Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up, my father and I would take two weeks every summer to camp in the High Sierra Mountains of California. In between fishing excursions and rafting trips, I would take time to hike among tall pines or resplendent forests. I was always amazed at what I would discover. In later years, I would often find myself in the company of forests on business ventures or family vacations. Now in my eighth decade, I still embrace the magnificence of tall timbers. I have lived among them, danced beneath their branches, and reposed in their shade. They are an integral part of my life; they are both inspiration and friends.


I wrote

In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees

By Anthony D. Fredericks,

Book cover of In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees

What is my book about?

When I learned there were Bristlecone Pine trees in California that had been living for more than 4,000 years, I…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Hidden Life of Trees

Anthony D. Fredericks Why did I love this book?

This is the book that started the “tree revolution.”

With compelling narration and personal narratives, Wohlleben takes readers inside the life of a forest to discover a world previously unknown. 

This book will change your mind and change your perspective about the role of trees in the natural world. Like me, your eyes will be opened and your senses stimulated by the author’s passion for tall timbers. This is a book to savor, enjoy, and read several times. In short, a classic!

Imagine my joy when a pre-publication review of my book noted that it was “…a perfect read for fans of The Hidden Life of Trees.” Yes, I was dancing in the street!

By Peter Wohlleben, Jane Billinghurst (translator),

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked The Hidden Life of Trees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement that will make you acknowledge your own entanglement in the ancient and ever-new web of being."--Charles Foster, author of Being a Beast Are trees social beings? In this international bestseller, forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben…


Book cover of The Wild Trees: A Story of Passion and Daring

Anthony D. Fredericks Why did I love this book?

Fasten your seat belts, for Preston will take you on a wild and crazy journey up into the canopies of redwood trees.

You’ll join a brave and fearless troop of young explorers as they ascend ever higher into these magnificent trees to discover a world previously unseen. Strange critters, unusual plants, and an ecosystem unlike any on the forest floor come into view.

I have always believed that good nonfiction writing is also good storytelling. Preston is a master at weaving tales that capture readers’ imaginations and inform at the same time. His narrative bristles with mystery, intrigue, and rich human personalities.

After reading this tome, I journeyed to the redwood forests to discover for myself. So, will you!

By Richard Preston,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Wild Trees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Hidden in unseen valleys of dense rainforest on the coast of California are the world's tallest and largest things - trees up to forty stories tall and as old as the Parthenon: the coastal redwoods. Mysterious and unexplored, few people know how to find them, and fewer still have climbed them to study their upper reaches and discover the wonders there. "The Wild Trees" is the astonishing story of the handful of wild tree climbers and amateur naturalists who are now working in the redwood canopy, exploring this enchanted and terrifically dangerous new world. The canopy is a mysterious place…


Book cover of Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest

Anthony D. Fredericks Why did I love this book?

Rare is the scientist who can write nonfiction that captures readers’ imaginations while taking them on a journey packed with amazing discoveries and loads of personalities - humans and trees alike.

This is a most delightful venture - one that grabs your attention and guides you into an unknown world of plant communication and intelligence (Who knew plants could “talk” with each other?). I enjoyed this book because it is as much a story as it is a scientific investigation.

Here is another eye-popping book that will change your thinking and offer compelling science in a format that is both refreshing and engaging. You, too, will discover that this is a book most difficult to put down.

By Suzanne Simard,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked Finding the Mother Tree as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From the world's leading forest ecologist who forever changed how people view trees and their connections to one another and to other living things in the forest—a moving, deeply personal journey of discovery

“Finding the Mother Tree reminds us that the world is a web of stories, connecting us to one another. [The book] carries the stories of trees, fungi, soil and bears--and of a human being listening in on the conversation. The interplay of personal narrative, scientific insights and the amazing revelations about the life of the forest make a compelling story.”—Robin Wall…


Book cover of Into the Forest: The Secret Language of Trees

Anthony D. Fredericks Why did I love this book?

I discovered this book by accident…and what a great accident it was!

This book is a complete and thorough examination of all the elements of forest life. Chapters include Tree, Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and Forest. Throughout, it is brimming with information, full of insights, and loaded with perspectives found in no other book.

It is a most masterful examination of every element of forest life - told with intensity and passion.

As a National Geographic publication, you know it is both scientifically accurate and packed with dynamic photographs. This is a book that was crafted with love and intent.

Like me, you will find yourself turning to this book again and again. It is a most necessary addition to any personal library.

By Susan Tyler Hitchcock,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Into the Forest as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

For millennia, trees have offered renewal and inspiration.

They have provided for humanity on every level, from spiritual sanctuary to the raw material for our homes, books, and food. In this beautiful and revealing book, National Geographic combines legendary photography with cutting-edge science to illuminate exactly how trees influence the life of planet Earth-from our personal lives to the weather cycle. Beautifully illustrated essays tell the stories of the world's most remarkable trees, from Tane Mahura in New Zealand, the ancient Maori "lord of the forest," to Pando, a single aspen spreading over 100 acres: Earth's largest living thing. You'll…


Book cover of Tree Story: The History of the World Written in Rings

Anthony D. Fredericks Why did I love this book?

Simply stated, this book is a gem!

It is a combination of rich and compelling science along with narration that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go until the last page is turned. I had the distinct honor and opportunity to interview Dr. Trouet and I can assure you that she is just as genuine as her words.

Her passion for dedrochronology is palpable and her authorial skills give this unique science both emotion and attitude. What I enjoy so much about this book is that Trouet goes well beyond the simple act of counting tree rings.

She shows readers how the field of dendrochronology has given us significant information about both ancient life as well as the challenges of life in the future.

By Valerie Trouet,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tree Story as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What if the stories of trees and people are more closely linked than we ever imagined?

Winner of the World Wildlife Fund's 2020 Jan Wolkers PrizeOne of Science News's "Favorite Books of 2020" A New York Times "New and Noteworthy" BookA 2020 Woodland Book of the YearGold Winner of the 2020 Foreword INDIES Award in Ecology & EnvironmentBronze Winner of the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Award in Environment/Ecology

People across the world know that to tell how old a tree is, you count its rings. Few people, however, know that research into tree rings has also made amazing contributions to…


Explore my book 😀

In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees

By Anthony D. Fredericks,

Book cover of In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees

What is my book about?

When I learned there were Bristlecone Pine trees in California that had been living for more than 4,000 years, I just had to see them. Walking among these ancients was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I was in absolute awe! Here were trees that had sprouted since the invention of writing…and were still living.

Thus, began a quest to learn more about ancient trees throughout the U.S. I discovered a 9,000-year-old aspen, 3,000-year-old sequoias, and a most remarkable tree that has lived for more than 13,000 years. I talked to park rangers, dendrochronologists, and just plain folks to learn as much as I could about long-lived trees. I am still amazed at their longevity. I am still in awe!

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Book cover of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

Mimi Zieman Author Of Tap Dancing on Everest: A Young Doctor's Unlikely Adventure

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an OB/GYN, passionate about adventuring beyond what’s expected. This has led me to pivot multiple times in my career, now focusing on writing. I’ve written a play, The Post-Roe Monologues, to elevate women’s stories. I cherish the curiosity that drives outer and inner exploration, and I love memoirs that skillfully weave the two. The books on this list feature extraordinary women who took risks, left comfort and safety, and battled vulnerability to step into the unknown. These authors moved beyond the stories they’d believed about themselves–or that others told about them. They invite you to think about living fuller and bigger lives. 

Mimi's book list on women exploring the world and self

What is my book about?

Tap Dancing on Everest, part coming-of-age memoir, part true-survival adventure story, is about a young medical student, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor raised in N.Y.C., who battles self-doubt to serve as the doctor—and only woman—on a remote Everest climb in Tibet.

The team attempts a new route up the East Face without the use of supplemental oxygen, Sherpa support, or chance for rescue. When three climbers disappear during their summit attempt, Zieman reaches the knife edge of her limits and digs deeply to fight for the climbers’ lives and to find her voice.


By Mimi Zieman,

Why should I read it?

22 authors picked Tap Dancing on Everest as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The plan was outrageous: A small team of four climbers would attempt a new route on the East Face of Mt. Everest, considered the most remote and dangerous side of the mountain, which had only been successfully climbed once before. Unlike the first large team, Mimi Zieman and her team would climb without using supplemental oxygen or porter support. While the unpredictable weather and high altitude of 29,035 feet make climbing Everest perilous in any condition, attempting a new route, with no idea of what obstacles lay ahead, was especially audacious. Team members were expected to push themselves to their…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in trees, forests, and friendships?

Trees 52 books
Forests 52 books
Friendships 1,479 books