Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass has been selected as the Community Book for the 2023-2024 year.
Dear Members of the Oxy Community –
I am excited to announce that Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants has been selected as the Community Book for the 2023-2024 year. Braiding Sweetgrass, by Potawatomi professor Robin Wall Kimmerer, is about the role of Indigenous knowledge as an alternative or complementary approach to Western mainstream scientific methodologies. Braiding Sweetgrass explores reciprocal relationships between humans and the land, with a focus on the role of plants and botany in both Native American and Western traditions. The book received largely positive reviews, appearing on several bestseller lists including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times.
Braiding Sweetgrass will be a required text for incoming first-year students. This book ties into the themes that will be at the center of the Oxy Arts programming during the 2023-24 academic year and the focal point of multiple community-wide events.
The Community Book Program Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) oversees the selection process of the Community Book. The membership of the AHC represents the multiple constituencies that comprise the College’s campus community. Every year, the AHC selects a book that can be connected to one or more of the four pillars of the College’s mission. Through an inclusive process, they solicited title suggestions from Oxy’s faculty, students, and staff.
All Oxy students are offered the opportunity to acquire the e-version of Braiding Sweetgrass at no charge. Students will receive an email with more information about accessing their free copy in the coming weeks. The Library will have several copies for members of the community to borrow. We ask that all other members of the College community read a copy in the format of their choice. We will be creating a resource guide and other educational materials to support the Community Book Program.
Enjoy the summer reading and summer break!
With best wishes,
Wendy Sternberg