Book Reviewed - The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate―Discoveries from A Secret World by Peter Wohlleben

Tree Sociology; is this science or slobber?

Much of discussion refers to author’s experience with trees in Europe as a caretaker of a German forest. He is neither an experimental biologist nor did he investigate plant intelligence in any scientific rigor. He does not stay focused; and he doesn’t engage in any serious discussion that is relevant to plant behavior, but quickly drivel into ecology and environment. The book chapters are extremely short; in fact, there are 38 chapters which facilitates the author to deviate from the hub. There is no attempt from him to connect with readers with a scientific mind but rely upon their sensibilities. Environmentalism is a very appealing subject, and this book from a former forest ranger interests a casual reader.

I did not find anything unique in this book that stands out as a good scientific argument. The author’s efforts to tell us that trees have more than life; they have social behavior akin to animals is not convincing. How did this book become a bestseller? Because this is about tree sociology, ecology, environment, forestry and interconnectedness. The author provides scientific facts in bits and pieces to to convey his beliefs that trees have consciousness and mind.