The first derives from the notion of a master narrative, one from which all other stories take root. And it is, almost. Beyond its literal definition as “ the uppermost layer of foliage in a forest,” the title contains at least two metaphorical meanings. Given my background, Richard Powers’s The Overstoryseems like the perfect novel for me. If I stick around a while longer, I tell myself, at least no one will come cut these beauties down. Now that I’m a man––entrusted not just with enjoyment of the land but its stewardship––these same trees populate my shortlist of reasons to keep living on my worst days. It’s no exaggeration to say that these majestic beings were my companions and castles, brimming with all the mysterious life-energy a boy’s imagination could ever need. My body-mind came of age amidst giant Redwoods and Douglas Firs, many of which grace my family’s six-acre parcel. I grew up and still reside in Humboldt County, California.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |