Not only are we destroying the precious organisms, but the knowledge needed to uncover plants that could provide breakthrough medicines for currently incurable conditions such as Alzheimer’s and many fungal infections. Today, many people are concerned about the loss of the rainforest for reasons relating to conservation and global warming, but Plotkin adds a sense of urgency for another kind of loss: “Every time a shaman dies, it is the equivalent of a whole library burning down ” the shaman of a tribe preserves centuries worth of knowledge on the healing, hallucinogenic and toxic properties of plants yet undiscovered by western society. As well as being filled with an amazing extent of botanical knowledge, the book describes breath-taking scenes of shamanistic rituals and healing ceremonies with electrifying detail Plotkin’s rare passion for the tribal culture, traditions and deep knowledge of the forest is caught by the reader as he relates the devastating effects of westernisation on the delicate ecosystem maintained by the tribes. The whole book reads in an easily accessible narrative as Plotkin moves from one tribe to the next. The text is divided into small, readable chapters that can be dipped into individually. Tales of a Shaman’s Apprentice records his research with the indigenous tribes of the Amazon over a 10 year period. As an avid reader of fantasy and Sci-Fi, I was surprised when I found myself so engrossed in the field notes of ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin.
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