4.5 Stars.

Preszler's <i>Evergreen</i> is not exactly what I expected; I think I went into it assuming that it would be something like Yovel's soon to be released <i>The Genius Bat</i> wherein I would get a broad overview on the current lines of research and understanding of a broad range of coniferous evergreens. Instead, I got something closer to what the title promises: a cultural history of the tree and its relationship with the United States and more broadly with humanity in general.

When a book turns out to be different than initial expectations, there are typically one of three reactions: disappointment, apathy or curiosity, and it is well that my reaction was the latter of these. Now with no presuppositions about what I was to read, I was free to follow Preszler wherever he chose to take me. The journey had a certain level of focus but frequently felt somewhat rambling, as though we would occasionally forget that the book was supposed to be about evergreens and had to refocus. While it did irk me once or twice, ultimately, I found that this sort of "focused meandering," as I am choosing to call it, was a good thing. It allowed Preszler to hit on some interesting and salient points that seemed tangential but were ultimately important in understanding the evergreen's impact on American society and culture.

Mostly, <i>Evergreen</i> was a good time. The stories told are interesting, the niche history lesson is surprising and revelatory, and while Preszler keeps the footnotes and citations out of the main body of the work, a robust list of works cited at the end of the book leaves space for interested readers to continue with their own research on topics that might interest them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for advanced access to this book scheduled to be published December 2, 2025 at time of writing.

When I first saw this book was going to be released, I was super excited. I love reading about nature and conservation. Thank you Algonquin Books for providing this eARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was what I expected and more. Trent Preszler does a wonderful job at diving into the long history of the evergreen and how it has shaped America. He has such an eloquent way of characterizing the evergreen. The imagery that Trent invokes allows the reader to step inside the book and really feel the feelings he is conveying.

This book is being released just in time for Christmas which is extremely apt. The prologue really captures how Christmas feels now as an adult. I felt those words in my soul. There is so much that I learned about the evergreen from how the Rockefeller tree is chosen to its role in various world wars. Not only is the story of the evergreen powerfully told, but Trent touches on the impact on American culture, specifically the negative impact the arrival of colonists had on Native Americans. The way both the evergreen and the Native Americans were taken advantage of and cast aside is eye-opening. Everything that has happened to forests in the past 300-400 years since colonists stepped foot in North America is still impacting us today. This book is an important read if you are passionate about conservation.

Having read Trent Preszler’s first book and absolutely loving it, I always wondered what his follow up book would be. This book on Evergreens is basically what I expected. In my head, I call him the next Michael Pollan (due to my deep love of Michael) and I think this book continues in that vein. As Trent is someone who studied plants and has seen the change within them, this book hits the mark. One of the best books of the year that I have read. Informative and just a fun read.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.