The National Tree

Corey Burdock is a simple man living a simple life. Raising his son Rock, alone, after his wife abandons them, Corey takes refuge in nurturing the trees on his northern California land. The needs of trees are easily understood. The needs of sons are not.

When the president calls the Burdocks to accept Corey’s offer of a perfect Sitka spruce to become the National Christmas tree, Corey has no idea how profoundly the simple delivery of the tree from his California home to Washington D.C. will change his life.

As Corey and Rock trek across the country, their journey becomes more than just 3,000 miles traveled. It becomes a journey of discovery for father and son, and a simple gesture of patriotism that galvanizes a nation.

David Kranes writes both fiction and drama. The National Tree is his fifth novel. Also a playwright, Kranes’ work has been performed and broadcast throughout the U.S. and internationally. For 14 years, he served as Artistic Director for the Sundance Playwrights’ Lab. A university professor and casino-industry consultant on matters of design, theme, and space, he lives with his wife Carol in Salt Lake City.