3.5 out of 4 stars.

A trees growth is slow and so is my heart rate after finishing this book.

There are several reasons I love to read; it relaxes me, it teaches me how to focus, it sparks my creativity, and with some books it educates me.  With that type of growth reading it is a fine balance of business and pleasure.  This is exactly the case with Wohlleben’s “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries From a Secret World”. The title is also a symbol of how this author’s writing is exactly to the point. There is no hidden messages. The reader should realize if they pick this book up it is going to be ALL about trees.

Overall it was jam packed with information that I do not remember learning in school. Well, maybe I was taught it but the findings did NOT resinate because it felt like I was hearing all this for the first time. I mean who knew that trees give off sound waves just like the ocean or that they have the ability to make their leaves taste bitter so bugs won’t eat them? I did not! I applaud Wohlleben’s ability to throw several funny remarks in the book that made the topic seem less dull. He gave clever metaphors of how to consider a situation in the forest. I even chuckled a few times when I wasn’t looking up a large list of words he wrote that I had no idea what they meant. It wasn’t his writing that was an issue. He is extremely talented in and out of the woods. It also wasn’t the length of this nonfiction because for such an in-depth matter Wohlleben was able to crush the subject in less than 300 pages. I just can’t seem to put my finger on why I had such a hard time getting through it. I can only assume that my attention issues cannot overcome ANY solo- subject mattered book. I am much more of a variety fan and even though there are several types of trees they all fit in one umbrella for me. I would of liked the chapters to be broken up in the realm of trees, bugs, photosynthesis, etc. I like to pop around while reading so I am not an expert but just a pro. However, it was more broken up with the different cycles of trees’ lives and since there are SO many different types of trees that left SO many life cycles to learn about.

All in all, I would suggest that unless you just cannot get enough on the idea of nature then this subject matter may be better listened to on a podcast. It would still deliver the same points (which were very fascinating) but it would also allow you to have your hands free to write down everything you STILL need to learn once the listening is over. It was just too much to pick the book up, get confused, write down questions, and then try and pick it back up. Again, I am also a beginner on trees so maybe this would be more enjoyable for those that feel more comfortable on the topic. Give it a try and let me know!