The Herbal Lore of Wise Women and Wortcunners
I like all the books written by Wolf D. Storl. These are neither ‘how-to’ books nor written by a herbalist, as Storl is an anthropologist who is interested in shamaism, plant use and healing in traditional societies. Unfortunately, there’s only one book available in English, since moving back to Germany he writes in German.
The Herbal Lore of Wise Women And Wortcunners, subtitled the Healing Power of Medicinal Plants. This book is really a good read and sweeps through a lot of cultures and healing traditions. Of course, you will not be able to practise any of them but it is interesting, nevertheless.
My other books by him, all written mixing autobiographic elements with stories about shamanism, ancient healing trasitions and practical use of herbs are:
- Mit Pflanzen verbunden
- Heilkraeuter und Zauberpflanzen zwischen Haustuer und Gartentor
- Ich bin ein Teil des Waldes
Plant Spirit Medicine
Similar content and thinking is Plant Spirit Medicine by Eliot Cowan – not that I had any abilities described in that book!
Maria Treben: Health through God’s Pharmacy
Maria Treben Gesundheit aus der Apotheke Gottes Health through God’s pharmacy was the herb book everyone seemed to have back it the 80s. Maria Treben relied on herbs everyone could collect in Germany and gave simple instructions on how to use them at home. Times were different and the book contains instructions on how to use herbs for severe illnesses including cancer – unthinkable today! I very much like the approach to prepare herbs in your own kitchen, it is very empowering. Maria Treben would never have used this word, she was a very religious and traditional person.
‘Invasive Plant Medicine’ and ‘Wandernde Pflanzen’
Another favourite book is “Invasive Plant Medicine – The Ecological Benefits and Healing Abilities of Invasives” by Timothy Lee Scott- the title tells it all! The book is divided into two parts. The first one is about invasive plants in general, the war on invasive plants and the impacts of herbicides. The second part are plant portraits – how to use invasive plants for invasive diseases. I find it has a good set of argumentation against the ill-advised war on invasive plants. At the end I come back to the first author Wolf D. Storl who wrote a book ‘Wandernde Pflanzen’, the same topic than ‘Invasive Plant Medicine’ once again written in German.
How to use Herbs in Daily Life
Of course there are more books I like for example “How to use Herbs in daily Life” by Isabell Shipard, however since she was an Australian, this one is more commonly known.