Books as Sacrament: The Overstory by Richard Powers

“A chorus of living trees sings to the woman: ‘If your mind were only a slightly greener thing, we’d drown you in meaning.”  Richard Powers

The Overstory… is brilliantly written with eloquent poignancy about the heart breaking reality regarding trees on Earth and the people who are sensitive enough to understand their intelligence and plight. The remarkable thing is that it is written from“inside” the consciousness of trees. He explores with originality and nuance our most complex issues as human beings with great sensitivity and insight. From a synthesis of art and science he pulls us in heart-first to the gravity of the tree’s perspective of their fate and our own, as a human species.

His insight and writing is beyond scintillating. His ability to create metaphors that holographically synthesize huge and different perspectives reveals an astonishing intelligence. But for me, it is his extraordinary sensitivity to trees (in this book’s focus) that creates insights and awareness that are extremely precious and rare. I cannot enough recommend that you read this book and come to share it with us at Books as Sacrament . How could you create a book seemingly “about” trees that is so compelling that you just can’t put it down?? That is this book. He is in a category of unique and original thinking and writing that is unparalleled.

Let us come together and share about this remarkable feat called The Overstory!