The Heart of the Forest explores four enduring ways in which we connect to the woods - through Refuge, Sacredness, Horror and Hope - making fascinating links between emotion and genre. For Henry David Thoreau, the woods are places beyond civilization; for Ursula LeGuin and C S Lewis, they are loaded with otherworldly potential; and for those fleeing captivity, they can provide a welcome sanctuary. Woods can strike fear, they can inspire wonder, they can be lovely, dark and deep.

With full-color illustration throughout, this book branches out into the British Library to find both the haunting and the hopeful in an unparalleled collection of books, manuscripts and photography. It tells a global story of how we understand trees, and its beautifully illustrated pages present a moving argument for conservation and renewal.