Green Reads
Hello, fellow plant people—
As a “thank you” for your support and encouragement during Launch Week at Place & Thyme, I’d like to share three “green reads” I have enjoyed and can heartily recommend. Hope you enjoy them!
This Is Your Mind on Plants, by Michael Pollan. From the publisher: Of all the things humans rely on plants for—sustenance, beauty, medicine, fragrance, flavor, fiber—surely the most curious is our use of them to change consciousness: to stimulate or calm, fiddle with or completely alter, the qualities of our mental experience. In this unique blend of history, science, and memoir, as well as participatory journalism, Pollan holds up a mirror to our fundamental human needs and aspirations, the operations of our minds, and our entanglement with the natural world.
The Herbal Apothecary: 100 Medicinal Herbs and How to Use Them, by Dr. J.J. Pursell. From the publisher. The Herbal Apothecary provides an accessible and comprehensive introduction to plant-based medicine. It features profiles of the 100 of the most important medicinal plants that include information on medicinal uses, identification and cultivation, and recipes for common concerns. Additional information includes step-by-step instructions for making herbal teas, tinctures, compresses, salves, and more.
Herbs: Delicious Recipes and Growing Tips to Transform Your Food, by Judith Hann. From the publisher: Written by a true herb aficionado, this beautiful book is an ode to enjoying herbs all year round. In each seasonal chapter, Judith Hann skillfully weaves together guidance on growing—whether you have a full herb garden or simple pots on the windowsill—with 120 delicious, imaginative recipes. A wonderfully personal account of a love affair with herbs, as well as an indispensable guide on how to make the most of them every day.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Debbie, I found Pollan's book when I was researching the next China Bayles mystery (coming next year). China is an herbalist and those books have a "signature herb"--in this book (Forget Me Never), a group of herbs called "nootropics," cognitive enhancers. Pollan's chapter on coffee answered all my questions--and made me feel a lot better about my lattes! (And yes, lemon balm is considered in that group. Enjoyed your post!)
What I like about that book, Sandy: it's a testimony to the way a passion can completely transform a life. Had to smile when her husband told her "stop reading and start digging." Story of my life.