She Took to the Woods: A Biography and Selected Writings of Louise Dickinson Rich

Rating:
Summary: Here we have "The Rest of the Story"
Review: "We Took to the Woods," first published in 1942, remains a classic piece of wilderness writing. But Louise Dickinson and Ralph Rich lived together in a remote region of Maine for only ten years. What else did Louise do? This book tells us: she wrote. Through personal interviews with her children and close friends, the details of Louise Dickinson's life are presented. Included are the original texts of letters, journal notes, and diary entries, even though the latter make for somewhat tedious and clipped reading. The second half of the book rewards us with further selected writings from Louise. She lived in a variety of places in both Massachusetts and Maine, and she had a wide circle of friends. Her experiences turned her into a quintessential describer of New England life, whether she was writing for adults or, later on, for children. This is the story of a writer who put in her time and eventually gained fame but not fortune. Of interest to naturalists as well as struggling authors.

Rating:
Summary: Here we have "The Rest of the Story"
Review: "We Took to the Woods," first published in 1942, remains a classic piece of wilderness writing. But Louise Dickinson and Ralph Rich lived together in a remote region of Maine for only ten years. What else did Louise do? This book tells us: she wrote. Through personal interviews with her children and close friends, the details of Louise Dickinson's life are presented. Included are the original texts of letters, journal notes, and diary entries, even though the latter make for somewhat tedious and clipped reading. The second half of the book rewards us with further selected writings from Louise. She lived in a variety of places in both Massachusetts and Maine, and she had a wide circle of friends. Her experiences turned her into a quintessential describer of New England life, whether she was writing for adults or, later on, for children. This is the story of a writer who put in her time and eventually gained fame but not fortune. Of interest to naturalists as well as struggling authors.

Rating:
Summary: Back to the Woods
Review: For those who have come late to be adicted to Louise Rich's writings, this is a capstone book to be read last. It fills in the unspoken spaces in the writings of one of Maine's best writers. Alren has let Louise tell her own story and has stayed out of the way of this telling while being supportive at the same time.