Ennos specializes in biomechanics and writes with an appreciative eye for wood’s physical qualities.

... a lively history of biology, mechanics and culture that stretches back 60 million years, from the evolution of small, tree-dwelling, bush babies, with which humans share a common ancestor. It ends in our more sobering modern times, as megafires, propelled by climate change, incinerate millions of hectares in Australia and the United States, and thousands of square kilometres of Brazilian rainforest are razed to make way for mining and cattle ranching..

Ennos shares his insatiable curiosity with us. He applies his sharp eye for details, and he does so entertainingly.

[Ennos] takes a fresh look at the familiar substance, wielding it like a wedge to pry open our past, examine our present and even glimpse our future.

This engaging natural history will draw in fans of Mark Kurlansky's Cod and Vince Beiser's The World in a Grain. It does a fantastic job of elevating humble wood to its rightful place alongside stone, bronze, and iron as a key resource in leading humanity to its dazzling achievements..

... often surprising.

An informative study of the crucial role of wood in the development of humans over centuries.

... illuminating and fluidly written.