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Evergreen: The Trees That Shaped America
A sweeping natural history of the most valuable trees on earth that have quietly transformed our economies, cultural traditions, and collective imagination for millennia.
Every December, homes, offices, and town squares around the world are adorned with lavishly decorated evergreens to ring in the holiday season. But how did this beloved tradition begin? And as the planet continues to warm and more people swap real trees for artificial ones, will Christmas trees still be here for future generations?
In Evergreen, Cornell University professor Trent Preszler takes us on a riveting journey through history, culture, and science, exploring America’s story through the lives of its most resilient and cherished trees. From the annual hunt for the perfect Rockefeller Center spruce, back to the earliest days when Ancestral Puebloan builders crafted remarkable dwellings from pine beams, Evergreen reveals surprising connections between past and present that fueled America’s rise to global prominence.
With masterly prose and a cinematic eye, Preszler captures the enduring struggle between nature’s grandeur and humanity’s desire to control and consume it. At once expansive and intimate, Evergreen delivers a stirring reflection on what it means to live in a world where Christmas trees stand as silent witnesses to our restless ambition, challenging us to reconsider the delicate balance between commercial excess and our profound yearning for hope and immortality.
Every December, homes, offices, and town squares around the world are adorned with lavishly decorated evergreens to ring in the holiday season. But how did this beloved tradition begin? And as the planet continues to warm and more people swap real trees for artificial ones, will Christmas trees still be here for future generations?
In Evergreen, Cornell University professor Trent Preszler takes us on a riveting journey through history, culture, and science, exploring America’s story through the lives of its most resilient and cherished trees. From the annual hunt for the perfect Rockefeller Center spruce, back to the earliest days when Ancestral Puebloan builders crafted remarkable dwellings from pine beams, Evergreen reveals surprising connections between past and present that fueled America’s rise to global prominence.
With masterly prose and a cinematic eye, Preszler captures the enduring struggle between nature’s grandeur and humanity’s desire to control and consume it. At once expansive and intimate, Evergreen delivers a stirring reflection on what it means to live in a world where Christmas trees stand as silent witnesses to our restless ambition, challenging us to reconsider the delicate balance between commercial excess and our profound yearning for hope and immortality.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published December 2, 2025
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3754 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 15, 2025
This book really works, and for several reasons:
1) Trees. Obviously, trees are the best, and everyone should love learning about them.
2) American history, from the perspective of trees. History lessons are more engaging when told from a defined perspective, like the experience of one person or of a specific cultural group. The downside of such a view is that it’s typically quite limited in scope. When Preszler takes on American history from the perspective of evergreen trees, we get a narrative that is at once sweepingly broad and intimately specific.
3) Christmas trees. The book starts and ends with Christmas trees, with an American evergreen odyssey in between. The combo feels a tad forced on the surface, but for millions of Americans who live their lives far from forests, Christmas trees might be the only time we actually get close to evergreens, making them apt arboreal diplomats.
My only gripe is that the subject of the book, the trees themselves, are treated throughout more as objects than as subjects. Trees and forests have fascinating inner lives, and there is ample research in this area to draw on. That’s not what this book is about, and that’s ok, but a chapter or even a solid passage would have been nice.
A note on the audiobook: I started reading this book in print and finished it on audio. The narrator is great, and I highly recommend the audiobook.
Thank you to Algonquin Books, Trent Preszler, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
1) Trees. Obviously, trees are the best, and everyone should love learning about them.
2) American history, from the perspective of trees. History lessons are more engaging when told from a defined perspective, like the experience of one person or of a specific cultural group. The downside of such a view is that it’s typically quite limited in scope. When Preszler takes on American history from the perspective of evergreen trees, we get a narrative that is at once sweepingly broad and intimately specific.
3) Christmas trees. The book starts and ends with Christmas trees, with an American evergreen odyssey in between. The combo feels a tad forced on the surface, but for millions of Americans who live their lives far from forests, Christmas trees might be the only time we actually get close to evergreens, making them apt arboreal diplomats.
My only gripe is that the subject of the book, the trees themselves, are treated throughout more as objects than as subjects. Trees and forests have fascinating inner lives, and there is ample research in this area to draw on. That’s not what this book is about, and that’s ok, but a chapter or even a solid passage would have been nice.
A note on the audiobook: I started reading this book in print and finished it on audio. The narrator is great, and I highly recommend the audiobook.
Thank you to Algonquin Books, Trent Preszler, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
August 19, 2025
Having read Trent Preszler’s first book and absolutely loving it, I always wondered what his follow up book would be. This book on Evergreens is basically what I expected. In my head, I call him the next Michael Pollan (due to my deep love of Michael) and I think this book continues in that vein. As Trent is someone who studied plants and has seen the change within them, this book hits the mark. One of the best books of the year that I have read. Informative and just a fun read.
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2025
I went into this book thinking I would find out some new information about the history of Christmas trees. What I ended up coming out with was a deeper appreciation for how woven into the history of humans is the evergreen tree, in all its forms. The trees are symbols of culture and worship and tradition, as well as markers of human progress and expansion. They form the foundations for the rise and fall of civilizations, and their imagery has morphed over the centuries to fit current narrative. Trent Preszler's work in this book is fascinating, both a history and a look at the intersection of man and nature, of the use (and mis/over-use) of resources without thinking about the cost.
Having grown up near mountains known for sky-high sequoia trees, this book felt like looking at my own relationship to evergreens and their silent watch over the passage of time.
I read this book as an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Having grown up near mountains known for sky-high sequoia trees, this book felt like looking at my own relationship to evergreens and their silent watch over the passage of time.
I read this book as an ARC. All opinions are my own.
December 18, 2025
I found this fascinating! compulsively readable and full of interesting facts and history.
September 8, 2025
4.5 Stars.
Preszler's Evergreen is not exactly what I expected; I think I went into it assuming that it would be something like Yovel's soon to be released The Genius Bat wherein I would get a broad overview on the current lines of research and understanding of a broad range of coniferous evergreens. Instead, I got something closer to what the title promises: a cultural history of the tree and its relationship with the United States and more broadly with humanity in general.
When a book turns out to be different than initial expectations, there are typically one of three reactions: disappointment, apathy or curiosity, and it is well that my reaction was the latter of these. Now with no presuppositions about what I was to read, I was free to follow Preszler wherever he chose to take me. The journey had a certain level of focus but frequently felt somewhat rambling, as though we would occasionally forget that the book was supposed to be about evergreens and had to refocus. While it did irk me once or twice, ultimately, I found that this sort of "focused meandering," as I am choosing to call it, was a good thing. It allowed Preszler to hit on some interesting and salient points that seemed tangential but were ultimately important in understanding the evergreen's impact on American society and culture.
Mostly, Evergreen was a good time. The stories told are interesting, the niche history lesson is surprising and revelatory, and while Preszler keeps the footnotes and citations out of the main body of the work, a robust list of works cited at the end of the book leaves space for interested readers to continue with their own research on topics that might interest them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for advanced access to this book scheduled to be published December 2, 2025 at time of writing.
Preszler's Evergreen is not exactly what I expected; I think I went into it assuming that it would be something like Yovel's soon to be released The Genius Bat wherein I would get a broad overview on the current lines of research and understanding of a broad range of coniferous evergreens. Instead, I got something closer to what the title promises: a cultural history of the tree and its relationship with the United States and more broadly with humanity in general.
When a book turns out to be different than initial expectations, there are typically one of three reactions: disappointment, apathy or curiosity, and it is well that my reaction was the latter of these. Now with no presuppositions about what I was to read, I was free to follow Preszler wherever he chose to take me. The journey had a certain level of focus but frequently felt somewhat rambling, as though we would occasionally forget that the book was supposed to be about evergreens and had to refocus. While it did irk me once or twice, ultimately, I found that this sort of "focused meandering," as I am choosing to call it, was a good thing. It allowed Preszler to hit on some interesting and salient points that seemed tangential but were ultimately important in understanding the evergreen's impact on American society and culture.
Mostly, Evergreen was a good time. The stories told are interesting, the niche history lesson is surprising and revelatory, and while Preszler keeps the footnotes and citations out of the main body of the work, a robust list of works cited at the end of the book leaves space for interested readers to continue with their own research on topics that might interest them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for advanced access to this book scheduled to be published December 2, 2025 at time of writing.
August 22, 2025
When I first saw this book was going to be released, I was super excited. I love reading about nature and conservation. Thank you Algonquin Books for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This book was what I expected and more. Trent Preszler does a wonderful job at diving into the long history of the evergreen and how it has shaped America. He has such an eloquent way of characterizing the evergreen. The imagery that Trent invokes allows the reader to step inside the book and really feel the feelings he is conveying.
This book is being released just in time for Christmas which is extremely apt. The prologue really captures how Christmas feels now as an adult. I felt those words in my soul. There is so much that I learned about the evergreen from how the Rockefeller tree is chosen to its role in various world wars. Not only is the story of the evergreen powerfully told, but Trent touches on the impact on American culture, specifically the negative impact the arrival of colonists had on Native Americans. The way both the evergreen and the Native Americans were taken advantage of and cast aside is eye-opening. Everything that has happened to forests in the past 300-400 years since colonists stepped foot in North America is still impacting us today. This book is an important read if you are passionate about conservation.
This book was what I expected and more. Trent Preszler does a wonderful job at diving into the long history of the evergreen and how it has shaped America. He has such an eloquent way of characterizing the evergreen. The imagery that Trent invokes allows the reader to step inside the book and really feel the feelings he is conveying.
This book is being released just in time for Christmas which is extremely apt. The prologue really captures how Christmas feels now as an adult. I felt those words in my soul. There is so much that I learned about the evergreen from how the Rockefeller tree is chosen to its role in various world wars. Not only is the story of the evergreen powerfully told, but Trent touches on the impact on American culture, specifically the negative impact the arrival of colonists had on Native Americans. The way both the evergreen and the Native Americans were taken advantage of and cast aside is eye-opening. Everything that has happened to forests in the past 300-400 years since colonists stepped foot in North America is still impacting us today. This book is an important read if you are passionate about conservation.
December 8, 2025
Evergreen is an absorbing, beautifully written exploration of the trees that have shaped American culture, heritage, and imagination. Trent Preszler blends history, science, and storytelling with an ease that keeps the narrative vibrant and deeply informative.
The book moves through centuries with grace, connecting ancient Puebloan craftsmanship, modern forestry, and the iconic Christmas tree tradition in a way that feels both expansive and intimate. Preszler has a rare gift for making the natural world feel alive on the page, and his reflections on climate change, cultural memory, and our relationship with nature add weight without losing warmth.
The Rockefeller Center spruce chapters are especially compelling, revealing how one ritual tree can embody collective hope, ambition, and nostalgia. The writing shines with clarity and intention, making this both a captivating read and a meditation on what we stand to lose if we do not protect the landscapes that shaped us.
A rich, thoughtful, and wonderfully researched work.
The book moves through centuries with grace, connecting ancient Puebloan craftsmanship, modern forestry, and the iconic Christmas tree tradition in a way that feels both expansive and intimate. Preszler has a rare gift for making the natural world feel alive on the page, and his reflections on climate change, cultural memory, and our relationship with nature add weight without losing warmth.
The Rockefeller Center spruce chapters are especially compelling, revealing how one ritual tree can embody collective hope, ambition, and nostalgia. The writing shines with clarity and intention, making this both a captivating read and a meditation on what we stand to lose if we do not protect the landscapes that shaped us.
A rich, thoughtful, and wonderfully researched work.
December 22, 2025
This book was interesting and definitely covered the history of evergreens (mostly for Christmas tree purposes) In the US, but I feel like I can only give it a 3 just based on my enjoyment or lack thereof. It was probably my expectations but I just found this book depressing and demoralizing. I get that the history and future look bleak but I just wanted to casually learn some neat things about trees not how depraved and callous Americans have been or can be. I know this already. I didn't need chapter after chapter telling me we ruined the world. I'm definitely not saying the story shouldn't be told. I just wasn't expecting that and maybe reading it during the holiday season where I wanted something more uplifting was poor timing on my part. The book is informative with many eye opening accounts, but it's bleak. Don't expect happy endings for anyone or anything really.
December 11, 2025
Enjoyable, meandering, and enlightening-- unfortunately most of what I listened to is already out of my brain but I still enjoyed the ride!
The tidbit I remember most is that one redwood tree had enough wood for 37 houses! Kinda neat, kinda infuriating given we logged 95% of the old growth forests. I sure love those trees.
The tidbit I remember most is that one redwood tree had enough wood for 37 houses! Kinda neat, kinda infuriating given we logged 95% of the old growth forests. I sure love those trees.
December 18, 2025
I really enjoyed Trent Preszler’s memoir, so I was excited to see he’d written another book. And while I wasn’t originally sure I needed a book about evergreen trees in my life, it turns out I did! It was a really interesting book weaving together history, science, and sociology, that was still very readable. If you’re looking for something a little niche, definitely pick this one up.
December 23, 2025
The best parts of this book are about Christmas trees as a social phenomenon. But most of it is just a history of the American lumber industry. Except it's structured as a microhistory so it becomes really repetitive. In every chapter--shocking twist--one of America's core industries is shitty to its workers and the environment! Who woulda thunk it? Like, it's true, but reading the same shocking twist fifteen times in a row gets tedious. I'm not stupid! And since this is only about evergreens, I worried we were only getting half the story. Isn't there something to be learned from America's use of willows? Oaks? Magnolias? We know America is full of trees with leaves that fall. It's a whole thing for us. But we're trying to tell the story of the lumber industry while ignoring all of those. Ok. Sure.
Still, the sections about the Christmas tree industry are very strong, with actual original reporting and not repetitive historical lectures.
2.5 stars.
Still, the sections about the Christmas tree industry are very strong, with actual original reporting and not repetitive historical lectures.
2.5 stars.
December 21, 2025
Very interesting book, although reading about how humanity has butchered our old growth trees was torture to me. The author is gay and included a bunch of somewhat irrelevent facts about gay lumberjacks which I could have done without.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews