My Neck of the Woods

by Louise Dickinson Rich

"Do you people get that way from living here, or were you all peculiar to start with?" someone once asked Louise Dickinson Rich. In her early thirties, she took to the woods with her husband. They found their livelihood and raised a family in the remote Maine backcountry. Louise made time after morning chores to write about their lives, and these magnificent books are the result. They are still captivating readers a half-century later.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Nature, Biography

255 pages, hardcover

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Writer known for fiction and non-fiction works about New England, particularly Massachusetts and Maine. Mrs. Rich grew up in Bridgewater where her father was the editor of a weekly newspaper. She met Ralph Eugene Rich, a Chicago businessman, on a Maine canoe trip in 1933 and they married a year later. Mr. Rich died in 1944. Her best-known work was her first book, the autobiographical We Took to the Woods, (1942) set in the 1930s when she and husband Ralph, and her friend and hired help Gerrish, lived in a remote cabin near Lake Umbagog. It was described as "a witty account of a Thoreau-like existence in a wilderness home

Reviews

[Disco Earl · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have not read We Took to the Woods, read that first. Five stars. This book is a second helping from Rich, in which she serves up more tales of the north country, this time in the form of profiles of her Yankee neighbors, delivered in her direct and bemused writing style.

The book's conclusion could have substituted for Robb Sagendorph's mission statement in the first issue of Yankee.

"...And these people are ordinary people, like the large majority of their compatriots, quietly going about their business from day to day, doing their best to get along. Not one of them is individually significant on the national scene, or even on the miniature scene of local affairs. Not one of them wants to be, or tries to be, 'important.' But it seems to me that they are nevertheless important, because they are, in a time and country where so many are selling themselves down the river for a materialistic and shoddy way of life, the last exponents of the qualities and standards and virtues upon which this nation was founded. I do not say that here alone still exists the attitude that puts character above personality, principle above expediency, duty above pleasure, and independence above ease. It may easily be true of other places. I think that it must be true of other places where people live as we do here, close to the soil and seasons, close to each other, if not geographically, certainly spiritually, far enough removed from the stress and speed of modern living so that we have time to form our own considered opinions and freedom to act in accordance with them."

[fpk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful book by Rich, My Neck of the Woods is about the neighbors and friends with whom Rich works, lives, employs or just sees on occasion. I love her writing, her descriptions of nature, and in particular her sharing of her friends' personalities, quirks and lives. The work ethic Rich describes in her chapter on hired help was moving and inspiring to me. I sometimes fear that this kind of value, this type of nobility is vanishing from the men and women of today. And so it felt good to read about men who did hard work for the sake of completing work, women who completed tasks because they needed to be done and not so much for the pay. People who stayed over their time because the job needed to be done. No, this wasn't slave labor, but honest, hardworking people who took pride in what they did. And maintained a strong moral code, despite some very difficult circumstances, (sub zero temps, old equipment). Very inspiring and fun to read. I look forward to reading more of Rich's books.

[Sarah Packman · Rating 5 out of 5]

In My Neck of the Woods, Louise Rich turns from stories of her own life in rural Maine, to describing the lives of her neighbors. As she says, "We have so little to amuse us here-no plays, no movies, no concerts-that we have to extract what drama we can out of the life around us." With each chapter telling the story of a different colorful character, Rich lovingly and astutely brings them to life. Her love for her adopted home is clear, as is her admiration of her friends' strengths and kind understanding of their faults.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t say I liked this as much as We Took to the Woods, but mostly because what I love so much about that book is it’s insight into Rich’s life.

While I loved hearing about her neighbors and friends, I missed the immediacy of the day to day events.

The humor and fun are still there though!

[Noel Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book as the second book of two in one called The Forest Years. I liked the second book as little better. Made me chuckle a few times. I love Nature and reading about it. Peaceful book to read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, but not quite as good as We Took to the Woods. Set in the same area--woods of northern Maine.

[Mike Prochot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat of a continuation of the authors opus, "We Took To The Woods".

Rich has a wonderful, homespun way of writing in a conversational tone and when I read her works, I feel as if she is writing to me personally. Her descriptions of the characters in her life are full and particularly detailed which adds a familiarity touching on irony when she conveys tales of their daily adventures.

If you are draw to the Adirondack way of life in the early 20th century, or long for a simpler time when life's challenges were met head on and the tools at your disposal to help you cope included your own will and self sufficiency, do not pass up an opportunity to read Rich's works.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I generally do not enjoy short stories or books with unrelated chapters but this one was different. The author's writing style and in-depth character development made me see them as all a part of the whole rather than completely disparate people. The book was straight-forward - not glorifying living in the woods, apart from civilization, but not making it seem overly difficult/crazy either. I enjoyed the escape :)

[Jacqueline Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book about living in her cabin in the Maine woods. Each chapter is about a neighbor or neighbors in the area. Remember that the closest dwelling is two miles away. She has a way of sharing her neighbors' characters that makes you feel as if you would know them if you met on the street.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is more about the people that are her neighbors. Neighbor is a loose term in that area due to the closest one could be 6 miles away. This one is not as good as "We Took To The Woods" but is a good read. It's like listening to your elders gossip about the neighbors.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author! After reading her most famous work first (We Took to the Woods), I was instantly hooked and have kept up a lifelong search for her work. This is one of her many treasures. If you ever see a book by Ms Dickensen-Rich, snap it up and enjoy!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Louise Dickinson Rich is so very talented as a writer. The reader feels the time and space of the Maine woods of her time. I almost (almost!) wish I could have lived like she did.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Louise Dickinson Rich writes books about Maine that are so comforting in their descriptions of a backwoods life that coupled hard work with a simplicity that I wish could still be found.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful character development in each chapter, made me reminisce about childhood trips to camp.