3.4* I saw this book described as 'magisterial'. Well it treats a magisterial topic, the trees of our planet, reverently and it is certainly long - du3.4* I saw this book described as 'magisterial'. Well it treats a magisterial topic, the trees of our planet, reverently and it is certainly long - due in part to trying to tie up the connecting stories of its many human characters, and perhaps in part as a nod to the much longer lifespans of trees. No trees suffered in my consumption of the story (told on Audible by a woman whose voice I didn't warm to). The first section that introduces the characters worked as reasonable vignettes. The rest, though I feel the same tree love as the author clearly does, felt excessive to me - too light for each character to feel like they had real depth (or maybe RP doesn't do that? This is the first time I have read him), but too many linked subplots to keep my full attention. Did work in pushing me to gather more tree knowledge. ...more
the writing is beautiful, exact and poetic; the subject is a great one - throughout our history and in many people's present (increasingly, gratefullythe writing is beautiful, exact and poetic; the subject is a great one - throughout our history and in many people's present (increasingly, gratefully, in mine): walking and the imagination. sixteen paths are tramped, across four countries, mostly on land but some over sea. there is a particular, climactic focus on the writer edward thomas, but so much else is pulled in, in a way that reminded be of WG sebald. i have been lucky enough to walk the broomway in essex and similar paths to the ones macfarlane treads in the palestinian west bank - both are rendered expertly. hoping to be up in the cairngorms next month.
all i (greedily) felt was lacking was something more on how walking affects humans physiologically/mentally - isn't it one of the things that differentiated ours from the other species of ape. it makes us us. i really should get up from this sofa...
Loading...
