Book Club - 'Braiding Sweetgrass' by Robin Wall Kimmerer

The Common Threads Book Club is a community for readers who want —through books— to understand the invisible threads that connect our lives.

Each month, we explore a book that sheds light on at least three dimensions: the quiet work of healing; the resilience found in everyday life; and the ways people rebuild trust, community, and meaning.

The books we select highlight characters who have gone through deep transformation —sometimes through conflict or loss, other times through the challenges of daily life— and who remind us that peace is not something we stumble upon, but something we practice.

Through reflective dialogue, we trace these “common threads” that connect people, places, and moments. We notice how small acts of care, courage, and connection help shape a more compassionate and harmonious world.

April Book: Braiding Sweetgrass

We begin in April with Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

Through plants and ecosystems, Kimmerer invites us to see the world as a collection of gifts rather than a commodity.

She calls us into a practice of mutual care —with the earth and with one another. This wisdom offers a starting point for navigating one of the most challenging moments of our time, shaped by disconnection, fear, and a lack of empathy.

Sessions overview

Session 1: Wednesday, April 8

We will read the first third of the book and, guided by its teachings, explore current issues such as immigration and diversity, as well as critiques of systems rooted in scarcity and greed.

Session 2: Wednesday, April 15

We will read the second third of the book, focusing on the allegory of the maple tree and its sugar. We’ll reflect on both the contributions of Indigenous knowledge and the loss of these wisdom traditions.

Session 3: Wednesday, April 22

We will finish the book and open a broader reflection. Through stories like the Windigo, we’ll bring these insights into the present moment.

Who is this for?

The Common Threads Book Club is for anyone who longs for a deeper connection —with themselves, with others, and with the human experience. For those who value books that reveal the beauty of interdependence.

For people who want to experience this book not just as an essay, but as something lived —allowing its perspective on nature, gratitude, and reciprocity to truly land.

For those who sense that the world is not sustained by productivity alone, but by care.

For those who want to explore interdependence not as a concept, but as a daily practice.

If you’re wondering how we inhabit this planet. If you’re asking how to live with more awareness. If you feel that connection itself can be a quiet form of resistance, this club is for you.

Facilitator

Angie Garvey, PhD in Politics and International Relations. She returns to the Magnolia Foundation as the facilitator for the Common Threads Book Club. Previously, she taught courses on conflict analysis and humanitarian security for peace with Magnolia and is so excited to continue working with the foundation in this new format.

This is a free event (voluntary donations are accepted). Please get your free ticket below.