Description

A passionate and informative celebration of trees and of man’s ingenuity in exploiting their resources: the perfect gift for anyone who cares about the natural world.

Trees are marvels of nature, still-standing giants of extraordinary longevity. In a beautifully written sequence of essays, anecdotes and profiles of Britain’s best-loved species (from yew to scots pine), Max Adams explores both the amazing biology of trees and humanity’s relationship with wood and forest across the centuries.

Embellished with images from John Evelyn’s classic SYLVA (1664), THE WISDOM OF TREES is a gift book that will delight anyone who cares about the natural world and our interaction with it.

Publisher Review

'A deeply reflective and charmingly eclectic book, replete with botanical and historical information about trees and our constantly evolving relationship with them' * The Good Book Guide * 'The core of Adam's book is about the remarkable ways in which, over a period of 200 million years, evolution has enabled the trees to survive and flourish. Max Adam's deeply felt book can be seen and welcomed as further homage to Evelyn's great pioneering passion for trees' * The Times * 'Lyrical prose apart, read this superbly informative book, and you will want to be out planting acorns, apply pips and conkers' * Resurgence & Ecologist * 'An eclectic and beautifully written sequence of reflection, investigations, stories and tree profiles ... A wonderful gift for anyone who cares about the natural world and our interaction with it' * Wiltshire Life * 'An elegant book packed with information ... Adams is a true woodsman so speaks with authority' * Country Life * 'This book is a celebration of the plant from which it is made' * i * 'This fascinating, quirky exposition of all things woody that tells us much about the astounding natural engineering of trees' * Independent * 'Adam's enthusiasm is beguiling, his knowledge as bountiful as a beech-mast, and his appreciation of the utility of trees is a pointer to a better world' * The Times *