Swarm Tree: Of Honeybees, Honeymoons and the Tree of Life (Natural History)

Following tracks, messing with bees, chasing butterflies, stalking deer, tickling trout and picking up pawpaws--and hitchhikers. This lively collection by celebrated storyteller Doug Elliott will delight readers with its blend of natural history and heartfelt, hilarious takes on life. Whether tracking skunks, philosophizing over dung beetles or reading divine script on the back of a trout, Elliott brings a sense of wonder and humor to every story. His broad scientific and cultural knowledge of the Appalachians and beyond is a treasure. Dive deeply into the richness of the natural world, climb high into the tree of life and return--with amazing tales, humorous insights and deep spiritual truths.

Doug Elliott has performed and presented programs at festivals, museums, botanical gardens, nature centers, and schools from Canada to the Caribbean. He has been a featured storyteller at the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN, lectured and performed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and conducted workshops for the Smithsonian Institution. He has led ranger training sessions for the National Park Service and guided people in the wilderness from Maine to the Florida Everglades. Doug is the author of four books and has written articles for regional and national magazines, as well as recording a number of award-winning albums of stories and songs. He has recently produced a series of short pieces for "Farmer's Almanac" on PBS.