The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance of Plant Medicines to Life on Earth

"I can only echo the last reviewer in saying that this has been one of the most beautiful, inspiring and terrifying books I have ever read. I can only compare it in terms of it's impact on me to reading 'Seeing Green' by Jonathan Porritt in the mid-eighties. It's contains an amazing diversity of information and moves seamlessly from the poetic to the scientific. If I could sum up the book I would say that it is both an essay on the fundamental flaw in modern Western human thinking and a key in how to get ourselves out of the global environmental mess we have got ourselves into. It's the kind of book I want to buy 10 copies of and give away.
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~ Written on 2007-04-30

"This book has changed my entire view of life on earth; of how we, as humans, evolved; and the way in which we and other species, interact with and depend upon on the plant kingdom. Stephen Harrod Buhner poetically re-introduces the reader to the taste of the "Wild Water" and gently reminds us of the way nature and plants have historically been revered by cultures for their importance to all life. He then retraces the steps of the industrial and scientific revolutions and illustrates how humanity is continually losing its connection with our plant allies and how environmental impacts of technological medicine are making this connection ever harder to reform. Buhner provides a unique perpective on Gaia theory and in doing so, brings the role of so-called 'pathogenic' bacteria into perspective and underlines the futile plight of modern medicine to eradicate them at the expense of the planet. The latter part of the book discusses the importance of diversity amongst plants and plant chemicals and how each plant contributes to the health of organisms within its own micro-environment. It then looks at ways to restore our natural biophilia towards plants and provides exercises and personal experiences to help us along the way. Filled with beautiful quotations and thoroughly referenced, this book will provide enlightenment to all those interested in herbalism, shamanism, botany, microbiolgy, chemistry, medicine, nature and environmental issues, or to anyone who feels that the importance of plants in their life is grossly understated."
~ Written on 2002-09-21