ecology

I first read this book in 1972, the original 1947 edition. It is one of the few permanent items in my library. I read it again at least once a year. I have even tried some of the projects John describes including the radio set made out of bits laying around the cabin. If you want a relaxing and enjoyable read about life in the woods, get this!

I discovered this book when I was 13, and have read it no less than 10 times through the next 30 years. Mr. Rowlands was someone I would have loved to spend time with - he was down to earth, interesting, has a good sense of humor, and he lived the kind of life that everyone would love to try. I had fun trying some of his projects, like the needle on the water compass and the dewdrop magnifying glass. As a kid I would dream of living in a cabin near him, Hank and Chief Tibeash, and of canoeing on the rivers he talks about. Sadly, Mr. Rowlands died in the late 1970s, and I never had a chance to meet him. I did discover he wrote another book called Spindrift, and also that he did a lot of writing for The Atlantic Monthly magazine. He lived in New England in his later years, and had a daughter. For those who loved his book, you should check out the books written by his friend Hank (Henry B. Kane), who wrote in the same style and also illustrated Cache Lake Country. All in all, Cache Lake Country was a book that transported a young girl to a beautiful place, and introduced her to the woodsy "uncle" we all would love to have.

Every true outdoors man and woman needs to read two books. One is Leopold's A Sand County Alamanac, the other is Cache Lake Country. If you've hunted, fished, and trekked the northwoods as much as I have, and love its brooding, dark beauty, this book will capture the sensations of the taiga. It is almost painful to read it if you find yourself trapped in someone else's idea of the good life, when what you really want to do is chuck it all for a cabin in the boreal forest.