In Trees: An Exploration of Ancient Living Wisdom from Wild Branches to Deep Roots

"Brilliant, powerful, fascinating" ROBERT MACFARLANE, author of Is a River Alive? "Deeply thoughtful" ROBIN WALL KIMMERER, author of Braiding Sweetgrass "Captivating and exhilarating" TRISTAN GOOLEY, author of How to Read a Tree A tree is not just a type of being, it is also a way of being – one that is wildly creative, fantastically resilient, and most of all, deeply rooted... From bestselling author Robert Moor comes a wondrous journey through the wilds of nature and the gnarls of history, exploring how trees – from the tiniest bonsai to the mightiest sequoia – teach us to grow wise. One day, on a whim, Robert Moor set out to climb a tree near his home, unwittingly embarking on what would become a decade-long, globe-spanning adventure. Drawing on an astonishing range of thinkers, from cutting-edge scientists to ancient philosophers, Moor explores how trees have shaped human lives for millennia – and how they can guide us into the future. His hunt for the ‘wisdom of trees’ takes him from the Lake District to Ethiopia, Tanzania, Papua and Japan. He dines with David Attenborough, naps with chimpanzees and risks his life to save an ancient forest. Along the way, Moor investigates some of humanity’s oldest mysteries: What is the secret to growing old well? How do we set down roots in an increasingly chaotic world? And most importantly, how should we – as individuals, as communities, as stewards of the Earth – live? What begins as an ode to the miracle of trees blossoms into a joyous, daring, fiercely hopeful endeavour to broaden our minds and deepen our connections. To truly grasp the wisdom of a tree, this bold new classic announces, you must learn to think like one.