The Talkative Tree: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Talkative Tree: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

The Talkative Tree is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Fyfe, H. B. (Horace Bowne) (1918–1997).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Talkative Tree" by H. B. Fyfe is a science fiction novella written in the early 1960s. The story centers around themes of transformation, freedom, and the nature of control as it follows the experiences of Peter Kolin, a steward aboard a spaceship that crash-lands on an alien planet. The narrative explores the concept of the mind's connection to various life forms and the implications of a controlling entity on both personal identity and societal structures. In "The Talkative Tree," after the spaceship "Peace State" crashes, pilot Peter Kolin and his fellow crew members venture into the mysterious planet's forest in search of food. They encounter the tree named Johnny Ashlew, who reveals that he is, in fact, a man transformed by the planet’s “Life”—a consciousness that governs the environment. As Kolin grapples with the oppressive regime on his home planet of Haurtoz, he starts to open up about his frustrations and dreams of liberation. The story culminates in Kolin’s choice to join the Life by taking a new form, allowing him to spread the spores of rebellion and transformation, effectively taking over the crew and planning to enact a change on Haurtoz. This tale is a thoughtful exploration of escape from tyrannical control and the sacrifices one must make to find true freedom.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Talkative Tree
- Author credits: Fyfe, H. B. (Horace Bowne) (1918–1997)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Science Fiction
Read this edition
View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.



