AT THE EDGE OF THE ORCHARD by Tracy Chevalier

Another brilliant book from my favourite author, Tracy Chevalier. I feel that this book, more than all the others Tracy has written showcases her ability to create memorable, realistic characters. Tracy's ability to transport you to another world is equally admirable as is her research which makes her work not only entertaining but highly informative and educational. At the Edge of the Orchard is a pioneer story of James and Sadie Goodenough who settle in Black Swamp, Ohio, in 1838, planting apple trees to lay claim to the land. The hardships of cultivating virgin land and battling yearly swamp fever which takes five of their ten children culminates in a family tragedy of gigantic proportions. From a family of 12, only one survives in the end with reverberating effects of family roots that can never be silenced. This book will teach you about apples and trees and living off the land. In 1800's land was everything. The contrast in the way of life from that century to ours is startling. Imagine having to wait 2-3 years to receive wages for the work you do today. This was the life of the pioneers who depended on soil for their survival and livelihood. This book will take you from the agriculture of the east coast of America to the gold rush in California and more trees...redwoods and sequoias, the groves of which run up and down the coast of California, protected in many national and state parks. It will make you want to see them. This is a book to add to your library.

THE LADY AND THE UNICORN by Tracy Chevalier

I never fail to be amazed by the writing talent of Tracy Chevalier. It amazes me the way she sees objects and imagines lives behind them. I agree with the New York Times which has named her a master of voices for indeed she is such. I am overwhelmed by her talent to bring to the world's attention the contribution of these voices through such clever stories and her ability to bring dignity to the people who have contributed to the world even in small ways, whether through her fictional depiction or otherwise. The Lady and the Unicorn is one such book which tells the story of a French family by the name of Le Viste who commissioned the weaving of the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries, presumably towards the end of the fifteenth century. The tapestries, restored after centuries of neglect and mishandling, hang in a specially appointed room in Musee National du Moyen Age in Paris. The weaving of a tapestry is not something that would inspire interest in me but Tracy Chevalier certainly managed to do so throughout this book. From the austere nobleman who commissions the tapestries to the seductive artist who paints the blueprints to the overworked weaver in Brussels who fights for his survival and the dignity of his craft, this story had me spell bound with the imagination of this brilliant writer. My thirst for artistic expression is always fed by one of Chevalier books.