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The Hidden Life of Trees

What They Feel, How They Communicate - Discoveries from a Secret World

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About this listen

 Sunday Times Bestseller ‘A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement’ Charles Foster

Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month (September)

Are trees social beings? How do trees live? Do they feel pain or have awareness of their surroundings?

In The Hidden Life of Trees Peter Wohlleben makes the case that the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death and regeneration he has observed in his woodland.

A walk in the woods will never be the same again.

For those in the UK with a passion for top books on nature, Wohlleben's great work merges the worlds of plants, gardening, and general ecology into an absorbing narrative that underscores the importance of environmental conservation and protection. It is a significant addition to the literary conversation on how we interact with the living world around us. For fans of Suzanne Simard (Finding the Mother Tree), Tristan Gooley (How to Read a Tree), Merlin Sheldrake (Entangled Life) and Isabella Tree (Wilding) and Robin Wall Kimmerer (Braiding Sweetgrass).

 Biological Sciences Environment Gardening & Horticulture Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Inspiring Health Discovery Animal Communication Plant Biology

What the critics say

‘Marvellous’ John Banville, Irish Times

‘The Hidden Life of Trees is a wonderful, provocative book that draws together half a century of much-neglected and misunderstood plant science and frames it within field observations by an acute and empathetic forester.’ New Statesman

‘Shafts of light and mossy greens fill The Hidden Life of Trees. The reader does not leave the forest, and this aura intensifies the awareness of intricate natural life that the book has to offer. So much is happening in this one place. The colours, airs and sounds are all connected. They give us contact with the invisible world we now know to be there.' Guardian

‘The matter-of-fact Mr. Wohlleben has delighted readers and talk-show audiences alike with the news long known to biologists that trees in the forest are social beings.’ The New York Times

‘Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees breaks entirely new ground … [Wohlleben] has listened to trees and decoded their language. Now he speaks for them.’ Thomas Pakenham, New York Review of Books

‘A declaration of love and an engrossing primer on trees, brimming with facts and an unashamed awe for nature.’ Washington Post

‘A magical book about fixtures that we walk by every day and take for granted … The Hidden Life of Trees may be the most important environmental book of the year.’ San Francisco Chronicle
All stars
Most Relevant
imagine not eating plants based on the same ethical arguments for not eating meat. it's pretty wild.

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This is a fascinating read about trees and the remarkable ways in which they have adapted to their changing environments and survived. The amazing thing is that there is clear evidence that they communicate with each other, are in sync with the weather and appear to have incredible survival reactions in the face of threats. They obviously don’t have intelligence as we know it but their DNA has a lot baked in, such that they have elaborate mechanisms for reproducing and thriving. If you’re interested in evolution you will enjoy this book. It is an eye-opener.

Wonderful book

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Not only I learned how the trees operate but also that they mimic us humans. Very profound and educational approach, easy to listen, engaging! Enjoy!

Delightful read! We’re so alike!

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Very interesting listen about lives of trees. Focused on Europe, but does include parts that speak to North American and other regions.

Very interesting

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I became educated, entertained and enlightened from The Hidden Life of Trees. A book that I will enjoy listening to repeatedly.

Absolutely devine reading,topic and subjects!!!

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