The Man Who Planted Trees [Hardcover]

Jean Giono (Author), Norma Lorre Goodrich (Author), Wangari Maathai (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 29, 2005

Twenty years ago Chelsea Green published the first trade edition of The Man Who Planted Trees, a timeless eco-fable about what one person can do to restore the earth. The hero of the story, Elzéard Bouffier, spent his life planting one hundred acorns a day in a desolate, barren section of Provence in the south of France. The result was a total transformation of the landscape-from one devoid of life, with miserable, contentious inhabitants, to one filled with the scent of flowers, the songs of birds, and fresh, flowing water.
Since our first publication, the book has sold over a quarter of a million copies and inspired countless numbers of people around the world to take action and plant trees. On National Arbor Day, April 29, 2005, Chelsea Green is releasing a special twentieth anniversary edition with a new foreword by Wangari Maathai, winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize and founder of the African Green Belt Movement.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jean Giono, the only son of a cobbler and a laundress, was one of France's greatest writers. His prodigious literary output included stories, essays, poetry, plays, filmscripts, translations and over thirty novels, many of which have been translated into English. Giono was a pacifist, and was twice imprisoned in France at the outset and conclusion of World War II. He remained tied to Provence and Manosque, the little city where he was born in 1895 and, in 1970, died. Giono was awarded the Prix Bretano, the Prix de Monaco (for the most outstanding collected work by a French writer), the Légion d'Honneur, and he was a member of the Académie Goncourt.

Wangari Maathai is the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first woman to earn a doctorate in biology in East Africa. A recipient of numerous awards for her work on environmental and social issues, she was elected to Parliament by an overwhelming majority in 2003 and is currently the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Wildlife, and Natural Resources in the new democratically elected Kenyan government. In 2004, she was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize. She lives in Nairobi, Kenya.Photo by Martin Rowe.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Chelsea Green (May 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931498814
• ISBN-13: 978-1931498814
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #485,684 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael
McCurdy is one of AmericaÄôs outstanding wood engravers. He
has illustrated nearly 200 books for trade publications and as special fine-press
editions. His prints and drawings are also shown in galleries throughout
the country and at www.michaelmccurdy.com.
McCurdy lives in Springfield, Mass.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hope and humanity, September 29, 2005

By 

gracie jane "janie--" (LA, Ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Planted Trees, 20th Anniversary (Hardcover)

I think the publisher wrote the perfect review for this book. It is a book about planting seeds and the seeds of life and what can happen when we give in the most humane, natural way. When nature and the human spirit work as one. The illustrations are a beautiful compliment to the writer. It makes a perfect gift and will inspire those who read it.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book For The Ages, For All Ages, August 21, 2008

By 

Edward J. Insinger "edi48" (Summit, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Planted Trees (Hardcover)

Several years ago, I read The Man Who Planted Trees and enjoyed it so much that I passed it on to a friend to read. With the release of the 20th Anniversary Edition, I decided this was a book that had to be reread and added to my library as an all-time favorite. My second reading was enjoyed even more than the first. Perhaps the wisdom I have garnered between readings has come to a fuller fruition.

Jean Giono has created a marvelous character in Elzeard Bouffier, a man who found purpose in life by the planting of acorns that grew into magnificent trees. Since he never wandered far from his home, he was able to see the fruits of his labor and the complete revitalization of the landscape around him. It is no wonder that he seldom saw the need for talk. Seeing was both believing and self-fulfilling for him.

The wood engravings by Michael McCurdy add beauty and simple elegance to the story. The picture of Elzeard Bouffier is exactly as Jean Giono portrays him: a kind and gentle soul, filled with peace and contentment with the earth in which he planted and walked upon.

Although this is a book for the ages, for all ages, it finds special relevance for our time. Everyone can benefit from the reading of this little book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book about the essence of life, February 10, 2007

By 

Gene E. Willeke (Oxford, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Man Who Planted Trees, 20th Anniversary (Hardcover)

One can read this book in less than an hour. That hour can be an exquisite calming experience, and one that talks about alternative ways of achieving satisfaction, while contributing to the place where he lives. It's not really a Johnny Appleseed book, even though it is about planting trees. Rather, it is about contributing to the health of the Earth, while contributing to the health of the individual.