The Man Who Made Things out of Trees

By: Robert Penn

Narrated by: Robert Penn

Out of all the trees in the world, the ash is the most closely bound up with who we are. From tool handles to arrows, wheels and bowls to furniture and baseball bats, humans have made more and varied use of ash than any other kind of wood.

Journeying across the English-speaking world, Robert Penn meets craftsmen with rare skills and a knowledge of the properties of ash developed over millennia. He finds that ancient traditions still thrive, and he reveals how the people working with this wood every day have a particular and intimate understanding of the physical world. Yet, Penn argues, the world's remaining ash forests also face urgent perils that threaten this unique repository of human history.

Brimming with surprising research and vivid nature writing, The Man Who Made Things out of Trees describes our ages-long relationship with forests and revels in the pleasure of making things by hand.

©2015 Robert Penn (P)2016 HighBridge Company

Amazing tale and daunting warning

As an avid amateur carpenter I thoroughly enjoyed the story of the authors goal to use an ash tree for as many purposes as possible. I was not expecting to learn the history of the ash tree in the unfortunate future that has already begun to plague our forests. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in the history of how humans have used trees to further our civilization and also the environmental impact that we have made on the world's forest through globalization and trade.

This was such an amazing book.

This was such an amazing book. it was like listening to a love story by an eloquent poet to the ancient ash tree. I would definitely recommend this book to others!

Another Great Penn book

Penn’s narration adds great quality to a well balanced story of the bigger picture. Fantastic content- heartwarming histories and humanity.

I liked it a lot.

I live making things out of wood, so I really enjoyed the book. Really liked his style and narration.

Awesome

Great book, excellent detail and specific. Would highly recommend to anyone who is a nature lover or woodworker.

Worthy of multiple readings...

A fantastic jaunt through history and a poetic homage to a precious and under appreciated natural resource.

Perfect for a Woodworker

The author kept me engaged with information. Inspiring me on a day of building in the shop to order 100 board foot of ash, and see what new life I can give the wood. Enjoy the list many times.

a pleasant and informative listen

This was a delight to listen to. Super narration by the British author. Chock full of interesting tidbits about trees and ash trees. Great survey of the different products made of ash, as well as how the products are made.

Very interesting!

Fascinating look into the historical and current uses of ash wood. Equally interesting for those curious about woodworking as well as historical material use.

A story of respect for trees and our connection to them. As told by an account of one man and one Ash tree.

I adore the reverence and respect that the author shows for trees and our relationship to them. By telling the tale of how he commissioned the use of a single tree into a variety of useful products, we learn the properties and versatility of the wondrous Ash tree. He does a very good job weaving all the products and craftsmen, and their histories, into a tapestry that makes me feel connected to human history and our environment. I am inspired to try a similar exercize with trimmed branches from a neighbor Sycamore.