Divine Gust of Wind: The Afterlife of Great Trees

Global scientist and adventurer Peter R. Vogt-who has climbed volcanoes, traversed the Andes, trekked to Antarctica and served on submarines-turns his unbounded curiosity to trees of the Chesapeake Bay, especially the tulip poplar, the tallest tree in North America. When one majestic specimen topples in a storm, nearly crushing his waterfront home, Vogt masters the woodworking skills needed to carve chairs and other items - particularly a dugout canoe modeled on those from mid-Atlantic tidewaters centuries before. The vessel reignites Vogt's wanderlust, and he paddles the balky, 650--pound vessel at storied venues throughout the region, including Monticello, yielding descriptive and comical field notes for the book. Divine Gust of Wind focuses on the tulip poplar but also celebrates historic trees throughout America with the wisdom of poets and tree aficionados over centuries.