The Giving Tree is a very short, sparsely-illustrated book by Shel Silverstein. The story follows a boy and a tree that loved him very much. When he was young, all that the boy needed to be happy was to play in her branches, but as he grew older, he demanded more and more of her, which the tree willingly provided. At the end, when he is an old man and she is no more than a stump with nothing left to give, he asks for a place to sit. The tree happily obliges. The Giving Tree is a quick and easy read that everybody either has or should pick up at some point in their lives. The message is clear: selflessness is a virtue, and happiness can be derived from helping others. The only problem? Nobody except for the tree is happy at the end of this book. Whether you're choking up at the beauty of the tree's selflessness, in indignation at the boy's demands, or in regret that you are clearly a terrible person who does not deserve a stump to sit on, The Giving Tree is as affecting in adulthood as it was in childhood.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
