The Songs of Trees

In The Songs of Trees, Haskell champions a kind of 'ecological aesthetics,' where we find beauty in connectivity . . . Haskell sees trees as 'nature's great connectors,' living symbols of the book's great theme - that life is about relationships. . .we can find salvation in this view of life as a community. --Ed Yong, theatlantic.com Over the course of ten graceful and fine-grained studies of different tree species, Haskell makes our relationship with the trees lambently obvious . . . The Songs of Trees has the diverse busyness of a thriving woodland. It is hard to think of a recent scientifically-inflected book on nature that is as fluent, compelling, and intoxicatingly rich. - Times Literary Supplement Haskell proves himself to be the rare kind of scientist Rachel Carson was when long ago she pioneered a new cultural aesthetic of poetic prose about science . . . it is in such lyrical prose and with an almost spiritual reverence for trees that Haskell illuminates his subject . . . a resplendent read in its entirety, kindred both to Walt Whitman's exultation of trees and bryologist Robin Wall Kimmerer's poetic celebration of moss. - Maria Popova, Brainpickings Both a love song to trees, an exploration of their biology, and a wonderfully philosophical analysis of their role they play in human history and in modern culture. - Science Friday, The Best Science Books of 2017 Haskell's exquisitely wrought ecological study documents the fate of 12 trees, around the globe and over time . . . a ravishing journey into biotic community. - Nature The Songs of Trees is the equal of [The Forest Unseen] in its scientific depth, lyricism, and imaginative reach . . . Haskell's intention is nothing less than to explore interconnection in nature across space and time, and to observe how humans can succeed, or fail, in the co-creation of networks of life that are more intelligent, productive, resilient and creative. - The Guardian (U.K.) Reveals the surprising - and surprisingly fascinating - arboreal secrets hidden in the canopies of ordinary trees . . . Haskell [leverages] three remarkable strengths - vast scientific knowledge, prodigious literary gifts, and a deeply meditative approach to fieldwork. --Outside A great read for those wanting to be swept away to new locations while gaining a greater appreciation for the impact a single tree can have. - American Forests The ceibo is the first of a fascinating litany of the world's trees we come to know through the extraordinary observations of Haskell . . . This is a wise and eloquent reminder of the interconnectedness of all things and a lesson in how being open to the wisdom of trees, the great connectors, can help us understand ourselves and our place in the world. - The Minneapolis Star Tribune Haskell writes with a poet's ear and a biologist's precision . . . like Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and Stephen Jay Gould's Wonderful Life, The Songs of Trees is greater than the sum of its parts: it forces readers to consider complex, interrelated networks of the natural world, the scope and sweep of evolution, and the measurable effects of humanity on both. - The Knoxville News Sentinel David George Haskell is a wonderful writer and an equally keen observer of the natural world. The Songs of Trees is at once lyrical and informative, filled with beauty and also a sense of loss. - Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction Here is a book to nourish the spirit. The Songs of Trees is a powerful argument against the ways in which humankind has severed the very biological networks that give us our place in the world. Listen as David Haskell takes his stethoscope to the heart of nature - and discover the poetry and music contained within. -- Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees David George Haskell may be the finest literary nature writer working today. The Songs of Trees - compelling, lyrical, wise - is a case in