Book Review: The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Overstory packs a powerful message in an astonishing tale of courage among both human beings and trees. The first two hundred pages are plodding; it takes so darn long to set up the intricate character renderings, nine segments in all! But stick with it! The nine story segments that yawn on indefinitely in the beginning grow increasingly shorter and more compelling as the overarching “overstory” unfolds. You will never think about trees the same way again!

A tree once saved the life of Douggie Pavlicek. Now that he owes his life to a tree, nothing will stand in his way of pursuing the truth in an unfair world. He believes that the greatest flaw of human beings is their overwhelming tendency to mistake agreement for truth. Unlike the trees who truly do stand for the truth.

Be prepared to learn loads of fascinating facts about trees. The descriptions of the land, the trees, the mountains, forests, roads, pastures, and fields are breathtaking. It is as if all of these splendid features of the environment are being seen through the eyes of the trees.

Here is the roll call of trees: the American chestnut, the mulberry, the banyan, Spanish oaks, and Mimas (giant redwoods). These trees are as important to this story as are the human characters. The lives of the human characters have been transformed because of their relationships with these trees.

Also be prepared for the mounting pace of violence, brutality and environmental war; it’s all very well done, bloody at times. The lifeblood of human beings and the sap of fallen trees runs right off the page. The beautiful heroine Olivia (Maidenhair) falls like a slain tree. Her body burns like the detritus that smokes in the night after a savage clear cut.

Richard Powers’ powerful, muscular action-packed writing serves up splendid descriptions but is often short on emotion. Winston Ma kills himself, nary a feeling, no depression, no grief, no sadness and no anger. His emotional bloodletting has been sanitized by endless details and stone cold logic.

Here is a minor flaw: the human characters evolve in scenes so full of page-turning action that they display too little emotion. Hardly any feelings at all. The characters are pawns in a persnickety, complex story plot about trees and corporate greed. Yet The Overstory is so well crafted that the characters’ lack of emotional timbre does not wholly detract from the book.

Even though the characters are often spare with their emotions, ironically, this does not mean you will not feel for them. And more importantly, you will feel for the trees. Every time you see a logging truck, you will hear the violence, the brutality and the wail of their stumps crying in the wind.

The Overstory is not an ordinary environmental tale. Author Richard Powers has architected a powerful message that could have only been crafted by a master writer. Think often of immortal trees that can live longer than you or I. Hold trees with great reverence! Save our earth! We are all connected! Every living thing is woven together in an intricate tapestry of water, air and light. Have renewed respect for the interconnection of life in its many incarnations. This is an important book that will stand the test of time, hopefully for all eternity if we, trees and humans, are able to soldier on.