This is the best love letter to trees I have ever read. Had I written it myself, I would die happy." Each entry / tree gets its very own and gorgeously detailed illustration of the whole tree as well as some details like the fruit or seeds or bark, what the tree is known / used for and animals living in / near it or famous structures where such trees grow nearby. Here are some of my favourite illustrations: Trees are one of humanity’s most constant and most varied companions. From India’s sacred banyan tree to the fragrant cedar of Lebanon, they offer us sanctuary and inspiration –as well as raw materials for everything from aspirin to maple syrup. In Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori uses plant science and natural history to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable, together with captivating illustrations by Lucille Clerc. Here’s a taster. The author takes us on a tour through the world, thus dividing the book into the following 11 chapters: In Around the World in 80 Trees, expert Jonathan Drori uses plant science to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable. Stops on the trip include the lime trees of Berlin's Unter den Linden boulevard, which intoxicate amorous Germans and hungry bees alike, the swankiest streets in nineteenth-century London, which were paved with Australian eucalyptus wood, and the redwood forests of California, where the secret to the trees' soaring heights can be found in the properties of the tiniest drops of water.

I have loved trees all my life. It’s fascinating to understand the role they play, not just in our lives, but life as a whole” – Dame Judi Dench Plants are fascinating - we get the ones we can eat, the ones that would rather eat us, some that help us "have a good time" (whether legal wherever you live or not), ones we keep as decoration, those that we make clothing out of, some grant shelter / shade, others can heal, all of them produce the oxygen we so need to live. I highly recommend if you want to dip in and out of this book - it's worth your time, in my opinion and very accessible. 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.No matter where on this planet you live, some of these trees will be familiar as the one standing outside their home or passing by on the way to school, work or just for a pleasant walk. Others may be familiar names and maybe seen in photographs but never seen in person while even more are newly introduced as exotic and strange. Thousands of tree species and the author was forced to choose only 80. And such choices he made -

It is great for adults, and older kids although if a parent were to read it to their younger child (with some edits) there is a lot here for younger kids to love too.I’ve taken another trip across the globe, attempting to bring to life the science of plants by revealing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore.

Some of the trees were known to me and many were delightful surprises. I learned a lot of interesting tidbits about their history, physiology, and uses to humans - from Indigenous cultures, ancient and more modern civilizations in the Mediterranean and Middle East, and European colonizers and modern capitalists. A colleague of mine, in the Dendrology (the study of wooded plants) Department, knowing that I live in the middle of a nature preserve and my inclination to wander through nature recommended this book. I am glad he did. Eén ding stemde wel intens treurig, want in veel van die mooie verhalen bleek ook hoeveel wij als mensheid al aan bomen en bos om zeep hebben geholpen, ik stond er versteld van hóe veel, echt schrikbarend. Some of the most remarkable trees in our world are hybrids that were developed accidentally and formed a perfect functionality to fit problem areas where trees simply couldn't grow. The London Plane tree in London, for example. A cross between the American Sycamore and the Oriental Plane tree, The London Plane tree sheds bark in small flakes all the time, sloughing off the soot that blanketed these industrialized cities.Perfect for fans of Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees, this new book will certainly whet the appetite of any tree lover to take an around–the–world trip, or simply visit your local botanic garden. The perfect travel guide for nature enthusiasts.