Elderflora: A Modern History of Ancient Trees

Jared Farmer brings both classic and state-of-the-art botany alive . . . he shows singular insight into how we do what we do—and perhaps more importantly—why we spend our lives studying trees. -- Hope Jahren, author of Lab Girl While it is true that the trees have no tongues, that doesn’t mean they don’t speak to us . . . Read Jared Farmer’s lucid and fascinating book to discover the . . . mysteries told by elderflora. -- Michael Mann, author of The New Climate War Sacred trees . . . are at the root of historian Jared Farmer’s magisterial study of arboreal longevity, but like the outstretched limbs of a luxuriant elm, his narrative extends over a broad range of social and scientific issues. -- Laurence A. Marschall * Natural History * The book succeeds as a cultural history of the conservation ideal that led society to forest preservation. -- David W. Stahle * Science * [An] expansive global history of grand and venerable trees. -- Josie Glausiusz * Nature * A sweeping, exceptional tribute to the oldest living organisms on Earth. -- Rebecca Coffey * Forbes * Short of actually having the honor of spending time in the presence of elderflora, I think Elderflora is the next best thing to provoke a sense of wonder. -- Dominic Boyer * The Berlin Journal *