Braiding Sweetgrass
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
by Robin Wall Kimmerer
published in 2013 by Milkweed Editions
genres: non-fiction, biography, nature writing, autobiography
A few years ago my youngest son was letting go of some of his things and he handed me his worn paperback copy of Braiding Sweetgrass from one of his college classes; it had been a required reading. “Here Mom, I think you will really like this book.”
At that time, the habit of recording books I read in my book journal was very new. Slowly, as the habit settled in, I began to connect what I read with specifically contributing to how I saw. Seeing tidbits of fruition in how my brain and my heart made connections with my lifetime of experiences, I realized more nuanced values were emerging in me. The work of my subconscious was slowly becoming conscious to me.
I had a lot going on at the time Paul handed me his book as well as a long list of other books I was reading. Oddly, Braiding Sweetgrass got set aside. Sometime after that, I went on a road trip alone. I borrowed Braiding Sweetgrass from the audio section of our library. During that time, I got about halfway through it and loved every part of it. Once again however, it got set aside, unfinished. This year, I began again from the beginning… listening to the audio version and reading the print copy at the same time…finally finishing it…savoring every word of it. Either version, listening or reading, provide through profoundly beautiful stories — nourishment, perspective, and stamina to face the complexities of today.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist, among many other amazing achievements and fine qualities, narrates Braiding Sweetgrass in such a way that sets a steady tone and calming mood. Her writing style is poetic, scientific, artistic, gourmet, circular, reprimanding, encouraging, grounding, and vision giving. The circular style of each chapter (which, by the way, can be read in isolation) emphasizes the connections of our choice and action with what might appear small or meaningless to that which is larger. Not larger as in more or grand— but larger as in meaning, purpose, significant, and connecting to all — important for all — consideration for all of creation — not just that which is human.
In a way, whether unread, half-read, fully read, or re-read, this book and its wisdom has been with me—tumbling around, shaping what’s important to me, making space for creativity, and assisting in the polishing of my values and ideas… for several years.
Thanks Paul!
