Iwigara is a fascinating resource about the origins, benefits, and uses of plants across North America. One of the greatest strengths of this collection is how Salmon blends Native American traditions, myths, and cultures with the scientific credibility of his ethnobotany/biology background. It's the perfect blend of scientific research-based fact combined with the evidence-based knowledge and skill passed down through years of tradition and firsthand practice. It's a beautiful pairing that makes the content in this book even more interesting and understandable.

Another great strength of this collection is how approachable Salmon makes it. Everything is explained thoroughly, but with the gentleness and patience of someone who truly cares for their craft and eagerly wants the reader to absorb and understand everything. He never talks down to the reader or veers into jargon that will leave the everyman behind. Instead he provides concise but thorough information using the clearest language possible. For situations where advanced language is required, there are handy guides at the back of the book to help steer the way.

As a resource, this book does an excellent job explaining everything a reader could want to know about plants (but without diving too deep). Each entry describes the origins and current standings of the plant - where it can be found, when it grows, how it grows. The usefulness and benefits behind each plant is examined - everything from health benefits, to medicinal uses, to hygiene, to lifestyle applications. Most also come with a story of sorts woven in, whether about how this plant plays a role in Native tradition and culture or in the form of a small story from the author's own life and personal experiences with it. It's simultaneously charming and informative which is a great combination for a nonfiction resource that could feel daunting otherwise. As a reader I was surprised that the entries don't detail how to use the plants, just what they can be used for. So if you are looking for something purely instructional, this may not be the guide for you.

Great resource providing loads of great facts, cultural insights, and way more heart than most botanical books could rightfully claim. Definitely worth picking up.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Timber Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A unique and fascinating look at the history of and use of native North American plants by Native American tribes. Beautiful photos help in identification, a thorough glossary of terms, and interesting personal stories all make this guide a must add to the collection of anyone interested in medicinal uses of native plants and their historical use. The inclusion of many native origin stories added interest to the book and drew me in early on.

What is something that you have wanted to learn more about or practice since the pandemic began this Spring? As someone who grew up in farm country, and was always outside helping my parents grow a wide variety of flowers and vegetables I have always wanted to learn more about successful gardening. In particular this year I wanted to learn more about different uses and benefits of different plants. Thank you to @netgalley @timberpress and to author @iwigara for the beautifully detailed and informative ARC of Iwígara: American Indian Ethnobotanical Traditions and Science.

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Synopsis from the publisher: The belief that all life-forms are interconnected and share the same breath—known in the Rarámuri tribe as iwígara—has resulted in a treasury of knowledge about the natural world, passed down for millennia by native cultures. Ethnobotanist Enrique Salmón builds on this concept of connection and highlights 80 plants revered by North America’s indigenous peoples. Salmón teaches us the ways plants are used as food and medicine, the details of their identification and harvest, their important health benefits, plus their role in traditional stories and myths. Discover in these pages how the timeless wisdom of iwígara can enhance your own kinship with the natural world.

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Not only did I learn about a wide variety of plants used for hundreds and hundreds for years by native cultures, but also the stories and beliefs associated with each that have been passed down from generation to generation. The photographs accompanying each plant help the readers have a strong reference for visual identification, which is vital when locating and using plants that unfamiliar. My only wish is that there was more detail of the preparation and use, almost like cookbook instructions, for each plant highlighted. This book is as beautiful as it is informative, and I fully intend on buying a physical copy for future reference when it is published next month.

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I think that this book would be a great entry in a library with a collection focused on indigenous knowledge and/or botany/ethnobotany. I found it fascinating, well-written, and well-researched. Unfortunately I don't think it would find much of an audience in my library. It would be better suited to a larger public library or an academic library. I really enjoyed it though and I'd consider purchasing myself a finished print copy.

This book will be a treasure for those who enjoy Native American history or study edible/medical plants. The book looks at 80 plants found in North American that have been used by natives for years and explores the lore about each plant. Identification aids and many excellent illustrations! Will be recommending for purchase at my library

A beautiful resources for the indigenous history and uses of plants. The short introduction of each geographical area and the indigenous inhabitants coupled with the alphabetical list of plants is informative, delightful and important. Highly recommend.

This is a gorgeous and important book that highlights how 80 North American plants were used for food and medicine by native peoples over the years by a native author, along with the lore about each plant for various tribes. It's well illustrated and will be a treasure for those studying edible and medicinal plants along with Native American history. Do note that it often does not tell in detail how to use the plants, only what they were used for and what benefits they hold. All in all, it's an extremely thorough resource. Well recommended.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Wonderful reference! I look forward to using in my roles as a program specialist at a Native American site and as a writer.

This was a beautiful read. If you are interested in becoming better connected to native plants and the magic that they offer, this is a nice resource. It discusses Native American communities and the interwoven role that these plants play. Its a book that requires no prior knowledge and is easy to learn from. I grow a ton of California poppy, for example, and never even realized that it had medicinal properties. The author does a lovely job of sharing an overview of plant ID/ uses / health benefits / harvest for each plant.

This was so good and informative! I loved the different picture examples of the plants. The few hand drawn images in it were so pretty as well.

I absolutely loved Iwigara. You can tell great care was put into assembling this edition. Lots of great information and the illustrations are phenomenal. I enjoyed the cultural background given as well as learning about not only traditional medicinal uses but also historical ceremonial purposes.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC to read and review.

Iwígara is a fascinating look into North American ethnobotany.
What makes this book outstanding is how accessible it is, you do not need to know much about ethnobotany or plants in general to appreciate this book. You might find some scientific names, but a glossary explains what could be unfamiliar to the layperson. Additionally, a simple but beautiful layout, pictures and easy to understand text make Iwígara easy on the eyes and a joy to read.
Enrique Salmón does a great job introducing laypeople to the Native plant knowledge of North America, without dumbing it down. At the same time I imagine that this book is also a joy to read for more experienced ethnobotanists (I cannot tell, my knowledge of ethnobotany is limited to one or two books besides this one).
I recommend this wholeheartedly for anyone who wants to know about plants and Native knowledge, whether they are from North America or not.

The author, and ethnobotanist, tells about plants used by Native Americans. Each plant is introduced by family, parts used, season, and region. There are numerous excellent illustrations to aid in identification, and it is surprising how many familiar plants were used not only as food, but also medicinally to promote good health. Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating read. A lot of. Interesting uses for some very common plants, maybe I can survive in the forest.

I first heard about Iwigara by Enrique Salmon at PLA in Nashville this past February. I've been eagerly waiting to see a copy since then. This book is full of botanical uses from Native Americans in North America. The uses range from material to edible, to medicinal. I love to learn about this and find plants and trees that are native to my area of the country where the Shawnee Indians lived and traveled along the Ohio River in Southwest to Southcentral Ohio. It's important to know this information and I'm glad the book will soon be available.

The author explores 80 plants found across the US and provides the reader a brief, tempting taste of each describing uses, ID/harvest, health and including beautiful photos to help identify. A preface discusses regions of the US. The main portion of the book lists the plants alphabetically. There is a comprehensive index and further reading sections.

This book is not one to be read straight through, but explored. As I was paging through, I wished for lists by region as I found I wanted to focus on plants from my region or even adjacent regions. I also wished for a comprehensive booklet on each of the plants - so I could collect the booklets of plants on our property.

I really enjoyed this book as my understanding of nature and our relationship "kinship" is enhanced. This book will be welcome on my bookshelves and frequently referenced.

Digital copy provided by NetGalley. Thank you!

This is a beautiful book with great information, gorgeous pictures, and thoughtfully written. I will be revisiting it to learn more about the native plants growing in my region.

I believe it is our duty to protect the environment and to hopefully make the world a better place, when possible. I love books about nature, because I want to gain a better understanding of our amazing home and how it works. We affect nature, we are nature. We are all connected and I want to understand that relationship, and sustain it when I can. And I really loved this book because it encourages us to do exactly that. The cover art is gorgeous, and the pages are filled with valuable information about American Indian plants and traditions. Tribal religions place importance on the relationship with nature, and I think that we could all benefit by incorporating that into our daily lives more. This book helps us to do that by breaking down the meaning and use of familiar fruits, herbs and flowers and teaches us the medicinal benefits of each plant. This book is perfect for nature lovers and health lovers!

Iwigara is a treasure among nature & outdoor writings. The book’s title refers to the interconnectedness of all lives in the vein of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s philosophy of blending typical empirical science with a deeper sense of knowing. While the writing is not as lyrically poetic as Kimmerer, this book’s author, Enrique Salmon, certainly inspires a deep respect for the natural world of plants.

Sections on each of the 80 plants includes related native mythology or the author’s personal anecdotes, uses across multiple native groups, field identification & harvest info, and some scientific ethnobotanical data along with several color photos. Just enough info to really inspire further study, but brief enough for an accessible introduction that spans many indigenous tribes in all regions of North America. I appreciate the generous inclusion of plants in the Southwest region which can be overlooked in many medicinal and edible plant guides.

This botanical reference is worthy of multiple reads and frequent references. It’s ideal for those interested in foraging, indigenous culture, or North American ethnobotany with a spiritual flavor.

A very interesting read reading the usage and belief systems regarding a lot of plants. For example, looking up milkweed, which is well known as a crucial plant for Monarch Butterflies, that author describes how many Native Americans view the butterfly as the transformation of a dead loved one. To know that you are protecting the habitats of these is to protect the ancestors. A nice point of view. It also describes how to use the plant for human consumption too. The milkweed makes a good tea for excessive mucus, and also can be used as a chewing gum. The stuffing inside the plant can be used for pillows. The latex can be used for skin sores and to remove warts, and the root can be ground into a powder to reduce stomach issues and diarrhea. A lot of information, and this is just for one plant. Details of how to recognize the plant and when the best time to harvest parts is also described. Really enjoyed this book as a reference book. Highly recommend this one, as it is well detailed and organized well. Would be a great addition to anyone's library.