I am a huge fan of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass (2013)—I named it as one of my personal best books of the 21st century, and I wasn’t alone in that—so this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. It felt like a gift to find this in my mailbox on Deepavali, especially since this is a book about gift economies. It’s very short—it’s really an expanded version of Kimmerer’s essay by the same name—so I read it all in a day.

With the titular berry—one with many names, which as Kimmerer says, shows its cultural significance—as a case study, Kimmerer provides a generous anticapitalist manifesto, arguing for a gift economy. As in all her work, Kimmerer draws on an Indigenous environmental worldview. The natural world, and humans’ healthiest belonging in it, is built on principles of abundance and reciprocity. She urges us to move away from transactional thinking and towards gratitude, towards understanding ourselves as parts of an ecosystem. Each berry already represents “hundreds of gift exchanges,” and consuming it enters us into another.

A gift economy is a counterpoint to capitalism and all its ills, including climate change. Kimmerer terms those who want to hoard, gatekeep, and steal as “Darrens,” after the CEO of ExxonMobil (and lucky, it rhymes with Karen). This made me laugh and was useful shorthand. I also love how Kimmerer advocates for both incremental and structural change and points out that they can coexist, a perspective I find to be frequently missing. Her vision in this book feels achievable because it’s rooted in the small scale.

I don’t think this essay offers ideas that are new—it expands and reframes some of Kimmerer’s prior work. I’d recommend this one to folks who have wanted to check out Braiding Sweetgrass but are daunted by its length. This one is a bite-sized revolution and a great introduction to Kimmerer’s work. I loved underlining my way through it.

Another solid book by Kimmerer that is highly readable. My main complaint with non fiction is often that it is way too long but I found this to be way too short as I was wanting more of her poetic and insightful writing.

This is just the right book for the current time we are in as a society. Kimmerer has managed to pack a wealth of knowledge in just over 100 pages. For those who are hoping to do more, give more, support more in 2025 this is the perfect invitation.

A short and simple book that talks about the gift economy and how it might lead us toward a more connected, more sustainable, and more satisfying life.

Short, sweet and full of poignant insights as Kimmerer's writing normally is. I liked how beautiful her prose was, and continues to be, especially when writing about nature. This felt like a cross between a criticism book (economics, etc) and an observational creative nonfiction piece. I enjoyed it, and will be reading more of her work (I still haven't finished Braiding Sweetgrass lol) but Serviceberry is a beautiful and delightful accompaniment to what could be considered Kimmerer's magnum opus. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

Kimmerer has done it again. In a world that constantly feels like it's too much, too dark, too cold, The Serviceberry reminds us of the world's (and our own) capacity for healing, symbiosis, and abundance. I adore Kimmerer's message, and it's one I think many more readers would benefit from. Kimmerer is a truly gifted storyteller, and I hope she chooses to impart more of her wisdom on the world.

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer might be the perfect gift for someone on your list!
The subtitle, Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, refers to the practice of a 'giving economy.' This type of sharing use to be more common in the days of smaller close-knit communities. (and in many Indigenous cultures)
Kimmerer writes that there are ways to bring this 'giving economy' back to our neighborhoods. This is to counter the increasing economy of scarcity we are facing in this highly competitive age.
The idea is if we share what we have instead of hoard it we are building a more cooperative and equal future for all. Kimmerer knows that a giving economy will not replace our competitive economy but it can help build a sense of community back.
Some great examples - public libraries, Buy Nothing groups, exchange groups, donating to neighbors, Little Free Pantries and Libraries.
Kimmerer uses the natural world to show how this type of giving is beneficial and sometimes necessary for survival.
4 stars for this thought provoking and optimistic little book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I'm a huge Robin Wall Kimmerer fan, and I read this book in a couple of hours. It was so beautifully written, timely, and an incredible distillation of some of the main lessons I took from Braiding Sweetgrass. We are lucky to have Kimmerer writing in this timeline, this book is exceptional!

I found this informative and interesting. I liked the tone of the author’s writing. It wasn’t dry which often leads to disinterest. I do wish it was a bit longer and more in depth.

The serviceberry, or shadbush, blooms each spring in time with the return of the shad up the Hudson River. The return of the shad marks a time of the return of hope, life, and abundance after a long, cold winter. This book serves as a gentle reminder that whatever might be coming in the future on the world stage, turn your eyes to your own backyard and stop to appreciate the gifts we are given daily, with respect and reciprocity.

Wow, what a time for this book to come out. It's appropriate for our modern world in general, obviously, but having read this in early November 2024, it seemed extra poignant.

While nature is the model, the topics focus a lot on relationships and economics. Try this with readers who like Brené Brownand maybe Michael Pollan.

Will be discussed in upcoming review video on Youtube
Blog post goes live Dec 13th

**TL;DR**: Another great look at reciprocity that was first introduced in Braiding Sweetgrass
**Source**: NetGalley, thank you so much to the publisher!

**Premise**: I really liked this as a short little essay to read at this time of the year (Thanksgiving to Christmas) I thought it was relevant and well done.
**Readability:** Robin Wall Kimmerer is a little bit denser than some nonfiction I recommend but as long as you read carefully it’s definitely not the densest I’ve read. Around a 6 out of 10.

**Thoughts**:

Braiding Sweetgrass was a very impactful and thought provoking read for me when I finished it. The ideas, especially around reciprocity that were introduced in that got my brain juices a stirring and I’ve pondered the idea several times since. The Serviceberry continues that discussion, both elaborating on it and acting as a good step stone for those who haven’t read Braiding Sweetgrass.

Robin Wall Kimmerer looks at the natural world and how everything there works to keep in balance. Abundance and reciprocity work hand in hand to sustain every being and even when things lean or fall to far in the wrong direction these ideas work to bring it back to equal footing given time. She asks if it’s possible to implement those ideas in human culture and society. Can we move back to a society that gives rather than sells and takes?

I love these ideas, I have been working to live and think more along those lines in my own life. If this is something you’re interested in, an idea that you’d like to see explored this is a great place to dip your toes in. It’s short, friendly, and beautifully illustrated. I highly recommend it (so much so I bought my own copy)!

The tagline of this book is "Abundance and reciprocity in the natural world," yet the author spends much of the book discussing the economy (though she is not an economist) and indigenous cultures (though she is not a cultural anthropologist, archaeologist, or historian). One of the ideas I loved most in Braiding Sweetgrass was about reciprocity and abundance in the natural world, and I expected more of that in this book (as one might, based on the tagline). Unfortunately, much of this book is about how we should have a gift economy (I guess?) but she doesn't say much about HOW that could be done in a world with more than 8 billion people and counting.

I was uncomfortable with how the author framed indigenous cultures. I came away with the impression that she believes indigenous people live "as one" with the land. Maybe that's not what she was saying, and I'm completely incorrect to have that takeaway. But if it IS what she meant, it's simply not true. There are numerous examples throughout human history that show the negative impacts humans have had on ecosystems. One can find examples of human-led megafauna extinctions across the globe (and no, those extinctions cannot be blamed solely on climate change). Also pre-human hominins are linked with animal extinctions on the African continent. Studies on current indigenous groups around the world have found that a group's limitations on means might be a bigger contributor to their "conservation" of resources than the idea that they are considering the environment with their consumption choices (aka, they can't have a bigger environmental impact because their means are limited -- this is not a dig, nor am I calling them "primitive," it's simply a reality).

I really wish this book had just been about examining abundance and reciprocity in nature, and how to bring the beauty of those ideas into our day-to-day lives. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Not unexpected, beautifully written poetic story about nature and all it has to offer us. I love Kimmerer's writing and can not wait to share this book with my book club and gardening friends so we can share our thoughts together. I have serviceberries planted in my yard, and at my community gym, and I am so in love with the ideas that Kimmerer shares about a gift economy.

The title alone caught my attention because I have a serviceberry tree in my yard. Reading this book made me appreciate this tree even more. I loved the author's writing and I did not want this book to end. This will be a book that I will keep reading over and over again. I love learning about reciprocity, the gift economy and indigenous wisdom as it relates to the bounty of a serviceberry tree. I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed The Serviceberry. The book is pretty short, but still quite enjoyable. Kimmerer paints a compelling argument for the including of a gifting economy and paints beautiful stories via the natural world around us, elucidating the simplicity of the idea and the practicality and wide-reaching benefits of its implementation. I would definitely recommend this book.

A thought provoking book meant to read and shared, as Kimmerer her thoughts with us. Our world is a much better place for us and our children when we use our "gifts" to the benefit of those around us. I've believed and practiced this tenet my whole life and taught the same to others. THE SERVICEBERRY is a reminder of the good that comes from it.

Robin Wall Kimmerer is known to be a seismic writer, the kind of writer who will clarify the world for you by tilting it back toward nature, healing, toward something refreshing and lovely to dream about, something even lovelier to act upon.
This book is the book I needed to read. The climate anxiety/grief is real, folks! So many of us feel it in this age of catastrophe, of extinction, of ecological destruction. It really feels like relief to read Kimmerer’s words. It feels good to plan for a better future, to better understand what actions we can take in order to bring that better future nearer. This book is a roadmap toward such a future and in it all routes circle back to reciprocal relationship. I want everyone to read this book!! I leave this reading experience feeling motivated and hopeful, despite everything.

Exactly what I would expect from Robin Wall Kimmerer! The writing is beautiful and the point is prescient. A quick, but necessary read. And the illustrations are stunning!

What a beautiful collection of essays! Robin Wall Kimmerer once again writes a beautiful, meaningful and moving book. I love her thought provoking stories, they really inspire me to be a more thoughtful person.