I pushed myself pretty hard to finish this book early. For most of the book, I was honestly kind of grudging the fact that I had to read it because I had so many other things to do, but eventually I grew to enjoy it.
I don't think it called for as much response as the last book we read, which made class discussions somewhat uninteresting. The writing style reminded me of The Grapes of Wrath in the way she alternates chapters of things that happened in her life with environmental concerns. Janisse Ray is right, nobody would ever read a book about pine trees. But as I finished, I became amazed at how much life (how many species) is (are) effected by the decline in longleaf pine populations. Through the experiences she described, even though I have no experience with the species she described, I became fascinated with them and wanted the best for them. I don't want them to go extinct just because humans have become selfish in their lust for the land.
In general, it makes me sad when I see a beautiful area be torn up and a shopping mall or neighborhood go in. I often ask myself: Is there any land in this state that nobody owns? Ownership is such a big deal here. I wish I had a place that I could call mine. Not by money but by experience. I want to not be run off the property when I find something beautiful and special. Why is no land free in this, the Land of the Free?
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