THE SERVICEBERRY Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

Author and narrator Robin Wall Kimmerer, who is Potawatomi, gently guides listeners through this thoughtful exploration of gift economies and cultures of reciprocity. Using the framing device of an outing to gather serviceberries, which are also popular with the local birds, Kimmerer traces the pathways of mutual obligation and abundance seen in nature and in many traditional and Indigenous cultures. She adeptly contrasts these with the ideas of capitalist consumer culture and scarcity mindsets that dominate formal economic theory. Kimmerer's narration is both analytical and casual, combining her background in botany with history and sociology while discussing ways that gift economies can operate in small groups and at a larger scale. Listeners will feel transported to a berry patch amid sun and birdsong. N.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2024]