Q Why did you decide to write a book about trees dying? It seems sort of depressing.
A Yeah, the title is a little depressing, but I didn't write the book that way. It's supposed to teach people about what happens in a tree's life. This is not a book for diagnosing what's wrong with your trees. It's about human interaction with trees.
Q Can you give an example?
A Sure. Emerald ash borer. It's one of the most relevant pests of our forest today because ash is a North American native. It's going to be changing our boulevards, our back yards and our forests. And we are the primary reason this is happening.
Q What was your inspiration for the book?
A It actually came out of a conversation with the publisher. He was thinking about a more poetic book, and I was thinking about a more academic book. We met in the middle. I've been growing away from writing academic books because they're not as much fun to read. I want people to enjoy what I've written.
Q Your other books, "The Truth About Garden Myths" and "The Truth About Organic Gardening," are quick-hit, research-based books. Why did you decided to write in a narrative style?
A I wanted to see if I could.