Around the World in 80 Trees

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Travelling eastwards from his London home, he chooses 80 trees from the 60,000 or so species on the planet. An arboreal odyssey" - NATURE"One of the most quietly beautiful books of the year" - DAILY MAILEvening Standard Books of the Year 2018The Times Gardening Books of the Year 2018Discover the secretive world of trees in Jonathan Drori's number one bestseller. An iconic fruit in all the cultures of the region and a staple food containing up to two-thirds sugar, the date has altered the course of history by enabling large numbers of people to live in deserts.

He is on the board of Cambridge University Botanic Garden, and is a Fellow of the Linnean Society, the Zoological Society of London and the Royal Geographical Society. We pay respect by giving voice to social justice, acknowledging our shared history and valuing the cultures of First Nations.Guardian Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, waters and community. Including a stunning central gatefold that opens out to reveal all 80 trees and how they relate to each other, this book is a visual celebration of the huge variety of trees found across the world, from those you know to those you almost certainly don't. 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. 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. A hybrid of the American sycamore and the Oriental plane, they have set an example to urban planners around the world.

Stiff materials make the best soundboards because they can transmit vibration efficiently from molecule to molecule; in a more elastic material, energy is squandered as the sound waves travel through it. The classic Christmas tree is also prized for its ‘tonewood’, which is used to make the soundboards of the world’s most valuable stringed instruments. 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. Each tree is beautifully illustrated by Lucille Clerc using a subdued but rich palette of greens and browns, with occasional splashes of more vibrant colour. Whether by accident or design, Neolithic sailors are thought to have brought the species with them from the Iberian Peninsula some time between 10000 and 3000 BC.

Its clusters of pretty cream flowers have a strong scent and plenty of nectar to attract hordes of pollinating insects. Liquid urushiol causes extreme rashes, and even its vapour promotes itching that can linger for months. The edible date originated somewhere between northeast Africa and Mesopotamia and may have been cultivated in the Middle East for six millennia. As the book takes the reader on a journey around the world, it reveals trees that give us food and medicine, trees with ancient legends, record-breaking trees and more. The Blastophaga wasps that pollinate the common edible fig are female, stingless and just a couple of millimetres long.