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The Serviceberry
The Serviceberry: An Economy of Gifts and Abundance | Robin Wall Kimmerer
14 posts | 9 read | 7 to read
As indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberrys relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealthits abundance of sweet, juicy berriesto meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency. As Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is a great teacher, and her words are a hymn of love to the world. The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that hoarding wont save us, all flourishing is mutual.
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jenniferw88
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So excited for my #auldlangspine list from @Singout ! I haven't read ANY of them, although I have read the tagged author before & loved it (Braiding Sweetgrass), so I'll probably start there.

Top right shows books I already owned (and/or purchased recently), & bottom right shows books I'm interested in.

Books #2, #5, #6 & #12 aren't appealing to me at mo, but might later in the year! 🤣

Thanks @monalyisha for another 👍 match!

#als2026 #als

Singout Wow!!! I‘m so happy you‘re looking forward to them! I‘m going to make a beautiful list like yours, and do a bit more reflection when I am away in the next couple of days. 15h
Amiable Oh, I love Thrity Umrigar —everything she writes is wonderful. 11h
KT1432 This looks good!! 9h
TheKidUpstairs I love love love Christine Higdon 9h
50 likes4 comments
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Creme_de_la_them
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Pickpick

If you enjoyed “Braiding Sweetgrass” you will love this. It‘s much shorter, only 100-ish pages, but it nourishes the soul like the fruit she writes about. “Braiding Sweetgrass” was soul food, “The Serviceberry” is spring sunshine with a cool breeze.

Kimmerer describes the world I‘ve dreamed of since I was 4 years old, one of community and compassion where those who have give, and those who need have their needs met. Please read this book.

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Singout
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Our oldest teachings remind us that failure to show gratitude dishonours the gift and brings serious consequences. If you dishonor the beavers by taking too many, they will leave. If you waste the corn, you‘ll go hungry. The knowing that you already have what you need, is a radical act in an economy that that is always urging us to consume more. Data tells that there is enough food on the planet for all of us. And yet people are starving.

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Catsandbooks
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#RiseUpReads November 2025

The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Read at your own pace. There will be a discussion post on Litsy at the end of the month.

Please tag me in your posts & use #riseupreads
If you're not currently tagged & would like to be, let me know

Content Warnings: colonization, classism, racism, animal death, religious bigotry, pandemic, cannibalism

52 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Graciouswarriorlibrarian
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This book explains how we live in an economy consumerism society, and we need to get back to a gift society. I thoroughly enjoyed the author explaining how we reap what we sow; quite literally and the importance of not taking more than we need and to share the abundance.

I loved this book for many reasons. Book 73 of the year. B

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REPollock
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Pickpick

This book will change the world.

Perhaps only in small ways, but all positive change has value.

Suet624 Agreed. 6mo
16 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Graciouswarriorlibrarian
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Listening to this audiobook to fulfill the second prompt in the Barnes and Noble adult summer reading program. Plus, while running, I saw fresh berries!

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Branwen
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Reading Robin Wall Kimmerer's new book outside in the woods really is a perfect way to spend a Friday afternoon! 🌿☀️

AnnCrystal 😍🤩📚💝💝💝. 8mo
48 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Bevita
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Pickpick

Beautiful, hopeful, aspirational novel about the giving economy. We should all read one chapter each day, over and over, until this nightmare is over.

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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

“All flourishing is mutual.”
“We don‘t all have to own everything.”

A lovely little book singing the praises of libraries and the “gift economy” with examples from nature. A beautiful volume full of lovely illustrations of cedar waxwings and plants. Very slim, but does its job perfectly. A wonderful reminder to spread the wealth and as always from Kimmerer, keep our natural environment in mind.

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Suelizbeth
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Pickpick

From cover to cover, you have to admire the layout and the illustrations. Subtitled, Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World is the text. The writer acknowledges that we have to have some consumerism to pay the bills, but that if we combine that with a gift economy, we will live in an infinitely better world. The Serviceberry is the example of the gift economy used throughout. Robin Wall Kimmerer is our collective conscience. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tamra Mrs. Claus may or may not be tucking this one in my stocking. 😉 Glad to see you liked it! 12mo
Suelizbeth @Tamra I hope Mrs. Claus comes through! 📚❤️ 12mo
42 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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sebrittainclark
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#bookspin: The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer

#doublebookspin: How to Summon a Fairy Godmother by Laura J. Mayo

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! Looks fantastic!! 13mo
44 likes1 comment
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sebrittainclark
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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 13mo
rachelsbrittain Not for the Faint of Heart and Queerly Beloved!! 13mo
rachelsbrittain Also! Susie has a new book coming out set in Eureka Springs! 13mo
sebrittainclark @rachelsbrittain oh that's very exciting! 13mo
24 likes4 comments