Status Updates From Tree of Freedom

A body couldn't kill freedom any more than he could kill a tree if it had good, strong roots growing...No matter what passed over the land and possessed the people, you couldn't kill freedom if somebody gave it uncommon good care."

—Tree of Freedom, P. 263

Tree of Freedom isn't quite as relevant an Election Day read as I thought, but it's fitting, still.

"Sometimes freedom's like a light you have to keep a-tendin', day in, day out...Nobody tries specially to blow it out. But it gets dimmer and dimmer if somebody ain't always tendin' the oil."

—Noel, P. 90

Rebecca Caudill, you are wonderful.

"A Tree of Freedom's apt to grow bitter fruit...Sometimes mighty costly fruit."

—Noel, P. 87

"Wherever people are chained, there'll come a chance some day to break the chains, I reckon."

—Noel, P. 84

An appropriate read for this time of year, and I've meant to engage with another Rebecca Caudill novel for quite a while. Tree of Freedom was a 1950 Newbery Honor. Cover art for this Puffin edition by James Watling, copyright 1988.