Robin Wall Kimmerer urges gratitude and reciprocity in new book "The Serviceberry"

Robin Wall Kimmerer, the Indigenous botanist behind the bestseller Braiding Sweetgrass, has issued a new title, The Serviceberry, published by Scribner. The manuscript uses a bucket of Juneberries as a metaphor for the myriad gift exchanges that sustain ecosystems, from trees and microbes to birds and farmers. Drawing on Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee traditions, Kimmerer stresses that a culture of gratitude prevents the dishonoring of natural gifts and can mitigate over-use of resources.

She links this ethic to data showing sufficient global calories and to research indicating that gratitude reduces hyper-consumption. The author proposes concrete acts of reciprocity, such as habitat restoration, supporting land trusts, and personal lifestyle changes, positioning gratitude as a renewable currency for a healthier economy. An excerpt appears online, and a conversation with Martha Teichner on one outlet Sunday Morning is highlighted, with purchase options through Bookshop.org, Audible and other outlets.