Tracking Giants

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Readers of Cheryl Strayed's Wild will appreciate this humorous and relatable account of one woman's journey to find the world's largest trees. After nearly a decade away, Amanda Lewis returned to the West as a burned-out book editor, more familiar with trees as paper than as living beings. Despite being an "indoorswoman" who could barely distinguish a birch from a beech, she committed to visiting the biggest trees in British Columbia, a province known for its massive trees and trendy culture. Lewis's list included "Champion" trees like Western red-cedars and Douglas firs, located in remote islands and dense forests. However, her quest faced numerous challenges: climate change, a pandemic, her lack of wilderness experience, the harsh realities of old-growth logging, and the evolving nature of trees—all complicated her one-year timeframe. Feeling burned out again and recognizing that her checklist mentality might be the issue, Lewis shifted her focus from merely seeking out trees to understanding forests in a more meaningful, interconnected way. Through insights from writers and artists, she explores what we truly seek in our pursuits and discovers that often, it’s the smaller joys, our mindsets, and the companions we share our journeys with that deepen our connection to the natural world.