Book Review: We Took To The Woods

We Took To the Woods was originally published in 1942. It in author Louise Dickinson Rich describes in fascinating detail her life in the rugged backwoods of North-West Maine with her husband, young son, and their husky dogs. It's a wonderful book for independent, self-sufficient, outdoorsy types.

In the book, Louise attempted to answer the questions she most regularly heard from people about their backwoods existence, questions like "How do you make a living," and "What do you do with all your spare time?" She answers these questions honestly and in great detail, and adds in a healthy dose of amusing anecdote. Her writing style is warm, simple, and straightforward, and filled with tongue-in-cheek humour.

I was fortunate enough to find an original 1942 edition of the book at a used bookstore for a few dollars.

Louise and her husband, Ralph, lived a highly creative, flexible, self-sufficient lifestyle. They grew a vegetable garden, gathered food like blueberries from the wilderness, and made their living doing a wide variety of odd jobs, including writing.

Oh, you can get along with very little cash money in this country if you know the ropes and are sufficiently adaptable. --pg. 44

The chapters of this book are filled with stories of this family's interesting adventures, sometimes with animals, sometimes with the weather, and sometimes with other people. Louise sometimes goes off on pretty long tangents when she starts telling stories, and it's all good reading.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I love learning the stories of people living on the fringe of civilization, who are making their own way outside of society's conventions. Some of the most memorable parts of the book for me included Louise's stories of giving birth to her son, Rufus, in their cabin without a doctor; the time she cooked lunch for the nearby lumber camp, with her young son tied to a tree where she could see him; and the time she visited a friend on the Outside. It was the first time she had left the woods for four years, and she had to go digging through her closet to find some reasonably suitable clothes, because all she ever wore was pants, and this was in the 30s when women still usually only wore skirts .

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in an independent lifestyle, or just anyone who dreams of "getting away from it all" to go live in the woods. Definitely a worthwhile read.

Comments

[Lindsay]

Thanks for another good book suggestion! Can't wait to pick this one up and read it :)

[Lisa]

What a lovely blog you have, just came across it. Thanks for the intriguing book review.

[carrie Drake]

hello Laura...I am so enjoying your blog,what a lovely family life you seem to have.

I read this book in 1969 when I was planning to "take to the woods".... a few detours along the way but I've enjoyed experimenting with many of the same things that you and your family have.

Enjoy your special new one, Amy. Hold fast to your dreams