My current read, North Woods by Daniel Mason, first crossed my radar last spring. I told my Random House sales rep that it was the book I was most excited about from the fall list, secured an advanced copy, and then let it languish on my nightstand for seven months. It wasn’t until a few days ago, deep in a reading rut, that I picked up the book, prompted by a surge in sales following the novel’s inclusion on the New York Times Top 10 books of the year list. I am so glad I did.
North Woods tells the story of the inhabitants of a plot of land in Western Massachusetts from colonial times through the present day, starting with a Puritan couple who abscond from their settlement to start their own life together in the wild. We’re with them for only a few pages, after which we meet a soldier-turned-apple-grower, his spinster twin daughters, a painter, a panther— the list continues through time. Perhaps that was my hesitation; I sometimes struggle with books that don’t have a consistent cast of characters—once I’m attached, I want to keep living in one character’s story. Short story collections are particularly difficult.
But after the first time-jump in the book, I was pleasantly surprised. And as I approached the second, I found myself eager to meet the house’s next inhabitants, the sense of place more than strong enough to keep me hooked and carry the narrative forward.
North Woods is perfect for fans of The Overstory, fans of historical fiction or sweeping epics, and lovers of the capital-C American literature canon—in a word, for you or anyone on your list. And, in a holiday miracle, we’re no longer backordered on the title at Still North (for now!).
Allie Levy owns and runs Still North Books & Bar in Hanover.