Between Earth and Sky: Our Intimate Connections to Trees

by Nalini Moreshwar Nadkarni

World-renowned canopy biologist Nalini Nadkarni has climbed trees on four continents with scientists, students, artists, clergymen, musicians, activists, loggers, legislators, and Inuits, gathering diverse perspectives. In Between Earth and Sky, a rich tapestry of personal stories, information, art, and photography, she becomes our captivating guide to the leafy wilderness above our heads. Through her luminous narrative, we embark on a multifaceted exploration of trees that illuminates the profound connections we have with them, the dazzling array of goods and services they provide, and the powerful lessons they hold for us. Nadkarni describes trees' intricate root systems, their highly evolved and still not completely understood canopies, their role in commerce and medicine, their existence in city centers and in extreme habitats of mountaintops and deserts, and their important place in folklore and the arts. She explains tree fundamentals and considers the symbolic role they have assumed in culture and religion. In a book that reawakens our sense of wonder at the fascinating world of trees, we ultimately find entry to the entire natural world and rediscover our own place in it.

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

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2008

Reviews

[Tuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun read all about trees and author bases structure book on Maslow hierarchy
has some pictures, nice but none indexed list of trees mentioned, citation notes, big bibliography. wonderful writer mixing science with poetry with natural history.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tree professor (dendrologist)and researcher, Nalini Nadkarni, spoke at my church a few years ago, and ever since then I have wanted to read her book. She divides it into sections based loosely on Maslow's hierarchy of human needs-physical needs, security, health, play and imagination, time and history, symbols and language spirituality, and mindfulness. Her obvious deep love and respect for trees comes through and I love how she interspersed poetry about trees throughout the entire book. My favorite near the end-
Soak up the sun
Affirm life's magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first sign of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to hear your own leaves rustling.
-Karen Shragg, "Think Like a Tree"

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is labor of love. Dr. Nadkarni is a scientist and a dancer who consistently brings art and science together for the sake of instruction as well as to narrow the divide between the humanities and the sciences. It is a personal story of a deep love of trees offering scientific, historic and cultural backgrounds. I would have liked more of the science sometimes, as it felt like that was suppressed in favour of the poetry, but I am sympathetic with the author's struggle to balance these different perspectives on trees, i.e., those coming from the point of view of artists experiencing canopies/trees/plants and the scientists desire to know the life of organisms from their molecules, out.

[Melissa]

ik sta voor alles wat dit boek uitdraagt en wil maar ik wou zo graag dat het een beetje beter geschreven was 🥺 minder zoetsappige gedichten en oppervlakkige claims meer bomenfeitjes gemengd met eigen verhalen

[DJ Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down a 5-star book. I have read and reread it and never get tired of dipping in for more information.

[Steve Paulson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This is a good book if you are looking for a review of the ways humans use trees. It was interesting to find out that 19th century small log cabins used more wood than the average 21st century house.

Not so much if you are looking for a deeper understanding of forest canopies which I, mistakenly, thought was the focus of the book. I should have looked more closely. The author does talk about climbing trees, even to the canopy and does briefly discuss some aspects of how canopy researchers do their work and some of the things they have discovered. But briefly is the operative word.

I did enjoy the poetic interludes.

I ended up skimming most of the book.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got impatient with reading about trees halfway through and skimmed the rest. If I’d read this book as my NF book group choice for the tree theme (instead of the long dense tree memoir I chose) I think I would’ve given it a higher rating. It was a much faster read and more accessible. Lots of interesting thoughts about trees and how we relate to them, use them, etc. And lots of tree poems - at almost every section break as well as each chapter break. My library copy had a poem the previous patron had copied onto a piece of paper tucked into the front.

[Elvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a canopy biologist, Nadkarni has managed a truly interdisciplinary work (science, literature, art, philosophy, religion, to name a few) on the deep connection humans share with trees, reimagining the Maslow’s pyramid of needs and showing how trees fulfil each level.

I particularly enjoyed the collection of poems on trees scattered through the book and the chapter on spirituality and religion.

A wonderfully composed love letter to life, nature and trees 💚

[Christian Tait · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book for the genuine scientific facts about trees, including the author’s renowned knowledge from her work. However, in places it got slightly ‘worthy’ where she forgot her readers might just be ordinary folk. And in places it just got a bit random.

One ‘eye-rolling’ moment to quote … “In 2006, I had a remarkable opportunity to bring together two realms of my life that I had thought would be forever separate: forest canopy ecology and modern dance.”

;-)

[Shruti Barve]

Brilliant take on trees. Poetic and scientific at the same time.

[Karen Oppliger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful integration of ecology and poetry.

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw her speak last year, and she was really good!
3.5 stars.

[Bjorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then a book comes along that changes you fundamentally, sometimes in ways that are obvious and sometimes in ways more subtle. This book is one of mine. While it's written by an academic (a professor of environmental studies and arboreal scientist), it is beautifully and passionately written. The author seamlessly blends science, personal anecdote, and poetry about trees with seeming ease. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

[Eli Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the kind of book I need to just own so I can have it around at odd moments when the mood strikes me. I'm voracious about fiction, but not so much about non-. While this book is well-written, it doesn't have the sort of narrative pull that keeps me coming back for more, which I primarily find in fiction.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice book--stories about trees and communicating the science of trees to the public. Nalini Nadkarni is my science communication hero. I love her passion and she's an inspiration. I also love insertion of poetry throughout her book!

[Christine Quiampang Rader]

I heard an interview of the author on KEXP. I can't wait to read this!

[tib · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dipping into the this book on and off...it is full of wonderful things, almost too many wonderful things to allow for a long sit-down read.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to give it three and a half but that's not an option. My reason for not giving it four is that it had a lot of great info on trees but got a bit 'airy fairy' sometimes.

[Ronjoseph50 · Rating 3 out of 5]

and 1/2

[Jessika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book poetic and connecting with all the little intricacies to which our lives are dependent on trees.