|
 |
|
The Years of the Forest Helen Hoover |
|
|
A beloved Minnesota author tells her tale of everyday life in the woods. "Clear brush and paths. Lay hardwood floor. Install wiring. Make a living. Take a vacation." These are some of the items that Adrian Hoover jotted down on his to-do list, soon after he and his wife, Helen, gave up urban comforts for the deeper delights of the wilderness in 1954. The Years of the Forest by Helen Hoover elaborates on that deceptively short list and describes the difficulties inherent in accomplishing each of those tasks. In fact, it would take sixteen years to check off every item on the list. This is the story of the Hoovers' education in wilderness housekeeping and of the surprising challenges they faced at each step. There are priceless hints and how-tos for solving the problems of living close to nature and on good terms with one's neighbors-bluejays, weasels, field mice, and deer. There is plenty of magic in this guide, delightfully illustrated by Adrian Hoover. Now in paperback for the first time, this book tells the story of going back to the land, with all its rough edges and incomparable rewards. "Helen Hoover is a compassionate observer of the fauna and a sensitive, poetic chronicler of what she saw and felt. A wistful, appealing, and very personal account of paradise lost." —New York Times "Gentle and evocative. Whether you're an active or vicarious woodswoman, you can count on Hoover to bring you into the forest with her, sharing her quiet adventures." —Minnesota Women's Press "Hoover's sensitivity and appreciation of the ways of nature, together with her emphasis on the manner in which nature renews itself, enhance her beautiful book. Warm and unsentimental, Years of the Forest stands in a class by itself." —Minneapolis Tribune "Laced with humor and sparkling with philosophy, Hoover's story entertains while it teaches. New readers will find a fresh reading experience, bound to intrigue and inspire." —Philadelphia Inquirer Helen Hoover (1910-1984) was the author of several books, including The Long-Shadowed Forest, A Place in the Woods, The Gift of the Deer, and Great Wolf and the Good Woodsman. Before moving to the remote wilderness of northern Minnesota in 1954, she worked as a chemist. 320 pages | 5 illustrations | 5 1/2 x 8 1/4 | 1999 |
||
$16.95 Paper