There comes a moment when passion compels activism. The courage to stand up for injustice and danger unites the characters in these seemingly disconnected stories.”
“By reading this novel about individuals who risk their lives to save the forest, inclusion of diverse groups around us seems very simple in comparison. No activism is required to accept our neighbors. Yet sometimes, more is required of us. Would I have the courage to demonstrate as these characters do? Could I endure the stress and repercussions of being part of a resistance movement? Maybe I do not see myself as a political activist. But I CAN and will continue to voice my opinions, vote for people who embrace inclusion, and raise my children to value diversity and fairness. “Living in Vermont and Maine makes it easy to appreciate trees. A few years ago, I won a book in a fundraising raffle to “Save the Elms.” My family and I ignorantly joked about The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by German forester, Peter Wohlleben. Trees talking to each other? Bah! When I read The Overstory, I wondered if Richard Powers had consulted Wohlleben for the character of Patricia Westerford, the plant researcher who was ostracized for her views. We shamefully banish people we don’t agree with! We shut out and mock views we cannot understand. Yet Westerford eventually connects with others who will validate her ideas. Powers’ novel is about conservation and naturalism, for sure, yet from a wider lens, it is about acceptance and, primarily, activism. Movements like Black Lives Matter operate on the same principals of ethical responsibility. Like the characters in this novel, they are compelled to act.”

Patty’s Inclusive Cause: The Maine Coast Heritage Trust. https://www.mcht.org/.