The Serviceberry : Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass,
a bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around
gratitude, reciprocity, and community, based on the lessons of the
natural world.
As Indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass
Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she
considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift
economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the
plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in
scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have
surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love.
Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an
embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree
distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the
needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own
survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model,
one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your
relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.”
As Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is “a great teacher, and her words are a hymn of love to the world.” The Serviceberry
is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our
times, and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is
mutual.”
“Kimmerer, drawing from her Potawatomi heritage, uses the abundant
serviceberry to demonstrate the gifts that the natural world provides.
This portrait is startling in its simplicity, resulting in a masterful
reflection on ecology and culture. The book seamlessly blends science,
inherited wisdom, and philosophy . . . [Kimmerer’s] beautiful and
hopeful prose leaves readers feeling sated, galvanized, and keenly aware
of the world around them. A welcome meditation on living in harmony
with the earth and fostering deeper connections with one another.” —Kirkus
