Braiding Sweetgrass Evaluation

Kristina Silvia

English 102-037

Prof. Santos

14 February 2018       

Braiding Sweetgrass, is a book by Robin Wall Kimmerer, who is a member of the Potawatomi Nation. Her book tells different stories about her growing up, her as a mother, women and teacher. She uses these stories to teach us how other living beings, like plants, have lessons and gifts to give us we just have to listen for their voices. She says that once we can hear the voices of these other living beings, we will be able to understands Earth’s many gifts and also learn how to give back to it.

            This book was different than any book I have ever read before. “The gift of Kimmerer's book is that she provides readers the ability to see a very common world in uncommon ways” (Wilkinson). I thought I understood the gifts Earth gives to us, but after reading Braiding Sweetgrass I realize I was mistaken. I used to believe plants were only good for oxygen but after reading, “Sitting in a Circle,” one of the stories in the book, I learned that something as simple as a marsh gives us so much more. Kimmerer’s different stories really help capture the essence of her book. She teaches that gratitude is very important when taking care of the Earth.

            I would recommend this book for others to read. After reading this book I have gained a greater and stronger understanding for why we need to take care of our home. This book does an excellent job at teaching how our Earth takes care of us and what we must do to take care of it. I think everyone should read this book so that they may learn this lesson too. I would especially recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about nature and how the indigenous people used to live.

Wilkinson, Elizabeth. “REVIEW: 'Braiding Sweetgrass,' by Robin Wall Kimmerer.” StarTribune, 31 Oct. 2013.