The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines [Paperback]

Matthew Wood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1997

Matthew Wood is recognized world wide as one of the United States' most reknown herbalists. His previous book, Seven Herbs: Plants as Healers, was a watershed in teaching herbal healing as a part of total wellness. In The Book of Herbal Wisdom, this is continued and enlarged in wonderful detail. This is a must-read for anyone working in the natural health field or interested in self healing with herbs. For those of us who consider not only our physical relationships to the herbs, but also the metaphysical ones, this book is invaluable. It affirms that when we work closely with nature, and the energies of the herbs and herbal medicine, we all are much better off. This is a work that empowers the reader and gives them a very deep knowledge of the herbs discussed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There are many fine herb books written by our country's great herbalists gracing the shelves these days. But only once in a while does a classic arise. The Book of Herbal Wisdom is surely that. Written with grace, intelligence, and warmth, this book is richly infused with the gift of wisdom and earns its title at every turn."
- Rosemary Gladstar

About the Author

Matthew Wood is a registered herbalist with the American Herbalists Guild, and has maintained a private practice as an herbalist for twenty years. He lives and practices at Sunnyfield Herb Farm in Minnetrista, Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 580 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books (September 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556432321
• ISBN-13: 978-1556432323
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.4 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #17,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best from the Best, September 23, 2004

By 

Christina Paul (Anamosa, IA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines (Paperback)

Matthew Wood is one of the herbal mentors for my own herbal mentor who is an AHG recognized professional herbalist. Within her herbal apprentice program, this book is required reading, and it is a very good thing that it is. Matthew Wood discusses not only the medicinal values of the herbs but the energetics, almost to the point of the magical.

For those of us who consider not only our physical relationships to the herbs, but also the metaphysical ones, this book is invaluable. It is very affirming that when we work closely with nature and the energies of the herbs and herbal medicine, we all are much better off. This is a work that empowers the reader and gives them a very deep knowledge of the herbs discussed. It has the highest recommendation I can give it and should be rated even higher.

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book puts it all together., July 25, 2000

By 

M. Daum (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines (Paperback)

This herb book is one of the best I've read because of the vivid descriptions. I've been able to help myself much more effectively with herbs now than in the past due to the detailed descriptions. The author explains traditional systems of classifications and includes examples that really stick in the mind. It's obvious the author has a deep understanding and love of each plant.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece, A Classic, A Literary Goldmine for the Herbal Miner of Truth, November 12, 2005

By 

Justin M. Teerlinck - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Book of Herbal Wisdom: Using Plants as Medicines (Paperback)

As a student of Western herbalism though not Homeopathy specifically or soley, I still found--continue to find--this book one of my greatest literary assets in understanding the contexts, traditions and mostly importantly the herbs I am studying.

Throughout the book (and his other books) readers will not fail to notice the author's strong personal perspective emphasizing the spiritual aspects of understanding plants. At times I found this intriguing, at other times nauseating, and occasionally both at the same time. Your reaction to this will depend on your own predilections in matters of spirituality and religion. The thing that made Wood's spiritual anecdotes interesting to me was the way he is able to intelligently narrate and describe them and weave them into the fabric of the overall story he tells.

Above all else, this book is a book of powerfully written stories about herbs. Each herb discussed in the book has its own story and it is told through the lens of experience of previous herbalists, the vast herbal literature from the dawn of Western history to the present day, as well as the authors' own insights and experiences and those of his patients and colleagues. The strength of these stories is the fact that Wood is able to include so much information from so many sources and still end up with a bunch of fascinating, readable stories rather than a dry, dead series of academic monographs. Each section is so well sourced and cited, even the staunchest critic would have a very difficult time assailing the scholarship found in this book.

Ultimately you should buy this book for three reasons: 1. Wood does the herbs justice. You can tell he loves them by the way he writes about them and draws them. His respect for his subject is clear as day. 2. He respects his readers, including skeptical or reluctant students of herbalism and does them justice too, inviting them into his world to take a look without harsh judgments or proclamations or pontifications. If there is one thing I cannot abide, it is an author who hates their readers and you'd be surprised how many there are. Wood never commits this unforgivable crime. 3. You'll re-read this book. I think people should avoid buying books (if possible, many things just aren't available at the library) unless they plan to re-read them. Here is a book I've read parts of multiple times and I haven't had it for more than six months!

I have one more thing to say. I wish Matthew Wood would write two or five more books exactly like this one but with different herbs and stories. I'll buy them.