Jonathan Briggs, A little Book about Mistletoe, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire: the author, 2010.
This attractive and beautifully illustrated 32-page book is a product of the author’s 25-year interest in mistletoe (Viscum album) – see www.mistletoe.org.uk. Each double-page spread is a mini-chapter covering topics such as ancient traditions, Christmas and modern customs, harvesting and trading, mistletoe medicine, and how to grow your own mistletoe plants. The approach is unsentimental. The author steers well clear of many of the speculations about mistletoe and Druids, and recognises that it is necessary to control mistletoe growth in some orchards.
In his introduction the author states that this book is an experiment, if it is successful he will ‘produce a more detailed mistletoe book in due course’. Having read it, we hope the book will prove successful, and look forward to its successor.

Image: painting by C.A.M. Lindman (1856-1928).