The Genius of Trees

Sublime … Through the scenes we glimpse an Indiana Jones figure who is both an eminent, travelling scientist and a born writer … Dazzling … Non-fiction rarely sees a debut like The Genius of Trees. It is a true masterpiece – Horatio Clare * Daily Telegraph, 5 stars *A mind-blowing and erudite account of how trees created the world around us … Harriet Rix presents trees as an awesome force of nature * Guardian *Very few book reviewers are so captivated that they read the book carefully from end to end - not once, but twice. That is my boast about this extraordinary first work from Harriet Rix … Rix has given us a completely new vision of how trees came to dominate our continents * Country Life *Extensively researched [and] elegantly written … A satisfying read. Trees emerge as entities which are just as dynamic as animals - including, dare one say, humans * Literary Review *You’ll never look at a tree the same way again after reading this dazzling book * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *A profoundly inventive exploration of the science of trees * Independent *A wondrous spreading canopy of a book that gives us trees as we’ve never seen them before: as dynamic forces, founders of our world, and agents of their own destiny - as well as ours. This is science writing at its best - beautifully explained, brilliantly written and perception-changing – Isabella Tree, author of WildingAn exceptional book. Up to date scientifically, beautifully clear for all of us, it changes our entire view of trees while carrying us to other worlds and times. Enchantingly written, it has personal touches which unite science, travel and fine literature and lead us by the hand through woods we never understood before – Robin Lane Fox, historian and gardening correspondent for the Financial TimesAmbitious and stunningly expansive … Few come better qualified or more passionate than Rix, a biochemist and tree science consultant, who makes this subject utterly compellingly * Daily Mirror *A compelling journey of a book, full of wonder and revelation. Highly recommended – Sue Stuart-Smith, author of the Sunday Times bestselling The Well Gardened MindIf I was dazzled by nature and in awe of trees before I read this book, I now know how much we are indebted to them for the way they have shepherded life on earth for millions of years – Kirsty Wark, television presenter and journalistFascinating and evocative, an intimate ride into the magical world of trees. This book contains everything you ever wanted to know - and so much you never knew you wanted to know - about these incredible organisms – Chris Fitch, author of Wild CitiesAn ambitious and stunningly expansive investigation into the role trees play in shaping our natural world … Few come better qualified than Rix … The Genius of Trees feels like a particularly timely reminder of the importance of protecting natural resources * Northern Echo *The idea of trees manipulating animals may be eye-opening, but in The Genius of Trees swiftly makes complete sense … In an elegantly structured, shibboleth-shaking book, Rix explains how trees have shaped the elements and then played dynamic roles in influencing the evolution of species in all kingdoms of life … An impressive, globetrotting book – Patrick Barkham * The Oldie *An ambitious and stunningly expansive investigation into the role trees play in shaping our natural world. Few come better qualified than Rix, a biochemist and long-time tree science consultant, whose passion for the project shines through in this immersive paean to the grandest of all plants * Yorkshire Post *You will forever love trees after you read this wonderful book. Not only is the text brilliant, but the author is genius. Harriet Rix’s stories range from why sloths are shaped by trees to be greenish in colour, to the chemical secrets of chocolate trees, to how one fragile moth pollinates the Joshua trees. You will want to read this book again and again – Meg Lowman, aka Canopy Meg, author of The ArbornautA magisterial tour de force. Rix packs in several lifetimes of science into this sweeping story of the amazing genius of trees. I learned so much. Surely destined to become a classic – Ben Rawlence, author of The TreelineTrees are not passive passengers in Earth’s story; they are the engineers of life itself. The Genius of Trees is a rare blend of science and wonder, reminding us just how much we still have to learn from these ancient organisms. Harriet Rix captures their wonder with clarity and awe – Thomas Crowther, Ecologist and Climate ScientistIn her wonderful book, Harriet Rix has given us a unique vantage point on the inalienable agency of trees. The Genius of Trees is both shocking and poetic, full of detail and even then dotted with fascinating footnotes. I left the book feeling invigorated and inspired – Lyndsie Bourgon, author of Tree ThievesHarriet’s own genius is her ability to weave scientific fact with great storytelling… her knowledge, courage and conviction shines through every page * Critic, Books of the Year *By far the most interesting book I have read this year… profound, but accessible * Country Life, Books of the Year *[A] wide-ranging treatise … Using recent science, reports from field research, detours through evolutionary history, and sometimes surprising literary references, Rix reveals the myriad ways in which trees bend the natural world to their own ends * New Yorker, Books of the Year *

Harriet Rix is a tree science consultant and writer. She was formerly based at the Tree Council where she supported Defra in researching tree diseases and urban tree strategies. Before joining the tree sector, she worked in landmine clearance in the Middle East. She acted as scientific advisor on Adrian Grenier’s climate documentary, was secretary of Hedgelink and is trustee of the Iraqi environmental charity Hasar.

Rix holds a biochemistry degree from the University of Oxford and an MPhil in the history and philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge. She was a London Library Emerging Writer, and her writing and photography has been published in the Financial Times, London Review of Books, Times Literary Supplement and more. The Genius of Trees is her first book.