I was thrilled to find this book at my local public library. The more I read, however, the more I wished to own a copy myself so that I could refer to it again and again.

I would rate the spiritual factor of this book at least a 10. The world would be a better place if all of us could revere trees in the way of Stephanie Kaza. The stories are rich, honest, and full of love. The illustrations are beautiful, free, and alive. The only thing I didn't care for in the book was the extremely Buddhist perspective; I found it structured & confining. Still, a very beautiful and moving book--Particularly, the chapters on the Coastal Redwoods and Bristlecone Pines. As a tree artist and hardcore druid-at-heart (especially when it comes to redwoods), I very much enjoyed it. I appreciate a book which provides such utter spiritual reverance and love (which we have often towards animals), to trees!.

To borrow from poet William Blake, this anthology encourages us "to see a world in a grain of sand, and Heaven in a wildflower." Previous green anthologies, such as the 1991 "Green Reader" (which I also recommend), convincingly show that we are in the midst of a global environmental crisis. This impressive, 491-page collection not only examines the many problems contributing to that crisis (e. g., consumerism, nuclear waste, deforestation, and overpopulation), but proposes that it is now time we rethink our attitude "not only to people, but to plants, animals and places" (p. 356), suggesting that a compassionate, buddhist perspective can help. Contributors to this anthology include, among others, Thich Nhat Hanh, Gary Snyder, Joanna Macy, the Dalai Lama, Peter Matthiessen, Peter Timmerman, Robert Aitken, Rick Fields, and Christopher Titmuss. Although all of the contributors write from a buddhist point of view, you do not have to be a buddhist to appreciate this book.