Winter is slowly drawing to a close and I’m seeing more and more buds on the trees and new little leaves emerging from the ground. However it’s still freezing cold here and the wind is so fierce this evening that it’s seeping into the living room in spite of the double curtain over the door and the draught excluder.
All in all, the perfect evening to curl up by the fire with a good book.
Along with all the women in my family I have a great love of books and enjoy reading a wide range of different fiction and non-fiction writers. Of course there is a special place in my heart for books that celebrate herbs, nature, trees and the environment and so, in these final days of winter when it seems the grey skies will never turn to blue, I decided to share some of my favourites.
This selection does not include much in the way of information dense texts for the herbalist or nature lover but rather books that were written to inspire, to promote understanding and depth to our thinking and help us see the world afresh when we feel cynical or jaded.
Although more than one person has pointed out to me that the science underpinning this book is questionable, there will always be a very special place in my heart for Tompkins and Bird’s classic The Secret Life of Plants. When I first read it a few years ago I remember being so captivated by the ideas within and so inspired by their possibilities, that something fundamental shifted in my thinking from that point onwards. If the world ever seems tired or dull to me I have only to read a few pages from this book to find myself drowning in wonder once more.
The Lost Language of Plants by Stephen Harrod Buhner, is a fascinating, though at times harrowing, account of our relationship with the plant world, how plants co-exist in communities and what we are doing to jeopardise this with modern synthetic chemical medicines and cosmetics. Above all it is a call to action, and one we would be wise to heed.
In a similar vein, World as Lover, World as Self by Joanna Macy is a truly inspirational book about how we see our relationship to our environment, by one of the most exceptional women of our age. Macy is an environmental activist, deep ecologist, Buddhist scholar and academic and is a compelling voice for change, compassion and responsibility.
If you ever find yourself in need of a short story that will renew your hope in humanity and its potential to make a difference, then I strongly recommend reading The Man Who Planted Trees by Jean Giono, a truly delightful tale to warm the cockles of your heart on even the coldest of February nights.
Tree Wisdom by Jacqueline Memory Paterson is a lovely book to dip in and out of and contains lots of wonderful information about the folklore, myth and magic surrounding some of our best known native trees.
The Yoga of Herbs by Vasant Lad and David Frawley is in the main a herbal that considers the energetics of a variety of Eastern and Western herbs, but it still makes my list of inspirational books for it’s introductory pages which I have read over and over. Here is one of my favourite paragraphs;
Evolution is a manifestation of latent potentials. Within each thing is contained all things. In the seed is the tree; in the tree is the forest. Therefore intelligence is contained implicitly in the many worlds of nature, not only in our human-centred world. Another way of saying this is that consciousness exists in all forms of life. it is the very basis of creation, the power of evolution. Life, creation and evolution are the stages in the unfoldment of consciousness. There is nothing in existence that is unfeeling, nothing that is profane or unspiritual, nothing without a unique value in the cosmos. Life is relational, interdependent, interconnective, a system of mutual nourishment and care, not only physically but also psychologically and spiritually.
The Art of Plant Evolution by W. John Kress and Shirley Sherwood is a gorgeous book to peruse at your leisure. It looks at the topic of plant evolution through a series of botanical illustrations by over 80 different artists. I’m sure it is also full of fascinating information but I must confess to being too easily distracted by all the beautiful artwork to have managed to read any of it.
Last but not least is a book that doesn’t look at nature or at plants but is of relevance to us all in this busy world in which we are encouraged to ‘look out for number one’ and obtain happiness through acquisition and status.Β Happiness by Matthieu Ricard, a French scientist turned Buddhist monk, is a wonderfully uplifting, grounding and inspiring read which reminds us Β that a true state of well-being is always possible when we learn to let go and be still.
I hope something in this little selection is of interest to you. What are your favourite inspiring reads?
Well Lucinda, I do not think I need to tell you mine, as you have just visited my blog.
We seem to have a very similar taste in books. I have many books about trees, herbs, etc……I also love the mystical magical side of plants.
Thank you for showing us your choices. It is always helpful when books are recommended
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Thanks Cheryl, I was excited to see you had In A Unicorn’s Garden too! Books are such a pleasure to have aren’t they, I sometimes dream of having a wood panelled library that I could sit in and read all day.x
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What a lovely collection!
I don’t have any of the above books and hope to find one or the other at the library…
Thank you for sharing!
It is always great to see what others are interested in π
Herbal hugs
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I just love your selections Lucinda, especially as they are based on what inspires you, deepens your thinking and renews your passion (the best criteria if you ask me π ). I actually am not familiar with many of the books you have selected, so I am thrilled to have some wonderful suggestions and new frontiers to explore!
The Man Who Planted Trees is certainly a favorite of mine though, and you have inspired me about The Yoga of Herbs – I must confess I haven’t sat down and read the initial chapters – I’ve only used it as a reference! (tsk tsk, I know!).
Anyways, a truly lovely and inspiring post. I too day dream about wood paneled libraries with roaring fires and huge paneled windows looking out over misty hillsides…
Lots of love,
Danielle
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Hi Brigitte and Danielle,
Glad you enjoyed this little selection and I hope you are also inspired by any of them you decide to read.
I’m glad you love The Man Who Planted Trees too Danielle, it really is a gem isn’t it. Definitely one to have in a hardback, cloth bound edition in the wood panelled library. π
xx
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Yea! More books to explore:) I am like Brigitte, and have never read any of these either! A couple of them are in my wish list though, already;-) Off to check my library and inter-library loan system, Lucinda:) big herbie hugs xx
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Hi Lucinda
I just wanted to say that your blog is absolutely fantastic! I hope you put it all into a book one day because your passion and love for herbs and nature is so apparent in your blog.
I love coming to read about herbs on your blog. It is like sitting by the fire with a lovely warm cuppa and a brilliant and inspiring book.
Kaarina
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Thank you so much Kaarina, that is very heart warming to read.
I am hoping that a book will emerge in the not too distant future. π
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