Elderflora: A Modern History of Ancient Trees
Bristlecones, ginkgos, yews and baobabs became objects of science, tourism and grief, and dating them changed what deep time felt like to the people doing the counting.
Farmer traces how the world’s oldest trees, among them bristlecones, ginkgos, yews and baobabs, became objects of science, tourism and grief, and how dating them reshaped our sense of deep time. It is a history of longevity and of the people who went looking for it, often at some cost to the trees themselves.
Recommended by 1 Person
Maria Popova
Jared Farmer chronicles their evolutionary trajectory in his altogether fascinating book Elderflora: A Modern History of Ancient Trees (public library)
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