it's hard to see the natural world the same after you read this

At 512 pages to read, or 23 hours to listen, The Overstory is not to be picked up by those wanting a light read. I started it at when Sharron told me how much she loved it, and as usual, she did not lead me astray. It is a work of fiction, the story of the natural world we are living in, and how it is a living, breathing, connected network that is most complex and amazing. 

Just like with historical fiction, I prefer my learning about the earth, in the form of story. This is a BIG story with a long arc. It brings us into the lives of 9 very different individuals (and their ancestors) and how they come to be captivated by the trees around them. An engineer (the daughter of a Chinese immigrant), an artist (the great great grandson of a Norwegian immigrant), a computer genius (the son of an Indian immigrant), a hippy college student, a psychologist, an Air Force veteran, a scientist whose father taught her about trees, and an unusual couple whose significance to the narrative it takes a long time to see. I was completely captivated. It took me 15 days to finish, and I am still thinking about it.

The thing is, the story is still unfolding. It's hard to see the natural world the same after you read this. Highly recommended with the caveat that it is long and at times detailed. I was very caught up in each of the characters lives and loved bouncing back and forth between them. Thank you Sharron, as always. 

I am interested in others thoughts on the book, as well as other works by Richard Powers. If anyone is inclined to share. 

Comments

[Chris Oliveira]

It sounds like a book I need to actually read rather than audiobooks. With so much detail, I may need to reread parts of it.

[carol]

Chris, the nice thing is that it circles back and things are re-iterated in different ways. I think whatever way you "consume" books best is the right way for you.

[Sharron]

xoxox