Average customer rating:
- A Book that is truly THE benchmark
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The Herbal or General History of Plants (Deluxe Clothbound Edition)
John Gerard
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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Book Description
The 1633 edition revised and enlarged by Thomas Johnson. Containing almost 2,850 plant descriptions and 2,705 superb illustrations, Gerard’s Herbal is a monumental work, the book all modern English herbals are derived from, and the one herbal every serious enthusiast should have in its entirety. Original editions are worth perhaps $750.
Customer Reviews:
A Book that is truly THE benchmark.......1999-01-18
This book - the 1633 revision of the 1597 "classic" - is truly THE benchmark for any herbal to follow. With almost 3000 listings and about 2700 illustrations, it is far closer to "complete" than any work I have yet seen under 1 cover! It lists under botanical, Latin, folk and English names. Obviously a life's work. A pleasure to behold, all 10 pounds of it!
Book Description
Plants seldom figure in the grand narratives of war, peace, or even everyday life yet they are often at the center of high intrigue. In the eighteenth century, epic scientific voyages were sponsored by European imperial powers to explore the natural riches of the New World, and uncover the botanical secrets of its people. Bioprospectors brought back medicines, luxuries, and staples for their king and country. Risking their lives to discover exotic plants, these daredevil explorers joined with their sponsors to create a global culture of botany.
But some secrets were unearthed only to be lost again. In this moving account of the abuses of indigenous Caribbean people and African slaves, Schiebinger describes how slave women brewed the "peacock flower" into an abortifacient, to ensure that they would bear no children into oppression. Yet, impeded by trade winds of prevailing opinion, knowledge of West Indian abortifacients never flowed into Europe. A rich history of discovery and loss, Plants and Empire explores the movement, triumph, and extinction of knowledge in the course of encounters between Europeans and the Caribbean populations.
Customer Reviews:
Adds much to Atlantic history.......2005-04-13
Atlantic history is turning into quite the hot topic these days in various academic circles. When I use the phrase "Atlantic history," I'm not referring to mere narratives dealing with navies or trading vessels, but rather the sweeping arc of political, economic, cultural, and social dynamics of the nations and continents bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It is a topic that also deals with slavery, piracy, colonialism, revolution, and the rise of capitalism. Histories in this field tend to look at events spanning three or four centuries, usually the 1600s to the 1900s but often greater swaths of time, and how these events arose from the complex interactions of various peoples. I've read quite a few books in this challenging field, from Marcus Rediker's "The Many-Headed Hydra" to Barry Unsworth's fictional novel "Sacred Hunger" to a series of essays from Philip D. Curtin. All three were enlightening in particular ways, but all three couldn't possibly hope to cover every aspect of such an enormous topic. Well, Rediker comes close. But plenty of work still exists for the keen-eyed historian. Enter Londa Schiebinger and her "Plants and Empire: Colonial Bioprospecting in the Atlantic World." Plants, it seems, moved about as much as people during this time frame.
Who collected plants in the New World and took them back to Europe? Were there specific plants sought by European scientists and, if so, which ones and why? These are only a couple of the many questions the author seeks to answer in this book. According to Schiebinger, to find the answers to these vexing questions involves studying the state of botanical study in the 17th and 18th centuries, the role women played in collecting plants and using the medicine distilled from them, the personalities behind the cataloguing of plants, and the various methods used to disseminate knowledge about the medicinal uses of the plants in question. The book explains that the European nation states considered plants a valuable commodity, so much so that kings and princes underwrote the creation of special botanical gardens employing scientists and dozens of men willing to go out into the field to collect specimens. Plants could provide cures for various afflictions or dyes for clothing that could translate into millions in profit for a particular nation. Moreover, the acquisition of material meant fame and fortune for the botanists involved in their collection. Carl Linnaeus, the father of modern scientific classification, pops up in these pages more than once. So do a few women who went out into the field--primarily a man's domain--to write their own treatises on native flora and fauna.
Schiebinger mentions many useful plants, but focuses on one in particular to show how empire building and imperialism manifested itself in such an innocuous activity as botany. The Peacock flower, which grew widely in the Caribbean and was used by local women as a way to end unwanted pregnancies, caught the eye of European collectors quite early. These men even knew what the plant's function was. So were does empire enter the picture? First, Schiebinger argues that doctors and botanists attempted to hide the true use of the plant back home--a process of purposefully obscuring scientific data the author calls agnotology--so that European women would not use the plant to terminate pregnancies. At the same time, doctors and researchers never hesitated to use this plant and other abortifacients in experiments on slaves in the New World. Thus knowledge, or the control of knowledge by male scientists, was used to regulate female reproduction and assert a form of dominance over the native populations in the Caribbean. Moreover, Schiebinger asserts that slaves and conquered populations used the Peacock flower because they didn't want their children to live in bondage. Pretty heavy stuff, wouldn't you say?
The research in the book is impeccable. The author consulted medical books, botanical collections, memoirs, pharmaceutical pamphlets and catalogues, letters, and other pertinent materials to construct a detailed examination of the importance of botany in European expansion and conquest. "Plants and Empire" is at its strongest when arguing that herbal medicines were enormously important to European economic trade, more important than we would think. The book is at its weakest when trying to convince the reader that scientists tried to hide the knowledge of abortifacients from European females. Yes, it does appear that the particular trait of the Peacock flower didn't pop up all over the place, but it did appear in a few journals and reports. Besides, the Europeans had access to a large number of effective abortifacients that worked just as well, if not better, than the Peacock flower. Some of these medicines were still available well into the 20th century. Moreover, the argument that the disappearance of midwives, with their vast knowledge of such "immoral" materials, would result in a loss of this knowledge amongst the general populace seems unlikely. Knowledge, especially "forbidden" knowledge, is surprisingly resistant to any attempts at restriction.
I enjoyed reading Schiebinger's book despite these problems. She's quite a proficient writer, capable of guiding the reader through the often daunting numbers of Latin plant names with the greatest of ease. Too--and I probably shouldn't say this about an academic whose specialty includes gender studies--she's quite attractive if the photograph on the flap is any indication. I could easily see myself sitting in the front row of her class with endearing messages written on my eyelids. Seriously, students of Atlantic history and others who love metahistory would do well to check out this book. It is a fine contribution to the field.
Book Description
Invaluable reference and guide, carefully researched and charmingly written, illustrates and describes over 50 herbs and plants that were extremely useful to colonial settlers, among them: bee balm, bloodroot, candytuft, daffodil, hyssop, lovage, rosemary, tansy, wormwood, and yarrow. Includes anecdotes, popular and scientific names, and use for each plant.
Customer Reviews:
full of information.......2001-07-28
I really enjoyed this book. This has a lot of different herbs listed and I enjoyed reading how the people used them in the colonial times and modern day use. In my opinion this is a good book for anyone who wants to learn about herbs.
Book Description
The ancient Egyptians were skilled in the use of herbs and spices for medicines, cooking, cosmetics, perfumes, and many other purposes. Drawing on texts written by the Egyptians and their neighbors, and on works by classical authors and the Copts, Lise Manniche has reconstructed a herbal of 94 species of plants and trees used from before the pharaohs to the late Coptic period. Each plant is named in Latin and English, and where known in ancient Egyptian, Greek, and modern Arabic. An account is given of the plants' special properties, with authentic recipes for cosmetics and cures. In her introduction the author discusses the many uses the ancient Egyptians made of herbs and flowers, and the importance of plants for funerary and festive occasions.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating, fun & full of information!.......1999-11-27
This is one of my all-time favorite research books on ancient Egypt. For anyone interested in the use of plants, perfumes, cosmetics, and/or medicines in ancient Egypt, this book is a must! Dr. Manniche talks about every plant used in ancient Egypt that has been identified, and also talks about the gardens so beloved by the ancient Egyptian people. I developed a talk on Egyptian cosmetics for use as a museum docent, and much of it is heavily based on Dr. Manniche's book.
the best allround work on ancient egyptian plants and usage........1999-11-11
An ancient egyptian herbal by Dr. Lise Manniche, is a delightfull piece of litterature for both everyday people and egyptologist. It has a nice introduction concerning various aspects of plant usage in different areas of the egyptian society. The herbal itself is a goldmine for any egyptologi reader, and every plant type is supplied with name/names in english, latin, Modern arabic and where the names are reasoneble recogniced also in ancient egyptien, coptic and greek.
Interesting!.......1999-10-31
I was first drawn to this by the title and the wonderful line drawing reproductions throughout. The photos and text are incredibly interesting. I especially liked the 'recipes' for perfumes, hair restorers...lots of things. My son did a project for his Humanities class based on the book. He followed the instructions for making a necklace of persea leaves and lotus flowers like found on King Tut. Only he used laurel leaves and petunias. He also made up one of the perfume recipes (although substituting slightly) and the deodorant cakes made of carob and clay. He got an 'A' on the project and the teacher said 'good research'. I really liked the listing at the end, for herbals and foods.
Average customer rating:
- Informative, beautiful book with lovely photos/illustrations
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A Pompeian Herbal: Ancient and Modern Medicinal Plants
Wilhelmina Feemster Jashemski
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
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Book Description
"The appeal of such a work will be wide, encompassing professionals and laymen alike. The book is the type which a visitor to Pompeii, or to Italy generally, would want to take along as a
vade mecum [guidebook]."
—Robert I. Curtis, Professor of Classics, University of Georgia
When workmen excavating the ruins of Pompeii eagerly gathered the native medicinal plants growing there, Wilhelmina Jashemski discovered that this was another example of the continuity of life in the shadow of Vesuvius. Many of the plants used for herbal medicine around Pompeii today are the same ones that ancient authorities such as Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides recommended for treating the same types of disorders.
In this book, Jashemski presents an herbal of thirty-six medicinal plants, most of them known to the ancients and still employed today. She describes each plant's contemporary medicinal uses and compares them to ancient practices as recorded in literary sources. Scientific, English, and Italian names and the plant's mythological associations complete the entries, while elegant, full-page portraits depict each plant visually.
Customer Reviews:
Informative, beautiful book with lovely photos/illustrations.......2005-05-12
My boss, who teaches graduate studies at UMD where Professor Jashemski also taught for many years recommended her works to me because he knew I had a keen interest in herbal medicine as well as archeology. A POMPEIAN HERBAL was published in 1999, a few short years after THE GARDENS OF POMPEII, HERCULANEUM, AND THE VILLAS DESTROYED BY VESUVIUS, which Jashemski co-edited with Frederick Meyer -- and a masterpiece on this topic and era -- was published.
The Pompeii Herbal demonstrates that medicinal plants have been around thousands of years, and in use until modern petrochemical compounds came on the scene. Furthermore, when Jashemski was working at Pompeii, she discovered the locals around and near Pompeii continued to use medicinal plants noted by the Romans, demonstrating yet again that herbal medicine and homeopathic remedies in use to day are not new. The book includes an informative text about ancient Roman medicinal uses of plants, many lovely photos of the work site and micron photos of seeds, pollens, etc., as well as illustrations of the noted plants.
I discovered reading Jashemski's book that many of the plants used by the ancient Romans grow in my own back yard or in pots - under my care of course, as they are not native to my area: Artemesia, Calamintha nepeta (cat mint), Centranthus ruber, Citrus limon. Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel) and Petroselinum crispum (Parsley) to name a few.
Book Description
How much do you know about this incredible botanical? Was it sensual Mehndi body adornment or Cleopatra's favorite perfume? An aphrodisiac or treatment for leprosy? An ancient Roman currency or a last right for the dead? This book takes a fascinating look at one of the most popular botanicals of all time. Never before has a book been devoted to henna as a whole.
Customer Reviews:
Sloppy editing.......2006-08-25
This is an interesting work with a lot of information, but seems to have had no editing, and for me this takes away from fully engaging and absorbing the content. For example-
"Hailing from Briton..." p. 7
"King Herod's sons wife.." p.48
"Karma Sutra" p.52 (not spelled correctly once throughout the book)
"Buddhisem" p.54
and on and on. A few typos here and there is one thing, but when they add up that much it gets annoying and interrupts the flow of the book (as it is there are many pages with no paragraph breaks). However, I shall continue...and most likely other people aren't as affected by this type of thing. I have to say, though, the last few books I read published in England were blissfully free of typos.
A Rare Find of Truth among so many Assumptions.......2002-08-16
By far this is my most prized possession in the field of Henna History and Research, and I've only just gotten it! Written by an herbalist as well as a free thinker rather than head nodder, her book turned everything I thought I knew about the plant commonly called 'Henna' upside-down. Taking nothing for 'granted' she takes an entirely refreshing approach to researching the use of this herb, not just as a skin dye, but the entire plant as well as the linguistic archeology that so very precisely traces the plant's roots. With a never ending search for the 'why' she has summarily presented the evidence rather than drawing the conclusions for you! Definitely not for the Hard of Thinking, this book is by far the best piece of research on the subject I have seen to date!!!! A real TREASURE!!!!!
Henna's Secret History from a Pharmacological Standpoint.......2002-02-01
I was very impressed with this work in that the references were well researched and verified. As a college professor, these are the sorts of course texts that we employ in our studies of pharmacognosy or the study of medicines made from plants & natural sources.
"Henna's Secret History" is just the type of manual I would choose to explain the chemical compounds and medicinal properties of Henna to both the neophyte as well as the advanced student. Excellent work, well founded in clinical study and complete in every way. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
Our knowledge of the Celts, who spread all over Europe a few thousand years ago, has been growing rapidly over the last few decades. One of the most fascinating aspects of their culture was their use of plant medicine. Angela Paine, who has degrees in plant chemistry from London University and has published extensively and internationally in scientific journals, provides here both a history of their use, a guide to using them today, and an account of their effectiveness in healing.
Book Description
Two Western doctors assembled this updated edition of a massive sixteenth-century document, annotating their translation with their own observations. A treasury of tried-and-true wisdom from centuries of practical experience, it has served as a basis for modern-day organic medicine and has enormous value for practitioners of alternative healing methods.
Average customer rating:
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Handbook of Edible Weeds: Herbal Reference Library
James A. Duke
Manufacturer: CRC Press
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Book Description
Handbook of Edible Weeds contains detailed descriptions and illustrations of 100 edible weeds, representing 100 genera of higher plant species. Some of the species are strictly American, but many are cosmopolitan weeds. Each account includes common names recognized by the Weed Science Society of America, standard Latin scientific names, uses, and distribution (geographic and ecological). Cautionary notes are included regarding the potential allergenic or other harmful properties of many of the weeds.
Average customer rating:
- Engrossing trawl through the history and business of ginseng
- A fascinating read
- Who knew ginseng could be so interesting?
|
Ginseng, the Divine Root: The Curious History of the Plant That Captivated the World
David Taylor
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books
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Ginseng Dreams: The Secret World of America's Most Valuable Plant
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Ginseng: How to Find, Grow, and Use America's Forest Gold
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Growing & Marketing Ginseng, Goldenseal & Other Woodland Medicinals
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Growing At-Risk Medicinal Herbs, Cultivation, Conservation and Ecology
ASIN: 1565124014 |
Book Description
The story behind ginseng is as remarkable as the root itself. Prized for its legendary curative powers, ginseng launched the rise to power of China's last great dynasty; inspired battles between France and England; and sparked a boom in Minnesota comparable to the California Gold Rush. It has made and broken the fortunes of many and has inspired a subculture in rural America unrivaled by any herb in the plant kingdom.
Today ginseng is at the very center of alternative medicine, believed to improve stamina, relieve stress, stimulate the immune system, enhance mental clarity, and restore well-being. It is now being studied by medical researchers for the treatment of cancer, diabetes, and Parkinson's disease.
In Ginseng, the Divine Root, David Taylor tracks the path of this fascinating plant—from the forests east of the Mississippi to the bustling streets of Hong Kong and the remote corners of China. He becomes immersed in a world full of wheelers, dealers, diggers, and stealers, all with a common goal: to hunt down the elusive "Root of Life." Weaving together his intriguing adventures with ginseng's rich history, Taylor uncovers a story of international crime, ancient tradition, botany, herbal medicine, and the vagaries of human nature.
Customer Reviews:
Engrossing trawl through the history and business of ginseng.......2007-04-12
Let's see, what do I know about ginseng? It's a supposed herbal panacea, from China (or was that Korea?). It began invading New Age consciousness and health food stores around the time of Woodstock. It has quite a nasty, bitter taste. Oh, and didn't some clever American farmers recently start growing ginseng and selling it back to the Chinese? Clearly what I knew was not a lot, and after reading Ginseng, the Divine Root, I realized half of that was completely wrong. Two facts underpin David A. Taylor's fascinating book: ginseng has been growing in North America for 70 million years; and North Americans have been selling ginseng to the Chinese for almost 300 years.
Treasured by Chinese as a tonic for thousands of years, ginseng had been pushed towards extinction in China when half way around the globe a Jesuit missionary made a fortuitous discovery. In Quebec Joseph-François Lafitau was ministering to Mohawk converts, but in that great theology/science duality so characteristic of his order, he was also intently studying the Iroquois. While there he happened on an article by a fellow French missionary who had travelled extensively in China. Lafitau was intrigued. The article described ginseng, its use and value in Chinese medicine. He then, rather remarkably, set out to see if he could find the plant locally. In 1716 after only three months of searching, Lafitau with the help of the Mohawk, had identified Panax quinquefolium, American ginseng, virtually identical to Asian ginseng. The root had long been used medicinally by the Mohawk and other Native Americans but never with the same passion as the Chinese.
So began a rush for 'forest gold' as thousands in Canada combed the woodlands for wild roots, all destined for a lucrative market on the far edges of the Pacific Ocean. As ginseng fever spread, even Daniel Boone was later involved in the trade down in West Virginia. Ginseng, writes the author, became the United States' first major export to China.
Taylor weaves together the many threads of the ginseng story, a tale that straddles two continents with vastly contrasting cultures. This is reflected, in the differing ways ginseng is valued and used in each. "In Chinese medicine," writes the author, "it's an all-purpose tonic, often blended with more toxic herbs to mellow their effects. In Western medicine it's gaining converts for relieving severe fatigue."
The book reads like an adventure as Taylor follows the American ginseng trail throughout one season, meeting farmers, traders, and various experts, even joining a ranger on a night stakeout in a national park trying to nab poachers of wild ginseng. The story is perhaps most interesting when Taylor joins diggers in the 'hunt' for the root in Appalachia. Wild ginseng is such an idiosyncratic plant that the search for it is considered more akin to hunting - it can, for instance remain dormant underground for several years, waiting for the right conditions before sending up a new shoot. Some diggers claim the plant can camouflage itself or even move! What is more certain is that its relative scarcity these days only adds to the challenge of finding it, and no doubt, to its market value.
It was not until the Seventies, more than 250 years after Lafitau identified the plant that ginseng started to become widely known in the United States. Now Americans spend more than $100 million annually on products listing it as an ingredient.
There are three types of ginseng (in descending order of value): wild, wild simulated, and cultivated. Such is the value of ginseng that 'ginsengers' protect their plants like gold prospectors defend a claim. Even cultivated ginseng, the most common form, is difficult to work with and requires six to eight years to reach the size desired by Asian markets. Wisconsin-grown ginseng is now considered the world's best, and fetches a correspondingly high price. Wisconsin is also the leading exporter.
As quickly as the newer markets for ginseng are growing, China will likely remain the primary market, and not just because of China's huge population and expanding economy. In the West, for every ginseng buff there is a cynic, and five others who couldn't care less. In China by contrast, so strong is the underlying traditional belief in the restorative powers of ginseng. that just about everyone is at least an occasional user.
The book is aimed at the general reader, but industry types might also learn a thing or two given the secretive nature of the business Taylor describes. Readers who are not utter ginseng devotees might find the middle section of Ginseng a little slow, but most of us will be swept through anyway by Taylor's enthusiasm. One chapter though, Served by the Finest Chefs, focusing on ginseng and food, somewhat misses its mark because the central figure, celebrity chef Ming Tsai unlike the other major characters in the book, is not strongly connected to ginseng, at least professionally. He does not cook with the root in his own restaurant, and is surprisingly, unaware of American ginseng.
Taylor winds up this highly engrossing trawl through the history and business of ginseng in Hong Kong and China, meeting with ginseng merchants and visiting specialist markets. We learn, somewhat fittingly for the times, that in China both Asian and American ginseng is now cultivated using modern American methods. That is good news for consumers, but the lasting allure of 'forest gold' has placed the wild root under threat in America, as well as China.
A fascinating read.......2007-02-27
This book is amazing. The writer takes a complex subject and makes it understandable and enjoyable. I found the links between cultures and tradtions to be fascinating--especially the geographic and plant connections between China and Appalachia. I can't wait for David's next book.
Who knew ginseng could be so interesting?.......2006-07-27
Great book, full of colorful characters and interesting stories and facts. The author obviously enjoyed talking with all these people (diggers and traders, herbalists and doctors, smugglers and park rangers and many more) and I really enjoyed reading about them and about ginseng. Fascinating book and plant. I need to go plant me some!
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- The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World
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- The Serpent's Coil
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