Trees are one of humanity's most constant yet most varied companions. From India's sacred banyan tree to the fragrant cedar of Lebanon, they offer us sanctuary and inspiration—not to mention the raw materials for everything from aspirin and silk to space shuttles and telephone lines.
In Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori journeys through time and across cultures, using up-to-date plant science to demonstrate how trees play a role in every part of human life. Ranging from the romantic to the regrettable, some of the stories illustrate the surprising historical relationships between people and seemingly familiar species, like the elm and the beech. Others showcase the exotic and the extraordinary, such as the exploding sandbox tree and the unique metal-hoarding tree of Polynesia.
Each of these strange and true tales—populated by self-mummifying monks, tree-climbing goats, and radioactive nuts—is illustrated by Lucille Clerc, taking the reader on a trip that is as beautiful as it is enlightening.
