Around the World in 80 Trees: (The Perfect Gift for Tree Lovers)

"An arboreal odyssey" – NATURE

"One of the most quietly beautiful books of the year" – DAILY MAIL

Discover the secretive world of trees in Jonathan Drori's number one bestseller…

Bestselling author and environmentalist Jonathan Drori follows in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg as he tells the stories of 80 magnificent trees from all over the globe.

In Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori uses plant science to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable. From the trees of Britain, to India's sacred banyan tree, they offer us sanctuary and inspiration – not to mention the raw materials for everything from aspirin to maple syrup.

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.

Each of these strange and true tales – populated by self–mummifying monks, tree–climbing goats and ever–so–slightly radioactive nuts – is illustrated by Lucille Clerc, taking the reader on a journey that is as informative as it is beautiful. The book combines history, science and a wealth of quirky detail – there should be surprises for everyone.

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.

"An irresistible mix of science, culture, botany, history and vicarious travel" – SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

"Reads like a love song to the natural world, brimming with ancient anecdotes contained within the earth" – CULTURE TRIP

Jonathan Drori is a Trustee of The Woodland Trust and The Eden Project, an Ambassador for the WWF and was for nine years a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He is a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Zoological Society of London, and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. In 2006 he was made CBE.