62 Book Review WOOD GLORIOUS WOOD I
’m getting a bit obsessed by wood at the moment. It’s my most reliable source of heat and with an east wind blowing around a draughty Devon farmhouse the fire is no longer a luxury but an essential. It seems that wood and trees have also become
more prominent in the publishing world with a growing demand for books about nature and a desire to return to our roots. So here are my suggestions for a few tree-themed books to spark your mind, body and soul over the winter period. For a good, long, engaging fiction read you could
try Annie Proulx’s new book Barkskins (Fourth Estate). Labelled “an environmental epic” by Alex Clark in The Guardian it’s also an “ambitious saga about the destruction of the world’s forests which follows two colonial dynasties across continents and centuries.” The author of bestselling The Shipping News and Brokeback Mountain has produced another powerful novel “which might be her best yet … and will have you pondering the provenance of every piece of wood you touch.” Anthony Doerr (The Observer). A good coffee table book for any tree or history
lover is Ancient Trees of the National Trust by Edward Parker and Brian Muelaner. The National Trust is the largest private custodian of ancient trees and the book tells the story of the oldest and most notable ones which reside on its property around the UK. The beautiful photography is by Edward Parker and the fascinating commentary by Brian Muelaner who holds the impressive post of ‘chair of the Ancient Tree Forum’. The history, cultural associations and
biological importance of the trees are brought to life as he highlights those trees which have been silent witnesses to legendary events. These include the yew tree under which the Magna Carta was said to have been sealed 800 years ago and Isaac Newton’s apple tree which ultimately influenced space travel. If only trees could talk! Which moves me swiftly on to The Hidden Life of
Trees by Peter Wohlleben (published by Greystone Books, Canada). The author is a forester in Germany and a conservationist to the core and this book shares his deep love and respect for woods and trees as well as presenting the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities. Based on groundbreaking
by Emma Jones
new discoveries and using his extensive analysis and knowledge, he outlines woodland etiquette, his belief that trees have feelings, memories and characters and that they even communicate via a Woodwide web. With the author’s accessible and fascinating writing and encyclopaedic knowledge of trees and forests the book is understandably already a bestseller in
Germany and encourages us all to go out and hug a tree and appreciate the wonder and magic of the natural world. And lest we forget that the magic of trees is
restricted to grown-ups I’m including a recent picture book publication perfect for the younger generation - Super Happy Magic Forest: Slug of Doom by Matty Long (OUP Oxford). Like any good book for toddlers it appeals as much to adults as it does to children. The title alone can’t fail to raise a smile and the book is full of the essential ingredients: colourful illustrations, humour, magic, silliness and adventure. The book tells the story of five brave heroes (including a fairy called Twinkle and a talking mushroom called Trevor) who go on a slimy quest to stop the slug of doom from drinking the magical potions that will give him the size and strength to eat the entire forest. A plot strong enough to tempt any lover of fantasy reads. And a final mention
for a book hot off the press (apologies for the pun) and which combines the magic of wood, fire and food. Wood Fired Flatbreads & Pancakes by Holly & David Jones from Kingswear’s Manna From Devon Cooking School is an ideal Christmas present for any bread enthusiast and contains 24 of the best recipes for flatbreads and pancakes - and apparently you don’t even need a wood-fired oven! Check www.
mannafromdevon.com for further details.
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