Braiding Sweetgrass is an absolutely delightful read. Kimmerer weaves threads of memoir, nature writing, and traditional wisdom into what I can 4.5 ⭐s
Braiding Sweetgrass is an absolutely delightful read. Kimmerer weaves threads of memoir, nature writing, and traditional wisdom into what I can only describe as a truly insightful and comforting masterpiece of nature writing. As someone who works with biologists running restoration projects similar to those Kimmerer describes in the book, I definitely left this read with a far greater understanding of not only the ecological systems involved in this kind of science but also of why people might be drawn to this kind of work in the first place.
I would also highly recommend this as an audiobook experience! Although she explores serious scientific concepts, Kimmerer connects each section of the book through the narratives of Potowatomi myth and creation stories and this style lends beautifully to hearing the book read aloud. Not to mention Kimmerer has one of the most soothing voices I've ever heard!
The only, ONLY thing that kept me from giving this book five stars is that in the later sections of the book, Kimmerer comes to a few conclusions about broader social issues, tying them to a failure to observe traditional native wisdom in a way that I think verges on oversimplification. But otherwise, this was such an enjoyable read and a fantastic first foray into nature writing. It's set quite a high bar!...more
First thing's first, I should probably note that I was not a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain before going into this memoir. Sure, I knew who he was3.5 ⭐s
First thing's first, I should probably note that I was not a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain before going into this memoir. Sure, I knew who he was and didn't have any reason to dislike him, but I didn't really watch his shows or know much about him. So when I say this was a good, but not mindblowing memoir, it might simply because I don't have as big a soft spot for the guy as a lot of other readers might.
I did, however, like this real, rough, and raw look into the kitchens of New York's restaurant scene in a style that probably only Bourdain will ever be able to pull off. From his language choice to the anecdotes he chose to share in the memoir, I can totally see why he was such a beloved figure in the food world. Bourdain is just refreshingly himself, with no apologies or sugar coating.
I will say that structurally, the book was sometimes a bit jarring, jumping from one story about a raucous kitchen crew to a lesson on how to succeed as a chef in the modern restaurant industry. But as a whole, this was a fun read and one I'm glad I finally got to....more
Favorite line by far: "Most politicians (see: Mitt Romney) interact with pop culture like aliens visiting earth for the first time." If that doesn't sFavorite line by far: "Most politicians (see: Mitt Romney) interact with pop culture like aliens visiting earth for the first time." If that doesn't sum up every politician trying to be "relatable," I don't know what does!
This was a fun walk down memory lane with Pfeiffer, providing entertaining and informative insight into what life in politics really looks like, from the late nights of a campaign to the, well, late nights of working in the White House. Fans of the Pod Save gang will enjoy all of the personal insights, but I don't think you already need to be a fan to enjoy this political memoir.
And it's not just all fun nostalgia. Pfeiffer makes several insightful observations about how politics has evolved over the past decade or so, though he doesn't just focus on the negative. Rather, he offers suggestions for young people, politicians, and media-folk alike in the hope that we can learn from past events and move forward with a smarter, stronger action plan.
Basically, I liked it a lot. In case you couldn't tell....more
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