Goodreads | Bookshop

“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.”

Release Date: October 15th, 2013

Genre(s): Non-fiction

Publisher: Milkweed Editions

Pages: 391

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis

Robin Wall Kimmerer is both a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. In her book, Kimmerer brings both of her experiences together to demonstrate what nature can teach us about the world around us.

Review

Braiding Sweetgrass is definitely one of my favorite reads of 2020. This was the November pick for Feminist Book Club, and I’m so glad for that so I could be introduced to this book. There is so much that Kimmerer shares, between her experiences as a botanist and a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and how these experiences shaped her perspective and values in terms of the natural world. 

There was so much of Braiding Sweetgrass that captured my attention. Kimmerer shares so much about how her relationship with the earth impacted her values, and I found that to be a very big takeaway from reading her book. There is so much said about intention, appreciation, and giving, among others, that really had me thinking about how I can better apply these values into my everyday life. Kimmerer’s perspectives were also so incredibly insightful when it came to how to embrace these values. Much of western culture has a different way of embracing these values (if at all), so much of Kimmerer’s experiences were really helpful in understanding how to be more intentional in daily life. This is emphasized by the stories she shared as a student, a mother, a teacher, and a scientist. In each of these stories, you can see how her values and intentions come across in every decision she makes, as her reflections after the fact results in so many great teaching moments.

These values in Braiding Sweetgrass ultimately tie into the themes of nature and how we treat the world around us. While Kimmerer shared what being with nature meant to her, I realized that my version of being with nature is still very fabricated and maintained by people. There’s a lot to be said about the differences in perspective and how valuable Kimmerer’s experience and expertise is. As a botanist, her experiences with nature as an indigenous woman are repeatedly dismissed. But as she continually had to prove what she knew as fact, it resulted in changing perspective on how we look at plant life and nature in general.

While reading this book, I shared so much of what I learned with my family members. I mostly shared what I was learning with my father, who has over 40 years of experience in the green industry. Together we’re going to make some changes when we prepare to plant again come Spring. I hope more people come across this book and are just as inspired.

Braiding Sweetgrass will change the way you look at the world, and it will inspire you to keep learning, too. Even if you’re incredibly disconnected from nature, this book will motivate you to build relationships with the land around you. I highly recommend picking it up.