Out of the Woods

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View books by Will Cohu.

Whimsical, fascinating tree lore - Rated
The reader is taken on a humorous and educational walk, metaphorically leaving the car in the lay-by and venturing into the woods beyond. We are encouraged to look at the trees around us in a new way. The ash, for example, is a "bisexual-transsexual-hermaphrodite creature", a "mad old bastard dancing in the nude". The Gingko, we are reminded, may have been around for 250 million years, and its genetic composition enabled several to survive Hiroshima. We are told how the wood from each tree smells when it burns, oak apparently resembling "kippers and bacon overlaid with single malt". I read this book in small doses over several months. It is thoroughly entertaining, amusing and informative rather than primarily a guide to identification.

Nice idea let down just a bit by the production - Rated
Another aspiring 'attractive little book' with nice illustrations. This author's way with words is informative, entertaining and indeed arresting, but they are entitled to better typographical treatment than they got, and so is the reader -- this one was quite distracted by it. Looks as if 'typeset' in a hurry using a word-processing program by someone with absolutely no feel for the task. In particular the Revision Quizzes (is that the plural?) feature headings immediately preceding column- or page-breaks, and in many cases actually split in half by them. That aside (and maybe I'm too picky, I have edited out the full tirade!) a very enjoyable book.

For the old wise oak... - Rated
This book is made for sleepy winter afternoons when the light fades in a cold cloudless sky. There is not an offensive, challenging or pretentious line in this book. It is a fine collection of solid facts and anecdotes all woven carefully into a patchwork of little diversionary stories. Even the more serious of tree enthusiasts will take from this book a different perspective on that lonely old ash tree outside their work. It's funny, accessible, gentle to beginners and adorned with wonderful woodblock prints.

Anyone who likes trees or maybe has forgotten they do so should have this.

A very precious book - Rated
This is a very precious book, it gave me a great sense of wellbeing. I live in the city but grew up in the country and this book definately struck a chord. The author takes you by the hand and takes you on a walk to visit places that trees grow and their surroundings, the descriptions were instantly recognisable and I was transported by them to see vivid images and even remember scents. Even the seasons were captured well on paper. I enjoyed the easy tone, although there was lots of fascinating information I didn't get bogged down with it (which was a bit stifling in the 'Secret Life of Trees'). The individual characters of the trees made it seem like I was reading a novel and I felt bereft that I've reached the end. The multiple test questions and 'guess the leaf shape' were charming too.

Interesting and enjoyable read.. - Rated
This is a funny and clever book which I think would be good for tree beginers and general nature lovers. Basically, its a kind of walk through the countryside stopping to look at the kinds of trees we see in this country and city. The trees are written about more as individual characters then simply as trees. I really liked that. The illustrations are sometimes beautiful but are moody. The descriptions are very evocative and the writing which is witty and sometimes poetic keeps you hooked. You could use it as a guide I suppose but its more an entertaining read and you can dip into different parts of it easily. Its not like any other tree book I've read. Its not very reverential which may put off some people and its not technical either so there are other books for those things.