It is impossible to imagine a world without wood. From true relics of the cross to the invention of toothpicks to the famed Stradivarius violin and medieval catapults, wood has played an essential role in nearly every aspect of human existence. But this is no dull dissertation on the scientific properties of wood; instead, Spike Carlsen has traveled thousands of miles and interviewed hundreds of wood users and enthusiasts to carve out a comprehensive and dynamic history of wood's global impact and its personal significance to people in all walks of life.