Coming this fall
Of Heartwood and Woundwood
An Unlikely Arborist’s Path to Courage and Joy
A lively and moving literary memoir of trees, illness, and the fierce resilience of the human spirit.
High in the crown of a chestnut oak, amid the dappled sunlight and the whisper of leaves, writer and arborist Jean Zimmerman experienced a sudden physical crisis that marked the beginning of a profound transformation — the second life-altering development she faced in a dozen years.
The first: a pivot away from a successful writing career to become a professional arborist. The second: a diagnosis of ALS, received soon after unsettling symptoms arose while she was on a tree-climbing retreat. Interweaving these two life changes, Zimmerman builds a lush, poignant, and hopeful narrative that intertwines the fragility of the human body with the enduring strength of trees.
With the keen eye of a seasoned writer and the heart of a devoted arborist, Zimmerman invites us into a world where trees become teachers, healers, and companions amid life’s most daunting challenges. She explores the science and symbolism of heartwood, the resilient core of a tree, and woundwood, the tissue that seals and strengthens after injury, drawing powerful parallels to human resilience. Her evocative and effervescent narrative celebrates the enduring wisdom of “ladytrees,” embodying feminine power and grace, and honors the women who have shaped the history and future of arboriculture.
At against vivid landscapes from New York City’s urban canopy to the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, Of Heartwood and Woundwood is both a personal odyssey and a cultural history. It illuminates the vital role trees play in our environment and psyche, weaving botanical science, historical insight, and poetic meditation. For all of us who cherish nature’s mysteries and the art of storytelling, this book is a luminous testament to finding courage, connection, and joy in the face of uncertainty.
ENDORSEMENTS
A compelling story
Dan Lambe, CEO, Arbor Day Foundation
Author, Now Is the Time for Trees: Make an Impact by Planting the Earth’s Most Valuable Resource
“This book is timely and necessary in this moment where people are more tuned into the value and importance of trees and forests than ever before. Of Heartwood and Woundwood is uniquely relevant for everyone…from tree enthusiasts to those who are seeking nature-based solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face today. Jean knows how to tell a compelling story!”
Read it, share it, gift it
Lynda Mapes, Journalist
Author, The Trees are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests
“Fresh and brave, Of Heartwood and Woundwood is the read we need right now. Read it, share it, gift it, take it into your own heartwood and let this beautiful book remind you how trees—and fine storytelling—can heal what hurts.”
Powerful read
Douglas Tallamy, Conservationist
Author, Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope, The Nature of Oaks
“Jean Zimmerman’s Of Heartwood and Woundwood will help you vicariously discover how trees can guide you in finding the wisdom, courage, and strength needed to face the inevitable before its time. Just as it does for trees, Heartwood will help you stand straight and tall, even in the face of adversity. A light-hearted yet powerful read.”
A must read
Cecil Konijnendijk, Global Urban Forester
Editor-in-Chief, Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, scientific journal of the International Society of Arboriculture
“Jean Zimmerman has written a touching and engaging story of an unexpected career change into arboriculture and urban forestry. Weaving in her love for history and literature, as well as for trees and especially the women who take care of them, she expertly guides us through urban forests in New York and elsewhere. A devastating disease becomes a source of deepened ties and passion rather than a roadblock. A must read for professional and non-professional tree lovers alike.”
Important read
Katie Hafner, Journalist
Host and co-executive producer, Lost Women of Science podcast
“Anything Jean Zimmerman writes is something I’d want to read. This timely book, in which Zimmerman looks both out and in, is an intelligent, important read that’s sure to interest those who liked recent popular tree/science books like The Overstory or Finding the Mother Tree.”
Trees can enrich your life
Lynda Mapes, Journalist
Author, Forty Ways to Know a Tree
“Becoming familiar with trees can enrich your life — even if you have a life-threatening illness. In Of Heartwood and Woundwood Zimmerman takes readers along on her journey as she grows to understand, and then love, the arboreal world.”
Her voice is always relatable
Susan Dominus, Journalist
Author, The Family Dynamic: A Journey Into the Mystery of Sibling Success
“With heart, vulnerability, and no small amount of poetry, Jean Zimmerman shares her own experience of the cycle of life, both as an urban arborist, and as a powerful woman facing a crisis of health with resilience and a spirit of profound creativity. The life Zimmerman leads in Of Heartwood and Woundwood is extraordinary, but her voice is always relatable—and often inspiring.”
Wide-eyed sense of wonder
Doug Still, Urban forester and Arborist
Host and Producer, This Old Tree podcast; former City Forester, Providence, RI; Past President, Society of Municipal Arborists
“Jean Zimmerman’s writing is lively and engaging, and her work is right up my alley as an arborist and historian of tree lore. Her fresh take on the culture and language of arboriculture is incisive, and there’s a wide-eyed sense of wonder to revel in.”
Jean is available for speaking engagements and book club visits
She can meet in person or virtually. Based in Westchester County, she welcomes the opportunity to meet readers wherever they are. With a long history of giving presentations and leading discussions, Jean brings warmth and depth to every conversation. And even as she navigates a diagnosis of ALS, she continues to connect with audiences through AI voice capabilities, ensuring her story and her voice remain very much present.