35 books like Honey from a Weed

By Patience Gray, Corinna Sargood (illustrator),

Here are 35 books that Honey from a Weed fans have personally recommended if you like Honey from a Weed. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood

Theresa Kishkan Author Of Mnemonic: A Book of Trees

From my list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a coastal landscape and aspired from childhood to read my way through it by knowing its plants. I once watched a master carver at work on a totem pole at a living museum and could relate the wood curls falling from his adze to the giant cedars growing at the site. As a university student, I worked in a botanical show garden, learning so much about the provenance of plants and what they tell us about geography, history, and beauty. These experiences, in childhood and early adulthood, formed my lifelong interest in ethnobotany, nomenclature, and mythology, explored through the lens of creative work.

Theresa's book list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs

Theresa Kishkan Why did Theresa love this book?

I am always grateful when a book introduces me to a place completely unknown to me. Janisse Ray’s gorgeous memoir does exactly that: southern Georgia's disappearing longleaf pine forests. Her introduction to this landscape is a gift to readers, who will yearn, as she does, for its regeneration after a century of exploitation.

Raised in a junkyard along a busy highway, this writer learned the land’s history through the stories of her parents and others; she learned the intricate ecology of the pines and their companion flora and fauna, almost lost to industry and greed. Lyrical and beautifully written, Ray’s evocations of complex plant communities linger in the mind long after you’ve finished the book.

By Janisse Ray,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Ecology of a Cracker Childhood as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the memories of a childhood marked by extreme poverty, mental illness, and restrictive fundamentalist Christian rules, Janisse Ray crafted a "heartfelt and refreshing" (New York Times) memoir that has inspired thousands to embrace their beginnings, no matter how humble, and to fight for the places they love. This new edition updates and contextualizes the story for a new generation and a wider audience desperately searching for stories of empowerment and hope.

Ray grew up in a junkyard along U.S. Highway 1, hidden from Florida-bound travelers by hulks of old cars. In language at once colloquial, elegiac, and informative, Ray…


Book cover of Orwell's Roses

Theresa Kishkan Author Of Mnemonic: A Book of Trees

From my list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a coastal landscape and aspired from childhood to read my way through it by knowing its plants. I once watched a master carver at work on a totem pole at a living museum and could relate the wood curls falling from his adze to the giant cedars growing at the site. As a university student, I worked in a botanical show garden, learning so much about the provenance of plants and what they tell us about geography, history, and beauty. These experiences, in childhood and early adulthood, formed my lifelong interest in ethnobotany, nomenclature, and mythology, explored through the lens of creative work.

Theresa's book list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs

Theresa Kishkan Why did Theresa love this book?

As an avid reader of biography, I was thrilled to discover this brilliant saga of George Orwell’s life as a journalist and activist and the rose bushes he purchased from Woolworths and planted in 1936 in an English garden.

The roses are a tangible presence in his participation in the Spanish Civil War and his support for women’s suffrage, universal justice, and human rights. I deeply admire how Solnit follows Orwell’s influence as a gardener and a humanist through a world hungry for his integrity and clarity of thought.

By Rebecca Solnit,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Orwell's Roses as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'I loved this book... An exhilarating romp through Orwell's life and times' Margaret Atwood

'Expansive and thought-provoking' Independent

Outside my work the thing I care most about is gardening - George Orwell

Inspired by her encounter with the surviving roses that Orwell is said to have planted in his cottage in Hertfordshire, Rebecca Solnit explores how his involvement with plants, particularly flowers, illuminates his other commitments as a writer and antifascist, and the intertwined politics of nature and power.

Following his journey from the coal mines of England to taking up arms in the Spanish Civil War; from his prescient…


Book cover of Plants of Haida Gwaii

Theresa Kishkan Author Of Mnemonic: A Book of Trees

From my list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a coastal landscape and aspired from childhood to read my way through it by knowing its plants. I once watched a master carver at work on a totem pole at a living museum and could relate the wood curls falling from his adze to the giant cedars growing at the site. As a university student, I worked in a botanical show garden, learning so much about the provenance of plants and what they tell us about geography, history, and beauty. These experiences, in childhood and early adulthood, formed my lifelong interest in ethnobotany, nomenclature, and mythology, explored through the lens of creative work.

Theresa's book list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs

Theresa Kishkan Why did Theresa love this book?

Nancy Turner is a renowned ethnobotanist whose work I have followed with excitement and pleasure my entire adult life. I am fascinated by her gathering, through good relations with the Haida people, a huge compendium of detailed information on the medicinal, technical, artistic and spiritual resources of people who’ve lived on a group of islands off B.C.’s northern coast since time immemorial.

It’s hard to imagine a better guide to a place than a book like this, which takes us deeply into a culture and its plants. Hats woven of spruce root, halibut hooks carved of yew, feast dishes filled with wild rhubarb and potatoes: I am dazzled by this book.

By Nancy J. Turner,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Plants of Haida Gwaii as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of The Naming of Names: The Search for Order in the World of Plants

Theresa Kishkan Author Of Mnemonic: A Book of Trees

From my list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in a coastal landscape and aspired from childhood to read my way through it by knowing its plants. I once watched a master carver at work on a totem pole at a living museum and could relate the wood curls falling from his adze to the giant cedars growing at the site. As a university student, I worked in a botanical show garden, learning so much about the provenance of plants and what they tell us about geography, history, and beauty. These experiences, in childhood and early adulthood, formed my lifelong interest in ethnobotany, nomenclature, and mythology, explored through the lens of creative work.

Theresa's book list on plants and how our lives are woven with theirs

Theresa Kishkan Why did Theresa love this book?

I learned about botanical nomenclature as a 19-year-old, and it opened a world to me, a place where plants told me something about their origins and their function. This book gives me the background to the long history of naming.

Those who gathered plants, who learned their uses and needed to be accurate, also required a system that would allow them to write about their knowledge in a way that allowed others to use it and share it. From Aristotle’s pupil Theophrastus in 4th century BE Athens to Islamic scholars to the 18th-century medical professor Carl Linnaeus, Anna Pavord immerses us in the search for meaning and sense in the world of plants.

It isn’t, not at all. It’s history at its best, populated by apothecaries, artists, botanists and scholars. And the illustrations are sublime.

By Anna Pavord,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Naming of Names as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Searching for Order traces the search for order in the natural world, a search that for hundreds of years occupied some of the most brilliant minds in Europe. Redefining man's relationship with nature was an important feature of the Renaissance. But in a world full of plagues and poisons, there was also a practical need to name and recognise different plants: most medicines were made from plant extracts. Anna Pavord takes us on a thrilling adventure into botanical history, travelling from Athens in the third century BC, through Constantinople, Venice, the medical school at Salerno to the universities of Pisa…


Book cover of Julie Taboulie's Lebanese Kitchen: Authentic Recipes for Fresh and Flavorful Mediterranean Home Cooking

Tara Bench Author Of Delicious Gatherings: Recipes to Celebrate Together

From my list on cookbooks for entertaining.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am passionate about the power of food and cooking, and how it can bring people together, allow us to explore our creativity, and nourish both body and soul. I’ve spent over 20 years creating recipes for home cooks, published in magazines, and inspiring confidence in the kitchen. Now I share my best advice, takes on traditional favorites, and the beauty of food and entertaining in cookbooks and on TaraTeaspoon.com. I encourage cooks to find cookbooks they inspire, with tested recipes, helpful tips, and beautiful pictures to entice all the senses. Trying new recipes from my cookbook list will bring joy to your cooking and entertaining.

Tara's book list on cookbooks for entertaining

Tara Bench Why did Tara love this book?

The fact that the recipes in this book are authentic Mediterranean home cooking doesn’t mean they don’t stand up to almost any dinner party. Whether you’re putting on a sit-down dinner or a festive buffet, the sides, mains, and snacks from this cookbook are fresh and flavorful enough to hold their own. I add a salad, small plate recipe, side dish, or skewer from this book to many dinner parties. The recipes mix well with menu items from other flavor profiles. I love that there is a generous amount of bread recipes that are simple and approachable. They are perfect additions to any meal where you want your guests to feel at home and comfortable. 

By Julie Ann Sageer, Leah Bhabha,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Julie Taboulie's Lebanese Kitchen as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Since she was six years old, Julie Ann Sageer (nicknamed Julie Taboulie by her close-knit family) has had a passion for cooking the meals of her Lebanese heritage. Just like in her Emmy- nominated cooking show Cooking with Julie Taboulie, each of her recipes comes with hands-on instructions, tips, and tricks for making homemade Middle Eastern dishes using heaps of fresh, seasonal ingredients. Here you'll find dishes that range from classics like falafel, shawarma, and (of course) taboulie, to warming Bazilla - a stew of tomato, green pea, and lamb - to honey and rosewater-infused desserts. In these 125 recipes,…


Book cover of Bitter Honey: Recipes and Stories from the Island of Sardinia

Haniyeh Nikoo Author Of A Persian Kitchen Tale: Discover Exciting Flavors Through 60 Simple Recipes

From my list on cookbooks that are made easy to travel the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Haniyeh Nikoo, a full-time recipe developer, food stylist, and food photographer.

My passion for food does not stop at my Iranian roots but goes beyond the borders. It is my way of experiencing and learning about the world, cultures, and people. I not only care about how a dish tastes but also how it looks and how it invites you to take a bite and get on a journey of trying something new.

Haniyeh's book list on cookbooks that are made easy to travel the world

Haniyeh Nikoo Why did Haniyeh love this book?

I love this cookbook for how it makes me feel. It’s filled with authentic recipes from Sardinia (An island between Europe and Africa) that are presented like a poem to touch your soul and invite you to sit at a table that makes you feel warm, cozy, and welcomed.

The book contains various recipes for any occasion, and stunning images and engaging stories make it something beyond an ordinary cookbook!

By Letitia Clark,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bitter Honey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Guild of Food Writer's Awards, Highly Commended in 'First Book' category (2021)

In Bitter Honey, seasoned chef Letitia Clark invites us into her home on one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean Sea - Sardinia.

The recipes in this book do not take long to make, but you can taste the ethos behind every one of them - one which invites you to slow down, and nourish yourself with fresh food, friends and family.

The importance of eating well is even more pronounced here on this forgotten island. Try your hand at Roasted Aubergines with Honey, Mint, Garlic…


Book cover of The Sicily Cookbook: Authentic Recipes from a Mediterranean Island

Anika Scott Author Of Sinners of Starlight City

From my list on sparking an obsession with Sicily.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a traveler and a dreamer ever since I was a little girl. I used to write to the tourism bureaus of different countries and tape pictures of faraway places onto the walls of my bedroom. It’s no surprise I ended up living in Europe, my home base for excursions all over the world. My historical fiction always features places that mean a lot to me, whether it’s Germany (where I live now), or Sicily – where my mother’s family came from. Digging into my Sicilian heritage and the culture and life of the island for my third novel was like discovering a new home.

Anika's book list on sparking an obsession with Sicily

Anika Scott Why did Anika love this book?

Every time I’m in Sicily, I stuff my face.

The food is as sublime as the island itself. Imagine eating pasta alla norma (noodles with eggplant marinara) with a breathtaking view of Mt. Etna. There’s fried arancini filled with rice, there’s caponata, there’s orange cake... I could go on and on! The Sicily Cookbook has recipes for some of my favorite Sicilian foods plus stunning photos of the island.

It's food and travel combined!

By Cettina Vicenzino,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Sicily Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Get a taste of the unique fusion of flavors that Sicilian food has to offer!

​Packed with more than 70 Sicilian recipes, all accompanied by evocative food photography from the island, this Italian cookbook will bring the Mediterranean sunshine into your kitchen.

Discover authentic Italian cooking at its finest with this Sicilian recipe book. Here’s what’s inside:

   • More than 70 Sicilian sweet and savory recipes, from Pasta Alla Norma, grilled octopus and Sicilian baked sausage to arancini with tuna, Jerusalem artichokes with black lentils and Sicilian orange bread
   • Recipes include appetizers, main courses, individual dishes, side dishes, desserts…


Book cover of Nistisima

Haniyeh Nikoo Author Of A Persian Kitchen Tale: Discover Exciting Flavors Through 60 Simple Recipes

From my list on cookbooks that are made easy to travel the world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Haniyeh Nikoo, a full-time recipe developer, food stylist, and food photographer.

My passion for food does not stop at my Iranian roots but goes beyond the borders. It is my way of experiencing and learning about the world, cultures, and people. I not only care about how a dish tastes but also how it looks and how it invites you to take a bite and get on a journey of trying something new.

Haniyeh's book list on cookbooks that are made easy to travel the world

Haniyeh Nikoo Why did Haniyeh love this book?

Vegan cooking never looked so appealing to me before reading this book. I’m not vegan, but I love to eat hearty, delicious vegan food if I get my hands on it, and this book is filled with many!

The stories behind how she decided to write the book and the tasteful Mediterranean vegan recipes just opens the door of adding some healthy, flavourful dishes to your diet nevertheless of being a vegan or not.

This cookbook is written with love and passion, and it’s beyond just a recipe

book.

By Georgina Hayden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Nistisima as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE OBSERVER FOOD MONTHLY BEST NEW COOKBOOK AWARD THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING COOKBOOK The Daily Mail Best Cookbooks of the Year 2022 The Independent 10 Best Cookbooks of 2022 Delicious Magazine Best cook books of 2022 ____________________________ No fads, no frills, just 120 vegan recipes that have stood the test of time from award-winning food writer Georgina Hayden, currently appearing on Channel 4's The Great Cookbook Challenge Nistisima means fasting food - food eaten during Lent and other times of fasting observed by those of Orthodox faith. Mostly this involves giving up meat and dairy and instead using…


Book cover of Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment

Maria Baltazzi Author Of Take a Shot at Happiness: How to Write, Direct & Produce the Life You Want

From my list on wellbeing that will make you feel happier.

Why am I passionate about this?

My career began in television, and the demands wore on me over time. I started realizing that I cared just a little too much and too intensely. It was not emotionally or mentally healthy nor sustainable in the long run. Thus began my journey. Reading a few books turned into several courses, eventually leading to a PhD in Conscious-Centered Living. I realized I wanted to share with others what I learned along the way. However, coming from a creative background, I wanted to take a creative approach toward becoming happier and more content – and do it in a sustainable way. Thus, my book was created to help other seekers.

Maria's book list on wellbeing that will make you feel happier

Maria Baltazzi Why did Maria love this book?

As his students, me included, call him, Tal is a remarkable teacher. His compact book of one hundred and sixty-nine pages is filled with valuable and applicable knowledge on being happier.

He draws a lot from his young life as an athlete and into adult life as a Harvard professor, along with his wellbeing research. His book is set up in three parts: defining happiness, applying happiness, and meditations on happiness. Tal uses “time-in” to have readers stop and reflect on a question relevant to the reading material, which helps one better consider the material more thoughtfully.

The other thing about Tal as a teacher is his approach. It aligns greatly with my ideas about happiness, hence why I study his work. He, more specifically in his happiness studies program, fosters cultivating one's "wholebeing." A term I was already using when I came across his teachings. For me, happiness is…

By Tal Ben-Shahar,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Happier as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"There are few self-help books more resolutley down to earth than Happier...Ben Shahar provides straightforward guidelines for integrating habits of gratitude and accepting negative emotions into daily life" Observer, Jan 2012


Book cover of Homage to Catalonia

Sune Engel Rasmussen Author Of Twenty Years: Hope, War, and the Betrayal of an Afghan Generation

From my list on nonfiction stories that can rival any novel.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always believed in the power of journalism to tell stories of people: the powerful as well as the ordinary and disenfranchised. In the hands of the right writer, such stories can have as much dramatic sweep and be as engrossing as any work of fiction. I have read literary nonfiction since before I became a journalist, and as a foreign correspondent, while breaking news is a key part of my job, longform narrative writing is where I really find gratification, as a writer and a reader. It’s a vast genre, so I focused this list mostly on stellar examples of foreign reporting. I hope you enjoy it. 

Sune's book list on nonfiction stories that can rival any novel

Sune Engel Rasmussen Why did Sune love this book?

It took me a while to get to this part of Orwell’s oeuvre, but once I did, I was engrossed. The crispness of the writing and the precision of his observations are unmatched. Admittedly, due to Orwell’s own political persuasions, you should not base your views of the Spanish Civil War on this book alone, but as a piece of honest journalistic writing with a clear point of view, it deserves its status as a classic. 

By George Orwell,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Homage to Catalonia as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Homage to Catalonia remains one of the most famous accounts of the Spanish Civil War. With characteristic scrutiny, Orwell questions the actions and motives of all sides whilst retaining his firm beliefs in human courage and the need for radical social change.

Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is introduced by Helen Graham, a leading historian on the Spanish Civil War.

When George Orwell arrived in Spain in 1936, he…


Book cover of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
Book cover of Orwell's Roses
Book cover of Plants of Haida Gwaii

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Interested in Tuscany, Italy, and the Mediterranean?

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