Magic and Medicine of Plants - Hardcover

Editors Of Reader's Digest

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0895772213 ISBN 13: 9780895772213

Publisher: Readers Digest, 1986

Synopsis

Combines a field guide to finding and preserving medicinal plants with a detailed home advisor to their uses in cooking, cosmetics and health

About this title

Reviews

YA The modern equivalent of Grieve's Modern Herbal (Dover, 1971). The editors have done an amazing job of compiling information about medicinal plants from scientific pharmacognosy, folklore, botany, and myth. The core of the book is a ``Gallery of Medicinal Plants,'' organized in alphabetical order by the plant's common name. Each entry includes a photograph of the plant in a field setting, a beautifully rendered color illustration, the history of the plant's medicinal uses, identification techniques, habitat, and scientific name. There are also chapters on plants in myth and magic, growing herbs, recipes for cooking with herbs, making herbal cosmetics, dyes, and various medicinal preparations (digestive aids, gargles, liniments, etc.). Included are a good index and useful charts. The best book available on herbs and medicinal plants. Jennifer John Reavis, Episcopal High School, Bellaire
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This pleasant, colorful book opens with a brief introduction to medicinal plants followed by a "gallery" of 282 species that includes some naturalized plants as well as North American natives. Each one-page entry shows a photo of the whole plant, plus a close-up drawing and a few paragraphs describing the plant and its uses. A final section on growing and using herbs includes recipes and craft ideas. The book is quite attractivegood quality paper and printing, color on every page, and an unusual but handy size (6w x 11h). Unfortunately, there is no focus for the bookit's just many bits of sketchy information on numerous topics, suitable for browsing. For solid information, get Barbara Griggs's Green Pharmacy ( LJ 1/15/82). Katharine Galloway Garstka, Intergraph Corp., Huntsville, Ala.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Readers Digest
• Publication date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0895772213
• ISBN 13: 9780895772213
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 5
• Number of pages: 464