Devoured: The Extraordinary Story of Kudzu, the Vine That Ate the South -- Ayurella Horn-Muller, Hardcover

Kudzu abounds across the American South. Introduced in the United States in the 1800s as a solution for soil erosion, this invasive vine with Eastern Asian origins came to be known as a pernicious invader capable of smothering everything in its path. To many, the plant's enduring legacy has been its villainous role as the "vine that ate the South." But for a select few, it has begun to signify something else entirely. In its roots, a network of people scattered across the country see a chance at redemption--and an opportunity to rewrite a fragment of troubled history.

Devoured: The Extraordinary Story of Kudzu, the Vine That Ate the South detangles the complicated story of the South's fickle relationship with kudzu, chronicling the ways the boundless weed has evolved over centuries, and dissecting what climate change could mean for its future across the United States. From architecture teams experimenting with it as a sustainable building material, to clinical applications treating binge-drinking, to chefs harvesting it as a wild edible, environmental journalist Ayurella Horn-Muller spotlights how kudzu's notorious reputation in America is gradually being cast aside in favor of its promise.

Weaving careful research with personal stories, Horn-Muller investigates how kudzu morphed from a miraculous agricultural solution to the monstrous archetypal foe of the southern landscape. Devoured is a poignant narrative of belonging, racial ambiguity, outsiders and insiders, and the path from universal acceptance to undesirability. It is a deeply reported exploration of the landscapes that host the many species we fight to control. Above all, Devoured is an ode to the earth around us--a quest for meaning in today's imperiled world.

Author: Ayurella Horn-Muller
Publisher: LSU Press
Published: 03/06/2024
Pages: 280
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 8.50h x 6.40w x 1.80d
ISBN: 9780807182000

About the Author
Ayurella Horn-Muller is an award-winning journalist who has covered climate justice for Axios and Climate Central. Her work has been featured in the Guardian, USA TODAY, Forbes, and on NPR and PBS NewsHour. Based in Florida, she has received media fellowships from the Society of Environmental Journalists, Metcalf Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Oregon State Universi