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

In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer melds together indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge. Through her experiences as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer encourages us to open our ears to the voices of nature - asters, goldenrod, strawberries, squash, salamanders, algae, sweetgrass - and recognize the gifts they have to offer.

Through her reflections, from how Turtle Island was created to the struggles it faces today, she shows us how essential it is to recognize our place in the web of life and cherish our relationships with the natural world.

Once we can understand the languages of other beings, we will learn to appreciate the generosity of the earth and return the favor.

'A hymn of love to the world ... 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, author of Eat, Pray, Love

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.