CHENNAI: Trees are fundamental to human life. Bestselling author and environmentalist Jonathan Drori in his book, Around the World in 80 Trees not only throws the spotlight on this but also takes his readers on a ‘green journey’, exploring the narratives of 80 magnificent trees across the globe. “These are biographies of 80 different trees,” said the author who was recently in the city for a book reading session at Folly, Amethyst.
Jonathan, through a string of excerpts from the book and a presentation, took the audience on a visual journey, and whetted the appetite of tree/nature enthusiasts and environmentalists who were part of the event.
“I had the chance to get a glimpse of the book. I will soon be travelling across the globe, and this book will be the perfect companion. I would love to know more about these wonderful trees that have given the humankind so much,” shared a member of the audience. The narrative is interlaced with illustrations by Lucille Clerc.
From India’s banyan, Columbia’s wax palm trees, opium poppy, Malaysia’s gutta-percha, Japanese lace, Madagascar’s sandbox to the travellers tree, he touched upon them all. These trees are not only part of a larger eco-chain but also fundamentally provide sanctuary and inspiration — not to mention the raw materials for everything from aspirin to maple syrup.
Jonathan who grew up in Kew, London, inherited his love for plants from his parents. “I was about seven years old when my parents started telling me stories about trees. I was hooked to it and got interested in it very early in life,” shared the former BBC documentary filmmaker. “It took me about a year and a half to work on this book,” he said.
Stops on the trip include the lime trees of Berlin’s Unter den Linden boulevard, the streets in 19th-Century London, which were paved with Australian eucalyptus wood, and the redwood forests of California, where the secret to the trees’ soaring heights can be found in the properties of the tiniest drops of water.
‘We used all our senses: a lick of latex from an opium poppy was particularly entertaining, mostly for the look on friends’ parents’ faces when we told them. Virtually, every story about a plant was part of a wider one about animals or people. I learned about the horror of the slave trade when my father gave me a tiny piece of Dieffenbachia, known in the United States as ‘dumb cane’ for the effect it had on the tongues and throats of plantation workers who had been too vocal about their lot. Those visits left me with a lasting interest in plants and their relationships with people, although I don’t think anyone told me what a tree actually was. We just knew them when we saw them,’ reads an excerpt from the book.
From trees that were used as a deadly poison to trees that were used to insulate the communication cables, Jonathan discussed it all.
Jonathan’s favourite tree, he revealed was the Quiver tree, a distinctive member of a group of succulent plants known as ‘Aloes’. “It is Namibia’s national plant. In India, I am really fascinated by the neem tree. I think its narrative is a perfect combination of folklore and science,” he said.
As a piece of advice to the audience, Jonathan shared: “All of you should join an eco movement and do your bit. Write to your politicians and make sure your vote counts.”