The Trees [Hardcover]

Conrad Richter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1976

The Trees is a moving novel of the beginning of the American trek to the west. Toward the close of the eighteenth century, the land west of the Alleghenies and north of the Ohio River was an unbroken sea of trees. Beneath them the forest trails were dark, silent, and lonely, brightened only by a few lost beams of sunlight. Here, in the first novel of Conrad Richter’s Awakening Land trilogy, the Lucketts, a wild, woods-faring family, lived their roaming life, pushing ever westward as the frontier advanced and as new settlements threatened their isolation. This novel gives an excellent feel for America's lost woods culture, which was created when most of the eastern midwest was a vast hardwood forest---virtually a jungle. The Trees conveys settler life, including conflicts with Native Americans, illness, hunting, family dynamics, and marriage.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Conrad Richter was born in Pennsylvania. His family on his mother’s side was identified with the early American scene, and from boyhood on he was saturated with tales and the color of Eastern pioneer days. In 1928 he and his family moved to New Mexico, where his heart and mind were soon captured by the Southwest. The Sea of Grass and The Trees were awarded the gold medal of the Societies of Libraries of New York University in 1942. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 302 pages
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf; 1st edition (1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394449517
• ISBN-13: 978-0394449517
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,870,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lyrical and poetically beautiful in its simplicity, May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Trees: First Book In Awakening Land Trilogy (Paperback)

The first part in "The Awakening Land" trilogy, "The Trees" chronicles the settling of the Ohio wilderness in the early days of the Republic. With an ear toward authenticity, Conrad Richter has seamlessly mixed history with fiction by introducing realistic characters who tamed Ohio when it was the "West." The story is simple, but beautifully told as Richter introduces the Luckett family, especially eldest daughter Sayward. The Lucketts claim the land and eke out a living among a howling wilderness as Sayward becomes the true head of the family. Richter is to be congratulated for introducing a realisitically strong character who, representing nameless and countless pioneer women, is a true hero. Read it for history or read it for fiction, it will touch you and teach you.

25 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, must-read book., March 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Trees: First Book In Awakening Land Trilogy (Paperback)

I read the trilogy back in the '70s and was enthralled. I re-read the books every few years now, and find them richer and more beautiful every time. Richter's way with the language of the people and times is rare and valuable to anyone who is interested in how our country grew. This trilogy is one of the jewels of my book collection and one that I love to share.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Overzealous publisher, January 14, 2011

By 

Zolasattic (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trees: First Book In Awakening Land Trilogy (Paperback)

Being intimately familiar with the original publication of this trilogy, I can say with utmost disdain that whoever was responsible for taking the liberties of rewriting what was very nearly perfection must have a great fondness for soap operas and should stick with romance novels instead. Not only are there additional passages inserted that were never written by Conrad Richter, there are also altered meanings of existing passages that totally change the flavor and the original intent. There are so many instances in all three volumes that I don't even know where to begin with examples. This is by far the most appalling reprint of an award-winning piece of historical fiction I have ever witnessed. You would do better to find a used copy from the original publisher, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.