Book Review "Plants in the Mayan Culture" by Svetlana Aleksandroff

[Michele Kinnon]

Plants in the Mayan Culture: Traditional Remedies, Food and Art,by Svetlana Aleksandroff is a beautifully informative book with incredible photography. This guide to local flora is illustrated with over 1,000 photos that are so artfully and naturally done it makes each plant species easily identifiable in the field. More than 70 plant species are identified along with fascinating insights into the intricate relationship between nature and culture. Well researched and artfully presented, this book is a must have guide to plants in the Yucatan Peninsula for expats or travelers.

Written in English, this book encourages us to interact with the plants surrounding us in this magical region of Mexico. Not only does the author focus on ornamental plants, but also on the more ordinary plants of this region; answering the questions that many of us expats have asked about the plants in our immediate surroundings. Each plant is presented with numerous photos for easy identification and examples of all of its uses; medicinal, food, art, construction, etc. The many remedies listed here invaluable and can be easily followed for those who wish to try ancient Mayan wisdom for themselves.

In five chapters this book accurately address trees, fruits, sacred plants, Mayan gods and spirituality, garden plants, plants found on roadsides and is sprinkled with pearls of wisdom, quotes and interesting details about Mayan culture and life in the Yucatan region. This book serves its purpose very well; to put the reader in contact with the flora of the Mayan world as a way to interpret the culture, food and art of this region.

The author eloquently states on the back cover, "This book is about plants, their beauty and the great place they hold in human civilization and society, providing food, building materials, tools, paper, musical instruments, dyes, fibers, medicine, aid in spiritual celebrations and rituals and for thousands of years inspiring poets, artists, carvers and scribes."

This book can be purchased at Alma Libre book store in Puerto Morelos; it is a wonderful resource for those of you are new to the area, are thinking of moving here or have recently purchased property and are contemplating the lush greenery of your new surroundings. Thank you to our friends at PlayaBestBuy for recommending this wonderful resource.