Play Book Tag discussion

I've read all of the Man Booker longlisted books of 2018, and I'm fairly certain this is the winner. It wasn't necessarily my favourite, although I did thoroughly enjoy it and completely understand why it is on the list. It has all the makings of a Booker Prize winner - complex, intelligent, sprawling, and awe-inspiring in its content. I listened to the audio which was long, and I regret choosing this format. I am going to go back and read the print version some time soon. Like The Long Take, the more I think about The Overstory, the more I like it, and I have bumped my rating from four to a five.

As have others, reading this book has made me think about my relationship with trees over my life, and I have realised that I have so many memories that I could tell. The pine in my grandmother's front yard that I once played under, pretending that it was a fairy habitat; the magnolia tree in the front yard of the house where I grew up, that I used to use as a foothold when I was climbing out of my bedroom window as a teenager; the lemon tree that was in the rear yard of one of our first rental properties. one that kept on giving year round, something that was attributed to the fact that our male friends persisted in peeing on it when we had regular and raucous house parties; a stunning sycamore tree that lives at a local park that we frequent with the kids, and they have dubbed it the Magic Faraway Tree and climb for hours; the trees that line the local community strip near where we live, that make the most beautiful and miraculous changes across the seasons each year and always make me feel so damn lucky to be alive to see them; and finally, the simply spellbinding Jacaranda that once lived in the front yard of our next door neighbours, one that we were always privileged to be able to enjoy without the disadvantage of having to clean up after it, and a tree that was sadly removed by the new owners when our beautiful neighbours moved away. I could go on and on, and I am so grateful to this book for putting me in a frame of mind to think of my connection to the ecosystem around me.

I have added this to the Friendship folder as the friendships in the novel were many and varied.

I downloaded this on Audible and plan to work it into the rotation as soon as possible....which may be a couple of months....

It's a great audiobook. I think it will be a winner for you. Fingers crossed.

I know nothing about this book but the relationship with trees stuck out to me. The forest, the mountains is such a place of solace and happiness for me. In fact today I am going hiking. I love trees and I am one that loves trees in every season.

Such a good book! I want to read more of his.

Susie, I want to visit all of your trees.