The Man Who Climbs Trees

A book of heart-stopping bravery and endurance, packed with astonishing—and sometimes gruesome—encounters with wild creatures. James Aldred is an old-school hero, and his thrilling recollections of a life of adventure driven by a love for trees will give you new reverence for the beauties and mysteries of the natural world. * Helen Macdonald *The giant trees, described by James Aldred, are full of wonder and his fascinating book is a story of real adventure * Peter Wohlleben, author of the international bestseller THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES *A great read – incredible adventures and a dramatic new perspective from the arms of the world’s giants * Chris Packham *Passionate and courageous, in his masterpiece of a memoir, James Aldred reminds us that the sweet green world around us is as alive as any creature–and trees are wondrous individuals with deep truths to tell. This is a book filled with beauty, suspense and revelation. I loved it! * Sy Montgomery, author of THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS *[A] delightful, endlessly fascinating book – Brian Viner * Dail Mail BOOK OF THE WEEK *To leave the dank darkness of the jungle floor and travel up to the sunlight forest canopy is probably the natural world’s most exciting revelation. James Aldred’s wonderful book is as close as you will ever get to that experience, without risking the climb for yourself. * Alastair Fothergill, TV Producer for ‘The Blue Planet’, ‘Planet Earth’ and ‘Frozen Planet’ *A heady blend of daredevil ascents with a reflective wonder at the beauty of these living climbing frames * Derek Niemann, nature writer and journalist *A beautiful testament to the unique perspective offered by life high in the branches – Bruce Parry, award-winning documentary film-maker and author

James Aldred grew up on the edge of the New Forest and spent his teenage years exploring it. By fifteen he was building forest shelters, sleeping rough in the woods and spending much of his time up in the branches of trees. These days, he works in the treetops as an Emmy award-winning wildlife cameraman working regularly with National Geographic and the BBC, collaborating on many landmark natural history programmes with David Attenborough. He is also the author of The Man Who Climbs Trees and Goshawk Summer, for which he won the Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing 2022. He lives with his family near Bristol and enjoys returning to the Forest to share it with his wife and sons whenever he can.