John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales

An award-winning anthology exploring the history, folklore, and human stories connected to trees.

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A Collection of Tree Stories

John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales brings together stories that show the many ways trees have shaped our lives. Drawn from history, folklore, literature, and personal experience, the collection explores trees as witnesses to change, sources of comfort, symbols of resilience, and links between generations.

Compiled by longtime arborist and urban-forestry leader W. Jim Cortese, the book invites readers to look more closely at the trees around them and the stories they hold.

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A Book About Trees and the People Who Love Them

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An Anthology of History, Folklore, and Tree Stories

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Collected and Edited by W. Jim Cortese, Featuring Original Stories by the Author

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A Note From Jim

For most of my life, I have spent time around trees, studying them, caring for them, and learning from them. But what has stayed with me most are the stories people carry about them.

Ask someone about a tree, and they often remember one right away: a tree they climbed as a child, one that shaded a family gathering, or one that stood beside them during an important time in life. Those memories return quickly, and they matter.

That is what led me to make this book. I wanted to honor the ways trees stay with us, across generations, places, and seasons of life.

My hope is that these stories bring to mind some of your own.

— W. Jim Cortese

A Look Inside The Book

Discover the stories and connections that make John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales a book for anyone who has ever loved a tree.

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Readers and Media Praise

  • “You have put together a truly wonderful gathering of stories that take me beyond just the pages you have printed between the covers.”

    — Ross Strange, North Carolina

  • “The stories are charming and fun, and I can clearly see the heart behind it.”

    — Tiffany Carpenter, Knoxville, Tennessee

  • “I certainly enjoyed reading your book. I also learned some things that were very interesting and entertaining.”

    — Ron Sherrill, Knoxville, Tennessee

  • “Jim’s book is full of history and personality, and it made me look at the trees around me differently.”

    — Joyce Mealey, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

  • “Fun stories like branches on a tree that you will enjoy climbing.”

    — Dudley Benton, Verified Amazon Purchaser

  • “Each piece invites readers to reconnect with nature and reflect on their own ‘tree stories.’”

    — Knox TN Today, Media Coverage

More Stories Are Still Growing

John Muir Climbs a Tree and Other Tree Tales is the beginning of a growing body of work by W. Jim Cortese. Through future books, articles, and projects, he will continue sharing stories of trees, history, and the people whose lives are connected to them.

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