Wonderfully subversive, far-reaching and unsentimental

Richard Mabey is a man for all seasons, most regions and every kind of landscape

An elegant and heartfelt essay on mankind's changing relationship with trees

A leaf-storm of philosophical musings, journeys of mind and body, reflections and anecdotes that imprint the tree on human culture

A terrific combination of both natural and intellectual history, informed by penetrating insight

This is the book of range and ambitions that his many admirers hoped he would write. Refreshing, droll, politically alert, occasionally self-mocking, he has the enviable ability both to write historical overview and also to slip into the woods like a dryad, bringing us back to the trees themselves, their colours and lights and textures

A writer to cherish

A characteristically rich and individual mix of history, natural science, folklore, poetry, politics and personal observation... Mabey's writing is a brilliant in its minutely observed detail as in its broad sweeps

As always, Mabey's thoughts make compelling reading... This is a book by a man who doesn't just know, but understands trees

It's a scientific, historical, poetic account written in a quietly humorous, thoughtful style

He found his best form as a storyteller and interpreter of the dynamic nature of our native woodlands.

An informative history of the English relationship with trees

Elegant and heartfelt… Part eco-memoir, part monograph, wholly engrossing

Fantastic

A truly compelling book, savage and sparkling by turns

Alan Root’s overflowing life as a dedicated, adventurous film-maker and naturalist is almost the story of wild East Africa itself in those glorious and tragic years surrounding the advent of political independence…a fresh, honest, often moving (and humorous) account, a terrific contribution to the literature

Required reading for anyone who wants to experience the joys and sorrows of conservation in today's Africa

Root’s enthralling memoir…is the best true-life adventure story to come out of Africa for years

His is a funny, harrowing, beautifully written love letter to Africa

In this captivating memoir [Root] documents his brushes in the bush and his passion for wildlife

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Root has written the most extraordinary love letter to Africa – packed with drama and knowledge, tragedy and hope... A completely gripping and important study of this complex and disappearing natural environment

His is an extraordinary story laced with tragedy

[Root's] life story, vividly related here, is crammed with incident and adventure. Curious, creative and fearless, he has diced with death on numerous occasions and been mauled several times in his efforts to capture the daily lives of everything from silver-back gorillas to leopards in the wild on film. A gripping account of a life well lived