A story of a forest that has more trees than any other, in a country of a thousand forests.
Author: Adela Pajunen & Marko Leppänen
Finnish original: Suomalainen metsäkylpy
Publisher: Gummerus, 2019
Genre: nonfiction
Number of pages: c. 240 pp.
Reading material: Finnish original, English sample, English synopsis
Rights sold: Latin America (Spanish), Intermedio
The humanity is rooted in nature and it is evident that the two have lived side by side for hundreds of millennia. During the past years, we have learned that a regular contact with nature benefits our health in many ways. It will lift our mood, lessen the physical tension, and improve our memory and concentration. The microbes from nature strengthen our immune system and boost recovery. Being outdoors also trains our senses.
Hence, we just have to answer the call of the wild and of the forest.
Woodland helps us do that. It is a story about the authors’ ancient and beloved home forest, but at the same time it is a story of every forest in the world. It takes us on a search for connection to nature, and the wisdom and realizations derived from it. Doing that, it reveals small wonders of nature, like how spruces deal with stress and what kind of a world view bumblebees actually have.
On the side of that, it also offers us scientific proof about the health benefits of the forest:
✲ Why is it beneficial to be in the forest right after rain?
✲ How come a small stick of wood can rise our spirits?
✲ Does spending time in nature make us live longer?
Above all it helps the readers – no matter where they live – to build a strong bond with nature and find their place in this matrix.
“People without a connection to nature are like trees with weak roots: quickly toppled in a storm.”
About the authors:
Adela Pajunen & Marko Leppänen