The Geese Fly High

by Florence Page Jaques, Francis Lee Jaques (Illustrator)

Florence Page Jaques and her husband, Francis Lee Jaques, who illustrates this classic with beautiful black-and-white nature drawings, experience an unusually thrilling winter vacation following the waterfowl migration. Beginning with a duck-hunting trip in Minnesota, Florence writes a lively and detailed account of their trip down the Mississippi flyway, through the White River bottom swamps in Arkansas, and around the Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary in the marshlands of Louisiana.

Genres: Nature, Travel, History, Nonfiction

113 pages, Jacketed Cloth

First published January 1, 1939

Reviews

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's always something a little unnerving about reading a memoir written in the 30s. Times were different and things can go south in really unexpected ways. There is a little of that in this book, but mostly not; it is lovely, and serene, and ages quite well.

The woodcuts (the reason I picked it up in the first place) are stunning, and well worthwhile, even had the text turned out to be less pleasant.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only reason to own this book is for the splendid black and white drawings of Francis Lee Jaques. Certainly it is why I bought it. The Jaques' had quite a reputation for their outdoor/nature writings and drawings, but Florence's writing, memoirs, seems so simple and unexciting. Whereas Francis' drawings still shine magnificently. No one has been able to match his work even today.

From the writing, I mostly got that Florence felt she was in over her head, and didn't like being left alone on backwater islands while Francis and a guide would take off in the canoe to search for ducks.

If you happen to see this book, it is well worth your time to thumb through it and admire the great pen and ink drawing work.