Customer Reviews

Eating Dirt: Deep Forests, Big Timber, and Life with the Tree-Planting Tribe

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I read this a few months ago, when it first came out. Like a lot of Canadians, I tree-planted for one summer, 20 years ago. So I'm not a die-hard tree-planter or anything, but I was curious to read the author's take on a quintessentially Canadian rite of passage. It ended up being a very pleasant surprise -- it's absolutely beautifully written, an incredible portrait of a region, an occupation, and a tribe of people. Gill is better known as a fiction writer, and it shows: she tells us an engaging story, instead of just listing a bunch of facts.

Anyway, I noticed over the past week that the book has just been short-listed for the BC prize and long-listed for the Charles Taylor Prize, so I figured I'd put a review up. The nominations are well-deserved.

As a tree planter myself of over twenty years (see the Replant website), I loved this book. But even if I wasn't a planter, I think I would have really enjoyed it. Despite my own lengthy time in silviculture, I actually learned a lot about the logging side of the industry by reading this one. I think this is a book that you'll share ... my parents have both read it now too, and they also enjoyed it. As has been said already, this one is very well-written.

Being someone who has worked with the Author and most of the characters in the book. I found this book to be a very well written, accurate, account of life as a professional treeplanter. Couldn't put it down.
It is like having a memoir of my experiences working the coast of B.C. and I will cherish this book forever. Thanks Charolette.

Excellent read -- entertaining and funny but lots of important information shared as well. A must read for all Canadians interested in the forests of our country.