On the surface the book’s stated mission was to gather together forty years of research on prairie meadows and gardens with a compilation of information on 145 prairie plants. Though it is suggested and implied, there is no preaching about the importance of understanding and applying prairie diversity to organic and biodynamic farming schemes. The book would seem to be aimed at gardeners rather than farmers, botanists, agriculturalists and agronomists and that is of course fine, but there is a far larger usefulness to this volume. It is the most complete guide to prairie ecosystems that I have ever had the delicious pleasure in owning and perusing.