The Trees

 

Naomi, Mindy's sister recommended The Awakening Land series by Conrad Richter.  We started with The Trees, written in 1940 about a family who move to Ohio Valley after the Revolutionary War (1795) from Pennsylvania. The family settles amongst the trees, building a rudimentary cabin and establishing a new life in land previously settled by Native Americans.  The Trees is a beautifully written historical and fictional account of beginning anew for a family.  Sayward, the eldest daughter becomes the leader guiding the family and managing their survival.  Richter researched the language and idioms used at that time and the book is a unique record of historical conversational sayings.  

Our historical buffs loved this novel.  Sayward was admired by all our readers as a strong, resilient female in the midst of a male dominated world.  Those of us who read all the books were enamored, while for others, one novel was enough!

Next month we are reading John of John by Douglas Stuart.  We are meeting at Terry and Debbie's on September 28th at 5:30.