The Butterfly Tree - by Woody Woodburn (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From multi-national award-winning newspaper columnist Woody Woodburn comes a magical heartstring-pulling, heart-racing, debut novel about family ties that bind us across time.

The Butterfly Tree: An Extraordinary Saga of Seven Generations is about family ties that bind us across time-and the universal quest to rise to a higher purpose and then lift the next generation upon our shoulders. It is about deep roots and strong branches, literally and figuratively, and about a single "family" tree being grafted from three disparate-and multiracial-lineages, and made more majestic because of these unions.

This page-turning tale, told in short fast-paced chapters, takes readers on a sweeping adventure aboard the Mayflower and the Underground Railroad; under The Big Top of an 1860s American circus and inside a small high school athletic shed secretly inhabited by a homeless teenager in the 1980s; from the battlefields of the Civil War to the jungles of Vietnam; from 1620 to 2020.

The seven generations in these pages are not all related by bloodline, but are bound together by love and friendship-and by a kitchen table that was borne from The Butterfly Tree. Each protagonist overcomes personal adversity before rising to help another, and in doing so a single "family" tree is grafted from three disparate-and multiracial-lineages, and made more majestic because of these unions.

Review Quotes

"What a feast Woody Woodburn has prepared for us at this very special Table of tables. Full of unanticipated twists and turns, I had to strap myself into my chair! What a tale, what a treasure, what a time!"

-TAVIS SMILEY, broadcaster and author

"The Butterfly Tree will keep you engaged from the first page to the very last. It's an emotional must-read you won't want to put down."

-RHIANNON POTKEY, journalist

"Woody Woodburn is one of the great observers of life. Besides his powerful prose and profound insights, Mr. Woodburn reaches deep into the heart and soul of his readers. His positive outlook on the human experience is contagious and fills the heart with an enduring love for life!"

-BARRY KIBRICK, PBS "Between the Lines" host

"This heart-warming story of generational courage, loyalty, and wisdom will inspire you to live and love more fully by believing the best in others, having faith in tomorrow, and living each today as if it were your final masterpiece."

-Roger W. Thompson, Christian author, We Stood Upon Stars

"Masterfully woven, this epic novel is a literary triumph! The Butterfly Tree will not only bless many a reader, but will CHANGE LIVES."

-Connie Halpern, Mrs. Figs' Bookworm

"A weaving of tales so rich with symbolism, stamped with historical significance, and with characters taking the moral high ground, The Butterfly Tree is a brilliant work, a brilliant read."

-Deena Kastor, Olympic marathon bronze medalist