Customer Reviews

The Trees

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
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2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

Far from a catalog of Agronomy, this book is the first novel of a trilogy concerning the Western Reserve frontier in the post Revolutionary War period. "The Trees" is the story of the Luckett Family arrival in the Ohio wilderness about 1790. Mr. Richter wrote this novel and the following two, "The Fields" and "The Town", to display and preserve the distinct language of the frontiersmen and their contemporaries who moved into a primordial forest wilderness. This first of three is primarily concerned with the impact of a new wilderness environment upon the characters. To accomplish this Mr. Richter has to show, much like Mark Twain, the humor, the internal references, and the external conflicts between the whole language used by these first pioneers and that used by the people who followed later and chronicled that pioneer experience in print. This first book sets the landscape of the North American forest, and introduces characters and their struggle.

As for Mr. Richter's method and purpose find David McCullough's "Brave Companions- Portraits in History" chapter 10. For a good look at the Ohio Geography pre 1800 there is no equal to "Wilderness At Dawn- the Setting of the North American Continent" chapter 20. by Ted Morgan (alias Sanche de Gramont). For an equally forceful display of the spoken historic vernacular try Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian".

Put this book up on your shelf next to Mr. McCarthy, and Mr. Faulkner and those others who use the sound of the language as well as the letters in print to communicate.

Set during the time period when the Ohio Valley was first being settled, this is about the trials and tribulations of the Luckett family, who left Pennsylvania for the virgin forests in the Northwest territory. Richter was basically a poet, and this novel (first volume in a trilogy) is mostly acknowledged for its poetic writing, which is as independent and sinewy as the pioneers it describes. Richter's favorite poetic device is the simile, which he perhaps over uses. The best part is when little Sullie disappears in the woods one day and is never found - it's a very powerful scene rendered even more so by the author's carefully crafted sentences and word choices. A good novel.

When I first began reading The Trees, I thought I would have to force myself to sit down and read it, but once I got into it, I could not put it down. The story is captivating and enthralling. For anyone who is interested in the struggles of moving West in the 1800's or who just likes an interesting story, would really enjoy reading The Trees. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew the characters and craved more. Luckily, there are sequels, which I can not wait to read.

I saw the miniseries years ago and loved it instantly. This seems like the real way it must have been for our ancestors (not that far back!). It's always fascinating to get a glimpse of how people lived many, many years ago. I read the Trilogy, and found this book, as the first in the series, probably my favorite. It will capture your imagination from the beginning.

What a wonderful book. The tale of Sayward Luckett and her family struggling in the frontier days of Ohio. Highly reccomended reading. It also was made into a great mini-series shown from time to time on TNT.

The Trees is a novel that really brings out the imagination of it's readers. This book is full of action and never has a dull moment. The Luckett family fights the wilderness in order to survive. The focus of the book is on Sayward Luckett, a young woman who goes through many tough situations and grows up throughout the book. A great book that I would definitely recommend to anyone.

I live in North Carolina in the middle of a forest, but I can see neighbors out my window, I can drive easily to the city, and the deers scatter if I clap my hands. But in Conrad Richter's THE TREES, the Luckett family could not even see the sky above their forest across the Ohio River from their former home in Pennsylvania.

Richter makes us feel claustrophobic living the life of the white settlers in Indian land. His characters survive from one hunt for meat till the next, and their low supply of flour prevents the mother, Jary, from enjoying her last days.

The family is kept together by older sister Sayward after a series of tragedies. Sayward has her feet on the ground, and her head in the clouds of a positive attitude. Nothing seems to bother her outwardly, and her strength only increases.

Near the end of the book, Sayward's siblings are grown up and Sayward begins her life over again, still resolutely fighting the "big butts," those huge trees that surround her.

This book is in my top ten of all time.

by Larry Rochelle, author of GULF GHOST and HOME SCHOOLED.