BOOKED UP - OAKLORE

BOOKED UP - OAKLORE

I’m happy to share with you today an enchanting work from debut author Jules Acton, a journalist and ambassador for the Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.

Writer Jules Acton – whose surname means “oak town” – can trace her love of nature back to childhood. A former journalist, she has worked for the Woodland Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and WaterAid. She lives near Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, with her husband, Toby, and rescue dog, Pepe. Oaklore is her first book.

What connects Robin Hood, the history of ink, fungi, Shakespeare, and sorcery?

In  Oaklore, Jules Acton explores the incredibly diverse history of the “king of the woods,” the oak tree: from a source of food and shelter to its use in literature as a plot device and muse, its role as an essential ingredient in ink, and in mythology from across the British Isles as a sacred plant and precious resource.

Acton’s infectious enthusiasm shines through her humorous anecdotes, quirky facts about oak trees, and poetic descriptions, as well as her fun suggestions for things to do on a forest walk (like how to recognize bird songs), tips for how to write oak-themed poetry, and actions for helping oaks and their environment thrive.

Readers of Peter Wohllebe, author of  The Hidden Life of Trees, has said it is “as rich, satisfying and revelatory as a long walk in the woods.”

Lyndsie Bourgon, author of  Tree Thieves, sends this: “Oaklore takes us on a botanical exploration, during which we cover vast ground. Acton introduces us to an array of biodiversity that live and flourish on these stately trees—from roots to canopy, she deftly illustrates how oaks are ‘doorways into other worlds.’ The science in Oaklore is rich and approachable, covering everything from oaks and birdsong to wasp factories in branches. I am in awe of the oaken world around us!”

“A treasure trove of information about the one tree everyone knows (or thinks they do),  Oaklore is written with deep knowledge and an admirably light touch,” said Lev Parikian, author of Taking Flight.