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The Overstory

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The Overstory

By: Richard Powers
Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION 2019

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE 2018

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A wondrous, exhilarating novel about nine strangers brought together by an unfolding natural catastrophe

An artist inherits a hundred years of photographic portraits, all of the same doomed American chestnut. A hard-partying undergraduate in the late 1980s electrocutes herself, dies, and is sent back into life by creatures of air and light. A hearing- and speech-impaired scientist discovers that trees are communicating with one another. An Air Force crewmember in the Vietnam War is shot out of the sky, then saved by falling into a banyan.

This is the story of these and five other strangers, each summoned in different ways by the natural world, who are brought together in a last stand to save it from catastrophe.

©2018 Richard Powers (P)2018 Random House Audiobooks Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Metaphysical & Visionary Political Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking

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Critic reviews

"Really, just one of the best novels, period." (Ann Patchett)

"The best book I’ve [listened to] in ten years." (Emma Thompson)

"Dazzlingly written." (Robert Macfarlane)
Most relevant  
excellent narration, beautifully executed. I enjoyed all of this from start to finish. recommend

five stars from me for this book about trees

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I am speechless…. Power’s takes us on possibly the most important journey of realisation our species needs right now. Incredible.

Wow!

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Despite feeling an affinity with the causes and dilemmas of the characters in their introductions, I didn't find I had a significant emotional response to their individual stories as the interweaving plot developed. There is one moment of dramatic and traumatic climax but after that I found that it was a rather flat ride to a rather flat conclusion.

High Expectations

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I find it hard to put into words how much this book impacted me. It is more like five stories which blend into one with an important message for us all. I loved it!

This book is one I will be recommending!!!

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The story is an intricate, beautiful and captivating series of stories that intertwine and stretch over a century of life in America against a backdrop of man being largely blind to the wonders of trees and nature. A fascinating story about trees, humanity and how our past and futures are so closely linked.

Extraordinary, profound and timely

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an amazing book well read which leaves you thinking. I very highly recommend this book .

great book

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The Overstory includes topics I have suffered with scepticism about, and brings them into rationality and good sense, with an occasional mild air of the metaphysical that I can comfortably live with.
The messages are strong and true, intertwined in a beautiful set of stories full of intricate and fallible characters.
Great books challenge and entertain and inform. This did all that, and in adjusting my thinking, did even more. With gratitude to the author and narrator, as well as trees, which I have always loved, and now understand far better.

Beautiful and gently mentally adjusting

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not like any other. a weave of stories like roots and branches. must read now.

brilliant.

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In short, I knew nothing about trees before completing this amazing story.

What I do know is that I would have given up on the book IF I were actually reading it on my kindle.
This is because the book is littered with incredible references to trees and forests and for me, given my lack of knowledge here, I would have been discouraged and distracted to the point of giving up. However with the audiobook I was able to continue and enjoy the wider ( over) story.

Utterly loved the performance and storyline.

Now need to find better way to live…we all do

Super audiobook choice

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Endless richness in this book!
I didn't expect such a long book to be so abundant in it's thoughtfulness and variety and artistry.
I didn't expect to, but I absolutely LOVED this book.
What a stunning achievement to tell such an inspiring, subtle, involving story about this moment in time.

This book should be essential reading

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