The Wisdom of Trees

by Max Adams

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 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), this beautifully designed gift book offers both a natural and a cultural history of trees, and will delight anyone who cares about the natural world and our interaction with it.

Genres: Nature, Nonfiction, Science, Natural History, Ecology, Environment, Plants

256 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2018

About the author

I am an archaeologist, woodsman and traveller. I live in the North-east of England where I write about landscape and history. My next non-fiction work, to be published in Autumn 2017, is called Alfred's Britain - a history and archaeology of the British Isles in the Viking Age. The King in the North has been a non-fiction bestseller since its publication. In the Land of Giants, my latest non-fiction book, is a series of journeys, mostly on foot, through Dark Age landscapes.

In May 2016 I published my first novel, The Ambulist.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is only a tree.

Or is it?

These mere plants have given the human race so much over the millennia. The obvious things are shelter and warmth, but they have also fed us, healed us and with the skill of carpenters have also allowed us to travel. Not only that they are an essential part of our planet’s eco system, converting carbon dioxide to oxygen as acting lungs, are home to countless animals and insects, and are a marvel of organic engineering.

In this book Adams takes us on a historical and scientific wander through the woods. It is full of facts and anecdotes on all things woody, such as details on what wood burn best, how to make charcoal, how trees defy science by pumping water much higher than you’d expect, how coppicing adds so much more to a woodland. He writes about how our ancestors worked the trees with stone, bronze and iron, how trees have made amazing structures like the roof of Westminster Abbey and that it is now though that the process of converting light and carbon dioxide actually involves quantum biology.

Generally I enjoyed this. Adams has written a book that is a good introduction to trees in general. All throughout the book are beautiful line drawings taken from John Evelyn classic book Sylva of common English species of trees like the chestnut, oak and yew, which add a nice touch to the book. It is a touch whimsical at times, but still very readable nonetheless.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully insightful and packed with detail. A very calming read which is the perfect mix between the call for conservation and simple facts about the life cycle of trees, and their relationship with human culture. If there is one thing that everybody should take away from this book is that forests are only viable in the modern world when they are productive, therefore we should move public opinion away from sentimentalism about Britain's woodlands and instead towards education on forest management and the utility of our woodlands as a resource. I also really appreciated the recommendations for further reading in the final chapter of the book, I'll definitely be purchasing a few!

[Nick Swarbrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was charmed by the mixture of autobiography, botany and almost sermon-like meditation on individual species. I am often tempted to race the final sections of a book: the structure and rhythm are so well put together that this was not the case here, and I’d recommend this as a lovely, engrossing introduction (or reflection for the non-beginner) to the culture of trees in the UK. Full of “did you know...?” passages and entertaining sidelines, this is a splendid book.

[Nightshade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful natural and cultural history of Britain's trees. There were many inteesting tidbits throughout and it was both a quick and enjoyable read.

[Leanne Clydesdale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Max Adams' Wisdom of Trees is like starting a conversation with friends thinking you share an interest and then realising you didn't know much about it at all. He is a man with a passion for trees and he certainly lets you know it! I will admit, it was a bit intense for me, but not without appreciation for this authors knowledge and ability to express such a natural love.

Adams explores the wisdom of trees across 13 chapters covering themes of storytelling, heritage, industry, seasons, biodiversity and much more. Each chapter is broken down into short stories which makes the fairly intense learning much more manageable and enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed the Tree Tales that finish each chapter, introducing a tree and exploring what they can teach us.

It is very apparent that Adams life in the woods, working with trees and appreciating them has taught him much about the world around him and the value of trees as a cultural, social and economic resource. He reminisces of his time living in the woods, marvels over the art of being a woodsman and revels in the cultural stories from poetry to historic tellings. I particularly enjoyed his ability to put across his passion, as I really felt his love for the topics. I did however worry that I will forget so much that I have read. It feels like there is an abundance of important information that I want to store, yet I have probably only absorbed a small few facts. I want to be that fountain of knowledge - but I guess I'll have to keep referring to the book instead. I did take away some unforgettable gems though that I have already been sharing with my friends and family!

Adams kindly shares illustrations of the trees and a glossery for reference, which have supported me during this read. I have learned some new words and have also used the illustrations to identify some trees while I have been carrying it round with me.

One of the main things I am thankful for is Adams hope for the future, and his straight talk when it comes to how people have treated nature. He is an important voice to be heard in this fight towards simple and sustainable living, woodland community ownership and saving trees. What I found particularly perplexing is how easy the government could make it, yet do not!

Overall, I have definitely enjoyed the sheer range of tree related topics that Adams has brought together in this book. His ability to blend his personal experiences with information, historic stories and also important debates makes for some very enjoyable moments. I appreciate how he has broken this book down as to not overwhelm - albeit it still felt like alot in places. This is a book of true passion; and in turn it brings passion to the reader. I may not read it all in one go again, but I'll definitely return for key stories and facts as I endavour to connect more with the natural world - especially trees.

[Will Blok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loads and loads of interesting little vignettes which are fascinating but I tired a little bit of them as there didn't seem to be much driving point to tie them all together. Only when I reached the last chapter 'Tree Futures' did I feel like I'd got to the real purpose of this book. And it is a compelling argument he makes once you get there. Try to enjoy the journey beforehand. Also, you will be on Google maps marking places a lot as you read - personally I think not a bad thing at all.

[Divya Shanmugam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author writes in a really genuine way that some pop science books lack. The book is well-paced and each section is purposeful + surprisingly easy to read. Was never wondering how many pages were left in a given chapter. Even if I didn't retain that much, pretty relaxing to read about trees.

learned that the # of inches in a tree's circumference is a good proxy for its age! bout to learn a lot of tree ages

[Andrew (Drew) Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice run through of all things trees, including the engineering of individual trees, how trees participate in woodlands, and the utility of various woods (which woods work best for musical instruments or fires or furniture). Furthermore, there are some explorations of the folklore behind different trees. The book is very Anglo-centric, which is perfectly fine as long as this isn't the only book on your shelf that has to do with trees and woodlands. What makes the book quite enjoyable and helps it stand out a bit is how it is organized. Chapters include the title "Trees at War" which is further divided into brief essays on thorns as defensive mechanisms, poisons produced by trees, etc., but also how trees and woods have been used by human armies to produce spears, and so on. Each chapter ends with a brief essay on a particular species or genus of a tree that has to do with each chapter's theme. The chapter on war, for instance, ends with an essay on the Yew, which was the primary tree used to make long bows (see what I mean about its Anglocentrism?). A fun read.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book - wished it stayed more on the natural side of trees rather than their historical uses. Great cover though.

[Tia Lynwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fascinating, i loved reading about how we have worked with trees over time. this man knows more than me, but I do think trees have intelligence in their own way, so in a way I found it quite a westernised perspective. Interested to read into more indigenous ways of working with and writings about trees moving forward. kinda lost me when it was talking about the things u can endlessly make from wood. but good !

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of the year. A delightful meditation and exploration of trees. He talks of them in turns of what we can learn from them-as solar machines, trappers of carbon, and sustainable sources of tools, building materials and such. Each chapter ends with the discussion of a specific tree. He talks about managing woods as part of human necessity. I want to create a mixed hardwood woods to manage on my own. He also makes the pieces of wood come alive as they are made into other objects or tools. I asked for material on whittling for Christmas because it.

[Warwick Stubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book to dip in and out of, and going backwards and forwards from one chapter to another. Packed with interesting and insightful information about the full spectrum of the tree world from their roots to their roles in films like Lord of the Rings. Presented in relatively short sections, I never felt like leaving and coming back to it was a struggle: wherever I opened the book to, I was able to read about all sorts of tidbits that brought me more knowledge and respect for these great woody plants we share the earth with.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book. I love trees! I learned a lot from this book and found it a fascinating information packed read. It has profiles on individual tree species, the seasons for a woodsman, history/archaeology of tree/wood use, how wood should be used today, how woodsmen live, equipment they use, how trees grow and their biology, myths anecdotes and legends surrounding trees, tree use around the world, which trees are biggest and other facts etc.

What I most took away was that we shouldn’t shy away from using products from sustainable wood sources because in USING wood to its full potential we save trees. Sustainable and responsible sources, mark you.

The Author is passionate, knowledgeable and fascinating. The sort of person that would be interesting at a dinner party. He lives as a woodsman, self sustaining and is/was a “dendro-archaeologist.” An archaeologist who seemingly specialised in history pertaining to the use of wood and trees in ancient manufacture etc.

Really interesting book. One to keep and refer to again and again. A useful resource for glossary, various further information websites and also a suggested booklist of related works he recommends.

[Ape · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read on all things trees! Mostly focused on the UK, but with some comments to other parts of the world. About the natural history of trees, their use as a material, building, charcoal etc etc (and I have learned a lot about charcoal), their relation to the historical development of society, archaeology, an odd bit of folklore... it's all here. It's quite a good one to dip in and out of as it's almost magazine format with lots of little chunks about different aspects to read.

Borrowed from the library.

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would go back and read this book again without hesitation.

My mind was initially intrigued by the gorgeous cover and then I was sucked in by the incredible and descriptive prose.
The concise sections in each chapter made it so easy to digest and all the stories and information provided in a fascinating way. Especially lovely were the stories of certain trees at the end of every chapter.
And finally the included illustrations were just gorgeous.

All round a fantastic read I couldn't put down and a book I'm passing onto others with delight.

[Sarak77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can judge this book by its exquisite cover. Reading was a little like walking through the woods with an informative guide - you never know what's coming next but you know it will be fascinating. Living in the well wooded High Weald I wasn't aware that on a national level we have less forest than our European neighbours. This book is an inspiration to do something about it.

[elif kalafat · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a bit hard for me to read the book because of my english :) i mostly used google translate ‘picture’ mode since the words were so daily 🥲

anyway thanks to technology, i read it and it opened up so many things in my mind. i already loved trees and thought about them a lot, but the book hit different.

so happy that there’re some people that dive into trees in that sense. thanks! 🩷

[s0da · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought as a gift for me, and I didn't think it would be my cup of tea but I really enjoyed this book. Very easy to read and sucked me in with all the little "fun facts" that are included. A shining example of a tree book written for the audience it was intended for, would reccomend if you are intrested in trees but need something easygoing and not full of excessive jargon.

[Myrah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I disliked that he excludes the possibility of tree intelligence, even while writing of their (according to him, coincidental?) wisdom. He excludes all comparison between human consciousness and tree/plant consciousness/intelligence, and I disagree.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book detailing the history, importance and mythology around trees. Adams writes in an accessible way, giving just the right amount of scientific detail for amateur readers. A stunning collection of stories, anecdotes and histories about the woodland and trees that surround us.

[Sharron Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this book over a year ago and finally getting round to reading it. What was I waiting for? It’s really good with such an informed viewpoint on how important trees are to us, our planet our future. We need them, we just need to wise up and appreciate their potential.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a few things. But it was also super dry. I really didn’t like how the author went on tangents about things that were even free related (ships, etc). I don’t think I could ever hate a book about trees but this was just alright. I don’t think I’d even recommend it.

[Megan S]

Loved it, the illustrations were great and the author's clear enthusiasm shines through the writing. I learnt a lot about woodworking, timber and all that which I didn't expect! A delightful easy read.

[Michal · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not a bad book, at the same time I cannot say I enjoyed reading it. I tried to pause and return to it later, but nah. For me, the book has too many "unrelated" topics written in a style I didn't want to read.

[Sekar Writes · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wisdom of Trees made me see trees in a whole new way. From their amazing survival skills to how they help each other in forests, this book is full of fascinating insights. It also reminds us that planting trees isn’t just for today but for future generations.

[Elisabeth Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable read of a collection of arboreal treats. I will never again think that paper is just killing trees!

[andy noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational and thought provoking book. Thoroughly engaging, well written and easy to read.

[GRANT · Rating 4 out of 5]

delightful book full of stories of trees, biology, ecology, craftsmanship, natural history, general history, etc.

[Caron Crawford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a completely super book. Comprehensively researched, deeply introspected, exceptionally well-written.

[Ally Yang]

【8 Sept 2021 / 博客來 / 168】