In the primeval forests of the Ohio Valley, the trees stood dense, ancient, and massive. From spring to late fall, almost no light penetrated the depths of these forests.

Here, the trees had been old men with beards when the woods in Pennsylvania were still whips. Down in Pennsylvania, you could tell by the light. When a faint white drifted through the dark forest wall ahead, you knew you were getting to the top of a hill or an open place. But away back here across the Ohio, it had no fields. You tramped day long and when you looked ahead, the woods were dark as an hour or a day ago. Nothing moved in here. Even the green daylight stood still.

It was the 1790s. Vermont and Kentucky had just added two stars to the American flag, and the first white families were moving west.

Worth Luckett is a 'woodsy', a half-Delaware hunter and trapper infected with wanderlust. For him, the virgin forests mean more game and furs. For his wife, Jary, the darkness of these forests becomes a darkness of the mind. Young Sayward ('Saird') is the oldest daughter and a tower of strength. (I kept seeing a young Jennifer Lawrence of Winter's Bone in the lead.) The Trees is mostly Saird's story--a dark, hard-lived tale of family, of survival, and of the changes that came to an ancient land with the new settlers.

I loved the language. Richter apparently studied old collections of letters and journals to get a feel for the dialect of pioneer Pennsylvania and to research period details. It's wonderful. There was never a moment when I felt outside of that time and place. I never had the feeling that I so often get with contemporary historical fiction that these are modern characters with 21st century sensibilities plunked down in another era. No. Every one of the many family members and minor characters who live among these trees belong.

Wikipedia says that there are later editions out there that have plot changes to fit a TV series and have had some of the less PC stuff edited out. Be sure to read the original 1940s version.

UPDATE: Recommended theme music for The Trees: https://youtu.be/gDmeKER44MY

The first volume of a trilogy that delves into the settling of Ohio, Conrad Richter's slim volume is remarkably unique and full of flavor.

It chronicles the tale of the Lucketts, a "woodsy" family hailing from Pennsylvania, who embark on a journey to the unspoiled and mysterious lands of the Northwest Territory.

The story delves into the lives and challenges faced by the entire family, with a particular focus on the eldest daughter, Sayward. She grapples with the arduous task of ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of her parents and siblings.

Sayward is a vividly drawn character, embodying traditional femininity while simultaneously emerging as a dominant force in her family's life in numerous aspects.

One of the most captivating aspects of this book is the colloquial style in which it is narrated. It's not just the characters' dialect that creates this effect, but also the slightly unconventional way Richter constructs his sentences, endowing the book with a raw and rustic charm.

In addition to the characters' personal stories, "The Trees" also encompasses the emigration to the Ohio forest, the establishment of a homestead, the pursuit of a stable hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and finally, the transition from this "woodsy" way of life to an agricultural one, which is explored in greater depth in the next book, "The Fields."

Richter's trilogy is无疑 one that I will eagerly continue to read.

This is the second time that I have read this book.

I have to say that I am truly in love with it. The story is so captivating and engaging that it keeps pulling me in every time I pick it up.

The characters are well-developed and their personalities shine through on every page.

I find myself completely immersed in their world, sharing their joys and sorrows.

It's not just a book, but an experience.

Now that I have finished this one for the second time, I am eagerly looking forward to the next installments in the series.

I can't wait to see what new adventures and challenges the author has in store for us.

I'm sure it will be just as amazing as this one.

The Trees is the initial installment in the Awakening Land Trilogy. Richter was honored with the Pulitzer Prize for The Town, the third volume of this trilogy centered around American pioneers. However, as per the brief biography at the back, The Trees was the one he "felt was most alive." Perhaps this is because it pertains to a time when the land was at its most vibrant. The setting is never explicitly stated, but the references to fifteen stars on the American flag place it sometime in the early 1790s. It is predominantly told from the perspective of Sayward Luckett, who was just fifteen years old when she arrived in the territory with her family. This is how she describes her first sight of the place where she would spend the rest of her life:

For a moment Sayward thought that her father had brought them unknowingly to the Western ocean and what lay beneath was the late sun shining on green-black water. Then she realized that what they were looking down on was a dark, boundless expanse of wilderness. It was a sea of solid treetops, interrupted only by a gash where, deep beneath the foliage, an unknown stream flowed. As far as the eye could see, this lonely forest sea stretched on and on until its faint blue waves broke against an incredibly distant horizon.

I adored the voice of this short novel. Richter, born in 1890, knew individuals who could relay to him the early pioneer days firsthand, and he mentions in his acknowledgments the numerous primary sources he had read about the period. The voice he crafts is distinct enough to imply a different place and time without ever becoming incomprehensible. And although this was written in 1940, the way he portrays women never seems outdated. His Sayward and her sisters Genny and Sulie come across as extremely real. The portrayal of Native Americans isn't very favorable, but I don't hold it against him since it doesn't stem from what we "see" but rather from the thoughts and remarks of the white settlers for whom it rings true. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's like an adult Little House book, with elements of lyricism, humor, and touching moments.

Richter's writing vividly brought to mind the unique rhythms and cadences of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings's The Yearling. It was a pure and unadulterated reading of the time and state, lacking any hint of the revisionist's perspective.

The novel completely enveloped me in the pioneering world of 1790 in middle America. I was so沉浸其中 that I did not emerge until it rung its last stroke of the axe, as the clearings gradually began to show their faces in the otherwise crowded landscape of trees. It truly felt to me like a most accurate representation of what pioneering must have been like. For some, it was filled with bugs, lice, and the oppressive push of the trees. For others, it was a world of wilderness, freedom, and pure elemental nature. Even within the pioneering spirit, there existed the dichotomy of town versus wilderness. There were those who longed to carve out their own space from it, and those who sought to submerge themselves within it. On both counts, Richter did justice to those brave men and women who insinuated themselves into the frontier, on their own terms.

Richter's work offers a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era, allowing readers to experience the challenges and joys of pioneering in a way that is both engaging and thought-provoking.

This is a nice short book that offers a great insight into what life might have been like in the wilderness of the Northwest Territories around 1800.

It presents many interesting themes, such as the struggle to survive against nature, the difficulties faced by settler families, and how to cope with death and disease when isolated.

The language used in the book reflects the era, geography, and vocabulary of those who lived in the wilderness, which made it a slow read for me. I had to rely on the "define" function in my ereader app quite often. However, this also made me focus more on the writing, similar to my experience with "The Color Purple", and it added to the authenticity of the wilderness family's experiences. The book is written in the third person narrative, often presenting the story from the perspectives of different characters.

Overall, it is a very worthwhile read. I enjoyed the lyrical writing, the well-developed characters (I really liked Sayword), and the fascinating glimpse into a bygone era when people lived alone in the wilderness and were gradually joined by other settlers. I will definitely reserve the second installment of this trilogy immediately.

I absolutely loved this book. It's our book club selection that we'll be discussing on Thursday.

As a person who has lived as a "desert rat" from Southern California to Ohio, my love has always been for trees. However, this book offers a completely new perspective. It shows how pioneers, as they developed the Northwest Territory, were unable to see the sky because of the thick canopy of trees.

This image really makes you think about how different their lives were compared to ours today. We take for granted the wide open spaces and the ability to see the sky whenever we want. But for those pioneers, the forest was both a source of life and a hindrance.

I can't wait to hear what the other members of the book club think about this aspect of the story and how it relates to our own experiences with nature and the environment.

I listened to this book in the form of an audiobook. The narrator, in my opinion, was an excellent match for the style of dialogue and narration employed by the author.

I had the inclination to award this book more stars. It is evident that it is well-written and offers profound insights into the experience of white settlers when they first ventured into the Northwest Territory. However, perhaps due to it being an audiobook, I felt that the pace was rather sluggish at times. There were certain sections that truly captivated me and immersed me in the story, but the remainder seemed to progress at a slower tempo, making it difficult for me to always stay engaged.

I had a fondness for the characters, and I believed that the setting was vividly described. This is one of the most potent aspects of the book, as, of course, "the trees" were truly inescapable and all-encompassing in that particular time and place.

I did observe some redundancies even in the audio format. For instance, everyone spoke "shortly." Although not a major problem, it could likely have been rectified quite easily. Overall, it was mostly worthwhile to read, but I'm not certain if it qualifies as a classic.

I had fully expected this novel to betray its age, considering it was published 81 years ago. However, Conrad's writing has stood the test of time surprisingly well.

The late 18th century diction can, at times, become a bit tiresome. Nevertheless, I firmly believe this is far more than just a typical western genre novel.

Certainly, this novel is most appealing to those readers who have a penchant for that particular type of story. However, there are numerous passages within it that possess an undeniable quality that any literature enthusiast could truly appreciate.

There is one passage in particular, regarding the imminent arrival of death, that I found to be both original and deeply moving.

In other words, this novel delves a little deeper than a typical western and is captivating enough that I made the decision to immediately plunge into the second installment of this trilogy. I think the description of "excellent" is a fair assessment. It earns a solid four stars.

"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." This simple yet profound statement encapsulates the essence of life and the ebb and flow of its various experiences.

I have read and re-read these three books countless times. Each time, I discover new aspects of Sayward that leave a profound impression on me and truly amaze me.

If you are seeking a perspective on the settlement of this country from a woman's point of view, yet not in the form of a typical "bodice buster," then this is the perfect book for you. As you read, you will vividly imagine the delicious aroma of her fresh bread baking on the hearth, and you will almost be able to hear the sounds of the "painters" in the woods.

These three books are an essential addition to anyone's bookshelf. They offer a unique and captivating insight into a bygone era, through the eyes of a strong and resilient woman. Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply looking for an engaging read, these books are sure to satisfy.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to experience the world of Sayward and be transported to a time when life was simpler, yet full of challenges and rewards. Add these three books to your collection today and discover the magic within their pages.

4.5 stars

Because of my childhood fixation on Laura Ingalls Wilder, "The Trees" is precisely the sort of book that I adore. It's a pioneer story, a frontier survival tale, and a narrative about hunting, trapping, and building a log-cabin home. However, it's a lot more gritty than the Little House books. Fair warning: this isn't exactly cozy and heartwarming reading. Even though Worth's longing for the wilderness and free-roaming game reminded me significantly of Pa Ingalls, terrible things befall some of the characters. Nevertheless, the overall impression is one of courage, resilience, and honor, especially as exemplified by the main character, Sayward.

The premise is as follows: In the late 1700s, just a few years after the American Revolution, the Luckett family departs Pennsylvania and treks on foot into the wilderness of what will eventually become Ohio, in search of a better life. Trapper and hunter Worth, a "woodsy" type, is primarily concerned with locating a place where game is still abundant. Meanwhile, the sickly mother, Jary, regrets leaving the community and open spaces of their previous home. The eldest daughter, Sayward, is quiet and self-contained, and she works hard to care for her younger sisters, brother, and ailing mother. After settling in the woods, the family endures numerous hardships, including death, disappearances, hunger, and other pressures. But they also find support from new neighbors and strength in their family bonds.

What truly astonishes me about "The Trees" is that it was published in 1940 yet feels so authentically 18th century. I don't know much about Conrad Richter, but if I were told he was a time traveler, I wouldn't be surprised. "The Woods" is written in an unusual cadence, simultaneously abrupt and poetic, and employs a dialect for the characters that feels so foreign compared to what I'm accustomed to, really highlighting the 250 years that have elapsed since the time period this book is about. It also refers mysteriously to locations that I couldn't even identify using Google, such as "The english seas" and the "english lakes" (remember, this is referring to the American frontier in the late 1700s in the Ohio area. When I googled, all I could find was information about the Lake District in England!). In fact, I found myself frequently Googling, attempting to understand their unfamiliar world, things like: short gown, dittany, Simon Girty, "old" Christmas, bed leaves (did they really just sleep in piles of leaves?! Even after having lived in their home for years?), and so much more.

Overall, I truly enjoyed "The Trees" and am eagerly anticipating reading the two sequels, "The Fields" and "The Town" (which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1951), which continue to follow Sayward and her family as Ohio becomes a more settled area.

Very nicely done. However, the writing is rather dense in certain areas and perhaps could have been trimmed. And while I respect Richter's effort to adopt the style of the era, the frequent repetition of the word "Oh" at the beginning of a sentence becomes a touch too precious.

That being said, this is a remarkably realistic portrayal of men and, especially, women hacking their way through the wilderness and establishing homesteads. It also does an outstanding job of describing the gradual encroachment of civilization into the woods.

The characters, flaws and all, are vividly distinct as individuals. Although Sayward is clearly the protagonist, the other characters shine through as well, particularly the unfortunate Genny. Even the relatively minor character of the "bound boy" is developed sufficiently to elicit our sympathy.

Richter's skill in depicting female characters is excellent. There are powerful allusions to the unfortunate circumstances of women in the 17th century, which can easily be related to the present day. The sexuality in the story is discrete yet highly noticeable and genuine.

This is undoubtedly a crucial work on the American Literature bookshelf.