Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Lately I find myself being drawn to more and more books concerning the natural world. This one is a beautiful example of what is possible when combining writing and artworks - a gorgeous book that I purchased after finishing my free ARC copy from NetGalley as I wanted a physical copy to keep.

Full of information, origin stories, facts, and drawings, this is a book to treasure, and a must for any nature lover or anyone with even the slightest interest in trees. A beautiful book.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for giving me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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, Drori uses plant science and droll English humor to illuminate how trees play a role in every part of human life, from the romantic to the regrettable.

It’s a wonderful collection of concise ‘portraits’ of trees from around the world (every continent except Antarctica). Full of fascinating details, each vignette takes up 1 or 2 pages, and discuses botanical facts, cultural context, its uses, how it fits into the ecosystem, and even some tidbits of lore or history. Each portrait is accompanied by absolutely lovely drawings. Exquisite in detail and coloring, they themselves are worth the price of purchase (buy the print version so you can enjoy the art and paper).

This is a tree book unlike any other tree book out there. Every page is a visual feast with a pithy, well-written narrative about each tree, including lots of quirky details that leave you saying, “Huh, I never knew that.” For example: A layered Norway Spruce in Sweden has a root system with remnants that carbon date back 9,500 years. And the slow-growing wood is perfect to transmit the intense vibrations prized in most stringed instruments. Then there are 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.
There are trees so dense they sink rather than float; trees that only grow in saltwater-soaking sand, and trees that hold their seeds tightly sealed in wax until a forest fire below opens them. And the Alder is waterproof when totally submerged. Venice is built on it, thousands of poles carved to a point and driven into the mud.

I read half of the book out loud to my husband during our lunches, and he never once asked me to be quiet.

What I love about this book is how it explores not only the biology of trees, but how they interrelate with human life to provide food, materials, shelter, and more. The author moves seamlessly from eloquent descriptions of the trees’ natural beauty to interesting accounts about their uses throughout history. My view of trees has changed to seeing them as complex organisms that have adapted to their local environment in some ingenious ways.

If you enjoy and appreciate Nature you will love this book. I have used it several times to share with friends who travel as a “keep a look out for this tree when you are in ______.” It will be my go-to gift for natural history buffs, Nature lovers, travelers, and any hard-to-buy for friend.

This is an absolutely beautiful book. The descriptions and information are fascinating and the illustrations are gorgeous. This is such an inspiring read, making me want to see all the trees in their natural habitats.

Wow, what a stunning book! 'Around the World in 80 Trees' is a beautifully illustrated introduction to 80 significant trees around the globe. It combines botany, history, and imparts the importance and uniqueness of each tree. As the illustrations are so wonderful, this is definitely a book to get in hard copy and it would make a great gift!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

Lots of Trees to Hug

If you are like me and have long-standing respect and appreciation for trees, you will most likely enjoy this book. In it, the author looks at trees around the world starting in Europe and working his way east with occasional dips south before ending in the Americas. I was happy to see a few favorites here, like the coastal Redwoods in the US, which I lived near for 10 years. Each tree is given a page or two and has illustrations of the entire tree as well as its fruits, flowers, berries, and other distinguishing products. The text tells more information about the tree, including where it's found, what it's known for, and sometimes even what it has meant through history. He's included some quirky stories as well. Unfortunately, the author has no photos of these trees, just drawings. The drawings are lovely and detailed, but I would have enjoyed seeing pictures of the actual trees. That said, I still found this to be a delightful book that only enhances the enjoyment that trees bring.

A wonderful book that does what it says on the cover, taking the reader around the globe giving a taster of different countries through their local trees. Not every tree is exclusively native to its associated country, but they are still intrinsically linked through some fascinating links.
Beautifully illustrated throughout, the book starts in the UK, moving through Europe, the Middle East, Africa, then on to Asia, across the Pacific, into Latin America, before arriving in the USA. Some of the connections are obvious - giant redwoods in California, cherry blossoms in Tokyo, baobabs in Africa, but some of the stories behind the trees are unexpected and fascinating. Personally I learnt a lot from this book! Definitely interested in traveling to New Caledonia to see trees with blue sap and also hunting down a tree that bleeds red. Plus I now have a new appreciation of corks.
A really fascinating book - highly recommended.

As a member of Kew Gardens, this book was such a delight to read for me. Like the author, I'm also in love with trees and Kew Gardens, and it fascinates me to learn more about them.

The theme of this book is an excellent one as one can learn about the countries through their trees while learning about the trees themselves. The illustrations are beautiful and a joy to look et. I believe this would make an excellent book for every nature lover out there.

Love this book. A perfect blend of nature, science, botany, lore and philosophy. If you love trees then this is the book for you. If you are indifferent then this may be the book to make you reconsider their joy and imprtance.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I'm definitely not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to trees, so there was a lot here for me to take away. The artwork was beautiful and very helpful, as well. I think my only complaint about the book is I was hoping for more information about the locations where the trees grow. Most of the information was about the trees themselves but I think I would have found it more enjoyable had we been given more history of the places covered, as well.

I've recently discovered a new love of trees. Perhaps I can thank the pandemic and a newfound appreciation for the "little" things. This book takes you around the world via trees. It's not a field guide, it won't help much with identification, but it gives an overview of 80 trees, divided into chapters based on where they originated. There are no photographs, but instead beautiful illustrations (the mangrove trees must be especially stunning in person!). I found this an interesting read for anyone interested in the stories of trees.

Thank you for NetGalley for the chance to preview this book.

Intelligently written, informative and beautifully presented.

This book is about trees of the world. It is not about notable individuals, but about tree species. Organised by geographic distribution, each entry describes the tree, including pollination method. The entries include history, pathology, economic, medicinal, ethnobotanic use, and the tree's place in the ecosystem.

Drori is a dendrophile, and it shows. He draws the reader in with his love of trees, and his ability to present information clearly to the layperson.

My thanks to NetGalley and Laurence King Publishing Ltd for the ARC.

Trees are SO interesting! This book has more great information about trees than any book I've read (admittedly, I haven't read many books about trees that were more than a mere tree identification book). I highly recommend it!

This was an interesting read as I learned a lot about various trees. It was a nice selection and I really liked all the beautiful illustrations.

The pdf review copy I received did not work very well. It kept freezing in my reader and I was only able to see some of the pages. Too bad the publisher didn't send a epub. They work so much better. As a result, I can't really review the book thought the pages I did see were very interesting.

This book is much, much better than you'd expect from the cover or jacket description. Not only does the author give us so mush detailed information on the trees he has seen in his travels, there are beautiful illustrations of the tress. A wonderful way to spend a day or evening, is to walk your neighborhood and identify the trees in the area or find a park land that has planted with diverse trees and plants. Include your children or grandchildren and give them a love of outdoors that they can cherish while building great memories. Jonathan Drori also gives us many stories based on his tree traveling days. The book is very entertaining and educational.. It can be enjoyed by all age groups.

I loved this book. I am a literal as well as a figurative tree hugger so I loved the tales of the different trees here. Some of these I have seen and others I would love to visit.

This is not only an informative guide about trees but a reconnection to nature. The author is able to relive our connection with the nature and is making us aware to these incredible beauties of our planet. Also, Lucille made an incredible work by providing stunning pictures of the vibrant and jewels of our planet with are the trees.

#80trees #NetGalley #NatureReconnection

Was für ein wunderbares Buch. Tolle Illustrationen. Es geht über ein normales Bestimmungsbuch für Bäume hinaus.

I love this book of a jaunt around the world, looking at trees on the way. The author, who grew up wandering Kew Gardens, looks at British Isles trees first, with the rowan for Scotland and Arbutus for Ireland. Off to Finland to meet the birch, wandering through cork oak forests and larches across the continent, before encountering the exotic and valuable timbers, spices, barks and resins of the fabled Orient, bloated looking baobabs of Africa, toxic trees of nutrient-poor countries, lightweight timber, timber too heavy to float, trees with knees, trees with giant seeds, trees with animals spreading their seeds, trees that stop disastrous illness, trees used for main masts. And at the end you will still be saying, "But what about...." because only 80 trees are included.

The pages are copiously illustrated, making the book a joy for any tree lover, a feast for the eyes. And not only have we learned about the trees, we learnt about the industry, population or animals that share their lives and fortunes, including pollinators, traders, cooks and aeroplane makers. As the countries are so scattered, and best of new science applied, even longtime tree lovers like me will learn something.

I downloaded an ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.