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Reviews tagging 'Animal death'
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
48 reviews
melancholymegs's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Animal death, Death, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, and Racism
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Suicide attempt and Excrement
kelly_e's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.75
Title: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer
Genre: Non Fiction Environment
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: August 11, 2015
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wise • Meaningful • Absorbing
📖 S Y N O P S I S
In Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer asks questions about nature through the lens of science. Through Indigenous knowledge, she explores the reciprocal relationship between humans and the natural world and presents the historical context of plants and animals as our oldest teachers.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Every once in awhile a book comes along and changes you, for me Braiding Sweetgrass was that book. I absolutely loved it!
Not only is this book and its message important, but it opened up my mind to so much ancient knowledge of the indigenous people and extensive personal reflections is so many different ways. I was instantly captivated by Robin Wall Kimmerer's poetic prose and vivid imagery. Each chapter/essay felt powerful its own way. Combining her scientific background and honest approach to learning with the teachings of the land, there's a beauty unlike anything else with each new idea she brings to the table. It broadened my ecological consciousness, it opened up a world of possibility in honouring the land and seeing the natural world as the greatest teacher, and spark much reflection on my own reciprocal relationship with the world around me.
The only thing that stopped this being a five-star experience is that at times it got overly repetitive, which created a lull in the immersive journey. With that being said, this is a book meant to be savoured, absorbed, and put into practice. I highly recommend reading while listening along to enhance the experience even more.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone who cares about our impact on the planet
• nature enthusiasts
• everyone!
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"People often ask me what one thing I would recommend to restore relationship between land and people. My answer is almost always, "Plant a garden." It's good for the health of the earth and it's good for the health of people. A garden is a nursery for nurturing connection, the soil for cultivation of practical reverence. And its power goes far beyond the garden gate - once you develop a relationship with a little patch of earth, it comes a seed itself.
Something essential happens in a vegetable garden. It's a place where if you can't say 'I love you' out loud, you can say it in seeds. And the land will reciprocate, in beans."
"Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond."
"'Weep! Weep!' calls a toad from the water's edge. And I do. If grief can be a doorway to love, then les us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again."
Author: Robin Wall Kimmerer
Genre: Non Fiction Environment
Rating: 4.75
Pub Date: August 11, 2015
T H R E E • W O R D S
Wise • Meaningful • Absorbing
📖 S Y N O P S I S
In Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer asks questions about nature through the lens of science. Through Indigenous knowledge, she explores the reciprocal relationship between humans and the natural world and presents the historical context of plants and animals as our oldest teachers.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Every once in awhile a book comes along and changes you, for me Braiding Sweetgrass was that book. I absolutely loved it!
Not only is this book and its message important, but it opened up my mind to so much ancient knowledge of the indigenous people and extensive personal reflections is so many different ways. I was instantly captivated by Robin Wall Kimmerer's poetic prose and vivid imagery. Each chapter/essay felt powerful its own way. Combining her scientific background and honest approach to learning with the teachings of the land, there's a beauty unlike anything else with each new idea she brings to the table. It broadened my ecological consciousness, it opened up a world of possibility in honouring the land and seeing the natural world as the greatest teacher, and spark much reflection on my own reciprocal relationship with the world around me.
The only thing that stopped this being a five-star experience is that at times it got overly repetitive, which created a lull in the immersive journey. With that being said, this is a book meant to be savoured, absorbed, and put into practice. I highly recommend reading while listening along to enhance the experience even more.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone who cares about our impact on the planet
• nature enthusiasts
• everyone!
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"People often ask me what one thing I would recommend to restore relationship between land and people. My answer is almost always, "Plant a garden." It's good for the health of the earth and it's good for the health of people. A garden is a nursery for nurturing connection, the soil for cultivation of practical reverence. And its power goes far beyond the garden gate - once you develop a relationship with a little patch of earth, it comes a seed itself.
Something essential happens in a vegetable garden. It's a place where if you can't say 'I love you' out loud, you can say it in seeds. And the land will reciprocate, in beans."
"Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond."
"'Weep! Weep!' calls a toad from the water's edge. And I do. If grief can be a doorway to love, then les us all weep for the world we are breaking apart so we can love it back to wholeness again."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Grief, Death, Genocide, and Animal death
readandfindout's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.25
Style/writing: 3.5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Perspective: 5 stars
Themes: 4 stars
Perspective: 5 stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Racism, Grief, Genocide, Death, Forced institutionalization, Cannibalism, Animal death, Kidnapping, and Religious bigotry
madradstarchild's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation
Moderate: Animal death, Genocide, and Death
Minor: Alcohol
kbratty's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation
Minor: Animal death
elisanisly's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Colonisation, and Death
Moderate: Racism and War
Minor: Abandonment
cammiem8's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
2.75
The content of this book was so fascinating and I agree strongly with the author’s philosophy, but I felt this collection of essays suffered from a lack of editing. Many of the essays were too long and repetitive, and others could have been combined. I’d say it’s worth reading to learn from, but it does not feel like a finished piece.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Racism
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Cannibalism
Many of the injustices against Native Americans are described in this book. It does have a hopeful tone despite some dark subject matter. One essay depicts the legend of the Wendigo, which involves non-graphic depictions of cannibalism.krys_kilz's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
I don't even have the words to describe this book. There's just so much that has stuck with me, so much incredible wisdom. Kimmerer is really able to tap into grief in her writing; I cried many times throughout the book. I loved her storytelling; it made the material much less dense and easier to understand.
The concept of restoration as an antidote to despair has really stayed with me. This book has given me a lot to contemplate and chew on.
The only thing I didn't like was the liberalism woven throughout this book. Things like "a nation of immigrants," addressing the climate crisis through reform, and the emphasis on individual choice really missed the mark for me. With that said, I think there is a lot of radical imagination in this book and it's worth the read.
The concept of restoration as an antidote to despair has really stayed with me. This book has given me a lot to contemplate and chew on.
The only thing I didn't like was the liberalism woven throughout this book. Things like "a nation of immigrants," addressing the climate crisis through reform, and the emphasis on individual choice really missed the mark for me. With that said, I think there is a lot of radical imagination in this book and it's worth the read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide and Animal death
Moderate: Colonisation and Grief
erica_palmisano's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
So rich, so beautifully written, so full of challenging but graciously articulated ideas. The audiobook is narrated by the author, whose warm tone and style is delightful, and I'm so glad I heard it. I think I'll get the physical book for future reference since I used my library card for this. There's just too much to think about to hear it only once.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Genocide
Moderate: Animal death and Cannibalism
Minor: Cultural appropriation
gracecrandall's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Blood
Moderate: Colonisation, Forced institutionalization, War, and Violence