I’ve read a number of herbals and, while many of them are quite encylopedic in scope, none of them seem to provide any sort of systematic framework for understanding and utilizing the information.  The Herbal Handbook, by David Hoffman, does just that – provides a systematic framework – and it’s even the framework I would have used, were I to write a similar book myself.  (I don’t actually have sufficiently extensive knowledge to do that, but this is the format I would use, if I did.  In fact, I had started to write a little intro. booklet for herbs, and it was laid out much like this.  Now I guess I can just recommend this one!)

The Book’s “Core”

There are a few other sections to the book, which I’ll get to in a few minutes.  But the key portions of the book, to my mind, are the “Actions,” “Body Systems,” and “Herbal Pharmacy” sections.  These are the portions of the book that will equip you to utilize herbs for a wide variety of medicinal purposes.

“Actions” tell you what an herb does in the body – how it behaves.  Although each one, individually, will be a little different, herbs will fall into basic categories.  (Just like, where drugs are concerned, painkillers and antihistamines are distinct groups.)  This section of the book lists all of the major herbal actions (forty-five of them, if I counted correctly).  It defines each one, and highlights one or two herbs that fall into that category.

The “Body Systems” section tackles each system one by one.  First, a brief description of the system’s role in a healthy body is offered.  Then the reader is told which herbal actions are particularly beneficial for that system.  Specific herbs are suggested that carry out those actions.  Then specific “ailments” and their remedies are tackled.

If you want to look up a particular herb, the best way to do so is through the index, so you can find it whether it’s listed under an action or a body system.

Finally, the “Herbal Pharmacy” section gives instructions for all the various types of herbal preparations: decoctions, tinctures, poultices, capsules, etc., so you can figure out how to actually administer the herbs you’ve settled on for a given need.

Other Stuff

Everything else in the book is, in my estimation, “bonus.”  Between the section about herbal actions and the section about body systems, there is a (very!) brief section about aromatherapy, and one about plant chemistry.  The plant chemistry chapter describes some of the constituents to be found in plants, such as flavones, alkaloids, and tannins.

There are also sections about “herb gardens and cultivation” (with brief instructions about growing each plant it mentions), herbs and cooking, using dye plants, and potpourris.  The dye section is pretty interesting.  It’s quite short, but it offers a relatively long list of plants that can be used for dye, including information about the parts to be used, the color produced, what fibers can be effectively dyed with each one, and which mordants to use (if any) when setting the dye.  This could be quite a lot of fun for DIY-ers.

My Thoughts

Is it possible you will want another book with a more extensive list of herbs and their uses?  Sure.  But I highly recommend this one as an introduction to the concepts of herbalism.  I’ve never yet seen another that compares, for that purpose.

Disclosure: I was provided by the publisher with a copy of the book to facilitate my review.  A second copy was provided for the upcoming Naturally Healthy Baby event.  As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.