Review by Choice Review
Herbal Medicine in Yemen adds to a very small collection of print works documenting the traditional uses of medicinal plants in a little-studied region of the world (at least from a Western perspective). Yemeni herbal medicine flourished through the ages due to the wealth and diversity of native plants and its deep historical and societal roots. The volume's 11 essays, contributed by 14 scholars, were based on a 2009 workshop held in Halle, Germany. The editors are experts in their respective fields (agriculture, pharmacy, religious anthropology, history of science, and Arabic philology) and have specialized background in Yemeni material culture and religion. The text incorporates both contemporary and historical herbal practices; some are discussed within the contexts of Islamic studies and social anthropology, while others focus on ethnopharmacy, ethnopharmacology, and pharmacognosy. Documenting Yemeni medicinal plants and specialized practices assumes great importance now, as climate change and the encroachments of civilization increase the number of plants on endangered species lists. The volume contains maps, figures, and three indexes--plants/fungi, names, and subjects/keywords. Useful for scholars interested in the healing practices of Yemen and other Arab countries, Islamic healing practices, and/or indigenous medicine. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and researchers/faculty. J. Saxton Bastyr University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
