Before We Died

by Joan Schweighardt

In 1908 two Irish American brothers leave their jobs on the docks of Hoboken, NJ to make their fortune tapping rubber trees in the South American rainforest. They expect to encounter floods, snakes, malaria, extreme hunger and unfriendly competitors, but nothing prepares them for the psychological hurdles that will befall them. Before We Died, the first in a three-book "rivers" series, is a literary adventure novel set against the background of the South American rubber boom, a fascinating but little known historical moment.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

260 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 2018

Reviews

[Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting in this historical fiction novel was fascinatingly unique. Imagine harvesting / milking trees in the Amazon jungle for the production of rubber over a hundred years ago under the worst conditions. Follow two Irish American brothers traveling from Hoboken, NJ to the Amazon in hopes to pad their wallets and bank accounts quickly by getting into the trade.

"Rubber trees don't grow in groves; they are spread throughout forests thick with vegetation and frought with danger. Nor can trees be tapped throughout the year. Still, people rushed to the jungle to make their fortune in rubber."
- Joan Schweighhardt

"Often the rubber tappers died from maliaria, yellow fever, snake bites or starvation - before they could pay off their debt to their sponsors."
- Joan Schweighardt

1908, Hoboken NJ, Jack and Baxter are ready to to embark on the ship that marks the beginning of their journey to the Amazon. Their Mum is clinging their shirtsleeves, bawling and keening like it was their Da's funeral all over again. But the strapping young lads have it all figured out and are unstoppable. "We'll have ourselves our own business. We'll take turns going to South America to oversee, but eventually hire an overseer, and then we'll conduct our business from here." ..is what they are planning to do. If only their Da was there to see it!

Abalo is the man that is sponsoring the outfit and the set up for Jack and Baxter. He is to meet them and provide all they need to get started and arrange for further travel and camp with a guide. Unsure of where they are to meet Abalo, they are headed in a smaller boat, a gaiola to continue to Manoas but not before taking in the scene around them. There are lot's of Portuguese, "copper colored people" caboclos, Indians and plenty of brancos, white people. Footbridges adorn the sides of the rivers everywhere for easy crossing of the waterways, and there are horse drawn carriages and boats with fishermen galore. On the next part of their journey it does not take long for their first encounter with the dangers that lurk in the jungle - River Caimans.

Manoas is a busy place. An international city in the middle of the jungle. Steamers and boats are filled with cargo of caged birds, monkeys, turtles and fruit. Coffee colored women in gay frocks are cackling away as they beat their laundry and carry baskets to and fro.

"Between the birds and the women, the air was full of music and color, and I will be the first to admit I was fuckin elated."
- Joan Schweighardt

After finally meeting Abalo and stocked with provisions, the brothers make it to camp. They are to meet two other men, Leon and Ted, with whom they are to work in a team and by evening time they all are getting on well toasting to their brotherhood and to working off their skinny arses to the bone. In the next few days they are learning all the necessary to cut into the trees and harvest the milk. The work is grueling and wet. Their hammocks never dry and the moisture in the camp is making things reek and rot. This gives rise to fowl moods and tensions among the group of men. The work is grueling, and when one is down the others have to make up for the loss. Ever so slowly now, sickness is befalling the men as well.

To make things worse, they are running out of provisions sooner then expected. The local gha-ru tribes people in the woods will end up as the saving grace to some of the men, but not in the all over picture against the evil rich rubber lords. This part of the plot will take on a whole other set of circumstances in the face of good, and the evil operations for riches with disregard of contracts or fatalities.

The question is, will Jack and Baxter strike it rich? Will they even survive and make it out of the jungle? How about their Mum and loved ones?

"I was a fallen man; I had lost my humanity. I was never much of a dogooder, it's true, but I believed in the work do-gooders did..."
- Joan Schweighardt


***

This was the first novel in the Rivers series.

Going over my notes and re-reading parts of this novel, I am still at awe at the entire thematic of it. I do enjoy history and now this novel has added another puzzle piece to gap my missing knowledge as well as woken my need to research this more. According to the acknowledgements in the back of the book, Joan Schweighardt has had an obsession with the jungle since childhood, while discovering about the rubber tapping much later as an adult. To put this novel into fruition, she did a lot of research about the tribal cultures, the plants and wildlife as well as a trip into that area. Further reading and sources are listed in the back of the book, that I'll be sure to check out.

My review and inexpertise in the matter cannot do justice to the colorful writing of BEFORE WE DIED. The characters are easy to get on with and relate to. Parts of this novel read like a thriller while others stir your heart with sorrow or romance. The underlying message that commences is about the circle of humanity that goes beyond borders, race or beliefs. While the focus of the lesser fortunate lies in the relationships they build and have with others, those that are greedy will never be satisfied. And then there are those that just fall for the wrong dream.

This novel is simply absorbing with binding details of a different world...I highly recommend :)


I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

For other reviews of mine go here: https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off the cover of this book is awesome. It is what caught my eye right from the start and had me stopping to read the synopsis. However, as we all know a cover (or synopsis) can only carry a book so far. If the story between the pretty covers isn't up to par, then all the book becomes is something nice to look at. Fortunately, the adventure we get here was all kinds of entertaining.



The year is 1908, and two Irish American brothers leave their jobs in Hoboken, NJ and set off on an adventure to the South American rainforest hoping to make their fortune tapping rubber trees. Unfortunately, things don't go quite as they imagined and the two brothers are left fighting sickness, hunger, and the jungle wildlife. Just when they have lost all hope, they are saved by strangest of people.

I found this book to be beautifully written. I especially loved the Irish slang which gave the book a very authentic feeling. It was very well paced with the story moving along at a good clip. The plot was engaging. It was full of mystery, danger, emotions. The characters both primary and secondary were well developed and intriguing. Last, this book ends on what I would call a cliffhanger. The fates of many of these characters are still unknown, and you can bet this reader will be first in line to get her hands on book two...

[ABCme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Five Directions Press for the ARC

This book grabbed from the first sentence and I knew I was in for a good ride. The language used is pretty 'tough-guy' with a lot of slang and not always easy to follow, but the dialogues made me smile all the same.

Jack and Baxter, brothers from Hoboken, New Jersey travel deep into the Amazon to join the rubber tappers.
An interesting piece of history I didn't know a lot about.
On the long journey to base camp we pass beautiful scenery, vividly colored birds and quirky animals, while the brothers get familiar with their new surroundings.
Finally at their destination they are forced to work hard to earn their keep. What really struck me was their comradery. Facing harsh realities, odd behaviour and near starvation, they never give up on each other.
By chance they end up with the Indians, seeing firsthand how nature feeds and medicates. Respect and hope grow, friendships are formed. The descriptions of the Gha-ru tribe and its ceremonies are magical.
While at first intending to make a fortune, both Jack and Baxter evolve with the story and become better men.
The end is left to the reader's imagination, which suited me just fine. There's a lot to digest, all told at a pleasant pace. Before We Died is a gem and I am looking forward to the next part in the River series.

[Lolly K Dandeneau · Rating 3 out of 5]

via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
“It was Clementine, the old italian hag who passed herself off as a fortune-teller, who started it all.”

Jack and Baxter, Irish American boys need to get away from work on the docks and have themselves an adventure, get past their Da’s passing, at least according to the hag. Their plan is to make a fortune themselves, by tapping rubber trees in the South American rainforest, dangerous dream for men who barely have a pot to piss in. They cannot imagine the deadly competition nor all the danger besides human beings that awaits them.

Readied with provisions such as food and medicine (one to prevent malaria in particular) they will travel with a team of men, make camp, build their own abode, quickly learn the tree tapping process with little time to spare before the wet season. Jack and Bax are figuring out that money won’t be as quick to come as they had imagined, that one season isn’t even enough to even out expenses. But if someone as rich and successful as Carnegie himself said the ‘best opportunity today is in rubber’, then the brothers from Hoboken, New Jersey are on their way to untold wealth! It isn’t long before they suffer the threats, from fish( those that can swim up any human orifice), caiman, piranhas, vampire bats with a liking for toes, mosquitoes and other insects. Soon everyone is ‘verbalizing their fears’, such as the story of the river snake that rules it.

Then there are the ‘savages’, the caboclos whom some of the men would as soon as shoot then see alive and ‘wasting space’. Afterall, what good are people who can’t read or write, know nothing of the civilized world? The caboclos rely as much on their tapping season, desperate to bring in enough rubber to support their own families. The canoes too are frightening , floating along at nearly surface level, vulnerable to creatures in the water as those threatening from the land. If illness overtake the men, they are likely to be left behind like garbage. The elements are not friendly, particularly to men who are laboring to the point of exhaustion against nature’s clock, the workload heavier to shoulder as men deal with fevers. Storms rush at them, taking down bridges. Will they ever be able to complete their tasks? Then, the jaguar is near, the howl of monkeys can wake a man from dreams dripping from the sweat of fear.

The brothers become captives of the Gha- ru which for me was the best part of the entire novel. The Chief of the tribe holds their fate in his hands, and the women are full of nothing but love and nurturing. They are one with the hostile environment, the land and it’s animals, a fruitful existence for the Gha-ru. Their mysterious healing ways could be salvation, but they could also be the brother’s doom.

Will the brothers survive, return to their mother with untold riches, or will this really be a story before they each die? One thing is certain, they underestimated their journey and the savageness of the Amazon. It isn’t the things you expect alone that become obstacles, but the wild things you couldn’t fathom.

Before We Died is a fascinating historical fiction about the rubber industry, when you think about the products we take for granted its wild to know people have lost their lives to secure it. It’s not often modern folks examine the things we surround ourselves with and think about how they were produced, on whose sweat and blood. Just look into the history, it certainly destroyed indigenous societies and forced untold numbers to work, because any resistance was met with violence or death. Of course as with anything in high demand, it brought immigrants and cities grew as well. (Tires, pencils, Tupperware, latex, shoes,the list of rubber products is long) Rubber barons made a killing (literally). This novel takes you into the start of the boom, with the story of Jack and Bax, a telling of why and how some men took on the challenge of rubber tapping. This is the first in the River series.

Publication Date: September 15, 2018

Five Directions Press

[Ioanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The year is 1908, and the rubber industry in South America is booming. Two Irish brothers leave their home in New Jersey in order to pursuit a better life tapping rubber trees in South America's rainforest. While they have been warned about exotic animals and native people, nothing can actually prepare them for the new life that is laid ahead of them.

Before We Died is a book with a very appealing story. This is actually the first book I have come across that revolves around the rubber tapping industry of the early 20th century. While the concept was interesting, however, the execution of it was quite poor. The writing felt lacking, the flow was not straight-forward, and it was a difficult book to read. It felt too much like the diary of a person that doesn't actually know how to write. The narration was uninteresting to the point that reading this book required a lot of effort.

Additionally, although I do realize this is an Advanced Reading Copy, I do wonder whether this book was proofread or edited at all. Half of the sentences began with a lowercase letter, the paragraphs were poorly structured, there were lots of errors, and even first names were spelled with lowercase letters. I do hope these were all corrected in the final draft, since it felt like a lot of errors for one book, even an ARC.

All in all, I would definitely say that Before We Died is in dire need of more editing and there is definitely a lot room for improvement.

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 1908, and, following on from their father’s sudden death, longshoremen brothers Jack and Baxter leave behind their grieving mother and girlfriend in New Jersey to take a dangerous but potentially lucrative job in the Amazon as seringueiros, or rubber gatherers. It’s the height of the rubber boom in South America, and the brothers want in. The cocky Irish American boys are strong and ambitious but they’re not ready for the terrible trials of the Amazon forest, both emotional and physical. Before We Died is an impeccably researched and engrossing story that reads so quickly you hardly notice how strong and pervasive the underlying themes are. The story pivots around the abuses of power, greed and exploitation, around cruelty and empathy and what makes a human. Though historically powerful in the context of this particularly story, these concepts remain deeply relevant to the world we live in today.

Bax and Jack are charming larrikins, and their brotherly hijinks and unique vernacular are utterly believable, as is their inner integrity which both saves and dooms them. Schweighardt creates a vernacular unique to the brothers, and their funny, potty-mouthed rivalry and the deep abiding love which underpins it is as enjoyable to read as it is believable:

“you flunky shite-faced beggar boob. And so what if it does take more than one season? you going to be hankering so bad for your mammy you won’t be able to hang in? you’re a lag, you’re—

“And you’re a manky blowhard who don’t know what he’s talking about half the time and is lying the other half.”

The story unfolds as the brothers are taken deep into the jungle and taught to tap rubber trees, but they aren’t taught to cope with the humidity, the spiders, the hunger and thirst, the piranhas and cañero vampire fish, Malaria, Jaguars, snakes, their own inner demons, infection, nor do they understand the environment into which they’ve been thrust. Instead they are forced to confront a completely new world, a variety of different cultures, and a range of inner and outer demons. The interactions between the brothers and the two other American seringueiros who join them, between the brothers and their guide(s), between the brothers and the selvagems or tribes, who mirror the uncontacted tribal groups living in the state of Acre in the Amazon all drive the story forward as it weaves between Jack’s flashbacks and the perilous life and death situations the boys find themselves in.

The setting is also richly drawn, often beautiful and sometimes gruesome, clearly informed by Schweighardt’s deep research and personal travel:

Traveling along the furos and várzeas was eerie and beautiful. When it wasn’t storming, the water was glasslike. The reflections from the trees and branches and even the sky were almost more intricate than the things themselves. You couldn’t tell where the reflection ended and the real thing began. Nor could you see the horizon line much of the time, only deep dark forests everywhere reaching out in two directions, up and down.

Though Before We Died is a fictional story, full of intrigue, mystery, and a driving plot that makes it very readable, it is also built around real events as described in the prologue, particularly the catastrophic impact of the rubber boom on some areas of the Amazon, ecologically and in terms of the impacts on the native tribes. The book also confronts issues like racism, exploitation, slavery, and rampant colonialisation, seamlessly integrating the universal into this particular story in a way that feels natural. Before we Died is so full of detail, from the sights and smells of the forest, rivers, flora and fauna of the Amazon to the emotional arc as the brothers grow and develop through their trials. It’s fascinating to watch them develop an empathy which becomes almost mystical, throwing the tyrants they encounter into sharp relief, without compromising their quirky and irreverent characters:

The leaves sounded like tiny bells, hundreds of them. Thousands of them. I felt myself in the grip of the mood the chief was evoking. The bells, the whispers of the women, the jungle sounds beyond, the breeze, the full moon rising above the tree line...I realized I felt joyful, almost giddy with joy.

The book ends on something of a cliffhanger, and I’m sure I won’t be alone in finding myself eager to read the next book in the series. Of course I want to know what happens, but I also want to re-immerse myself in this rich world that Schweighardt has created. Before We Died is a beautifully written story, rich in drama and conflict, and underscored by vitally important and relevant themes.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I’d like to think that I am pretty open-minded when it comes to reading. I read a wide variety of books in a wide variety of genres, and even those genres that I’ve declared aren’t my favorite, I will often find books in them that I enjoy. I try not to discriminate just on the genre, although, like anyone, I have my preferences. I especially enjoy a book if I feel a connection to it. Admittedly, I read a lot of books that I have no known connection to and have liked them quite a lot, but finding a book that I have a connection to is also very enjoyable and rewarding.

I chose this book because my Granny’s parents owned a rubber and tea plantation in Malaya (now it is Malaysia). Although she is Scottish, and they had a family home in Scotland, she was actually born in Malaya. (My Granny is the coolest.) This ancestral home was later confiscated by the Chinese when they invaded, and it has now been made into a museum (that I would love to see someday). The whole point of this story is that I chose this book because it was about tapping rubber. Granted, this book takes place in South America, but I knew that the actual circumstances of braving the jungle and tapping the rubber might have had some similarities, especially because the era is the same. Truth be told, I actually don’t know. However, my interest was piqued when I read the description.

This is one of those books that is able to transport the reader easily into the times and lives of the characters. The writing is such that it reflects the speech and thoughts of the characters, and although this made for some colorful and somewhat grammatically incorrect writing, I enjoyed it and thought that it made the book feel authentic. The story itself was just…wow. I mean, every time I read good historical fiction I learn something new—and this is one of the reasons I love it. I would have never been able to understand what it would have been like to be rubber tapping in the jungle (and obviously there are lots of similar experiences when one might be extracting other jungle resources) had I read this book. It was well-researched and had that air of truth around it that only comes when truth is stranger than fiction. Now I’m not saying that I have never read anything like this, because indeed I have actually read one of the books on her resources list (The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard), and that one was shocking as well. It’s just so hard to imagine what other peoples’ lives are like until you experience them, and most of them are experienced through books. I wholeheartedly believe that those who read and those who are exposed to other worlds and other lives through reading are by far the most sympathetic and understanding human beings around. How could they not be? Even if you don’t agree with what you have read, the exposure alone is huge.

This novel moved along at a good little clip. The story was interesting, and the main characters were pretty well developed. The peripheral characters were very obviously peripheral, and I think a lot more detail could have been given to them, but since this is only the first book in the series I think that could be upcoming. The writing and story weren’t completely tight, but I’m chalking that up to inexperience and I think that as the series goes along this probably won’t be an issue.

If you’re looking for an interesting historical look into something that isn’t covered extensively (like, say, WWII) I think this is a good book to go with. The story is good, it moves along quickly, and I think you’ll definitely learn something.

Read my full review here:
http://readingforsanity.blogspot.com/...

[Linda DeFruscio · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEFORE WE DIED is an adventure novel about two brothers who leave their jobs on the docks of New Jersey to become rubber tappers in South America in 1908. Part of the reason they go is to try to get over their beloved father’s death. They leave behind their grieving mother and also Nora, the young woman they are both in love with (one of them is engaged to her and the other thinks he has kept his affection for her a secret) and set out on a journey they believe will bring emotional healing into their lives. In fact, that’s not what happens.

This novel is full of great information about the South American rainforest and its flora and fauna. Even if you have never—and would never—visit the rainforest yourself, once you’ve read this story you will feel like you’ve been there. You will understand the dangers and the irresistible beauty. The novel is also very much about the South American rubber boom, which is a really interesting historical event. But the heart of the story is about the brothers, their very special relationship and how it is impacted by the incredible things that happen to them in the rainforest.

I loved being in the company of these two young men and watching them interact with the people who love them and the people who want to use them for their own purposes. I thought it was a great story and would recommend it to anyone who loves fiction served up in a historical setting. The book is the first in a series and I can’t wait for the second one to come out.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Before We Died' is the unique story of two American-born Irish immigrants in the early 1900s setting off into the Uncharted depths of the Amazon to seek their fortune in rubber.

The story had a slow start for me but by the time they get to South America around page 70 it really picks up and takes on a whole new energy. The setup drug a bit but once they enter the Amazon and what it takes to get set up as rubber tappers the entire feel of the novel changes and you are seeing the words more than reading them.

Their hardships are many and enterng the Amazon jungle with no experience or real knowledge of what they were getting into is a world the brothers never expected. If you enjoy histirical fiction mixed with 'Naked and Afraid' then this is going to be an enjoyable read for you.

***I received this novel with no obligation to review it and if I did the opinions would be only mine and honestly given.

[Barbara Rohde · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is 1908 and Jack and Baxter Hopper decide to accept an offer to go to South American to tap rubber and make their fortune. They leave Hoboken, New York, and their mother and Bax's girlfriend Nora as cocky, young men but the Amazon jungle introduces them to physical and mental hardships they never expected.

This is written in the Irish vernacular of the time and gives the reader an insight into a native south american tribe as well as the trials of working in such a tropical environment. I found it engaging and particularly fascinating as the cultural traditions of the tribe that take them in are explored.

[Victor Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the rape of the Amazon has been told before, but Schweighart's plot puts one's feet on the ground at the time of the greatest criminal behavior. The plot is set a hundred years ago, after the explorers and missionaries had paved the way into the biologically rich interior, and is told in the authentic, first person jargon of a young man lured to the jungle by money. The exploitation of that natural world in the pursuit of the "miracle" substance – rubber – is a story is told with believable characters and local names. For the initiated, it is an accurate and damning recount of the worst traits of capitalism at a time when selfish fulfillment flourished.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkable read

It's an interesting story that takes place over a hundred years ago. It's quite a story that brings to life the characters, the characters within a family, where the heartiest of riches is rubber trees. The story is wonderfully told by the narrator, Jack, who he and his brother play a big part in the story. Still grieving from their father's death, they must take care of their family. The life and culture bring a grand perspective of how love of family and kinship have to go against greed and thievery.

[Not Sarah Connor Writes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Before We Died, it has memorable characters and introduced me to a historical event I knew nothing about while also being realistic about how difficult and terrifying rubber tapping could be. Excited to read the rest of the series!

Read the full review on my blog!

[Cyndi Moskal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this book when I first started but did become invested in the characters as I got further into the story.

[Reading For Sanity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this review and others at https://readingforsanity.blogspot.com...

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - The best historical fiction novels are those that make you curious to learn more, those that pique your interest about the time period and the events of the novel. This particular novel takes place in the Amazon rainforest of the early 20th century, at the time of the great rubber boom. Today I learned that rubber comes from trees (how did I not already know that?). Before We Died tells the story of two brothers who make their way deep into the rainforest to make what they think will be a fortune in the rubber business. At the center of the novel is the relationship between the two young men, with surrounding themes of brutality, isolation, and survival. I really enjoyed this book more than I expected - it's been on my "to-read" list for several months, but I never got past the first chapter until recently. I picked it up again as my "book published prior to Jan. 1, 2019 with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads" for the 2019 Read Harder Challenge, and I'm so glad I gave it another chance. Now to google the rubber boom...

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Jo Ann Vega · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a hard book for me, it was slow and seemed like a diary of one person not a story about two. Got through about a quarter of it gave up.

[Christina Francine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Bax grit his teeth and arched his back but the men on either side of him grabbed him and held him still. The chief dug deeply. I could see the river of fluids—pus and blood, and maybe a surviving maggot or two--” (112).

An unwaveringly real and achingly heartwarming tale about two brothers caught in a web of deception.

Schweighardt’s novel Before We Died is an exciting tale about two young Irish American brothers who go to South America to make money to help support their mother. The oldest will soon marry his sweetheart. The time is around 1908 when rubber trees provided the world with its hunger for tires, hoses, and shoe soles. The problem lies with the intention to harm others through deception and lies for personal gain. Like many others told they could make a fair wage through hard work, the two brothers, Jack and Baxter, are lured to the rainforest to harvest rubber and soon find themselves in debt. They’re not sure they’ll ever see home again and not only because of scam. The rubber tappers more often die from starvation, yellow fever, or from malaria.

Schweighardt’s strategy elevates the work from ordinary to sobering when she reminds readers about humankind’s ability for evil, humor, and profound love—the kind one brother gives to another. She weaves a story about the insatiable ability some people have to allow abuse, suffering, and death of others in order to obtain power and riches. Though Jack and Baxter argue, curse, and consistently threaten one another, they’re determined to keep the other safe, even at a momentous cost. Readers will be mesmerized and pull for the brothers, laugh at their playful antics, worry for them, and understand when they roll around on the ground fighting.

The storytelling provides an exciting journey that at the same time leaves readers wondering how some people justify what they do to others.