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Rating: 
Summary: Not Useful, Not Nice to Look At
Review: This little book gives you a little bit of information and old-time lore about 56 herbs, flowers, and fruits. If you are a newcomer to this subject, then I think you will find very little here to educate you. If you know a bit about herbs, there will be nothing here for you that's new. Only a few small paragraphs are devoted to each herb, so there's really no information with which you can actually do anything constructive; you won't find recipes or medicincal directions. There is almost no gardening information. Basically, there is just a smidgen of lore for each one. I don't know who would really get any benefit from this book; I don't mean to be unkind, but I found it quite useless. As for the photographs, well, I suppose it's a matter of taste. The artist, Ann Field put together a collage for each herb, using things like paper bags, maps, tools, rope, etc. I found them to be lifeless and not at all interesting. I came away with the feeling that the artist tried to portray each herb as artificially as possible; in other words, there is nothing at all in each picture to celebrate or display the beauty of herbs in their natural state. Yes, there are strands or bunches of the actual herbs in each picture, but they are overwhelmed by the garrish and plastic items accompanying them.
The list price of this little book is quite steep, and not worth it. There are FAR too many beautiful AND useful books about herbs out there. Save your money.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice little gift....
Review: Who doesn't like herbs? THE MEANING OF HERBS is not at all about actually growing herbs. So, if your looking for a gardening book try THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HERBS by Lesley Bremness or RODALE'S ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBS. THE MEANING OF HERBS is filled with fun factoids and trivial tales that may or may not be true. For example, "Early herbalists prescribed oregano to those who 'are given to too much sighing' and enraged bears were believed to calm themselves by chewing on oregano bushes." This may be, but knowing where bears come from and the origin of oregano, I suspect the bears in question discovered the oregano cure quite by accident in someone's cultivated herb patch (probably right over there in the Great Smokies). And of course, some human must have been around to observe and record the enraged bear as he became becalmed by chewing oregano leaves. (Wonder what enraged him to begin with? Could it be he got into the gardener's bee hive and tried to eat oregano flower honey?). THE MEANING OF HERBS will make a nice party favor, thank-you gift, or a small present for a friend. Filled with somewhat amusing and interesting anectdotes about herbs (and bears) as well as lots of pretty drawings, it's sure to send a warm and positive message.
Rating:
Summary: Nice little gift....
Review: Who doesn't like herbs? THE MEANING OF HERBS is not at all about actually growing herbs. So, if your looking for a gardening book try THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HERBS by Lesley Bremness or RODALE'S ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HERBS. THE MEANING OF HERBS is filled with fun factoids and trivial tales that may or may not be true. For example, "Early herbalists prescribed oregano to those who 'are given to too much sighing' and enraged bears were believed to calm themselves by chewing on oregano bushes." This may be, but knowing where bears come from and the origin of oregano, I suspect the bears in question discovered the oregano cure quite by accident in someone's cultivated herb patch (probably right over there in the Great Smokies). And of course, some human must have been around to observe and record the enraged bear as he became becalmed by chewing oregano leaves. (Wonder what enraged him to begin with? Could it be he got into the gardener's bee hive and tried to eat oregano flower honey?). THE MEANING OF HERBS will make a nice party favor, thank-you gift, or a small present for a friend. Filled with somewhat amusing and interesting anectdotes about herbs (and bears) as well as lots of pretty drawings, it's sure to send a warm and positive message.
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