I truly adored re-reading this captivating book.

It offers a fascinating glimpse into the earliest days of Ohio's habitation by whites.

The author's vivid descriptions bring to life the landscapes, the people, and the events of that bygone era.

It allows the reader to transport themselves back in time and imagine what it was like to be part of that initial settlement.

Whether you have a keen interest in history or simply enjoy a good story that takes you on a journey, this book is highly recommended.

It is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Ohio's rich and diverse past.

So, pick up this book and prepare to be immersed in a world that will leave you with a newfound perspective on the state's early days.

Well, this was truly some old-time reading.

It was not at all what I had initially expected. The moment I started delving into it, I realized that the dialect used was quite unique and took some time to get accustomed to.

However, as I persevered, I found that the story of the pioneer experience was beautifully told. It painted a vivid picture of the hardships, the determination, and the spirit of those early settlers.

The author's use of language, despite the initial challenge of the dialect, added a layer of authenticity and charm to the narrative.

It made me feel as if I was transported back in time, witnessing the events unfold through the eyes of the pioneers themselves.

Overall, this reading experience was both educational and engaging, and I'm glad I took the time to explore this piece of literature.

My Interest

Once again, I found myself in need of an audio book for my daily commute. As I was perusing my Chirp audio books email, I came across this particular one. I vaguely recalled Richter from my high school literature course, and Conrad has always been a favorite name of mine. What really caught my attention, though, was when I read that this story is set in the part of the Northwest Territory that would later become my state, Ohio. It was at that moment, after 13 years, that my mind registered that I actually live in Ohio and not Indiana! Most of my life has been spent in one of four places in Indiana, with brief stints in Illinois (where I was born and attended grades 2-4), Wisconsin (grades K-1), and Kentucky for 6 months as an adult. In my mind, I'm still a Hoosier. I had studied state history in Illinois in 4th grade, and my kids had it in Indiana, so I'm quite behind on Ohio history. To fill in the gaps, I read David McCullough's wonderful Pioneers. In fact, it makes a great companion to this novel and the two that follow in Richter's Awakening Land Series.

The Lucketts crossed over from Pennsylvania into what is now Ohio in the then Northwest Territory, not long before Ohio gained statehood. The Story

“As far as the eye could reach, this lonely forest sea rolled on and on till its faint blue billows broke against an incredibly distant horizon.” Sayward Luckett, the eldest of the Luckett children, moves with her parents and siblings from Pennsylvania to the Northwest Territory not too long before statehood begins breaking up the territory, around the 1790s or so. Settlers at this time had to clear a spot in the forest to build a cabin, and her family did just that. While her father hunted to provide meat for the table, her mother took care of the rest of the family's needs. It was a hard-scrabble life, with a candle being a luxury. But father Worth Luckett was a man of his time, desiring room to spread out, to hunt, and to carve out a private life for his family. “You kin smell the Fall,” Sayward once reminded her mother. The family faced many trials, but this is not a depressing book. They were not 21st century or even 20th century people. They expected death, knew only hard physical work, and had a deep pride in their independence, the way Americans traditionally were before the 1960s counter-culture and today's Oprah-navel-gazing and Woke b.s. These folks stood on their own two feet and asked for no handouts. Sayward, too, had ideas for her life, as did her siblings. In this first part of a trilogy, we see her reach the age of independence and watch as her siblings also start to come of age.
My Thoughts

This is an incredibly well-told and plotted story. The use of the local dialect and historically correct language made it all seem so real. Richter's use of folklore and dialect led this book to be studied in a paper published in the journal Midwest Folklore in the 1950s and earned the author comparisons to Mark Twain. I must point out, if you are an animal lover, in chapter 8 (if I recall correctly), there is a wolf story. You may want to fast-forward or skip that part. It's only a couple of pages in an otherwise outstanding book. I liked it so much that I have already started the second book.

When I first delved into this remarkable series approximately ten years ago, it had such a profound impact on me that I couldn't cease ruminating about it for days, perhaps even weeks. This is the inaugural installment of a truly magnificent trilogy that chronicles the journey of a family as they establish roots in Ohio,见证着 the transformation of the frontier from a dense forest (The Trees), to sprawling farms (The Fields), and finally to small rural communities (The Town).

The narrative commences with the Luckett family making their arduous way into the thick woods of Ohio in the 1700s. They are fleeing Pennsylvania as Worth, Jary's husband and the children's father, has determined that the game has migrated westward, and he resolves to follow suit. As they venture deeper into the woods, following a faint trace, the trees close in so densely that Jary despairs of ever seeing the sun again. However, it is Sayward, the eldest daughter of Worth and Jary, who emerges as the central character. Through her eyes, we gain a unique perspective, experiencing her emotions and thoughts as we progress through the story.

Perhaps Sayward's experiences resonate with me because she confronts head-on so many challenges that I devoutly hope I will never have to encounter. I often wonder how I would cope in such circumstances. What would it be like to live in a world where every meal, every garment, and every utensil is painstakingly earned and crafted by hand? How does one endure the grief of losing someone while simultaneously digging their "bury-hole"? What is it like to exist in a time and place where people are meticulous about laying their loved ones to rest with their feet facing east, in anticipation of rising on resurrection day? And what would it be like to possess intelligence and ingenuity, yet be completely illiterate, not even acquainted with the alphabet?

Books of this caliber do not merely offer a glimpse into a bygone era; they also compel us to审视 our own times, which stand in sharp contrast. Our lives today are so effortless, but this ease has come at the expense of character.

A word of caution to my young friends on Goodreads: this book is unflinchingly gritty and at times brutally raw. There is no sugarcoating of sin and its attendant sorrows. The frontier life is presented in all its unvarnished reality, without any idealization. Therefore, read with discretion, or perhaps postpone reading until you have weathered several more seasons of life. It is often beneficial to save certain books for a later time, as you may appreciate them more deeply ten years or more down the road.

The book concludes with the profound observation: "That's how life was, death and birth, grub and harvest, rain and clearing, winter and summer. You had to take the one with the other, for that's the way it ran."

The Trees is not an overwhelmingly melancholy book; rather, it weaves together moments of joy with the inevitable sorrows of life.

It serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Through the eyes of Sayward and her family, we gain a newfound appreciation for the simple pleasures and the harsh realities of life on the frontier.

This book is a must-read for those who渴望 to explore the depths of human experience and gain a deeper understanding of our shared history.

The Trees by Conrad Richter is the first installment of his American saga, The Awakening Land. It tells the story of the Luckett family, Worth, Jary, and their five children, who leave Pennsylvania for the unknown forests of Ohio. The main character, Sayward, the oldest daughter, is a remarkable woman with physical strength and mental endurance. She faces many tragedies but remains a builder and a worker, leaving a lasting legacy.

I found it easy to relate to each of the characters in the book. The rugged Worth, the reluctant Jary, the adaptable children, and the diverse cast of good and evil people all felt real. Richter does an excellent job of creating complex and believable characters, avoiding stereotypes.

The book also contains nuggets of truth, such as when Sayward tries to remember her mother's recipe for Moss Tea. It made me think about the things we know that will be lost when we die. I wish I had asked my parents more questions when they were alive.

The novel reads smoothly and feels authentic, as if Richter had lived in those times. The only complaint I have is that it ends abruptly, but this is understandable since it is part of a trilogy. I am looking forward to reading The Fields and continuing Sayward's story.

The Trees is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that offers a glimpse into the lives of early settlers in America.

For better or for worse,

The Trees is indeed a highly accurate portrayal of what life on the early American frontier must have been like.

The book's historical accuracy regarding the linguistics of early American pioneers is truly astounding. However, it also thoroughly tested my patience.

It took me quite some time to realize that a "trencher" means a table, or that "butts" refers to tree trunks.

The writing of Conrad Richter, at times, is undecipherable or even grammatically incorrect.

Take this sentence for instance: "It had black frost early in October that the axe couldn't chop the ground." I assure you, I did not make a typo; that is exactly how the sentence is.

I guess there must have been more lenient grammar rules in the 1940s because that would be unacceptable nowadays.

Setting aside the language barrier, the book tells an interesting story.

Most of the characters, however, tended to get on my nerves.

The mother is downright depressing. After the family moves, all she says is things like "I don't keep track of the days no more" or "I hain't noticed, my eyes kain't see so good here."

I didn't connect very well with any of the characters and was almost grateful whenever one left the story.

If you are interested in the early 19th century American frontier, then you will probably find this book to be endlessly fascinating.

I don't think that The Trees is a bad book (it seems most critics gave it very high praise), I just had a few too many issues with it.

This is the first installment in a trilogy that delves into the story of several generations of a family as they embark on the adventure of settling the western territories in the 19th century.

Specifically, this particular volume is set in the early decades of that very century. As the narrative commences, a young family finds themselves residing in a secluded and wooded area. They are filled with trepidation towards the Dakotas, who are their only neighbors. Their diet consists almost entirely of wild game, a testament to their reliance on the land for survival.

By the conclusion of the story, the young children have reached the stage of getting married. They are now beginning the arduous task of clearing the land in order to plant crops. Moreover, they are also in the process of forming a community with their white neighbors.

This account provides a brutally realistic portrayal of the numerous hardships that the earliest settlers had to endure. It also highlights their remarkable strength and determination to persevere in the face of such adversity.

A great book that tells the story of the conquering of the Ohio territory, which is my new home state, forms a great trilogy. Reading this book, I can't help but feel that my move east was certainly much easier in comparison. The detailed accounts in the book paint a vivid picture of the challenges and hardships that the early settlers faced as they fought to claim and develop this land. It makes me appreciate the history and heritage of Ohio even more. I am truly grateful to have discovered this trilogy and look forward to delving deeper into the fascinating stories it has to offer.

Conrad Richter’s “The Trees” is the first installment of a trilogy titled “The Awakening Land.” The third novel, “The Town,” won the 1951 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Based on the remarkable quality I noticed in “The Trees,” I am determined to read the entire series.

One of the main reasons I adored this novel is the richness and diversity of Richter’s characters. This is especially true for the Luckett family members, who are the central figures in the story.

Worth Luckett is not suited for settlement life. He is a “woodsy,” an expert in hunting, and a man with “itchy feet.” His driving passion is to hunt and explore new places. After the Revolutionary War, when game becomes scarce in frontier Pennsylvania, he moves his family to the nearly impenetrable woods of Ohio and builds a cabin in a dense forest.

His wife Jary is a practical and wise woman who values neighbors but is loyal to her husband. She dislikes the lack of sunlight in the forest but accepts her situation. Sadly, she dies early in the novel due to poor health.

The eldest of the five children is Sayward Luckett, the novel’s main character. At seventeen, she is intuitive, strong, and dependable. After Jary’s death, she takes on the role of mother to her siblings.

Genny is the next oldest child. She is sweet, gentle, and physically attractive. She enriches the lives of her family and neighbors. However, she is also vulnerable, and the author places her in a concerning situation.

Achsa is the third oldest child and the opposite of Genny. She is physically powerful and cynical, often taunting her siblings. We discover that she is quite devious.

Wyitt, the only boy, is like his father. He is proud and determined to become a skilled hunter. He also shows his love for his sisters on several occasions.

Sulie, the youngest child, is spirited and inquisitive. She is a beloved character, and like Genny, the author places her in a situation that causes concern.

The novel also features several other well-crafted characters, such as Louie Scurrah, a villain, and Portius Wheeler, the “Solitary.”

In addition to the excellent characters, the novel feels authentic. The story is historically informative, providing details about how a forest cabin was built, what animals were hunted, and what material goods were valued. The visual detail also adds to the authenticity, as seen in the descriptions of Wyitt and the Fourth of July celebration.

The author’s style of narration and the way the characters speak also contribute to the feeling of authenticity. Finally, the novel portrays the universality of life, with good and bad people and everything in between. The particulars of the theme and the excellence of the writing make “The Trees” a truly remarkable novel.

I really wanted to have a positive attitude towards this one. However, to be completely honest, it was just like the print version of a hillbilly reality show.

It lacked the sophistication and depth that I was hoping for. The storylines seemed rather simplistic and predictable, and the characters didn't have much complexity or development.

It was as if the author was trying too hard to create a sense of drama and excitement, but ended up falling flat.

Maybe it's just not my cup of tea, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

I was looking for something more engaging and thought-provoking, but unfortunately, this one just didn't deliver.

Wow! This piece is truly gritty and real.

From the use of dialect to the cadence, it is so precise to the period. There is not an ounce of revisionist eyes or characterizations.

It presents the pioneers in America as they were experienced in the early days of the nation. For these people, nothing is a given or any sure outcome.

Absolutely nothing.

This work is a classic. It takes the reader back in time and allows them to experience the hardships and uncertainties that the pioneers faced.

The attention to detail is remarkable, and it makes the story come alive.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in American history or just a good, gritty story.

Overall, it is a masterpiece that will be enjoyed for generations to come.

This book delves into the settlement of Ohio, presenting the story through the eyes of a young woman named Sayward Luckett, who is just 15 years old as the tale commences. What makes it even more engaging is that it is told in the language of that era. The narrative kicks off right after the Revolutionary War, when the Northwest Territory, which later became Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, was opened up for settlement. In the foreword of this new reprint edition, David McCullough highlights an early paragraph for its poetic beauty.

For a moment, Sayward thought their father had brought them to an unknown place near the Western ocean, with the late sun shining on the green-black water beneath. But then she realized that what they were looking at was a vast, dark, and limitless expanse of wilderness. It was like a sea of solid treetops, interrupted only by gashes where unknown streams flowed deep beneath the foliage. As far as the eye could see, this lonely forest sea stretched on and on until its faint blue billows met the incredibly distant horizon.

The book was first published in 1940, so it's not entirely unexpected that it doesn't focus much on the people who were already there. For them, the forest was a familiar world and part of their home, not a lonely wilderness. Native Americans do make an appearance early on, but they are mostly in the background. This book takes the perspective of the new arrivals, so we don't get much of the viewpoint of those who lost their land to these invaders. However, I must admit that I found the story of Sayward and her family so well-crafted and captivating that I couldn't help but be drawn into it. If you have any curiosity about what it was like to enter that forest world as a new home, this is the perfect book for you. And if you appreciate no-nonsense women who do their best to build a life for themselves, you're also likely to enjoy this truly wonderful read.

"The Trees" is the first book of a trilogy, and I can't wait to read the remaining two: "The Fields" and "The Town." (It was a birthday gift for Tom, and I'm happily devouring them after he's finished.)