Reading the first chapters about the American Chestnut made me cry, and I’m not prone to crying. I had to put the book down for a week, and re-examine some of my beliefs about nature and mankind.
Yup, same recommendation. That was my first time even hearing about this massive, landscape shifting chestnut blight; I have no idea how it isn't now commonly known.
And it was just a really great story in general. Definitely recommend.
At least in some places it is widely (universally?) known. I’m surprised to see so many who don’t known.
I took high school biology in a classroom named after it. The Christmas song always got explicitly recognized for the loss it memorialized. Any worry about invasive exotics got a “next blight” rhetorical flourish. Our elementary school thanksgiving pageant included a chestnut character (it was a coveted costume). In the summer of 2020 the blight vs hoof and mouth was the frame in which COVID could be productively discussed. The list goes on…
Regardless, as one who knew, great recommendation.
It's a fictional collection of stories, all linked by trees (it makes sense if you've read it).
Beautifully written, and gave me a huge appreciation for trees.