The Almond

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Precious stone

In his fourth book, Jonas Frei explains what peaches have to do with almonds, why centuries-old almond groves are disappearing from the Mediterranean region, and reveals the secrets of the almond’s wild relatives in the mountains of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Just as in his books on walnuts and hazelnuts, this work broadens our perspective on the extensive family tree, cultivation, and botanical history of a nut – which, botanically speaking, is not a nut at all, but the pit of a stone fruit.

The book presents every variety of almond using text, illustrations, and photographs, vividly illustrating how millions of years of natural evolution and thousands of years of selective breeding have given rise to the fruit that we now take for granted. The story stretches from the iconic blossoms of traditional almond orchards to the almond as a globalized industrial commodity. It is a book that blends scientific research with artistic beauty and sharpens our awareness of the hidden complexity of everyday foods.

Jonas Frei: is an author, landscape architect, and ecologist from Zurich. In his books, essays, and visual works, he explores plants, nature, and the relationship between humans and the environment. His interdisciplinary projects combine scientific research with narrative and creative expression.