The Time Traveller's Herbal by Amanda Edmiston

Book Review

I have followed Amanda on Instagram and Facebook for several years now. As a fellow storyteller who loves nature, the ancient uses of herbs and Celtic stories we share many loves when it comes to our story practice.

Amanda’s knowledge of medicinal herbs and folk medicine is enviable and her storytelling, magic and so when I saw she had written a book that combined the two, it had to go on the to be read list and it quickly arrived at the top.

Here’s the blurb:

The herbalist has had many names throughout the ages - Cunning Woman, Wise Woman, even Witch - all hiding the truth of what they are... early pioneers of science, and fountains of traditional, nature-based knowledge.

All around us are plants and herbs that can be used to improve our wellbeing and encourage a more nature-focused approach to health. Steeped in history, the herbalist's art paved the way for modern science - but didn't necessarily need to have been replaced by it. In The Time Traveller's Herbal, the traditional remedies and recipes that were passed down through the ages are offered to the modern reader as a means to reconnect with the natural world, while reaping the benefits. Steeped in the stories through which these remedies have been passed down to us, our connection to the past is fully explored in a romantic and meandering journey through the plants and flowers that have healed and helped us through the ages. Travelling back through the mists of time, the ancient mysteries of the plants and flowers that have saved lives in a world without modern medicine are uncovered. Told over the centuries, starting in ancient Rome, the reader journeys through time sampling the botanical marvels that did everything from soothing the pain of fever to revealing the world of the faeries, and learns the stories that surround us in the natural world. A guide to the myths of a lost art, The Time Traveller's Herbal is the book every budding apothecary should reach for.

Including instructions for over 25 recipes and makes using commonly found, foraged or easily procured ingredients, author Amanda Edmiston weaves a story through the recipes about the craft of the herbalist, tapping into the traditional knowledge passed down through generations and reworking it for the modern reader.

This book is truly wonderful. Amanda takes you on a journey through time, literally, painting the picture for you as you go. The meadow in which you often find yourself will become as familiar to you as it is to Amanda, as this is a meadow she lives very close to. She has a deep connection to the land and this shines through.

It’s easy to imagine yourself there, a bystander as time passes on. As I read I was reminded of the 1960s film, The Time Machine, based on the HG Wells’ book of the same name. In the film the main character ‘George’, sits in the time machine and as he travels back in time the scenes of the past unfold around him like a zoetrope. It is this feeling that you will find in the pages of The Time Travellers Herbal.

At each stop you are given, folklore, herbal magic, stories and even recipes to help you connect with the stories and how they have come about. Amanda has spent years researching medicinal herbs, training in their administration and uncovering, learning and telling the stories that accompany them. There is so much to wonder at in this book and to wander through, but if I had to point to a favourite story it is the chapter containing the club moss charm and its accompanying story. I can safely say, I don’t look at moss the same way any more and I always thought it was pretty magical before I read the book.

It’s a brilliant collection and one that I would recommend for all those who are lovers of story, heritage and the natural world. You will not be disappointed.

You can buy Amanda Edmiston’s, ‘The Time Travellers Herbal’ in all good bookshops. If you would like to buy a copy online, please consider visiting my page on Bookshop.org where I have gathered some of the books I read and recommend. Here you will find a plethora of myth, legend and folktale.

And don’t forget to support your local library too. See if they have a copy to borrow.

You can find more of Amanda’s work here - https://www.facebook.com/AmandaEdmistonBotanicaFabulaHerbalStorytelling