The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of National Geographic's "Into the Forrest" by Susan Tyler Hitchcock

Aloha! I am happy to be today's stop on the TLC Book Tours for National Geographic's Into the Forrest: The Secret Life of Trees by Susan Tyler Hitchcock. 

Publisher's Blurb:

For millennia, trees have offered renewal and inspiration. They have provided for humanity on every level, from spiritual sanctuary to the raw material for our homes, books, and food. In this beautiful and revealing book, National Geographic combines legendary photography with cutting-edge science to illuminate exactly how trees influence the life of planet Earth—from our personal lives to the weather cycle. Beautifully illustrated essays tell the stories of the world’s most remarkable trees, from Tane Mahura in New Zealand, the ancient Maori “lord of the forest,” to Pando, a single aspen spreading over 100 acres: Earth’s largest living thing. You’ll also discover how an astronaut carried tree seeds to the moon and back; the reason “microdosing” on tree gas is a sure way to boost your immune system; and why playing in the dirt boosts serotonin, happiness hormone.

For nature and science enthusiasts, as well as photography lovers, Into the Forest is a beautiful and edifying gift to give or cherish.

Publisher: National Geographic (April 5, 2022)

Hardcover: 352 pages

My Review:

There are few things more beautiful than a dense forest of trees so that makes a great subject for one of National Geographic's newest coffee table book, Into the Forest: The Secret Lives of Trees. The photos are stunning as once expects from National Geographic and the essays accompanying them are well written, interesting and passionate. Slightly smaller than most National Geographic tomes (8.8" x 8.8"), its 352 pages had me lingering over the stories of trees, finding out facts, and marveling over the sheer gorgeousness of Mother Nature in all her glory. It made me want to do some actual "forest bathing"--immersing myself in the sights, sounds and smells in the forest, but if one isn't nearby, Into the Woods makes a nice substitute.  

Author Notes: Susan Tyler Hitchcock has been writing all her life. Her first book, Gather Ye Wild Things: A Forager's Year, was published by Harper & Row in 1980. Since then she has authored 12 more books of her own, ranging from a memoir about a year-long sailing trip with her husband and two small children to a cultural history of Frankenstein's monster, continuing work she began while earning her PhD in English at the University of Virginia. In 2001 she began working as a book editor for National Geographic, focusing on nature and science especially. In that role, she has developed dozens of new titles and contributed writing for many of them. She is thrilled that National Geographic will publish her next book, Into the Forest, in 2022. She lives in the country south of Charlottesville, in the house she and her husband built. She tends a garden of flowers and vegetables and roams the forest nearly every day.

Here are a few pictures from the book.

Note: A review copy of "Into the Woods" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.  

You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.