North America, helping me learn more about plants that have been traditionally used in Asia, South and Central America, and Africa as well.
This is a really interesting book, and I like how it is put together, with everything easy to understand and find. The plants are beautifully described, with various trees, bushes, and flowers included, and it is a great resource for anyone interested in plants, lore, and magic.
I'm always intrigued by the historical use of plants for medicinal, culinary, and other purposes, and this book does a great job of highlighting so many different plants around the world and how they've been used for various things.
However, I was surprised about how many plants have been used for magical purposes, outside of the ones that I'm familiar with. I enjoyed seeing plants outside of the ones I'm familiar with, and the fact that the author incorporated plants outside of Europe and North America, helping me learn more about plants that have been traditionally used in Asia, South and Central America, and Africa as well.
This is a really interesting book, and I like how it is put together, with everything easy to understand and find. The plants are beautifully described, with various trees, bushes, and flowers included, and it is a great resource for anyone interested in plants, lore, and magic.
mandysreadinglist's review
5.0
The Complete Language of Herbs: A Definitive & Illustrated History by S. Theresa Dietz is an essential compendium for any herbalist.
Plants and herbs have been used throughout history to heal the body—but understanding how to use the medicinal properties of plants in teas, tinctures, and food has become somewhat of a lost art. This book takes us back to our roots, helping us to decode and decipher the lost language of herbs.
The book is presented like a dictionary, organized alphabetically by the scientific name of each herb. Names and varieties are listed, along with symbolic meanings, possible powers, folklore, and facts, making this a unique and new approach to herbal understanding. Illustrations accompany each entry, making it easy for readers to identify and visualize specific herbs. Every common herb is covered, from Sage to Sasparilla.
“All herbs in this book mean something, and they just might have the power to actually manifest a magical effect if the enablement is, at the very least, a heartfelt wish.” Whether you use herbs for cooking, medicine, aromatherapy, or floral arrangements, we should all be using herbs as magical proxies to enhance our power and better our lives.
A huge thank you to Lydia at Quarto Publishing for sending me another amazing Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) of this title. All opinions are my own.
kristin's review
3.0
I would like to thank Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Interesting but I’m not sure it’s worth buying.
Interesting but I’m not sure it’s worth buying.
litwtchreads's review
informative
slow-paced
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I really loved how this was laid out as a dictionary or reference book with the scientific name, common name, meanings, associations, and folklore/facts associated with each herb in alphabetical order. Though, this book does appear to have been submitted for early review a bit too early. There were a lot of red/crossed-out sections and missing images, especially after A. This doesn’t necessarily take away from the overall book or how much I liked it but it is something to be aware of for other reviewers. I do wish the images were throughout the book, I can only hope that they will be added before final publication, without them I don’t think this book would be as useful or helpful. Additionally, there was no key at the beginning of the book that explains the symbols next to the name of each herb, again, I can only assume that this will be added before final publication. Overall, this is a good reference book, but some final tweaks need to be made (described above), to make this a great reference book anyone can use.
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