The Healing Power of Celtic Plants: Their History, Their Use, and the Scientific Evidence That They Work [Paperback]

Angela Paine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2006

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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Angela Paine has a BSc in Human Physiology and PhD from the School of Pharmacy, London University, in medicinal plant chemistry. She has been on research trips to Africa and South America to collect plant material used as medicine, and collaborated with scientists around the world, publishing internationally in scientific journals. Immersed in the Celtic tradition, living in the Welsh Borders, she runs workshops on Celtic Medicinal Plants.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: John Hunt Publishing; 1 edition (September 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905047622
• ISBN-13: 978-1905047628
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #68 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Earth-Based Religions > Celtic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book changed my life..., September 30, 2008

By 

Star Fire "Rain" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Healing Power of Celtic Plants: Their History, Their Use, and the Scientific Evidence That They Work (Paperback)

This will be an incomplete review for right now.

Since no one else has reviewed this book yet, I wanted to at least let other potential buyers know that it is outstanding. The author absolutely did her research-historical, scientific, and pharmacological. In addition to which, she brings the practicing herbalist and genuine plant lover's enthusiasm to this work.

Upon reading the section on the Bilberry fruit, I decided to try it out. Bilberry has made such a huge impact in mine and my animals lives, that now we can't do without it. I think I am personally keeping the European bilberry growers in business at this point. But I would never have known to give bilberry a try, if it had not been for the invaluable information offered in this work.

I will add more to this review later, but suffice to say, this is absolutely a worthy purchase for the novice OR the experienced herbalist. It is also an excellent reference for a *Celtophile*, CR Pagan, Neo-Druid, etc. because it covers many of the plants that were of central importance in the lives of the Celts, Western Europeans, Irish, etc. This a serious, elegant, and eminently useful book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Celtic medicinal plants explained and a little Celtic lore thrown in, December 24, 2008

By 

Graeme Moore "Emearg" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Healing Power of Celtic Plants: Their History, Their Use, and the Scientific Evidence That They Work (Paperback)

This is a lovely work. It starts by giving you an appreciation of the UK Celts, their culture, lifestyle, the Druids and the various stories, beliefs,traditions that abound such as those concerning the passage of the soul in death, legends like the the lady of the lake, folklore of gods and goddesses as related to medicinal practice or popularity of particular plant.

There is also discussion about the difference between the various plant species that have found their way around the globe from UK to US and other places in terms of whether the plant is one of the same as that the Celts utilised medicinally or whether the properties have changed and thus negated the plants viability as a medicine (important given people in other parts of the world with introduced UK species can avoid accidentally using something that has transformed from useful to useless/harmful over the course of its migration).

But the bulk of the work focusses on the varied assemblage of medicinal plantlife the Celt (and Druids in particular) cultivated from the native UK landscape.

Each plant section has several elements which are a combination of (not necessarily all inclusive of) the list that follows:

Personal experience of the authoress in connection with the plant in her native UK
History of (including the alternative names the plant may be known by)
Botanical description
Parts used
Preservation
Habitat
Season
Growing Conditions
Chemistry
Research
How to use the resultant medicine be it internal or external
Dosage
Side Effects and Toxicity
Contraindications

The explanation of all things medicine throughout is clear, concise and is something anyone with a modicum of understanding in basic food stuff preparation could undertake if they wish to try it out themselves. If you can follow a simple recipe in the kitchen, you wont be lost. So dont fear you have to be a practicing Druid to get it right.

Negatives: Its a matter of opinion, but the book is worthy of a glossy full colour layout. Simple black and white drawings/written descriptions dont replace nice colour photo's of the plants in question and the identification of the plants fruit/flowers. But that a minor aside. All up a relaxing read that doesnt feel like a dry college textbook.