I appreciate Wohlleben's writing as he pulls me into the story allowing me to walk the forest paths and imagine the relationship between the trees and the world they inhabit. I like the way he weaves his experiences as a forester and the stories from his life into the modern science and discoveries of the magnificence of trees: how they communicate with each other, how their longevity leads to a greater understanding of the changing world, and how we as humans are healthier when we interact with forests. He makes me want to spend more time in the forest. To simply be present and not rush to summit a peak or race along the trails barely giving the forest a passing glance beyond the placement of my next step.

3.75 stars out of 5 (Audiobook)

Peter's put together a lovely series on trees and how much more there is to the gigantic plants we hold so dear. This book was an interesting exploration of the lumber industry, environmental policy, and the importance of nature on our mental health.

It did feel slow at times and the topic could inherently get boring, but Peter always manages to tell sweet stories.

In preparation to be sent of into the bushes for 2 months, this certainly got me excited! Quick and easy read, fact filled and personable.

4.5

Very insightful. Author emphasizes need for hope yet I can’t help but feel depressed by how much humans have destroyed forests. Learned a lot, felt bored in some sections though. Not necessarily a good “introduction to trees” book, but if you have a few nonfiction books about trees under your belt, this will probably be a good supplement to that. Discusses forest bathing, potential for communication with trees, and deforestation/conservation, as well as the oldest living tree which is over 9,000 years old—and many other topics. Audiobook is good, a little over 7 hours but it took me over a month to finish because of the subject and my mood.

It is a good read, but it lost my interest at times. The interweaving of their personal life can be detracting.