The Overstory is Richard Powers’ 12th novel. As well as being shortlisted for the Booker, it also won the 2018 Grand Prix de Littérature Américaine, the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 2020 William Dean Howells Medal.

Put simply, The Overstory is a book about trees and our relationship with them. Following the lives of nine strangers across the USA, it explores multiple, unfolding environmental catastrophes, as Powers’ characters seek to make a meaningful contribution to the natural world.

Powers has written 14 novels to date, with four nominated for the Booker Prize: Orfeo, Bewilderment, Playground and The Overstory.

His books often delve into the effects of science and technology on humanity, combining lyrical prose with the stark reality of a deteriorating environment. 

From a reading guide and extract, to illuminating features, find out more about our May Monthly Spotlight here.