The Man Whom The Trees Loved by Algernon Blackwood  

I have done other stories by Blackwood. Try the Empty House here. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BWe56aS3M7I.html

When I was 10 in 1973 my primary school had a summer fair. I visited the bookstall and for a few pennies acquired ' Tales of the Uncanny and Supernatural' by Algernon Blackwood, which was when I first read this amazing story and I'm an enthusiast for Blackwood to this day ( still have the book on my bookshelf along with AB's other works). Thanks for this reading, much appreciated.

And this is why we don’t gaslight people- this poor lady! Well done, as always.

This is such a gem of a story! So beautiful in such a dreamy way, thank you Tony

The evening is saved! THREE WHOLE hours of this beautiful voice and carefuly, loving reading!

I have a weed tincture right here that I’m 50/50 on whether it’s alive. Blackwood! Wow. Good one. The willows. This one is deep. Idk, man is a lot more dangerous than any tree 🌳 I ever met.

This will be my tale for the evening -- thank you! Also, Tony, I learned something new today, and I thought it might be of interest for your writing: They just discovered that the surface of Mars sounds very quiet, and/but that sound travels at 2 separate speeds there, which causes some very strange sensations.

Oh my, 3 hours of Algernon Blackwood, you've outdone youself, Tony!

I agree. We need joy in these dark times. Thank you for the audio stories and books!

What a wonderful story (and brilliant reading, as always)! Also enjoyed your commentary, afterwards. Perhaps it's just more than a little projecting on my part, but I read (or heard) some shades of meaning about age, getting older, getting old, being old, the extent of what is experienced and witnessed by what is considered "elder." The trees are old, and increasingly enfold the aging gentleman's thoughts in a sort of resigned (yet joyful) mania. The lady, feeling the same inevitable rising of the tide -- the approaching end of care-free life, the dulling of intellectual keenness, and the widening gap between her and her husband, sees the trees as the embodiment of this inevitable end of life. Probably not what Blackwood intended, but I liked that train of thought. Thank you for taking the time to record this, and for sharing it with us.

You and I are almost the same age; I turn 60 in April. I am very much aware of a feeling that I am moving into a different season of life. For me, I feel I am becoming an Elder, one who listens and guides but is not the primary driving force. Perhaps you are growing into a primary role as Storyteller, in an archetypical sense. I hope you get a good deal of self and world knowledge out of your work in therapy. These liminal times are rich with potential.

Epic. I purchased this recording from audible last week. I think this is my favorite Blackwood story. I actually found the story to be quite sad and moving which wasn't something I was expecting at all. Despite Blackwood being critical of evangelicalism he is able to paint the wife with great care and sympathy. Not many writers can do that.

Yea! Yesss!!! Thank you so much 😊 Self confessed tree hugger and vegan! (Since 3 years old!)

I look forward to all your uploads. You’re my fave channel.

I think this is your finest work Tony. It’s a very intriguing story made better your reading. You seem enormously invested in this very long performance. Thank you.

Absolutely awesome story, love TREES myself. Lived in the woods for 22 yrs, was quite wonderful indeed. Longview WA, city with the most TREES in the U.S.A. Where I dwell.. ✌ THANKS

I really liked the old timey radio story. I was nice to be reminded of listening to the radio stories as a child. I think that it would be fine to do the occasional sifi story on the channel. Variety is nice.

I wonder a woman -- or women -- disappointed Algernon Blackwood in their way of thought as I am not a quarter of the way through the reading and he has already made several digs at women for not being capable of individualistic thought or their ability to express ideas that were not fed to them by a man. Maybe it is just a product of his time.

Love this one! Love the thumbnail image too!

Loved this one so much! I really recommend this one!💎

Thank you, Mr. Walker, for the epilogue and analysis.

Enjoyed this. Great reading by yourself

Thank you very much, Tony. I felt for the Cedar tree, too, which was the one protection against the predations of the tree 'collective'. As it fell, so the two central characters fell, each in their own way, to absorption by the forest. I'm a fellow admirer of Jung, so all the best with your therapy.

Thank you, Tony. Masterful, my truly favorite form of Escape. Listened twice to this fantastic tale., the second immediatly after the first.The first time to get the full word-painting ,the second to absorbe every tiny brush;-stroke detail. And ,as usual,your wise, informative, entertaining ,thought-provoking commentary;.A generous gift of yourself: in selection, presentation as well as commentary.Again. Thank you.

I always enjoy Algernon Blackwood's varied personifications of nature, but this one is especially delightful to me because of the maybe innuendo present in the word choice of (ahem) 'Loved' in the title. The way things play out almost has an adultery feel to it, sort of suggesting Mr. Bittacy is stepping out on the Mrs. with the forest like it's his mistress, maybe? Or maybe, because it's pollen season, I just have (ahem) tree lovin' on the brain. But, anyway! So. It wasn't my intention to be either add stress or be annoying in making suggestions, but I know harm is regardless of intent, and I'm sorry. Even though I know I have a tendency to be an irritating know-it-all, I still can't quite help myself sometimes, haha. Does this count as a man talk?

Movie goers will never understand the book has much more vivid pictures.

That you. That was lovely. Blackwood's style is very meditative.. The words wash over you, and you still retain the meaning as you're carried along.

Word- images different this time around. Powerful. I love trees ,even if they are (perhaps?) indifferent to me. Thank you.

Amazing stamina. I'd be so tempted to abridge something like this... it seemed like almost the entire last hour just repeated a thousand minor variations of "She was afraid the forest was taking her husband away from her" again and again. But your reading never became as repetitive as the text, and kept my attention to the end. And early on, you conveyed so much tension during the conversation with the artist without overacting it, building up a real sense of distress. Even if I end this feeling like Mr. Blackwood should've edited the story a little harder, you made the three hours worthwhile.

Ditto this time around. Captivating....Thank you, Tony!

I'm so glad I looked because YT didn't alert me... It's alright I'll find my favorite narrations myself. I'll always check Tony! Needed this tonight and a yarn by Blackwood that I've never heard. Thx 🖤✌🌜

1:12:28 goosebumps. I love Algernon's slowly building style of storytelling.

"Indeed, like many women, she rarely thought at all" :)

😊 magnificent ! Bravo! Your reading tonite gave vision to my dreams I love trees an nature, hearing the 🦢 birds so soothing it goes on the recesses to my nnermost dreams an aspirations Thank you Tony Ilove words I love to hear you read them, I adore all your odcast I’ll be listening 21:03

It goes on and on reaching the same state time and time again: it must needs be seriously shortened!

Wow.. Best story you've ever read.. One of the most amazing stories ever heard.. You read it just like I would in my head.. Says so many of those unclear thought thoughts & unclearly spoken descriptions of trees, life.. Wow

Thank you for posting great story

Up at 3am with a storm outside, cooking 5 roasts & vegetables, listening to this keeping me company 😊

Thank you for this, a wonderful writer. ♀️🇬🇧💖🌼

I'm glad trees are not like this, or I should hate them

I read this years ago,,,,so nice to hear it again and read with such understanding.

I always liked A.B. and his work, and considered him a very intelligent writer. But what is that garbage about "many women don't even think at all" Huh? Couldn't you say the same thing about many men? No, I'm not a whiner or a complainer. I feel I have every right to feel insulted by that remark, and it puts a bad taste in my mouth. Yeah, I know this was written in the 1800's, but come on. That's only half an excuse, and for someone as skilled at capturing emotions, and character depth as Blackwood, I find it strange to hear out of his mouth (so to speak). Maybe it's just me. I'm not trying to start s*** or insult either Blackwood or Tony Walker. I just am sad to read such mysoginistic (spelling?) claptrap from one of my favorite writers. *sad panda* I appreciate your reading of this story, Tony. Don't get me wrong. And I tapped the 'like' button for you (I do that by default when I listen to your uploads, because you are a skilled narrator)

3 hours of supernatural brilliance is just what I need to get through this damnable dissertation, combined with some occult-inspired music too, the perfect escape. Thanks!

I love all the stories you do because, even though I have a degree in English, it is just a paltry little BA and not a Masters or PhD. Somehow, I missed many of these authors and every one you read helps fill out the spaces and gaps in my background.

I find several interesting things in this story. First the fact that many people are so devout in their religion that it interferes with human relationships and makes others uncomfortable. The paranoia she experiences is so common in people that feel a need to wrap their beliefs around another that the do themselves create the cracks that grow wider while they forget to live life itself.

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I felt the struggle between the husband and wife. I'm a painter myself and I try to vary but eventually Trees are my dominant theme. The wife's predicament is that her husband is not a practicing artist or a scientist. That made his passion even harder to understand. She is a normal good product of her own social class, it would be pretty hard for her to live with an artist or any passionate occupation. Now her husband's passion is subtle and not common enough to throw her off balance. I lived with a normal good average man for a while and experienced the dread and revulsion of normal towards the ones who are under the spell of passion. It was pretty destructive.

Wonderful, as usual, Tony; I was an hour in, wondering how it was going to end, because it seemed to be building up to a sort of climax, and then I noticed there were two more hours! Now, I am more intrigued than ever about where this story will go. I am wondering if the trees will somehow kill the wife. Edit: now that I've heard the end, I don't think it's just the wife going mad. When she wakes up in the night, her husband's responses hardly sound sane.

Thank you, I love this story because of the trees, but I worry about his wife, being all alone and overwhelmed. She needs someone to come and rescue her, to pull her out of the house and to the violet French sea. But, she will never leave her husband to save herself.

What great emotion you gave the trees and the people. Thank you

Thank you for a fabulous reading and your discussion. Great to know there are fellow Jungians out there.

Um, so the Mrs doesn't like trees. Have I got the jist of it?

One of my all time favorites, thank you for this

Thank you for this wonderful story ❤

Thankyou so much for yet another vintage story I've not heard. Beautifully read,i was gripped from the first word to the last. Cannot thank you enough for the joy of escapism all your stories bring - you so generously dedicate so much of your own time and effort to creating these for other peoples' enjoyment - I for one am enormously grateful that I've had them to listen to while ill, my little cat listens along with me when shes not asleep! )Many many thanks Gill&Kitty 👻😺

Beautiful story and narration! It is so rich in descriptions. I listened to this three times to get the details. I found my mind wandering if anything was going on, so I had to listen to it a third time and take it all in. The "Old Gent" had quite the life. He did many things in life and wrote about so many things. His descriptions, especially about nature, amaze me. He truly is an example of how to write. I find this and his long stories about Egypt hard to follow at times because of the depth of detail. I find my mind wandering off and envisioning myself in the environment. That is how descriptive his writing is. When I take it all in, I am amazed by the wonderful story I just read. I truly do not think we will ever see writers as darn good as folks like Algernon.....except Tony! Thanks!

Love thy tree's !!!!!

28:05 28:05

Sorry Tony, I just couldn't stay with this whole tree philosophy idea. Not for 3 hours.

43:05

28:05

Never would you want to cross Mr. Blackwood or run into him in a dark ally. Can you imagine the stuff that was in his head that he couldn't pen at the time! The man is a beast then and now.

Thank you for a wonderful evening. I knitted and enjoyed the story.

Another great story. You're the best and continue to love what you do.

I've been traveling and dealing with the serious illness of a beloved daughter in law. Thank you for these stories. What beautiful writing and sensitive reading.

So what i heard you say at the end is that you won't do a book because a very loud and yet tiny minority of society finds passages within unacceptable to their sensibilities? So is it your position thusly to let any such "controversial" literature die off and be left in the past? Or are you just letting it up to others to carry the burden while things are crazy? You're a book narrator not censor. Do what you do and let us have your back! I promise we will!!!

Ha! Just listened to it Tony and it was great to hear ur version of it😁😁again, thank you so much for looking into it, it means a lot, and wow, you nailed it!!!

Love love this Just in time The earth is my goddess The trees heal me

Love this story. Thanks for reminding us. Can hear it again and again.

Hi Tony I love listening to your channel and was slightly disappointed to hear what you said re the oldie way of talking being the reason for not doing the other Algernon Blackwood narration. I am sick to the back teeth of people trying to pretend certain parts of history/way of speaking did not exist and feel that things are going way too far the other way in todays society. People are offended by everything and I found sweet relief in the fact that I could lose myself and enjoy the oldie timey stories, as original as can be, on a number of channels on here, yours being one. Anyway point made. I did seem to pick up when you were doing your little chat at the end a slight despondency, might just be me but hope you are keeping safe and chin up as they say tomorrows another day. Take Care Paula.

Finally making time to listen...unless I doze off again 😴 Your voice has that effect on me, especially with stories like this one. Hope all is well in your world 💜

Best narrator ever!

Wonderful choice. As you said, this hadn’t been read & I appreciate the original reading. I have to said it was a bit of a swallow to fathom the wife’s ignorant, superstitions. When I was an adolescent my mother when to a bible college where the text was translated into the original Hebrew & Greek whereby the text wasn’t interpreted by con$ out to place their personal conviction$ before Christ’s spiritual enlightenment & connection to the collective unconsciousness in conscious illumination of right-use-fullness, not ego righteous pride. It also makes me grateful for cultural & communal expansion & experience beyond a limited restriction & conviction of evil, so that where live spirit twines ALL elements may in peaceful, loving, harmony coexist. I find it incredibly interesting the reversal of the dominant aligned to nature character is the male while the female drowns in overwhelming ignorance- usually, it is the reversal of opposites aligned presented- however, A. Blackwood was in a community set that revitalized & realized a spiritual connection to many buried archetypes including but not limited to the GREEN MAN, Gaia, Nature, etc.. There is much in this novella to reflect on for sure. Thank you! Ps Enjoy the Jungian Analysis! 🍀🐑🗝🚪🕳🎉🎁🎊☸️

See

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19:07 "Women don't think at all"? Misogyny

Excellent narration, thank you Tony. You know, you're not nearly busy enough, you should take on a few more jobs lol !

This was terrific,more!

It seems to me that the husband experiences greater inner peace than the wife. She seems to enrapt in her envy & fears rather than her faith. Thus, who was truly "possessed" by evil spirits?

Aah. A nice long tale from our Barcud

Wow, that's a story and a half! Psychotic ideation - now that's terminology from a psychiatric nurse if there ever was one! lol Loved your narration, as always! Well done! I was so into the story that I listened to the entire three hours at one sitting. Great stuff! As you Brits say, you should be well chuffed with yourself ;)

Wow you read the story I suggested thank you so much 😁😁😁😁😁😁

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Beautifully read but, honestly, this may be the most ridiculous story I've ever heard! Didn't last. Sorry.

AbOrdinary

What a beautiful, compassionate and sad tale. Wonderfully performed- thank you!

Whew, what a story! It made me think of Greek mythology (especially Pan and Athena) and Christianity vs Paganism. Thanks for introducing me to this one!