My Head for a Tree: The Extraordinary Story of the Bishnoi, Guardians of Nature

For readers of Barry Lopez and Wade Davis comes a remarkable journey among India's Bishnoi people, passionate defenders of nature whose ecological wisdom carries a powerful message for the world.

Meet the Bishnoi, followers of a religion with nature conservation at its heart. Today, Bishnois remain fierce defenders of trees and animals, living by principles set by their guru Jambhoji in the fifteenth century. They chase down armed poachers, rescue and care for injured animals, save endangered species, and lead heroic reforestation efforts in the Rajasthani desert. In a time of biodiversity loss and climate change, what lessons do they have to teach us?

The story of the Bishnoi is true, though it reads like a fable. In 1730, the Maharajah of Jodhpur sent his troops to chop down a forest in northwest India. When 363 local villagers, led by Amrita Devi, hugged the trees to protect them, the Maharajah's men chopped off their heads. Who are these people who love trees so much that they would give their lives to save them?

Martin Goodman was invited deep into the world of the Bishnoi, who asked him to share their message. My Head for a Tree takes us from temples, homes, and schoolrooms to animal sanctuaries, farms, and desert forests, revealing a thriving community of eco-warriors. Their stories inspire and challenge readers to live more kindly and defend nature with a passion. While you can only be born a Bishnoi, Goodman writes, we can all follow their example.

Author: Martin Goodman
Publisher: Greystone Books
Published: 04/08/2025
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 7.60h x 5.30w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781778401497


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 03/01/2025 pg. 40

About the Author

Martin Goodman is an award-winning author who divides his time between California and the United Kingdom. He is the author of twelve books of award-winning nonfiction and fiction, including his account of eco-lawyers saving the planet, Client Earth, which won Judges' Choice in the UK's Business Book of the Year and Green Book of the Year from Santa Monica Libraries. His biography of the scientist J.S. Haldane Suffer & Survive won Best Book, Basis of Medicine in the British Medical Association's Books of the Year, and his debut novel On Bended Knees was shortlisted for the Whitbread Prize. Goodman is emeritus professor of Creative Writing at the University of Hull, where he is director of the Philip Larkin Centre for Poetry and Creative Writing.

Ram Niwas Bishnoi Budhnagar is a leading Bishnoi activist, the former leader of the Bishnoi Tiger Force, and president of the Youth Congress of Jodhpur.

Peter Wohlleben is a world-renowned forester and author of many bestselling books about the natural world, including The Hidden Life of Trees, The Inner Life of Animals, The Secret Network of Nature, and The Power of Trees. His books have been translated into dozens of languages and have been adapted for the screen. When he is not writing and researching, Wohlleben manages a sustainable forest academy in Germany's Eifel Mountains.