Cassandra Quave, PhD, is the herbarium curator and an associate professor of dermatology and human health at Emory University, where she leads anti-infective drug discovery research initiatives and teaches courses on medicinal plants, food, and health. She is also the co-founder and CEO/CSO of PhytoTEK LLC, a drug-discovery company dedicated to developing solutions from botanicals for the treatment of recalcitrant antibiotic-resistant infections. Dr. Quave is a fellow of the Explorers Club, a former president of the Society for Economic Botany, and a recipient of the Emory Williams Teaching Award and Charles Heiser, Jr. Mentor Award. She is the co-creator and host of Foodie Pharmacology, a podcast dedicated to exploring the links between food and medicine. A leader in the field of medical botany, she has authored more than 100 scientific publications and has been featured in the New York Times Magazine and BBC Focus, as well as on PBS, NPR and the National Geographic Channel.
“Cassandra Quave takes us on a fascinating and deeply personal
journey to seek out modern medicines from the botanical world. As a
scientist she is scrappy and tenacious, and as a writer she is
eloquent and disarmingly honest. Fans of Hope Jahren’s Lab Girl
will devour this engrossing narrative about Quave’s quest for the
next cure.”
—Amy Stewart, bestselling author of The Drunken Botanist
“Quave’s fascinating story is full of insights with equal respect
for traditional healing and ‘scientific’ medicine.”
—Jonathan Drori, author of Around the World in 80 Plants
"This most remarkable book is overflowing with inspiration, delight
and adventure, as Cassandra Quave brilliantly describes
her search to understand nature’s healing power. Above all, Quave
offers an intensely honest and personal story of a life filled with
purpose, joy and challenges, which will no doubt influence a
generation of young people seeking to serve the greater good, while
reminding us all that we are inextricably connected to the
Earth."
—Michael J. Balick, Co-Author of Plants, People and Culture:
The Science of Ethnobotany
“Quave remains determined, resourceful, and cognizant of the
alliances that have enabled her life’s work. . . . [She] exhibits a
deep humanity and humility in her writing. This, along with her
thrilling adventures—often with children in tow—spurs the reader
on. In the end, she succeeds in demonstrating that plants are an
underutilized resource for drug discovery and in communicating the
many joys and challenges that accompany a career in science.”
—Science
“This book is fascinating for anyone who is curious about the
potential impact that plants, waiting in the wings for scientific
discovery, can have on our health. . . . [It] is a wonderfully
engaging memoir of how Quave first ventured into science and
ultimately the field of ethnobiology . . . [that] is inspiring
and easy to grasp even for those who have no grasp of—or curiosity
about—science.”
—The Marin Independent Journal
“In the war against infectious diseases, Quave is a fierce
combatant, exhibiting focused determination, admirable flexibility,
and persuasive enthusiasm in this candidly personal narrative.”
—Booklist
“[A] spirited, globe-trotting debut . . . Nature-minded readers
will find themselves immersed in—and inspired by—Quave’s poignant
tale.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Quave’s inviting memoir demonstrates grit and determination and
explains some of the fascinating and critical uses of plants for
healing (including possible uses against antimicrobial resistance
and even COVID-19).”
—Library Journal (starred)
“A fascinating account of [Quave’s] development as a scientist, her
research into the pharmacological potential of plants used in
traditional medicine, the challenge of balancing work with
motherhood, and her lifelong struggle with disability and infection
. . . highly compelling.”
—Kirkus
“Cassandra Quave is a woman with incredible grit and courage.”
—Temple Grandin, bestselling author of Thinking in Pictures
“In The Plant Hunter, Cassandra Quave traces her fast-paced and
barrier-breaking path to become a scientist, and takes us on a romp
through jungles, swamps, deserts, and mountains in search of the
holiest of botanical grails: tomorrow's life-saving
medicines. We need more scientists like Quave—resourceful,
good-humored, and ready to solve Earth's most pressing
problems.”
—Daniel Stone, National Geographic writer and bestselling author of
The Food Explorer
“Be forewarned: there’s no putting this book down once you turn the
first page! It’s an absolutely fascinating and remarkable
account of one heroic woman’s personal journey into the healing
power of plants, full of world travels, medical knowledge, plant
wisdom, and scientific insights. Exceptionally well written,
thought provoking and inspiring, this is adventure at its
finest.”
—Rosemary Gladstar, herbalist and author of Rosemary Gladstar’s
Medicinal Herbs
“An enthralling account of an inspiring tragedy-to-triumph story
about becoming a leading scientist in search of plants that heal.
Highly recommended!”
—Mark J. Plotkin, President of the Amazon Conservation Team and
author of Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice
“The Plant Hunter moved and amazed me. Cassandra Quave is flat-out
heroic. We see her pursue her passion under grueling conditions
that would make most of us blanch, even if we did not sport a
prosthetic leg, as Quave does. Lance a boil on your own inflamed
limb in the jungle as a college student on your first international
research trip? Tote your first baby along as you conduct fieldwork
essential for your doctoral research? And perhaps most
challenging—juggle the demands of running two labs, securing
grants, teaching and mentoring, and being a mother to three
children? Quave does it all, and she shares her inspiring story
with humor and grace.”
—Victoria Johnson, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of American
Eden
“Like an intricate game, The Plant Hunter is a book that contains
many books within it: a magical memoir and a journey of dogged
discovery, a profound romance and a stirring call to action.
Above all, it is an urgent plea to recover knowledge that has
almost been lost to us, and to honor the untold generations whose
ancient wisdom might save our lives.”
—Maryn McKenna, Senior Fellow, Center for the Study of Human
Health and author of Big Chicken
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