Birgit Bradtke, Neem enthusiast & researcher, formerly with WA Kununurra, Australia, now Langkampfen, Austria, www.discoverneem.com
For anyone curious about neem and its many uses, Klaus Ferlow’s book “Neem – Nature’s Healing Gift to Humanity” is the best place to start. They will probably finish here as well, as I am confident this book will answer any and all questions they may have. Klaus leads with the eminently readable story of his own struggle with psoriasis, how he finally overcame the condition with the help of neem, and how that led him to become the first producer and marketer of neem products in the Western world. Concurrently he has been curious about and researching all things neem ever since and he is generously sharing his discoveries in part 2 and 3 of the book. Part 2 contains a concise guide to the many uses of neem for a great variety of skin and other health conditions, whereas part 3 digs into the science and research behind this seemingly miraculous plant. This is followed by detailed information about the controversies surrounding patents on various neem extraction and production methods and a look into the future of neem. People contemplating growing neem trees, be it privately or commercially, will appreciate the inclusion of the full text of Dr. Ramesh Saxena’s study (The Neem Tree: Its Geographic Distribution, Plantation Characteristics, Growth and Yield, Genetic Variation, and Associated Pests and Diseases). And anybody who wants to dig deeper into any of the covered topics will greatly appreciate the impressive collection of neem resources at the back of the book: 58 (!) pages of neem manufacturers, distributers, importers & exporters as well as research and other organizations worldwide, all organized by location.
All in all an impressively comprehensive yet easy to read reference manual that I hope will spread the word about neem to the many who could benefit from this versatile plant. Which would be everyone!