OVERSTORY by Richard Powers
Do trees talk? Should we listen? This is the simple theme of Overstory. However, there is greater depth as the author is telling subtle love stories and building characters as complex as tree canopies with emotions that both branch and flower and fail throughout the seasons of their lives.
There is the story of the spreading chestnut tree, photographed by four generations now tended by an artist alone and without audience. Thus, begins the exploration of relationships following a circuitous path having many emotional branches and connections. A young Indian boy is enthralled by his first computer. His life changes after fall from his favorite tree and is paralyzed. His journey is both constrained and enhanced by computer circuitry and codes. A hard-partying coed who is squandering her education is accidentally electrocuted, dies and is brought back to life with a mission. The trees are calling to her.
A Vietnam era airman decides to oppose the destruction of an unruly tree grove no longer in sync with Main Street. A chance meeting creates a lifelong relationship. A deaf daughter is inspired by her father to pursue language of the trees. Her struggles deal with the solitude of her love of these complex beings marginally understood by humans that view them as resources to be harvested and enslaved to unremitting greed of human consumption.
An ancient Redwood fights for its life, recruiting and joining these lovers to defend it from the greed and ignorance of humanity that share its DNA. Their battle becomes all too real and the passion to preserve comes with a tragic cost to their cause and connection. The romance between characters is neither traditional nor classic so often found in fiction. Don’t expect any sexy romantic encounters. To the contrary, each relationship is nuanced by the paucity of physical intimacy.
“What you make from a tree should be at least as miraculous as what you cut down.”
Overstory is a complex but very readable book, Richard Powers merges the magic of science with the reality of today’s society. He serves you a delightful banquet of interlaced characters. If you accept the depth of the author’ s thoughts and premises, you cannot help but be moved to love the trees or at least appreciate their organic personality.
I recommend this book to you because I believe the author succeeded in telling the story of how trees talk, how humans interrelate and unfortunately, how humans destroy – stories that reward time spent reading them. You will be moved by each character and artfully educated as to why trees should be respected and protected. Overstory will challenge you to recognize that trees are “wonderful beings” with innate adaptability, intelligence, and the capacity to communicate with — and heal — other trees.
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