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Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction Winner of the William Dean Howells Medal Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize Over One Year on the New York Times Bestseller List A New York Times Notable Book and a Washington Post, Time, Oprah Magazine, Newsweek, Chicago Tribune, and Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year The best novel ever written about trees, and really just one of the best novels, period. ―Ann PatchettThe Overstory, winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, is a sweeping, impassioned work of activism and resistance that is also a stunning evocation of―and paean to―the natural world. From the roots to the crown and back to the seeds, Richard Powers’s twelfth novel unfolds in concentric rings of interlocking fables that range from antebellum New York to the late twentieth-century Timber Wars of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There is a world alongside ours―vast, slow, interconnected, resourceful, magnificently inventive, and almost invisible to us. This is the story of a handful of people who learn how to see that world and who are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe.

The Overstory: A Novel by Richard Powers is a thought-provoking and captivating narrative that explores the profound relationship between humans and trees. Set in the Pacific Northwest, the story follows the intertwining lives of nine characters whose lives are shaped by their encounters with these majestic organisms.

The novel begins with a group of young activists who are protesting the logging of an ancient forest. Their actions unwittingly set off a chain of events that span decades and generations, revealing the interconnectedness of all living things. As the characters' lives unfold, they grapple with issues of environmental degradation, climate change, and the search for meaning in a world increasingly defined by technology and consumerism.

Through its rich and evocative prose, The Overstory weaves together scientific research, historical anecdotes, and philosophical reflections on the intrinsic value of trees. Powers illuminates the vital role that trees play in our lives - providing us with oxygen, food, and shelter; regulating the climate; and supporting countless other species. He challenges us to reconsider our relationship with the natural world and to recognize the importance of preserving these irreplaceable ecosystems.

The novel's cast of characters is diverse and memorable, each representing a different perspective on the human-tree relationship. There's Nick Hoel, a brilliant botanist who studies the communication networks of trees; Patty Westerford, a dedicated environmental activist who risks her life to protect old-growth forests; Adam Appich, a logger who struggles to balance his livelihood with his conscience; and Olivia Vandergriff, a wealthy philanthropist who discovers the healing power of trees after a personal tragedy.

As their stories unfold, the characters come to recognize the profound interconnectedness of all living things. They learn that the health of the forests is inextricably linked to the health of our planet and that the actions of humans have far-reaching consequences for the natural world. The novel culminates in a powerful and hopeful message about the resilience of nature and the importance of taking action to protect our precious ecosystems.

The Overstory is a masterpiece of environmental literature that combines scientific accuracy with poetic beauty. It is a novel that will stay with you long after you finish reading it, inspiring you to think more deeply about the relationship between humans and the natural world and to take action to protect the forests that sustain us.