A Guardian Best Nature Book of the Year
‘Extraordinary … Written with a mixture of lyricism and quiet fury … Fiennes’s book winningly combines autobiography, literary history and nature writing. It feels set to become a classic of the genre.’
Alex Preston, Observer
‘Steeped in poetry, science, folklore, history and magic, Fiennes is an eloquent, elegiac chronicler of copses, coppicing and the wildwood.’
Sunday Express
‘A passionate ramble through Britain’s complicated relationship with its woodland.’
Daily Mail
‘Fascinating … This passionate book should inspire readers to plant more trees, support woodland campaigns and participate in active conservation.’
BBC Countryfile Magazine
‘Lyrical, angry … I loved it.’
Tom Holland
‘Rich, personal, evocative, rousing.’
Robert Penn, author of The Man Who Made Things Out of Trees
‘A wonderful wander into the woods that explores our deep-rooted connections – cultural, historical and personal – with the trees.’
Rob Cowen, author of Common Ground
‘Peter Fiennes really can see the wood for the trees – he blends mythology, natural history and a sense of righteous anger to produce a paean of praise to our ancient woodlands and modern forests, and the life support system they provide.’
Stephen Moss, author of Wild Kingdom
‘A tender hymn to the trees, a manifesto for a woodland society, a contemporary gazette of ideas and attitudes radiating into the future like annual rings from the original pith … In this lyrical, informative, unashamedly arboreal propaganda, one man’s walk in the woods can inspire a generation.’
Paul Evans, author of Field Notes from the Edge
‘Fiennes is the best of guides, gently, eloquently and with a fierce humour telling a sad story – relating chapters of fascinating detail to brighten his tale and quoting the poets as he goes.’
John Wright, author of A Natural History of the Hedgerow