Reviews

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer

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mitzirox's review against another edition

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5.0

Changes your perspective and challenges your worldview.

lia_the_imp's review against another edition

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5.0

A very healing approach to human relationship with earth and ecosystems, bringing together science, traditional knowledge, and art. Reading this helps to take away the despair and anxiety that I feel with our present environmental crises, and instead focus on agency, responsibility, and gratitude. The chapter about the Windigo and over-consumption and the chapter on Maple Nation were some of my favorite essays. Beyond just being well-written, I think that this book also encourages the reader to have compassion and connection with the earth - I am currently reconsidering my relationship with my garden and my grocery store alike. Reciprocity, the honorable harvest, and the economy of gifts are concepts that feel so familiar now that I've learned them; I'm impressed at how beautifully Kimmerer ties everything together and I know that I'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

claire_michelle18's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

A beautiful, heart wrenching, and inspiring book. Robin Wall Kimmerer's journey to bring together her native american heritage and wisdom with her academic expertise in biology and ecology is so interesting and inspiring, causing one to question every assumption they might have about the natural world. She beautifully holds both deep grief, for the loss of both her people's ancient knowledge and culture and the ecological damage done to the planet, and deep hope for the future in a way that is profoundly inspirational. I loved this book so much and feel forever changed by it.

julialeigh's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

leer_amor's review against another edition

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5.0

I went into this book honestly thinking it would be a bit borning. I feel ashamed now of that assumption. I feel so grateful that I was led to pick up this book and that my Libby hold on the audiobook came in early. I would argue that this is a book for every season, but listening to it in the Summer, often times outside with my bare feet in the grass, was truly a gift and an experience I cherished.

When I first started listening to this book, a couple chapters in, I said that I felt like it was healing my soul. I stand by that statement even more now. This book has such powerful healing potential. Everyone should read or listen to this book. Everyone should exist with these words in their heart. What a huge difference it would make in how we treat each other and the land, the relationships we foster and the attitude we choose. Dont speed it up. Dont put it on 1.5x or 2x speed. Take the time to live with this narrative. Let it sink into you and dwell on the meaning. Reflect on your own life and how you wish to live in the future. This book can change lives, and that’s not something I say lightly. I want it to change mine.

This book blends science, nature, Indigenous culture, and relationships in a seemless and flowing way. Each chapter offers an anecdote or analogy taken directly from thr author’s life and lived experience. Kimmerer is a winderful teacher and had a masterful voice. Hearing her narrate this was soothing and lullabetical (a word Ive taken from Hozier). Her voice is soft and gentle and emotional but you can feel the power she has, the importance of the lessons she teaches in her own life and the conviction she has for her beliefs and shared knowledge.

This is by far the best audiobook Ive listened to and I highly recommend it. I dont thinking reading this book would have had as great an impact on me as listening to it has. There’s a difference between seeing the written word and hearing it from the voice of the one who wrote it and believes in it with all her being.

I want to say thank you to the people who recommended this book to me, of which there are a couple. Your combined efforts convinced me to pick it up and Im beyond grateful for the journey Ive gone on with this book.

hbermudes's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is so detailed and intentional.. really beautifully done. Each story works together so well, and follows a unifying theme of reciprocity and remembrance. the author writes with such clarity, but i understand why some people see this as thematically repetitive. for me I do like things that are more complicated thematically vs so tight and clear- but idk. the access points and framing of each story are really creative. The storytelling here has a familiar tone and is so meaningful,. I mean yea not much to say here other than this book is really well done and just so thoughtfully put together.