"The Overstory" by Richard Powers

I deviated from my original plan to read through the books that had been lent to or bought for me. I admit it. I also deviated from my book buying ban (uh…twice). This book is the reason for both of those choices. And let me tell you, this was the book to break with. Like authentic tiramisu on a dessert ban…like unlimited potluck indulgence on a calorie deficit…like feeling enough financial freedom to have a drink AND an appetizer AND a dessert with your fancy meal…The Overstory by Richard Powers was the ultimate, most delectable, most perfect indulgence. I bought it. I read it. And it took me…51 days?

Up until this book, everything I have read this year has been accessible, if not easy. Even On Photography by Susan Sontag (which broke me and ended my book reviewing streak for quite a while) did not take me a gargantuan amount of time to finish. It’s not like her work is light and fluffy, but it only took me 9 days to get through. Nothing up until The Overstory took me more time and effort and was reasonable.

So, what on earth happened?

The Overstory is 502 pages long. That’s about 10 pages a day, if I read daily, which I did not (life happens, just think about what a teacher is doing from April to June, need I say more?). The writing style is lyrical and poignant, the characters are incredibly vivid, and the story evolves in a way that really, truly, profoundly captures you. Nothing about this book was boring. But 51 days is a little embarrassing.

Here is where I tell you what I have told everyone else who will listen to me about my books:

This book has the chance of radicalizing you

Because in a way…

…I certainly am.

It’s about trees (but is it?). It’s about people who love trees (just trees or are the trees a catalyst for something else?). It’s about a few characters who each get their own initial chapter to acquaint the reader with who they are where they came from in their family (so a series of short stories about people who love trees for different reasons?). It’s about how these characters find one another and fight for the trees they love (so it’s a novel where the characters evolve over time?). It’s about how people change and grow slowly over time (kind of like trees?). It’s about how people and trees share much in common and in fact depend on one another within the natural ecosystems (so it’s about people and trees?). It’s about how migration and connection and survival are not only human experiences and that the voiceless, truly voiceless, without any sort of voice at all desperately need to be heard (so it’s about trees).