Welcome to Litsy!

#bookspin

I can't believe I've waited 4 years to read it! Started it yesterday, I'm so excited :)

And this cover is so beautiful! I like it when polish publishers choose their own cover designs

Omg fan-girling out, a Barbara Kingsolver review of Richard Powers “Overstory”

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/books/review/overstory-richard-powers.html

Great #bookhaul this Christmas! Merry merry to all of you Littens! 🎄⭐️🎁

A mesmerizing collision of multiple narratives, each all connected to a forest or tree. Powers weaves incredible and sometimes alarming info-metrics into the story, arming the reader with a battalion in favour of our forests and eco-systems. A book that has stayed with me for the years since I last read it. Quite wonderful!

While I agree that we need more books about conservation and climate advocacy, there were such strong underlying themes of racism and indigenous exclusionary behaviour in the book, that I just could not get behind it.

You can watch my video review here, where I discuss the problems I have with The Overstory and why we need to become more vocal about these issues - https://youtu.be/XMlg9Bjuw70

#AlphabetGame #LetterO

Reading this with my aunt. It‘s been on my TBR for a long time so I was happy when she suggested it as our next book group read

The Overstory gives a powerful illustration of the importance of breaking out of our destructive systems as a culture. I only wish it had ended with some resources for readers who want to be involved - so here are a few I know of:
Who Gives a Crap (sustainable toilet paper company)
Forest Stewardship Council (oversight for sustainable paper products)
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (protecting rain forests)

Wow. Left me speechless and moved like nothing I‘ve read in a long while. It was a tough read at times but so very worth the effort.

Individual stories with trees as a central theme. So great writing but I just couldn‘t get into it.

Quite the tome so proud I made it through. Loved the character setups in the beginning. The way Powers describes each gives all the details you want and need and no unnecessary ones. Fell in love with each of them. The second 2/3 of the book felt a bit draggy but overall v powerful. Def made me start paying hella more attention to the trees in my environment, which alone is a huge bonus.

About halfway through. Was reading this aloud to my husband, but he‘s not super into the book. Maybe I‘ll finish it on my own!

My most recent #BookHaul, all from my favourite thrift store! 😊

While researching and writing this powerful novel, Powers moved to East Tennessee and decided to stay. He opened my eyes and soul to the understanding of how the lives of trees and humans are so deeply intertwined. Pic is highway heading to the Great Smokey #Mountains #SavvySettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

• Best Reads of 2021 • These are my best ten reads of the year; the books that have captured, calmed and captivated me and that I couldn‘t put down. Happy New Year Littens, and thank you for the reading inspiration!

@Soubhiville How funny! We were direct matches for the #WinterSolsticeSwap and I had no idea! I love my gifts so much. Thank youuu!!! The irony is that the BN spruce soap (which you now know I gave you too) almost stayed home with me. I loved the scent so much but begrudgingly mailed it off to you. Serendipitous!! I think I‘ll read the tagged book first, but they all look so good. And I love those Yule cards! Thank you so much!

This novel begins almost as a series of short stories. Each character gets their own story, then the characters start to come together and interact. I found the beginning to be fairly fast-paced, but then the pace slows down as the characters meet each other. Powers does an excellent job of showing the interconnections between all living things, plants and animals. I didn‘t like all the characters, but they each one gave me things to think about.

An epic story of people who love trees doing what they can to save them. Very well written but also very challenging—both the academic vocabulary and the intense drama.🔸#septemberreads2021

Book 112

I listened to The Overstory, a book about trees, by Richard Powers. It's a novel with potential; it has heart, interwoven storylines, and compelling characters. It's too long, though. I don't know if I would have been able to sludge through actually reading it. ⭐⭐⭐

The book is as wonderful as my reading companion.

My weekend.

I really wanted to like this, it‘s had such amazing reviews. But I gave up pretty early on. Perhaps one for later.

When a book you‘re slightly scared of grabs you and doesn‘t let you go until the end, 625 pages later, you know it‘s a good one. I loved this so much. There‘s too much to it to try and describe here, but essentially this is the story of trees and the harm done to them, and the stories of those who have loved them or come to love them, those stories slowly, slowly coming together and intermingling 👇

Sought this out at the library today. I wasn't expecting it to be so thick!

1. In our bell tent.
2. Camp Night Owl
3. The Overstory by Richard Powers
4. To finish The Poisonwood Bible. Enjoying it, but it's taking me a while to read. I have just over 3 hours remaining according to Kindle and the next book on my TBR pile, Still Alice, is 7 hours so I am going to aim for 10.

Thank you @ImperfectCJ for the idea. I have been away from Litsy for months and this is the perfect return event.

#LitsySummerCampReadathon

The beginning of this book was wonderful- short stories as an introduction to each character. Then, the middle intertwines the characters. Though interesting, it was a bit long in the development of the final event. The end was interesting again and engaging. (The book did make me want to plant more trees.) As the message is similar, I preferred Braiding Sweetgrass as the book to drive home conservation.

I LOVED half!

I DNF‘d half in my head.

I learned a lot about trees.

It got preachy. I started to wish I was a tree. Not everyone‘s spraying Aquanet into the air, clearcutting forests, starting forest fires …

So much of this book was lovely, knowledge, hope & I focused on that for my rating.

A great book if you really reallllly REALLY love trees.

So you‘ll either DNF the book, rate it 5⭐️ or you‘ll be like me & split the difference.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm *at least* putting a pin in this (but, maybe bailing—we'll see) at 18%. The stories so far are pretty interesting, but every one is such a downer. I need to be happy (or excited, or informed) right now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ challenging and powerful, this book really got me thinking about trees!

Had to go into work for a bit this morning so I figured why not treat myself to some more books. Went to our local bookstore and picked up these three books (all on my TBR) to add to the stack of books I have. Can't wait to dig into these (even if it's years away 😉).

#BookHaul #TBR #IndieBookstore #ShopLocal

“First there was nothing.”
#firstlinefridays

“The best arguments in the world won‘t change a person‘s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.”
A novel that could have been an academic journal but I‘m glad it wasn‘t; follows 9 (yes, nine) main characters and their varying lives and how they all essentially become activists for the protection of forests.

I‘m Midwesterner living in the desert. I miss my giant shade trees. Anyone have a tree that is of particular importance to you or your family‘s story? I do! Trees are not just tees to me. Beautiful writing about the human/tree connection, and much more than that.

The characters in this book either passionately love trees & go to all costs to try to save them, or they learn to appreciate trees. It‘s an epic & intertwining story. Like many other readers, I felt the first part was strongest — that‘s when each chapter focuses on the story of individual characters. When they start meeting each other it gets a bit harder to track them. Overall, I really liked this memorable book.

Background: our backyard 💚

It‘s been a while since I‘ve been on Litsy! Currently sitting in LAX airport waiting for my next connection. I was in NorCal for two weeks helping my mom out with her upcoming move. Picked this up at the airport bookstore— glad to see it because I‘ve been wanting to read this. Inset picture is redwoods right in my mom‘s backyard. I‘ll miss seeing them.

1. Yes, Boy Wonder by James Robert Baker.
2. Sometimes.
3. My goodness. When I read this book I wanted to go hug the tree outside. This book gave me a whole new appreciation for nature that I never had had before.

Thanks for the tag @LitStephanie sorry I was late.

Thankyou @wanderinglynn for the tag 👍🏻❤️

I read In Cold Blood & Wuthering Heights more than once .... but I don‘t usually, too many books .. maybe in the future I‘ll reread some ( I think some people love it... as you do @wanderinglynn 😁

Not really , but I‘d admire a lovely cover

Overstory 💚
#ThoughtfulThursday @MoonWitch94

Tagging all those who‘d like to join in 👍🏻💚

Thanks for the tag @MoonWitch94 ! 1. As a kid I read the Tolkien books and Narnia Chronicles many many times. As an adult I‘ve reread Zora Neale Hurston and Austen books more than once. I have decided to make more of an effort to reread books that are special to me. 2. The cover rarely influences my deciion except perhaps by grabbing my eye in a bookstore.

Unpopular opinion. I wanted to love this but in the end it did not work for me. The first part where each character was introduced was the strongest and those short stories were beautiful, but as it moved into the long section it was too rambling and not compelling to me. The end didn‘t make sense given various statutes of limitations, I had a hard time suspending disbelief.

A little lengthy but other than that I really enjoyed this one!

I want to give this a pick - I‘ve been reading it for over a month. I loved - loved - the parts about the trees and even googled all sorts of info on the American Chestnut. But it‘s just soooo long, and the characters needed to drive the tale only engaged me when they were tangled in the branches of those beautiful trees. Dammit though, I‘m giving it a pick.

“We don‘t make reality. We just evade it. So far. By looting natural capital and hiding the costs. But the bill is coming, and we won‘t be able to pay.”

As a novel, this book didn‘t quite work for me. But I believe in its message. This reader will never look at a tree quite the same again.

#LitsySpringBreak. Forest 🌲

5 🌟
A Thousand Ships: Natalie Haynes 🎧
Summer Water: Sarah Moss 📖
The Overstory: Richard Powers 🎧
4.5 🌟
Here is the Beehive: Sarah Crossan 📖
4 🌟
Remote Control: Nnedi Okorafor 📖
When Time Stopped: Ariana Neuman 🎧
A People‘s Future of the United States: Ed Victor 📖
3.5 🌟
The Liar‘s Dictionary: Eley Williams 📖
Ninth House:Leigh Bardugo 🎧
Winterting: The Power of Rest and Retreat: Katherine May 📖

I have avoided this books for a couple of years and I don't know why I put it off. Amazing story telling with the scope that show (rather than tells) the connections in forests and in people over time. Buddhist AF! Loved it. I was gripped through out the novel. Loved the audio book. 5 🌟! I can not wait to go hiking this spring. This book makes me yern for the forrest.

Ok I mean. I love this book. But it‘s an epic. It‘s not something you can just pick up casually. It took me AGES to get through. And it‘s hard work to read. But it actually has changed the way I look at life. I am moved.

Need some inspo to finish this in time for book club. It‘s good. But sooooo long. And pretty slow. Prayers up for your girl.

I haven't read this book yet, but I want to and this series sounds great!

“David Benioff and D.B. Weiss brought to life some towering creatures when they adapted “Game of Thrones” for HBO, but now they‘re tackling some real giants. Their new project is adapting Richard Powers‘s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “The Overstory,” about the fundamental role that trees play on planet Earth.“

I‘ve had hits and misses with Pulitzer winners, so I‘m happy to say this one was a hit! This sweeping environmental saga aims to remind us just how connected we are to nature. The prose is beautiful and made me feel like branches were wrapping me in a tree hug. Check out my full review: https://amysbookreviews.com/2021/02/10/the-overstory-by-richard-powers-review/

“What you make from a tree should be at least as miraculous as what you cut down.” The Overstory by Richard Powers

I don‘t think I‘m there yet, but it‘s a good goal to strive for.