At my last two homes, striving to be more mindful of native gardening and the needs of the birds and other critters that make their home close by, I have planted serviceberry trees. I haven't tasted many of the tiny blue and red berries they produce -- the birds typically strip them bare as soon as they ripen -- but it brings me joy to watch the birds and know I'm doing something useful for my local environment.

The serviceberry -- also known as Juneberry, Saskatoon and shadbush, among other colloquial names -- is a native flowering and fruit-bearing tree that doesn't seem to be as well-known as it should be. I have recommended them to several friends who were looking for trees to plant, and I hope to see them spread in popularity. Of course, when I saw The Serviceberry: Abundance & Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Native American professor and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer, I was moved to read it.

It is, as I suspected, right up my alley. The serviceberry, in this case, is both a tangible gift -- a fruit freely shared -- and a metaphor for a public duty to be generous, grateful and kind, to share with others without expecting a specific payment in return. It is, Kimmerer explains, an economy based on gifts, rather than unceasing accumulation.

"Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love," the book tells us. "Meanwhile, the serviceberry's relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth -- its abundance of sweet, juicy berries -- to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival."

The book is short, just over 100 pages, and it's printed in a small, sturdy format that feels good in the hand. It is beautifully illustrated by John Burgoyne, who supplies a scattering of lovely, highly detailed black-and-white ink drawings.

The book has been lauded by reviewers as diverse as the New York Times, Oprah Daily, Publishers Weekly, Scientific American and Forbes. Time describes it as "a moving meditation on what a giving tree can teach us about building a fairer society ... A compelling argument for a more ethical economy." The San Francisco Chronicle notes, "Our individualistic, pro-competition, consumption-focused capitalist economy is inherently flawed and is leading us down a destructive and lonely path. ... Kimmerer creates a bighearted version of millions of little circular economies in which people learn how to foster kinship, 'recognize enoughness,' and appreciate what Mother Earth provides." The Sierra Magazine calls it "a psalm for the natural world and a profound exploration of how we can reframe our relationship with nature and with others through gift economies," and says "Kimmerer's blend of scientific observation, memoir, and philosophical reflection makes The Serviceberry a compelling read that transcends mere ecological treatise."

The Serviceberry is short enough to be read in a sitting or two, or spread out over a few days if you prefer. Kimmerer's philosophy is joyful and practical, although I'm not sure I can see a majority of modern Americans embracing it. As a society, we simply want more stuff, always more, never enough, gotta have it.

I spoke once with a park ranger in Montana who told me about people who would rip endangered huckleberry bushes out by their roots and shake their bounty over a blanket before driving off with the fruit -- preferring to kill the bush entirely rather than pick a few and let someone else (such as a hungry grizzly bear) have the rest. It's hard to imagine someone like that sharing serviceberries with Kimmerer.

But it's nice to imagine a world where a generous spirit might be embraced and emulated, rather than exploited for personal gain. Where a surplus of goods might be shared, rather than hoarded.

At the very least, this philosophy might thrive in small, close-knit communities. Maybe then it will spread to society at large. We can hope.

In the meantime, thanks to Kimmerer for sharing her wisdom so eloquently.