The Golden Spruce

A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed

By: John Vaillant

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

A tale of obsession so fierce that a man kills the thing he loves most: The only giant golden spruce on earth.

As vividly as Jon Krakauer put readers on Everest, John Vaillant takes us into the heart of North America's last great forest, where trees grow to eighteen feet in diameter, sunlight never touches the ground, and the chainsaws are always at work.

When a shattered kayak and camping gear are found on an uninhabited island, they reignite a mystery surrounding a shocking act of protest. Five months earlier, logger-turned-activist Grant Hadwin had plunged naked into a river in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, towing a chainsaw. When his night's work was done, a unique Sitka spruce, 165 feet tall and covered with luminous golden needles, teetered on its stump. Two days later it fell.

The tree, a fascinating puzzle to scientists, was sacred to the Haida, a fierce seafaring tribe based in the Queen Charlottes. Vaillant recounts the bloody history of the Haida and the early fur trade, and provides harrowing details of the logging industry, whose omnivorous violence would claim both Hadwin and the golden spruce.

©2005 John Vaillant (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Instant favorite

So good I will listen again soon. was excited for my commute for a week just to continue the book. Amazed that this was the author's first book. Flows very well and keeps you engaged. Definitely a book that changes you in positive ways. LISTEN!!

Lyrical and Powerful

This was an amazing story told by a master. It is also a difficult, heart-rending tale on so many levels. it was one of those books that causes a lot of internal shifting, since the truths, both on a personal and planetary level, are so consumately and deeply tragic. All this while bathing in language so lyrical that it creates its own teleportation. The perfect narrator. Don't miss it. Be prepared to weep.

Fascinating history

This book stretches out a what seems like a simple story of environmental terrorism by giving a ton of background. Going back not just centuries, but providing events in the context of millennia - weaving the disparate facts, opinions, and myths into one fascinating book. While at times the historical diversions seemed a little long winded, especially in the middle of the climactic act, it didn't annoy me & somehow worked. I really enjoyed the thorough exploration and deep history of the story presented in this book. My one complaint about the audio book performance is the mispronunciation of "Weyerhaeuser" - this was grating, plus there's no excuse because they have commercials on the internet where this can be checked.

excellent story, narrated beautifully

This is an amazing historical piece of work. If you love the outdoors of the Pacific Northwest this is a must-read.

So great

I loved it all. Such a story. A sacred one for all of us. No more to write