Review: Essential Herbal Wisdom

This Book Is About

My Thoughts On This Book

Essential Herbal Wisdom is an interesting book. The author, Nancy Arrowsmith, has divided the fifty herbs in the book into three traditional categories; Sacred, Solar, and Lunar. Each section has chapters about herbs that have traditionally been placed in that category by European herbalism.

There are a few things, besides how Nancy Arrowsmith groups the various herbs together, that make this book about herbs really unique. Firstly, each herb chapter opens with a quote about the plant from a work of literature. The chapters also end with a Literary Flowers heading that gives a poem or section of a work about that particular herb.

Secondly, and my favorite unique feature, is that the book gives both the scientific names and multiple common names in many different languages. One example is the chapter on parsley. It opens with two paragraphs about the origin of the scientific Latin name and the common English name for this herb. That’s followed by two paragraphs about the folk names for Parsley:

Folk Names

In ancient herbals, parsley was called apium or selinon, and was later known as petersylinge and persely. The Anglo-Saxon name was marish; Old French names were jauver, juver, and gimbert.

Modern German apellations are Peterseilie, Peterli, Bittersilche, and Kräutel; French names are persil and jauvert. Italians call the herb prezzemolo, petrosello, apio ortense, erbetta, and erborina. In Friuli (Italy), it is known as savòrs; in some parts of south Tyrol, kraitles and petersimbl. Spaniards call the plant perejil; Russinas, petruška; Dutch, peterselie; Irish, peirsil; and the Welsh, persli.

This is really great for anyone who wants to do more research about an herb, or if a person has old recipes or ones in other languages or if one is reading a history book about trade.

Thirdly, each chapter contains information about both the herb’s traditional medicinal use AND it’s use in modern medicine. And, fourthly, the book relates the myths, superstitions, gardening legends, and fairy tales about the various herbs.

The overall effect of these various features and bits of unusual information is that you learn about the human culture around the herbs as much as you do about the plants themselves. And I think that’s really cool.

My only disappointment about Essential Herbal Wisdom is one last unique thing about this herber. The recipies are all reprints of original instructions from the 1800s and earlier. So, they’re not something a modern person can just up and follow. It’s both really interesting and extremely frustrating.

Which, of course, brings me to the point of this book. Arrowsmith’s intention is to give, in easy language, a scholarly understanding of the history and cultivation of each of these herbs. The purpose of Essential Herbal Wisdom is not to tell you that lavender is tasty but to share the human wisdom and lore about it.

So, if you just want a book of recipes to follow or some quick gardening information about herbs than this is NOT the book you are looking for. If, however, you’ve already got books like that and are looking for some serious and interesting information about the use and history of herbs than you’ve GOT to pick up Essential Herbal Wisdom: A Complete Exploration of 50 Remarkable Herbs by Nancy Arrowsmith.

Herbs Covered in This Book

• Fern
• Misteltoe
• Arnica
• Basil
• Caraway
• Coltsfoot
• Cress
• Dandelion
• Dill
• Fennel
• Hemp
• Hollyhock & Marshmallow
• Horsetail
• Marigold
• Marjoram & Organy
• Parsley
• Rosemary
• Rue
• Savory
• Sorrel
• Southernwood
• Stingingnettle
• St. John’s Wort
• Tarragon
• Yarrow
• Angelica
• Anise & Coriander
• Borage
• Chamomile
• Chevrile & Sweet Cicely
• Chives & Ramsons
• Comfrey
• Common Mallow
• Cowslip & Primrose
• Dead Nettle
• Eyebright
• Hops
• Horehound
• Ivy
• Lady’s Mantle
• Lavender
• Lemon Balm
• Mint
• Mugwort
• Plantains
• Sage
• Thyme
• Valerian
• Violet & Pansy
• Wormwood

Rating & Levels For This Book

I Give This Book 4 Vikings out of five	Violence Level 0 Burning Huts out of five	Romance Level 0 Hearts out of five
# of actual vikings in book: 0 What do these levels mean? »	Humor Level 0 Smiles out of five	Lust Level 0 Kisses out of five

Author and Publishing Information For This Book

Author & Book Details Title: Essential Herbal Wisdom: A Complete Exploration of 50 Remarkable Herbs Author(s): Nancy Arrowsmith ISBN#: 9780738714882 Genre(s): Herb reference Edition Reviewed: Large paperback Illustrations: B&W Page Count: 576 Part of a Series: No

Publishing & Copyright Details Publisher(s): Llewellyn Publications Copyright: 2009 In Print: Yes Original Language: English Published in Other Languages: No Find a Local Book Store »

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