Evergreen: The Trees That Shaped America

This sparkling history from Cornell University professor Preszler (Little and Often) explores America’s relationship with evergreen trees. Lavishly decorated each Christmas season, these trees have played a vital role in the U.S. economy and culture, Preszler argues (“Worshipped and burned, protected and plundered, evergreens reflect who we are and reveal the stories we tell”). He traces their history from ancient times when the Romans and Egyptians revered them for their resilience to their eventual adoption within Christianity and secularization in American culture. He goes on to detail their use for fuel and shelter, chronicling how evergreens became symbols of independence ahead of the American Revolution as British efforts to control the valuable resource sparked tensions with colonists. Throughout, Preszler demonstrates how evergreen forests have been ravaged without regard for human safety or ecological stability, noting that lumberjacks and enslaved workers faced dangerous conditions, like falling trees and exposed saw blades, and that the felling of large swaths of trees have degraded watersheds, displaced native species, and depleted carbon storehouses. Still, evergreens’ role as symbols of holiday cheer persists, though it comes at a cost: often manufactured and quickly discarded, Christmas trees are increasingly being tailored to a consumer economy obsessed with convenience. Preszler’s well-researched and often poignant account is strewn with intriguing trivia. History and nature buffs alike will find much to enjoy. (Dec.)