The Overstory

Bookseller recommendation

“The Overstory is a difficult novel to encapsulate in a sentence or two. It is an epic novel of interconnected stories that all revolve in one way or another to trees and our kinship with the natural world. I listened to this over a few months and found it captivating, especially the sections of the stories that deal with the non-violent direct action to protect the old growth trees of the Pacific Northwest and the rise of the Earth Liberation Front. Those watching the developments around the protests against the logging of old growth forests at Fairy Creek or interested in the emerging science around forest ecology and communication among trees, will find much food for thought in this beautiful novel.”

— Peter • Turning the Tide Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“Do you love trees? Probably not as much as Richard Powers does! This books weaves together the converging stories of nine characters, but they really function as a means to probe the perspective of the trees themselves. With lyrical prose and amazing stories of naturalist history, this is an epic of environmental literature.”

— David • Avid Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“My favorite novel in years, a sweeping, brilliant, page-turning environmentalist epic. It’s long, but I listened to the audiobook and was devastated when it was over. It’s like Richard Powers kidnapped Edward Abbey, Wendell Berry, John Grisham, Margaret Atwood, Rachel Carson, and a shaman and spent 5 years in a room with them while writing this book. Whether you’re a tree hugger or not, this is storytelling at its best. ”

— Josh • Underground Books