A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants

Plot Summary

Plants may seem harmless. After all, they cannot chase or attack a person. They are rooted and slow, and most people ignore them. Hidden underneath their beautiful exterior, plants have their own powerful and dangerous defenses. A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plans: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds is a collection of some of the world's most infamously dangerous plants. From the stinging of the Gympie-Gympie tree to the hallucinogenic Datura seeds to the addictive Opium Poppy, each plant is detailed by the threat it poses to life around it. Each plant is described along with real-life circumstances in which it was used in a deadly way. Rebecca E. Hirsch uses her scientific knowledge to explain how each of the plants creates and disseminates its poison in a comprehensible but terrifying way. A history book, thriller, and scientific book are all wrapped in this most dangerous compendium. 

Critical Evaluation 

A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds is a fun and compulsively readable resource about some of the world’s most poisonous plants (and one fungus). It is clear that the author, Rebecca E. Hirsch, PhD, is well-informed about the plants and well-informed about her audience. The book combines scientific writing with true crime, history, and mythology to create a deeply fascinating tome about these plants. On top of being engaging, the scientific information is easy to understand due to the clear and simplified explanations of the reactions that each of these plants causes. 

Part of the comprehensibility of the information presented is due to the repeated format of each section. Each one starts with a historical account of the plant’s use followed by “The Wicked Weed” or “Sinister Seed” that describes the plant, which parts of it are poisonous, and how to best identify it, and then ends with “Bodily Harm” that describes what the plant does to a human being. In these sections, Hirsch discusses specific chemicals and proteins both in the plant and in human bodies and how they interact with each other. If there is a particularly complex topic, she spends the time to give a brief explanation on how it works, such as the role of neuotransmitters in pain. She also includes detailed scientific information such as the plant’s scientific name, common name, the symptoms it produces, and where it grows. Each of these sections builds the reader’s knowledge to better understand the inner workings of these plants. 

The illustrations that accompany each plant are gorgeous. Eugenia Nobati captures the eerie and creepy nature created by Hirsch's true-crime-esque prose through the use of stained paper backgrounds, vibrant but contrasting colors, and intense use of shadows. While I have high standards for botanical drawings, wanting to see the root systems, inside the fruit, and more of the life stages of the flower, I cannot deny that they all add to the atmosphere of the book while providing a useful visual reference. Overall, this book was gorgeous and informative. It's a great resource for teens wanting to learn more about botany or herbalism, beginning their journeys into the science of plants. 

Creative Use for a Library Program 

I feel as though the obvious program to host, based on this book, would be a plant identification class. This could either be specifically about poisonous plants, or it could just focus on the plants that are found in the local region. If it is the latter, there would probably still be poisonous plants that are mentioned as warnings to avoid. 

This book, however, also makes me want to host a botanical drawing program. Inspired by the art of Eugenia Nobati, it would be fun to learn how to make a scientific drawing of plants. This includes not only information about the drawing process but also what parts of the plant to include, how to position them on the page, and how to conduct live drawing sessions in nature. This is information that I would definitely want to know, and I’m sure there are plenty of teens who would agree. It is a great opportunity to combine the fields of science and art. 

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation

As this book is essentially a list of harmful plants (and one fungus), I could see it being challenged as a dangerous resource. There could be the concern of teens wanting to find and use these plants on others to cause harm, or, particularly for plants with “fun” or hallucinogenic effects in small doses, teens might seek them out to experience the effects. There is also cause for concern that this book might instill a general fear of plants. To respond to these criticisms, I would state the difference between providing information and endorsing/causing actions. The book acts as a warning for these plants, with Dr. Hirsh stating the dangers each plant poses multiple times. She is particularly explicit with her warnings regarding the most dangerous among them. It could be argued that this book is useful as it reminds its readers of the danger of ingesting unknown plants. This book could prevent dangerous experimentation through its arguments and pieces of plant identification.

Reason for Inclusion

This book is extremely readable, filled with fascinating histories and facts about different poisonous plants. While reading it, I kept having to stop and share the information with my friends or my patient boyfriend, who listened attentively to the facts I had just learned. This book, while not the most rigorous or completely thorough resource, is still a great guide to learning about poisonous plants. As someone interested in learning to forage but fearful of getting something wrong, having a book like this to reference is invaluable. It has its place in my collection due to its engaging writing, beautiful illustrations, and useful information.