Product Description

A vivid and faithful chronicle of life in the great Northern Forest and a storehouse of valuable information on woodcraft and nature. Over half a century ago, John Rowlands set out by canoe into the wilds of Maine to survey land for a timber company. After paddling alone for several days--"it was so quiet I could hear the drops from the paddle hitting the water"--he came upon "the lake of my boyhood dreams." He never left. He named the place Cache Lake because there was stored the best that the north had to offer--timber for a cabin; fish, game and berries to live on; and the peace and contentment he felt he could not live without. Cache Lake Country exemplifies the classic American notion that what is most worth finding lies far from the tracks of civilization, and that what is most worth doing demands resourcefulness and wit. Here is folklore and philosophy, but most of all wisdom about the woods and the inventiveness and self-reliance they demand. The author explains how to make moccasins, barrel stoves, lean-to shelters, outdoor bake ovens, sailing canoes, and hundreds of other ingenious and useful gadgets, all illustrated in the margins with 230 enchanting drawings by Henry B. Kane.

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An enduring treasure        Rating:

Like many other reviewers, I've read Cache Lake Country several times, and have given away more copies than I remember. I'll just tell one anecdote about it, then let you read the reviews that preceded mine.

I live in Chiapas, Mexico, where many foreigners come to know the Maya and volunteer in sustainable-development projects. A Muslim friend who's involved in such work came to me one day, excited about the fireless cookers he'd just seen. I was happy to tell him about the one in Cache Lake Country. He promptly obtained his own copy.

He painted a picture of a world I love        Rating:

I was not more than 11 or 12 when I read this book the first time. I checked it out of the library so many times my parents bought me a copy for my birthday. Fifty years later I still have it and still reach for it when I want to be transported to a place of peace and quiet... or if I want to be reminded how to make a wind speed recorder, a pair of moccasins, or any number of things. I have spent time canoing in the Maine woods, and Rowlands writes about it knowingly and lovingly, and he writes well. And the illustrations! They are a joy. If there is a young person in your life, one who loves the North Woods or who you wish loved the North Woods, this book could well be a memorable gift. Sometimes I wish I had known Rowlands and Hank and the Chief... but then again I do know them.

Cache Lake        Rating:

Cache Lake Country: Life in the North Woods is a real keeper for anyone who has dreams of making do with what you've got. The margins are replete with illustrations of things the author made for survival and fun. It's an informative and entertaining read. One of the few books I've read more than once.

Dreams alive        Rating:

Great book with wonderful stories and tips regarding wildlife and living in the great outdoors.

Very enjoyable        Rating:

I read "Cache Lake Country" in 1968. I was delighted to find it in print again...like meeting an old friend.
Thank you.

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