About the Book
Unlock the power of personal wisdom with nature’s best teacher: trees, sentinels of both understanding and insight.
In every civilized country, trees have been revered for their arboreal wisdom, common sense modeling, botanical philosophy, and lifelong acumen. They are, without argument, icons of counsel and direction. Trees offer commending insights for our lives…lives succumbed to stress, anxiety, and loss of focus. Trees are, in so many ways, individual examples of determination, vibrancy, and passion; not for a moment, but rather for a lifetime. The Healing Wisdom of Trees offers sixty-five separate essays of practical advice that can change lives for the better; a collection of scientific and psychological insights that can renew and reinvigorate for the long term.
This is not a book about spirituality, trees that talk to us, or ever-knowing sprites that gambol through the forest. It is a collection of compelling anecdotes and vivid stories about how trees serve as valuable models for our lives; how we can deal with the challenges of everyday living, and how we can grow as individuals. With the best-selling author of The Secret Life of Clams and In Search of the Old Ones, Anthony D. Fredericks, you’ll venture into a redwood forest to learn about how trees show us the importance of community, you’ll discover how peach trees model the power of friendship, you’ll see how cherry trees exemplify the significance of calmness, and you’ll learn how aspens demonstrate our need to draw strength from others. Here, trees are our mentors and our teachers.
Part travelogue, part natural history, part science, and part psychology, this absorbing book shows us how we can reinvigorate our lives, reduce everyday stress, and bring out the best in ourselves when we heed the wisdom of trees.
About the Author :
Anthony D. Fredericks is a husband, father, grandfather, brother, and cousin. So too, is he Professor Emeritus of Education at York College of Pennsylvania where he taught science, writing, and teacher education courses. He is a prolific and award-winning author of more than 175 adult nonfiction and children’s books, including In Search of the Old Ones: An Odyssey among Ancient Trees; Two-Minute Habits: Small Habits, Dynamic Creativity; Tall Tall Tree; and A is for Anaconda: A Rainforest Alphabet. He has also written for an array of magazines and online journals including High Country News, Hawai’i Magazine, Harrisburg Magazine, Teaching K-8, CNBC-Make It, and Psychology Today, among others. A professional educator for more than a half-century, he has offered science workshops, conducted natural history presentations, and made keynote addresses throughout North America. He and his wife, Phyllis, live in York, Pennsylvania. www.anthonydfredericks.com
Review :
“A wise and engaging guide to the many insights offered by trees. Filled with practical advice and gentle invitations, our humanity and joy expand through attention to our leafy cousins.”
—David George Haskell, biologist and Pulitzer-finalist author of Sounds Wild and Broken, The Songs of Trees, and The Forest Unseen
“The Healing Wisdom of the Forest by Anthony D. Fredericks is a beautifully reflective and practical guide that draws timeless lessons from the natural world to inspire our personal growth, resilience, and inner peace. Through engaging storytelling, actionable advice, and journaling prompts, the author invites readers to reconnect with nature’s quiet wisdom and find strength, gratitude, and joy in everyday life. A nurturing and thoughtful read for anyone seeking to deepen their connection with nature and with themselves.”
—Holly Worton, author of If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods
“I came away from The Healing Wisdom of the Forest with a sense of peace—no small thing in today's world—and a newfound appreciation for the extraordinary lessons trees can continue to teach us. With poetic insight and ecological grace, Fredericks draws from the lives of trees to offer us a map for our own futures.”
—Daniel Lewis, author of Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future
“Optimistic and generous, Anthony Fredericks’s The Healing Wisdom of the Forest offers tree-inspired lessons and reflections to reduce stress and increase happiness and well-being. This book is a story-rich manual that invites readers to engage their curiosity outdoors and discover for themselves what the local environment demonstrates about living a fulfilling life.”
—Heidi Beierle, author of Heidi Across America: One Woman’s Journey on a Bicycle Through the Heartland
“Just as trees achieve a balance of roots below ground while its branches reach for the sky, Anthony Fredericks has achieved a singular balance in his writing: part memoir, part information, and part inspiration. This is a gentle, intriguing read that will motivate you to observe, reflect, and embrace the balance, music, and magic embodied by trees. Read this book—and find a tree.”
—Suzanne I. Barchers, writer
“With wit, charm, and wisdom, Anthony D. Fredericks weaves inspiring life lessons with evocative arboreal imagery into every page of this delightful volume. Like taking a leisurely walk along a verdant forest path with a beloved guide, let The Hidden Wisdom of the Forest take you deep into Nature to reveal your own nature, teaching how to live fully, gratefully, and with grace. Beautifully written, I was so enchanted, I could hardly put it down.”
—Cathy Katin-Grazzini, sustainable chef and author of Love the Foods That Love the Planet and Love the Foods That Love You Back
"Anthony D. Fredericks reaches deep into your soul to remind you of your power, resilience, influence, and above all, humanity. This is not just a book—it’s a quiet forest path that leads you back to yourself."
—Crystal Robertson, leadership coach and employee experience consultant
“The Healing Wisdom of the Forest is a gentle and enjoyable ramble through not only lovely forests and trees, but also through wise and gentle ways of handling life more enjoyably, and with a lot less stress. Just as the ancient trees withstand the varieties of life, this book will help you emulate their natural strategies and become, like them, adaptable, unflappable, and ultimately wiser for it. Recommended for all who wish to live more at peace with themselves and the world.”
—Michael Zajaczkowski, author of The Owner's Manual to Life: In Case You Missed That Day in School When They Handed It Out
"A nurturing book, full of thought-provoking observations and insights."
—Tristan Gooley, author of How to Read a Tree: Clues and Patterns from Bark to Leaves
