Spiked Boots: From New England's North Country, True Stories of Yesteryear, When Men Were Rugged and Rivers Wild

by Robert E. Pike

Shares the stories of loggers, rivermen hermits, hunters, adventurers, and local eccentrics

Genres: Memoir, Historical, History, Nonfiction

287 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 1987

Reviews

[Joanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm very disappointed in this book and am not going to finish it. The stories could have been good but there is way too much swearing/cursing. I realize the rivermen were rough and tough, but I've read other stories about them and they weren't all like that.

[Jeff Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Living in Waterford VT, where Robert Pike grew up, I could feel something special in the words of his stories even though they are from a time long before my arrival to Waterford.

[Hank Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific historical account of unique and memorable characters and amazing true stories of the North Country of New Hampshire and Vermont. Based on the author's firsthand experiences with the farmers, loggers, and other early-mid 20th century inhabitants of this region.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read about the local area.

[Carlos West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spiked Boots, 1st published in 1956, tells of a bygone era. Here was a young man, author Pike, who wanted to learn 1st hand about the past and at the same time increase his knowledge of the present. He sought out those who knew and yearned to perpetuate their knowledge before it was too late. The colorful characters in the book would actually have been lost to history were it not for Robert E. Pike, future teacher. And that is what this book is all about, colorful stories and the likewise colorful characters who told them. We learn about wild animals, ghosts, precious gems, survival in the wilderness, folk songs, the N.E. United States + S.E. Canada, and of course the early lumber trade. Any vivid, remarkable and exciting historic true stories these rugged men and women had to tell, the author was willing to chronicle. He had a true gift for the written word and it sure comes across!. The stand out story was a sort of departure from the rest. It was about a hermit and a violin. Good reading!

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author Robert Pike collected stories he heard about the rivermen in the logging industry in the early 1900s who had to walk on logs to keep them moving down river. When one died, they would hang his spiked boots on a tree to mark the spot. Wonderful northern New England stories with all the local color one could ask for. I found this book in a used book pile and am glad I read it.

One man had a necklace made of a thousand porcupine quills from all those he had killed. This same man made his coffin and slept in it just to get used to it.

Actually, the saddest story for me was that of the golden trout that used to live in Lake Sunapee. Fishermen used long lines to catch them by the hundreds. Now they are gone. That attitude of killing animals as if they were infinite prevails throughout. One reason why I love the Endangered Species Act and appreciate regulations, licenses, and rangers. To hell with libertarianism.

The stories have a Mark Twain flavor to them. For example, here's a description of a man's whoppers: "It's all true. . . . he's looked it all up in history books and everywhere. He'll give you all the facts and what's more he knows how to dress 'em up in pleasing verbiage." It's the "pleasing verbiage" that makes the book so interesting.

[Stacey Betts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the stories of northern NH and reading about places I grew up hearing about. Not always easy to follow tho. The line between what's going on "now" vs the story being told gets blurred! I wonder if my maternal grandparents knew him as this book is a numbered copy.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unflagging fun, stylish prose, and a vivid visit to a bygone era in the North Country.

[Zyzyxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

will definitely read this one again