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secondhandreads's review
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A beautiful book, a scientific backing to what people have known in their hearts for eons; the forest is a community. Thriving and living and moving and growing as one, each part equally dependent on the other. A worthwhile read by every metric.
paradise_library's review against another edition
4.0
There’s something magical about forests. Trees have an ancient magical quality about them, which is evident in multiple fiction stories. And there's no better place to read a book than under a tree, enveloped in its giant security, savouring the shade it provides to us all.
While Suzanne Simard’s book is fact, it still contains plenty of magic. It might be a story of trees, but it’s about so much more.
Part memoir, part scientific research, Finding the Mother Tree reveals secrets of the forests and explores the harsh reality of being a woman in a man’s world, while also sharing an insight into Simard’s family, its history, loss and perseverance.
Dr Simard is passionate about preserving and enhancing nature’s biodiversity. Her research into the connectivity of trees and plants shows that even in nature, there is nurture and collaboration.
The subject is not for everyone, but it’s written well, making it engaging and compelling; by weaving in her family’s history, the book becomes less dry and more relatable. The picture she paints through her words is one of both beauty and brutality - there are even a few close encounters with bears!
Photographs not only help us to visualise the tree and feel the forest floor under our fingertips, but also give us an insight into the young girl who followed her passions and defied tradition, growing up to become a well-respected scientist and public speaker.
It’s heartfelt, thought-provoking and invites us all to connect with nature before it’s too late!
I was kindly provided with a copy of this book by Penguin. All opinions my own.
While Suzanne Simard’s book is fact, it still contains plenty of magic. It might be a story of trees, but it’s about so much more.
Part memoir, part scientific research, Finding the Mother Tree reveals secrets of the forests and explores the harsh reality of being a woman in a man’s world, while also sharing an insight into Simard’s family, its history, loss and perseverance.
Dr Simard is passionate about preserving and enhancing nature’s biodiversity. Her research into the connectivity of trees and plants shows that even in nature, there is nurture and collaboration.
The subject is not for everyone, but it’s written well, making it engaging and compelling; by weaving in her family’s history, the book becomes less dry and more relatable. The picture she paints through her words is one of both beauty and brutality - there are even a few close encounters with bears!
Photographs not only help us to visualise the tree and feel the forest floor under our fingertips, but also give us an insight into the young girl who followed her passions and defied tradition, growing up to become a well-respected scientist and public speaker.
It’s heartfelt, thought-provoking and invites us all to connect with nature before it’s too late!
I was kindly provided with a copy of this book by Penguin. All opinions my own.
anfweldon's review
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I loved the enviormently conciousness of this novel! While I did find it extremely technical at time & hard to read through. It was a nice novel to read.
celiapowell's review against another edition
5.0
This was such a great book - a skillful combination of the development of the science of plant communication and the memoir elements of Suzanne's scientific career and personal life. (Her personal life is so intertwined with the work she does, and the decisions she makes about her career, that you really can't tell the story of one without the other). It's both a scientific story and an almost spiritual story - a wonderful read.