How to be Toxic (The Natural Way)

A look at how toxins derived from the world around us are used! We're talking poisons, venoms, any compounds generated by animals, plants, fungi, and other natural processes. Whether used for defending against herbivores (🌱), capturing dinner (🕷️) , or even cutting loose after a long week (🍸), toxins are inescapable!

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created by The_BookishBug

last updated August, 2026

11 books

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Death in the Garden: Poisonous Plants and Their Use Throughout History

Michael Brown

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

Amy Stewart

Venomous: How Earth's Deadliest Creatures Mastered Biochemistry

Christie Wilcox

Drunk Flies and Stoned Dolphins: A Trip Through the World of Animal Intoxication

Oné R. Pagán

This Is Your Mind on Plants

Michael Pollan

The Sting of the Wild

Justin O. Schmidt

Shroom: A Cultural History of the Magic Mushroom

Andy Letcher

Venom: The Secrets of Nature's Deadliest Weapon

Ronald Jenner

Plants That Kill: A Natural History of the World's Most Poisonous Plants

Elizabeth A. Dauncey

Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins―From Spices to Vices

Noah Whiteman

The Drunken Botanist: The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks

Amy Stewart

Comments

PagesOfEmma

Ooh what a fun list! Amy Stewart has another one called Wicked Plants A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants by Rebecca E. Hirsch and Death in the Garden: Poisonous Plants and Their Use Throughout History by Michael Brown would also work for this too.

The_BookishBugOP

Omg I own Wicked Plants, can't believe I forgot it! Thank you!

PagesOfEmma

She has some great books!

The_BookishBugOP

Yes, I just finished The Earth Moved and I think it's been my favorite of her books out of the three I've read (haven't actually gotten Drunken Botanist yet haha)

kathytrithardt

This is a brilliant list concept!

The_BookishBugOP

🐍 thankssss