This isn't a review of the book, but a brief defense of all of us who don't have the time to type self-indulgent nonsense in book reviews on a regular basis. There are many folks who have found perhaps one book or whatever that truly moves them and have carved out the time to give a single 5-star review. We aren't shills or fakes. We're people. And I am incredibly offended that the review below could dismiss and defame us all in such an ignorant fashion.

As both a beekeeper and a shamanic practitioner I was amazed and delighted by this book, as it confirmed so much that I had intuitively realised through my shamanic practice and my work with bees over many years.

Other than Martin Prechtel (author of Teachings of the Talking Jaguar) I can't think of any other author of shamanism who writes so eloquently on the subject, and the intelligence, poetry and wisdom of the `Path of Pollen' that Buxton writes about radiates from every page.

Whilst this book is shamanically accurate in aspects of presentation, ritual and belief it is in many ways more about the authors teacher - a Welsh `Bee Master' - than the author himself, and furthermore is the most exquisite eulogy to the honeybee I've ever come across. The book is almost scriptural in its resonance's whilst at the same time is as gripping as a thriller, to the point that I read it in a single sitting, which is unusual for me. I'm now going over it more slowly and am uncovering some of its many layers. My only criticism? It wasn't long enough!

I also notice that an earlier review comments on the use of smoke within bee-keeping, careful readers of this book will note that Simon Buxton's teacher never uses smoke with the hives.