The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer
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? 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.”
- Last updated: October 24, 2025
This guide includes 10 questions to spark discussion.
This is a 52 minute podcast episode in which Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmmerer discussed the philosophy of a “gift economy” in her latest book 'The Serviceberry', expanding on the theme of reciprocity from her 2013 book 'Braiding Sweetgrass.'
A welcome meditation on living in harmony with the earth and fostering deeper connections with one another.
In her new book The Serviceberry, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer argues that humans would be wise to learn from the circular economies of reciprocity and abundance that play out in natural ecosystems.
Biography from the author’s website.
Robin Wall Kimmerer changed our ideas of sustainability. Can she do the same for economics?
The author of 'Braiding Sweetgrass' returns with visions of an ecologically-inspired alternative to consumerism.
In an e360 interview, the Indigenous ecologist discusses reciprocity, gratitude, and aligning human law with ecological law.
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