The Man Who Climbs Trees Part 2: Ch3 - Apollo / Ch4 - Tree of Life / Ch5 - Castana

[Owen]

Here to post comments about Chapters 3-5

[Matt]

Really liked the chapter about Apollo. Parts had me on the edge of my seat, in stark contrast to the sad ending. The vivid description of the Congo really stuck and served as a reminder of how insignificant we really are. Reminding me that we really are just part of nature and not some thing different and separate.

[Owen]

Hey Matt! Yeah I'm still working through these few chapters but Apollo blew me away so I had to comment. Best chapter so far, really visceral, nightmarish but also poignant and beautiful. Central Africa may as well be the moon for what most of us are used to.

[spoiler]I had no idea fig trees were so interesting or that gorillas could get ebola. That final few paragraphs was heart wrenching.

Am really enjoying this book - as I said in first part, I was worried this might turn into a bro-fest but it really is excellent.

[Owen]

just read the Costa Rica chapter. Love the comparison of the canopy with a coral reef. Stories about Attenborough are always going to be winners too

[Owen]

Finished this section. How is he still even alive at this point?! Interesting the point he makes about drones - I wonder to what extent it makes his job redundant, after all why would you send someone up the tree if you didn't have to?

If so it's a bit of a shame - what's clear from this book so far is just how much of the experience you don't get from seeing the final pics and documentary produced. He has some amazing stories that don't come back if you send a drone up there.

[Owen]

Also - really enjoying this book, much more than I expected to

[Claire]

Owen wrote: "Also - really enjoying this book, much more than I expected to"

I've always liked trees ever since I was very young so I thought I would like this book but I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. The descriptions are very detailed and interesting, you can almost picture the forests/rainforests he's travelling through and it's made me want to look up the different types of trees he mentions to get a full image in my mind.

He has really had some scary moments during these climbs and also thrilling moments. I would say disgusting too. I'm thinking of the maggots. Yuk!

"A few hours later I was woken by something moving beneath the skin of my scalp."

Oh my God. My skin was crawling reading that whole section.

[Owen]

Yeah jeez there are 3 or 4 moments in the book of actual body horror. It's good that he tells it, it really makes the trees seem like alien environments wow.

I really dislike heights so that plus having your face stung to bits by bees is not something I will ever trouble my self with!