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Trees

When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery

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When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery
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This book really made me pause. It explores the deep connection Black people have to land, trees, and botanical knowledge, and how that connection is tied to both legacy and trauma. Nature has always been part of our survival and resilience, even when it was shaped by enslavement, displacement, and loss. When Trees Testify reminds us that trees and land have witnessed our history. Reconnecting with our botanical roots isn’t just about plants…it’s about healing, reclaiming what was taken, and working through the trauma we’re still carrying. Thoughtful, reflective, a bit heavy…but honestly necessary.

When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery, (List Price: $27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250335166, January 2026)

Reviewed by Morgan, The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, Georgia

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When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery

, , , ,
When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

Trees transform our exhalations into parts of themselves, embodying the breath of those who live and work near them. Montgomery’s stories and observations, organized around eight species, show us what trees can teach us about ourselves, our histories, and our society.

When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery, (List Price: $27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250335166, January 2026)

Reviewed by Chris, Shelf Life Books in Richmond, Virginia

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When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery

, , , , ,
When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery
buy this book

Buy from your local indie.
Get the audiobook

I studied trees for my senior project in undergrad, and I remember the looks I would get when I tried to explain how magical these living beings are. My work explored plant autonomy and the ways humans interpret nature’s agency, but When Trees Testify deepens that understanding in ways I could have never imagined. The book’s poetic assertion that the breath of loved ones can remain alive through scientific processes is an astounding observation. It redefines the boundaries between the human and the natural. It reminds us that our actions are linked to the lives of the ecosystems we shape. When Trees Testify presents trees not as passive organisms, but as active participants—beings with resilience and a shared history.

When Trees Testify by Beronda L. Montgomery, (List Price: $27.99, Henry Holt and Co., 9781250335166, January 2026)

Reviewed by Chloe Strong, Epilogue: Books Chocolate Brews in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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