Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants

Botanical Curses and Poisons: The Shadow-Lives of Plants

Fez Inkwright

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Discover the folklore and history of our most toxic plants through this beautifully produced, gorgeously illustrated compendium.  “If you drink much from a bottle marked ‘poison,’ it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland  In both history and fiction, some of the most dramatic, notorious deaths have been through poisonings. Concealed and deliberate, it’s a crime that requires advance planning and that for many centuries could go virtually undetected. And yet there is a fine line between healing and killing: the difference lies only in the dosage! In Botanical Curses and Poisons, Fez Inkwright returns to folkloric and historical archives to reveal the fascinating, untold stories behind a variety of lethal plants, witching herbs, and funghi. Going from A to Z, she covers everything from apple (think of the poisoned fruit in “Snow White”) and the hallucinogenic angel’s trumpet to laurel, which emits toxic fumes, to oleander (a deadly ornamental shrub), with each plant beautifully illustrated by the author herself. This enthralling treasury is packed with insight, lore, and the revealed mysteries of everyday flora—including the prevalence of poisoning in ancient Rome, its use in religion and magic, and common antidotes—making this perfect for gardeners, writers, folklorists, witches, and scientists alike!


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  • ryn_k
    Mar 09, 2025
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  • sarai
    Dec 17, 2024
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    This was a wonderful blend between folklore and facts and kept me interested throughout. With each plant discussed, we received an introduction to its history via a poem or scripture passage that referenced it - something that I really appreciated from a historical standpoint. My personal favorites that were covered were Fly Agaric (Chapter 10) and Mistletoe (Chapter 13) - both have such a range of folklore and history surrounding them and the author did a great job covering the tales while not going into unnecessary detail. 

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  • EmmyFox
    Mar 09, 2025
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