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Name: Amazon.com: Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Amazon Rain Forest: 9780670831371: Plotkin, Mark J.: Books
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Rating: 4.6 (371 reviews)

Mark J. Plotkin

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Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Amazon Rain Forest Hardcover – August 1, 1993

by Mark J. Plotkin (Author)

4.6 371 ratings

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An ethnobotanist recounts his experiences in the rain forests tracking the shamans whose knowledge of the curative powers of plants and herbs could hold the key to the cure for AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses. 20,000 first printing. $20,000 ad/promo.

Print length

318 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Viking Adult
Publication date

August 1, 1993
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.25 x 1.25 inches
ISBN-10

0670831379
ISBN-13

978-0670831371
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The thrilling account of the 13 years Plotkin, vice-president of Ethnobotany at Conservation International in Washington, spent in the northeastern Amazon's primeval rain forest is a first-rate travel and adventure tale in which scientific lore, passionate advocacy of conservation and literary gifts are combined. Thanks to the trust and friendship the author inspired among the declining number of powerful shamans ("witch doctors") and other Indians who considered him a "harmless oddball," they welcomed him at tribal rituals and assisted him in identifying plants (60,000 yet unknown species, used to treat ills from testicular cancer to earache). They even shared secrets for making curare poison and other hallucinogens (which he tried). The author has also succeeded in having the indigenous people share in the profits from their plant-derived wonder drugs, and encouraged them to preserve their heritage of botanic lore and customs.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-Plotkin is a scientist who lived with indigenous tribes in the Amazon areas of Guyana and Suriname in order to learn about their native plants and how they use them medicinally. This book covers the 10 years during which he visited isolated villages and recorded their plant lore. Amid tales of adventure and descriptions of exotic wildlife and scenery, the author emphasizes how the coming of modern society has unalterably changed these societies. Young people have lost interest in the traditional way of life and the shamans have no one to whom they can pass on their valuable knowledge. He discusses companies and organizations that are working to return some drug-sale profits to the Indians, establish shaman apprentice programs among the tribes, and preserve this valuable habitat. An absorbing book that goes miles beyond the mass market "save the rain forest" campaign to explain this important issue to teens.
Penny Stevens, Fairfax Public Library, VA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

While living in the tropical rain forest with several Amazonian Indian tribes, Plotkin, currently a vice president of ethnobotany at Conservation International, observed and recorded the use of plants by the villagers and their shamans for food, medicines, poison arrows, and ritualistic hallucinogens. The result is a compelling, insightful narrative that whisks the reader into a time and place where plants, animals, and indigenous societies coexist. The encroachment of Western civilization threatens this existence, adding urgency to the author's contention that we must conserve tropical species, preserve the tribal knowledge of plants, and fund medical research on tropical plants that may yield new disease-fighting compounds. A skillful blend of travel adventure, botanical and cultural history, and Amazonian research. For all libraries.
- Teresa Elberson, Lafayette P.L., La.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

In a captivating plea for more effective management of the rain forest's botanical, medicinal, and cultural resources, the chief ethnobotanist at Conservation International vividly recalls his apprenticeships to the tribal shamanic healers of the northeast Amazon. ``There exists no shortage of `wonder drugs' waiting to be found in the rain forests,'' says Plotkin, yet ``we know little or nothing about the chemical composition of 98.6% of the Brazilian flora''--and this despite the fact that, even now, the value of medicines derived from tropical plants is more than $6 billion a year. Inspired by a 1974 Harvard night-school lecture by famed ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes, Plotkin first traveled to the rain forest in 1979. There, he was shocked to discover that local Indians' priceless botanical knowledge, developed over thousands of years, was threatened with eradication because no younger tribal members would volunteer as apprentice healers. Plotkin presented himself as an unlikely student to the Tirio and Wayana shamans, offering in exchange to write down what he was taught, thereby preserving the shamanic lore. When not following his elderly instructors through the forest, collecting plant samples and scribbling notes on native cures for arthritis, skin funguses, colds, and other ailments, Plotkin benefited personally from a successful shamanic healing; learned a secret formula for curare poison; and otherwise became deeply enmeshed in tribal life. In the States, he contractually assigned a percentage of any future profits from development of his research to the tribes that had disclosed the plants' healing powers, as well as to the countries in which the plants grow. Meanwhile, his book of botanical lore, presented as promised to the tribes, has helped restore a self- respect battered during years of interaction with the West. ``Every time a shaman dies, it is as if a library burned down,'' Plotkin reminds us. No one could convey the potential tragedy of this statement more convincingly than this author, who has done something to remedy it. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking Adult; 3rd edition (August 1, 1993)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 318 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0670831379
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0670831371
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 1.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #903,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #995 in Botany (Books)
- #1,104 in General Anthropology
- #40,565 in Social Sciences (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 371 ratings

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4.6 out of 5

371 global ratings

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Brian Hawkinson

A colorfully written and informative book...

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2006

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Plotkin does an amazing job in not only describing his experience in the Amazonian forest but in also describing the many medicinal plants that were used by the native people. The story, as one would think, would seem bland and dry but Plotkin does a wonderful job in keeping his narration flowing and interesting.

I particularly liked the descriptions of what was happening to him when he personally experienced it, such as epena or the flea egg under his toe nail. In describing what happened personally it adds a lot more credence to the story he was telling. Additionally, the extra tidbits of information about his journey were fun as well, such as the large electric eel that was in the water with him.

What is most important though is Plotkin drives home the over arching theme of his book, that of protecting the Amazon and thus its medicinal powers, and not letting the years upon years of wisdom die with the few remaining shamans. A well written book by someone who knows his field very well. I would definitely recommend.

5 stars.

One person found this helpful

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GamingGal

Definitely opens your eyes

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2017

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Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Amazon Rain Forest

I LOVE this book. To anyone who likes herbs or homeopathic remedies or science in general, you need to get this book. Yes, it's a little outdated what with it being about 2 decades old, but the reading is still there, and it's all true! It gives you a glimpse into what life was like in the deep, untouched forests back then and talks about who big pharma was already in the process of attempting to focus on their personal gain rather than supporting these shaman who knew so much about medicinal herbs and plants. I couldn't put this book down and ended up flying through it in less than a week. It's an easy read despite all the scientific plant names in it and is something I encourage all of you to look into.

13 people found this helpful

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DeeAndTee

Plant Power Rules

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2007

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Mark Plotkin does a fantastic job of conveying the fantastic enthusiasm he has for rainforest plants and cultures. He shows us how important plants have been in the course of the development of civilization. As a historian, I greatly appreciated his vignettes into the origins of coffee, rubber and other life changing substances. Mark is a great story teller, and he is one of the luckiest men alive to have seen pristine rainforests and lived with these 20,000+ year old cultures before those clever capitalists and Christians wipe them all out. That's another thing I like about this book. It slams the arrogant missionaries who think they have all the right answers when in fact they are destroyers of indigenous cultures and invaluable medical knowledge. You can't help but read this book and feel that as you watch the rainforests burn, you might as well be watching the library of Alexandria burn.

But the book isn't depressing. It is empowering. Mark has a plan, and he's implementing it. Harness the greed of capitalism, and the pharmaceutical industry. Let's show the world that Science has brought us to this unprecedented point in our cognitive evolution and only Science (not praying to imaginary friends) will save us. Knowledge, not ignorance, is power.

6 people found this helpful

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Julie

Good book

Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2023

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Got this book quickly, good read!

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Amazon Customer

Fantastic book--ended too soon.

Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2014

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Plotkin has written a lovely book here about the Northwest Amazon (Venezuela, Guyana, Surname, French Guyana, and Brazil); the least disturbed part of the great forest. Just like the field of ethnobotany, this book is interdisciplinary: anthropology, botany, medicine, linguistics, geography, ecology, and history are all featured.

Unlike his famous predecessor and mentor, Richard Evens Schultes, Plotkin visits Amazonian tribes at a time when many of them are losing their traditional ways in exchange for the convenience of the West. This adds importance to his work and urgency to his message of conservation.

As a lover of maps, my only gripe is that the map at the beginning could've done a better job of detailing his travels. Not a huge deal. I read this book with my laptop next to me so that I could look up different places, plants, and people that I was curious about.

Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice is a rare book that will not only teach you a great deal but thrill you along the way. Bravo!

One person found this helpful

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Steve M.

An Interesting Book By An Engaging Author

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2019

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This is an interesting book by an engaging author. It is an account of an ethnobotanist who went to the Amazon Rain Forest to learn about the natives' use of plants to treat various conditions, and his efforts to preserve the knowledge of these people and the plants they use. The author got to know some of these people well, and the development of these relationships adds to this account and reminds us that people are very much the same the world over. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.

One person found this helpful

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Brad G.

Riveting, Mind Opening, Transformational

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2018

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The author brings us to the reality of how the wisdom of indigenous peoples are the best knowledge and the wisest council in their domain, and the domain of life. It seems we often think of western cultures as being the "right" way, when in essence there are many "right" ways, and knowing and appreciating each others "right" ways shows us we only have part of the solution, not THE solution. Read and learn a significant amount about the Amazon Tropical Rainforest and its peoples, it will transform you.

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Helen E Dunn

extraordinary book by an extraordinary man

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2022

Verified Purchase

Must read if you are interested in herbs, herbal healing, ethnobotany, ecology, environmental issues, shamanic lore, the Amazon jungle and it’s peoples

One person found this helpful

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Simon (NZ)

Fascinating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 21, 2023

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One of the most interesting books I've read in ages. It is a mixture of travel adventure to seldom-visited places, Amazonian tribes, botany, strange characters, plant medicine, hallucinogens and shamanism. Not a dull page in the entire book (apart from the index at the end perhaps!)
When reading a non-fiction book I like to highlight the best bits but in this case I failed; the entire book is "the best bit".

Amazon Dave

misleading title / pleasantly surprised

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2019

Verified Purchase

the title is a little misleading but i was pleasantly surprised by the content which was very interesting

Persephone

Ethnobotany at its greatest

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2014

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This book made me want to turn back time and go study another science, that of ethnobotany .... It also made me want to buy a ticet and jump on a plane to South America....

archy

Must read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2018

Verified Purchase

Fascinating anthropological study by learned scientist.

Rob

Book condition was noted as good - but acceptable was, what I got...

Reviewed in Germany on January 21, 2016

Verified Purchase

Book arrived in time, but was in a worse condition then I thought, binding intact, but cover looked like it travelled all over South America, in a backback, strongly worn, pages corrugated and generally not more than a acceptable condition. The pages are clean, though...and an enthralling read will be guaranteed. 3 stars for the unexpected bad condition. Sorry, folks.

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