Wow, this story really held my interest from the very beginning.

I just couldn't put it down.

It made me realize what a tough life they lead.

They face so many difficulties and challenges on a daily basis.

It's really sad to think about.

But at the same time, it also shows their strength and perseverance.

Despite all the hardships, they keep going and don't give up.

It's truly inspiring.

I hope that one day, their lives will get better and they will be able to enjoy the happiness and peace that they deserve.

Overall, this story has left a deep impression on me and I will definitely recommend it to others.

This was the first book of Conrad's trilogy about the settling of Ohio.

As such, it provided an interesting perspective on life in the US during the 19th century. It was rather disconcerting at times to think of Ohio as "west" when for me it has always been "midwest".

The characters in the book are somewhat one-dimensional. Our heroine, around whom the trilogy basically revolves, from her birth to her death, is just a little girl in this first installment. The passages描绘 her discovery of the world were quite nice. However, her father is a cad and predictably disappears to allow her to grow and mature as an individual.

I wasn't overly impressed by the writing or the character development. I read it mainly because the third book in the series, The Town, won the Pulitzer in 1951.

One nice passage (or at least a phrase) that stood out was: "Still he went slowly. He was loathe to leave those two out there where he could not see them. He didn't want to break the cord that stretched from his heart to theirs departing in the mist and rain. He felt closer to them than his own family." (pp. 14) This passage added a touch of depth and emotion to the story.

I truly relished this book that delved into the lives of the very early pioneers in Ohio during the late 1700s.

The dialect presented within its pages was utterly fascinating. It was quite remarkable to note that the characters employed certain words that I had only ever heard my mom use. She hails from western Pennsylvania.

For instance, the word "redd" was used, as in the phrase, "Go redd up your room." This connection between the language in the book and my own personal experiences through my mom's usage of such words added an extra layer of interest and authenticity to the reading experience.

It made me feel as if I was not only learning about the lives of those long-ago pioneers but also uncovering a hidden thread that linked their language and culture to my own family's heritage.

The book truly brought to life the unique world of the early Ohio pioneers and their distinct way of speaking.

This novel delves into the settling of the south-central region of Ohio from 1795 to around 1799.

It commences by introducing the Luckett family, who journey from Pennsylvania across the Ohio River in search of a new beginning in the northwest territories, where land and game abound. The Lucketts comprise parents Worth and Jacy, and their five children: Sayward, Jenny, Ascha, Wyitt (the sole boy), and Sulie. They discover a pleasant, wooded area approximately a three-day hike from the Ohio River, and the remainder of the novel chronicles their efforts to "settle."

The first aspect that struck me was the direct, simple, and raw nature of the writing. The dialogue is replete with rough and rural period vernacular, endowing the novel with an authentic tone, not unlike Thomas Hardy's use of dialect and descriptions of his more rustic Wessex inhabitants.

Besides the dialogue, Richter crafts his narrative in direct, simple prose, as exemplified in this passage from Chapter 8: "He had no notion it was this far home. He felt he had walked half the night. He should have got to the cabin and back by this time. The path kept making strange turns this way and that." Richter's narrative often replicates his characters' vernacular, as seen in this sentence from Chapter 11: "Leastwise, that’s how Sayward and Genny reckoned a lemon would taste."

Richter's writing style effectively enables the reader to experience the harsh and gritty life endured by these early settlers and complements the dialogue. It initially drew me into the story. However, while Hardy employs more expressive, lyrical, and descriptive prose in his narrative, adding beauty and vitality to his rustic dialogue, characters, and setting, Richter's narrative sustains the simple rustic essence of his dialogue. This simple direct prose aligns with the historical, almost documentarian, intent of his novel. Nevertheless, although I enjoyed it for most of the story, I began to tire of it towards the end of the book.

Simultaneously, I also grew somewhat weary of the family members other than Sayward and Sulie. I found the events surrounding them interesting but was surprised by some of their attitudes. For spoiler reasons, I won't elaborate on the details. Yet, despite this near antipathy towards them, I remain curious about their fates. While I understand that The Fields and The Town will focus even more on Sayward, the most empathetic and well-developed character, I do hope for some clarity and side-stories regarding the other family members in these sequels. Overall, I rate this book as 4 stars.

The settling of northern Ohio was a remarkable journey as seen through the eyes of a young girl and her family. They bravely embarked on this adventure, leaving behind the familiar to build a new life in the forest. The young girl was filled with a mix of excitement and trepidation as she witnessed her parents clear the land, chop down trees, and construct a humble abode.

Each day brought new challenges and discoveries. The family worked hard to cultivate the soil, plant crops, and raise livestock. The young girl helped with the chores, learning valuable skills along the way. She watched in awe as the forest transformed into a thriving homestead.

Despite the hardships, the family found joy in the simple things. They gathered around the fireplace in the evenings, sharing stories and dreams. The young girl's eyes sparkled with wonder as she listened to her parents talk about their hopes for the future.

As time passed, the settlement grew, and new families joined them. The young girl made friends with the children of the newcomers, and together they explored the surrounding area, creating memories that would last a lifetime. The settling of northern Ohio was not just a physical transformation but also a journey of the heart for the young girl and her family.

The Trees is the initial installment of a trilogy penned by Conrad Richter in 1940. It chronicles the journey of the Luckett family, who have trekked westward from Pennsylvania to the Northwest Territory (now present-day Ohio) to establish their settlement in the land that, during the late 1700s, was a vast forest of trees.

The trees themselves almost assume the role of a character in the book. Those of us inhabiting this area today can scarcely fathom how vastly different the landscape appeared back then. The land was blanketed by an ocean of trees. “A black walnut stood along the trace and three of them couldn’t reach around it. No, they had to get a fourth to span it. Still bigger buttonwoods stood rooted on a creek’s bank. Worth (the dad) reckoned the heaviest close to fifteen feet through. He bragged he could drive two yoke of oxen past each other and never get off that stump.” The dense canopy of trees caused the light filtering through to have a greenish tint.

The Luckett family - dad, mom, the oldest daughter Sayward who narrates the story, and three other girls and a boy - reside in a cabin they construct in the woods. “The woods were wide and deep. The cabin stood hid in the trees like a piggin in a haystack.”

Richter delved into the papers written by the settlers of that era and incorporated their dialect and language in this book. This makes certain parts somewhat challenging to understand (tree stumps are referred to as “butts,” tables as “trenchers,” etc). I discovered that the easiest way to comprehend this book was by actually reading it aloud in my mind. My southern Indiana dialect resurfaced as I could “hear” the language. Similarly, being a 1940s book, we encounter the Indians being described as savages and red devils, the pioneers “niggering” tree stumps out, etc. One boy skins a wolf alive and then lets it flee into the woods. The language and harsh circumstances contribute to developing a sense of the time and place.

I found the Lucketts truly refreshing, and they are representative of their times. Numerous bad things occur: the mom passes away, and they dig her grave and inter her; the youngest daughter ventures off to bring the cows home and never returns. That's just the beginning. But none of the Lucketts experiences a mental health crisis or starts whining about their rights. They carry on with life. Sayward concludes the book by stating “That’s how life was, death and birth, grub and harvest, rain and clearing, winter and summer. You had to take one with the other, for that’s the way it ran.”

The women in the book are strong, yet not in an overbearing, entitled manner. “It’s no use a cryin’ you ain’t a man,” Sayward told herself calmly. “God Almighty done it this way and you kain’t change it.” “She knew well enough he (her dad) was running off. God Almighty had made a man free that way. When things got out of kilter at home, he could take his gun and go to the woods. Maybe Worth would hunt today and maybe he would make his way to Hough’s post where it had a man or two like himself to play with the Deil’s cards. Should he meet some Shawanee or Delaware hunters on the way, they would swap tobacco and hunting tales all day. But a woman had to stay home and mind the big kettle and the little kettle. It wasn’t likely she’d get away far as a whoop and a holler till the littlest one, was he son or brother, got big enough to take off.” Indeed, the dad in the story departs for the Great Lakes (referred to as the English Lakes) halfway through the book and never comes back. Men are clearly shown to have this freedom (or “itchy foot” as they call it; I had to think of Pa Ingalls), while women were “stuck” at home holding the family together.

I adored this book. Although the family members were all tough and stoic, Richter does an excellent job of allowing their emotions and humanity to shine through in an understated yet powerful way. I definitely intend to read the other books in the trilogy, which continue to follow the Lucketts: “The Light in the Forest” and “The Town.” I observe that Little House on the Prairie was written five years before The Trees, in 1935. Since “Little House” was so popular, I pondered if Richter might have been influenced to write his book after witnessing its popularity. In a sense, “Trees” reminded me of “Free Land” or “Let the Hurricane Roar” by Laura’s daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. All these books depict the settlers’ lives in the brutal reality of what they endured, rather than the more sanitized portrayal in Laura’s “Little House” series.

The first volume in a trilogy was published from 1940 - 1950. It is about European settlers in what is now Ohio in the decades following the American Revolution.

Together, these books offer a long perspective on the environmental and social history of this region in post-settlement times. They also provide background for understanding what has become of it in recent years.

The central character is Sayward Luckett. When we first encounter her, she is a girl. She is traveling west from Pennsylvania with her family, on foot and carrying their meager belongings. Her father is a woodsman who has great respect for the native people. As farms and then a town develop on the lands they have occupied, he remains in the background.

Considering when the books were written, they do not hide the dark side of the occupation. This includes the destruction of ancient forests and the pollution of waterways. However, the focus is on Sayward and her family. A branch of my family comes from this region. As I accompanied her through a lifetime of hard work and resilience in the face of great loss, I remembered stories of my own female ancestors.

These books may be old-fashioned, but I found them well worth reading. I would recommend them to anyone with an interest in this part of the country and the white people who live there now.

The Trees is undoubtedly one of my top five favorite books that I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Richter was residing in New Mexico when a neighbor presented him with a 1600-page history, consisting of journals and stories, about the pioneers of the Ohio River Valley. He drew his characters, their manner of speaking, and their way of life from real, living individuals. This is precisely what made this book so captivating for me - every single moment felt genuine.

In the beginning, the Luckett family is journeying westward from Pennsylvania. The husband and father, Worth, believes that Pennsylvania is becoming overly crowded. Just like the animals that are also heading west, he too decides to make the move. Worth, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, is now venturing into the Ohio River Valley - a nice transition from reading Washington's biography.

Worth's wife, Jary, and their five children are traveling through this rugged country alongside him. Jary has significant doubts about this relocation, but being a dutiful wife, she accompanies her husband. They traverse a forest so thick that they cannot see the sun even in the middle of the day. Eventually, Worth decides to settle down right in the heart of the trees, with no one else in the vicinity for miles.

This book is a masterpiece that is both heartbreaking and beautiful, funny and informative, and above all, true. I loved every single minute of reading it.

This is actually a re-read for me.

I read this first part of The Awakening Land trilogy almost 40 years ago.

It was truly impressive back then, and it still does not disappoint now.

Over the years, I've developed a side-line career as a public librarian, and I take great pleasure in recommending this book and its sequels to the little ol' ladies from the mountains.

I'm extremely proud of the number of them who have told me that they loved it.

This novel is a true representation of Americana.

It captures the essence of the American spirit, the struggles, and the triumphs.

It's a story that will resonate with readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Don't miss out on this literary gem.

Pick up a copy today and embark on a journey through the heartland of America.

You won't be disappointed.

First of the author's trilogy, this book follows the fates of the Luckett family. They leave their home in Pennsylvania and move into an Ohio that is very different from what it is today. The journey is filled with both peril and hope. Richter carefully chronicles this family's fortune as they strive to carve out a home in this new and wild land.

One of the notable aspects of Richter's writing is his use of the language of the time period. Although it may not be familiar to us, it adds a genuine realism to the book. The story is not a long read, but it is extremely interesting. Richter maintains a perfect pace, keeping the plot moving forward steadily. This allows us to use our imaginations and envision the numerous hardships that the family must overcome.

Overall, it is a very good read that offers a captivating look into the lives of the Luckett family as they embark on a new adventure in a strange land. It is a book that will engage readers and leave them eager to explore the rest of the trilogy.

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Gentle reader, do not confuse this pioneer tale with Little House on the Prairie.

This particular pioneer story has its own unique charm and set of experiences. It is not simply a carbon copy of the well-known Little House on the Prairie series.

Here, we explore the lives of pioneers in a different light. Their struggles, joys, and the challenges they faced on the frontier are presented in a way that offers a fresh perspective.

From building their own homes to cultivating the land, these pioneers had to rely on their own skills and determination. Their daily lives were filled with hard work and sacrifice, but also with moments of beauty and wonder.

So, dear reader, as you embark on this journey through this pioneer tale, keep an open mind and do not let the similarities to other works cloud your judgment. Discover the rich and diverse world of these pioneers and let their story unfold before your eyes.