How I Became a Tree

In How I Became a Tree, Sumana Roy explores the relationship between humans and trees, drawing inspiration from writers, painters, photographers, scientists, and spiritual figures. The book blends literary history, theology, philosophy, botany, and more, encouraging readers to slow down and imagine a reenchanted world in which humans live more like trees.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 22 November 2022
Publisher: Yale University Press

Sumana Roy has penned a magnificent and awe-inspiring book that delves into the intricate relationship between plants, trees, and our place within the natural world. This literary masterpiece follows in the footsteps of Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass and Annie Dillard's Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, offering a profound and captivating exploration of the plant realm.

"Sumana Roy has written—grown—a radiant and wondrous book," acclaimed author Robert Macfarlane praises in his endorsement. "Roy weaves together science, nature, personal narrative, literature, sociology, and more to keep the reader turning pages—and to turn us all into tree-lovers."

Kateri Kramer, writing for The Rumpus, adds, "Beautiful. . . . Roy weaves together science, nature, personal narrative, literature, sociology, and more to keep the reader turning pages—and to turn us all into tree-lovers."

At the outset of How I Became a Tree, Roy shares her profound longing to embrace the timeless rhythms of trees, seeking solace in their wisdom, nonviolent nature, and capacity to navigate loneliness and pain. Through her captivating and adventurous narrative, Roy delves into the lessons learned by writers, painters, photographers, scientists, and spiritual figures who have been deeply inspired by their interactions with trees. From Rabindranath Tagore to Tomas Tranströmer, Ovid to Octavio Paz, William Shakespeare to Margaret Atwood, she explores the rich tapestry of insights and perspectives that trees have imparted.

Roy's stunning meditations on forests, plant life, time, self, and the exhaustion of being human evoke the spacious, relaxed rhythms of the trees themselves. Her writing transports readers to a realm where humans can reconnect with nature and rediscover a sense of harmony and balance.

Hailed upon its original publication in India as "a love song to plants and trees" and "an ode to all that is unnoticed, ill, neglected, and yet resilient," How I Became a Tree blends literary history, theology, philosophy, botany, and more. It prompts readers to slow down, to imagine a reenchanted world in which humans live more like trees, and to appreciate the intricate web of life that surrounds us.

In conclusion, Sumana Roy's How I Became a Tree is a masterpiece that offers a profound and transformative perspective on our relationship with plants, trees, and the natural world. Through her lyrical and insightful writing, Roy invites readers to slow down, reconnect with nature, and embrace the wisdom and beauty that the plant realm has to offer. This book is a testament to the power of literature to inspire, educate, and awaken a deeper appreciation for the world around us.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 139 x 217 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300268140