The Trees

The Awakening Land trilogy by Conrad Richter chronicles the dramatic transformation of a middle-American landscape from untouched wilderness to modern industrial civilization, experienced through the life of Sayward Luckett and her family in Southeastern Ohio. Comprising three novels—The Trees, The Fields, and The Town—the saga begins in the late 18th century as Sayward navigates the challenges of living in the forest, ultimately recognizing the shift from a life of hunting to one of farming. This acclaimed work places Richter among the foremost American novelists of the mid-20th century.