I read Braiding Sweetgrass as part of the Books Are Sick book club on Patreon—without them, I probably wouldn’t have picked it up myself. But I’m so glad I did because this book was an incredible experience.

„As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two ways of knowledge together. Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings – asters and goldenrod, strawberries and squash, salamanders, algae, and sweetgrass – offer us gifts and lessons, even if we’ve forgotten how to hear their voices. In a rich braid of reflections that range from the creation of Turtle Island to the forces that threaten its flourishing today, she circles toward a central argument: that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. For only when we can hear the languages of other beings will we be capable of understanding the generosity of the earth, and learn to give our own gifts in return.“

Blurb

Robin Wall Kimmerer blends Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and personal storytelling in a way that feels both deeply educational and profoundly soothing. I learned so much about Potawatomi culture, mythology, and traditional ecological knowledge. At the same time, the book opened my eyes to the plants, landscapes, and wildlife that surround us in ways I hadn’t considered before.

Kimmerer’s writing is phenomenal. It felt like meditation—calm, grounding, and reflective. I also listened to the audiobook, which she narrates herself, and that added another layer to the experience. Her voice is so soothing, and you can hear her emotions—whether it’s laughter at a funny memory or the weight of sadness in more difficult moments. That authenticity made her stories even more impactful.

One of the most striking aspects of the book was its balance. There’s an undeniable grief over what has already been lost—our disconnection from the land, the destruction we’ve caused—but Kimmerer never lets the sadness overwhelm the reader. She always finds hope, offering ways we can reconnect, be more mindful, and change our approach to the world around us. Still, after the halfway point, I found myself feeling heavy at times, but her focus on gratitude and possibility always pulled me back.

This book was an amazing read, and it definitely won’t be my last by Kimmerer—or my last book on Indigenous culture. It’s one of those rare books that truly changes the way you see the world.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️