Wicked Plants: The A-Z of Plants That Kill, Maim, Intoxicate and Otherwise Offend: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

This is an interesting book - no doubt about that & I'm in agreement with a lot of the other reviewers about the plus points so I'm not going to dwell on those.What struck me though, was what it left out. Whilst there was a listing of various papers, articles & journals in the rear of the book, there was no index. Which meant in order to find a point (or plant) I'd already read or one which I wanted to read/know if the book contained, I had to refer to the more basic chapter headings at the front, with the not-always-clear titles about what the chapter was about, such as "don't look now" & "deadly dinner" to name just two.Further, whilst I realise that this book has no colour to speak of (save for the rather attractive green hard cover, the sepia-tinged pages & the black line drawings), it would be undoubtedly challenging to identify any of the plants discussed - at least with any degree of certainty. Line drawings in other guides tend to list specific information about descriptive plant characteristics so that an accurate identification might be made.Dipping into the book at random, I started by looking up on the Net the various plants to see them in "glorious Technicolor" as it were. The stinging tree for example "Dendrocnide moriodes" has quite a following on YouTube, but as is often the case, the facts start to merge with the myths. "Simply brushing up against the plant results in unbearable pain that may last up to a year" says Amy Stewart (the author) & yet there's a video of a chap deliberately stinging his hand & videoing the result. The consensus on the Web suggests that pain for up to 6 months or so is a more realistic outcome than the year quoted in this book & the reason I discovered, is due to the fact that the hairs which easily penetrate the skin are hollow - allowing air temperature fluctuations to cause the painful sensations (in addition to the "virulent neurotoxin" that is injected initially, that is).So - this book isn't really for the budding botanist with more than a passing interest in the more racy (wicked?) plants - I would suggest it's more of a coffee-table tome than anything approaching an academic study.Which in my opinion, is a shame, because I believe it could have encompassed both camps rather nicely. Whether my opinions are addressed in subsequent editions, remains to be seen.Finally, a personal bugbear was the way little snippets of prose were copied word-for-word & placed on an otherwise blank bit of the page with a squiggly line below, as if they were supplying a unique gem of further information. Anyone reading the text clearly has to learn to ignore these parts, as they merely repeat what the reader has already read. If they had been a relevant but different comment/aspect/poem/quote etc. than that already included, perhaps quoted verbatim from some attributed source, then yes - I would both welcome & applaud their use.Perhaps I'm being overly critical & I apologise for this. But in my defence, I bought the book, read it & have an opinion about it.That is all this is :)

This is a delightfuly illustrated book and with a prosaic literary style this makes this little volume worth every penny. Informed yet humourous, well paced but accurate with a wry smile with every page turned. I will be looking at maybe obtaining one or two of the other books by the same authour / publishing house as it even looks nice on the shelf...Cannot believe the speed of delivery either, thank you so much!! Cannot fault your service ! 10/10. Thank you!

It's fine as a pop-science book but there are alot of factual inaccuracies, for instance the description of Iboga misrepresenting the location of Bwiti peoples.There is also a strange tone where the author keeps describing plants as evil or wicked which could be an attempt to convey a true crime feel, but comes accross as conservative morality.It's ok as a coffee table/ toilet book but I wouldn't reference it.

It has the appearence of a grimmore. But have to admit that the illustrations and etchings do add something to the book. Okay again I have to say do not go around poisoning people or think that a nice boquet of poisonous plants is the way to underline a vednetta.I did learn something from this book. Does look at plants globally and how they are used. You probably will be suspicious of potatoes, tomatoes and peppers for the rest of your life. But hey live dangerously I say.But still a good volume. Who is if good for? The darkly disturbed and isolated. Yes buy if for the gardener in your life. Again i recommend it as a stocking filler and not a main present even in these dark ecomonic times.

What a gem of a find this was - another title by the same author came up on Goodreads. Searching for it on Amazon, I came across this. It is a lovely little hardback and the content is not only informative but entertaining too. I even found information on a plant I had been trying to remember the name of for years, having seen a documentary about its usage within tribes and also by Western society.This book now just sits on the sofa with me as I like it to be within arms reach for a dip into at a moments notice. I shall be buying at least another one as a gift and I can't wait for the next, 'The Drunken Botanist' to arrive.

I bought this book just to gain a little insight into the more mischievious plants after doing some related design work.. I ended up reading it from cover to cover (when I should have been drawing..oh dear)it is so addictive and well written! I love the gothic cover design and the illustrations are beautiful and chime with the general feel of the book (it reminds me of a Victorian-era garden guide written by the likes of Capability Brown). Each plant and its attendant danger to us seems very well investigated and concise without being over-long. I think it would make a great gift for green-fingered chums or family, or simply to read for our own amusement and information. Buy it!

I really enjoyed reading this book, which outlines in a very readable way, how plants can be killers! The lovely thing about this every easy to read book is that it is divided up into mini sections which cover one of the hideously wicked plants, this means that one can dip in and out of this book with ease.The things I love about this bookIt is uniqueIt is entertainingIt is easy to readIt is informativeIt is great funRecommended for all plant lovers.

Mainly got this book for information to avoid the nasty plants if foraging which I am new to. This book tells what not to go near