Brandon Melton

Shrubs of the Gods Brandon Melton

This book is about trees. . . and history. . . and to some extent why Eve ate an apple, and not a guava. Wherever one looks in our history and culture, from books to movies, immense trees often take center stage. From the Great Sequoias of California to the Baobabs of Africa, this book takes note of those that inspire us. It also takes a look into the trees of myth and religion, from the Tree of Life to the Viking world tree, Yggdrasil. It seeks to pull all of these diverse tales together with anecdote and humor. After all, Dr. Livingstone wrote about the trees of Africa, before becoming lost and Captain Cook, those of New Zealand before becoming the first casualty in the history of Hawaiian tourism. This book is for those who want to learn their tales in addition to why some have found it wise to get married hundreds of feet up the side of a gigantic redwood.