Some plants have sustained empires and sparked wars. Some have ignited public outrage. Think tea, opium, tulips and thistles. Yes, thistles. In 1852 South Australia passed its Thistle Act, probably the first weed control legislation anywhere in the world. The word 'thistle' refers to a large and widespread group of plants. Several hundred species within the Asteraceae family, plus a bunch of other plants we call thistles even though technically, botanically, they're not. Google 'thistles' and many of the sites will tell you how to get rid of them. Dig a little deeper, however, and from this weedy territory other narratives begin to emerge. Part accidental memoir, part environmental history, and part exploration of the performative voice on the page, The Book of Thistles is about the cultural and social life of this group of plants we call thistles.