A BOOK TO READ

The Man Who Climbs Trees (Ebury Publishing, £9.99) AS A PROFESSIONAL CLIMBER, CAMERAMAN AND ADVENTURER, JAMES ALDRED HAS SCALED SOME OF THE WORLD’S TALLEST TREES – AFFORDING HIM A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE WORLD AROUND HIM. HE RECALLS BREATHTAKING LOCATIONS, MAJESTIC SCENERY AND LIFE ABOVE THE FOREST CANOPY.

The Glorious Life of the Oak (Transworld, £8.99) WITH ROOTS STRETCHING BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS, THE OAK IS A BASTION OF OUR NATURAL WORLD, AND HAS HELPED TO SHAPE SOCIETY. OUR VIKING ANCESTORS CAME HERE IN OAK LONGSHIPS, AND THE ‘WOODEN WALLS’ OF NELSON’S NAVY WERE MADE FROM THE HARDY TIMBER. THIS BOOK EXPLORES HOW THE ICONIC TREE PLAYED ITS PART IN FORMING THE NATION.