The Country of the Pointed Firs

By Sarah Orne Jewett

Book Overview

An American classic, filled with unforgettable characters, stories of the difficulty and loneliness of small town life but also the bonds between women that provide both dignity and strength.

First published in 1896, and set in a small town on the rugged Maine coast, these rich vignettes were praised by Henry James as a "beautiful little quantum of achievement." Jewett's vision was of a gentle and generous people who live in this fishing village on a rugged and dangerous coast, a New England limned in colors of high summer and blue skies. The values in these stories, and the lives of these people, still speak to us, and touch our hearts, today.

You will meet the people of Dunnet's landing; the women, who are probably the most unforgettable characters of her book; and Elijah Tilley (among the very few men in Jewett's cast) who, after the death of his wife, learns the skills of husband and wife, of farm and sea. The Country of Pointed Firs is essential reading for anyone who loves classics of American literature--or a story that resonants deeply within.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 156792140X
• ISBN13: 9781567921403
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.2" x 9.9"

Customer Reviews

Visit the Country

Sarah Orne Jewett's THE COUNTRY OF POINTED FIRS is a visitor's tale. Set in the fictional Maine coast town of Dunnet Landing where the author/narrator has settled for the summer to write. As a visitor, the narrator inevitably recounts only the pieces of history she comes in contact with through her landlady and the people she meets in the community. The stories are portraits, bits and pieces, of lives that exist outside the narrator's brief visit. As a result, the reader feels like a companion on this holiday. The novella moves at the pace of a quiet seacoast village, and is refreshing to read for that very reason. Like a vacation, outside cares fade while focusing on the lives, habits and landscape of this place. The writing is finely wrought. A real affection for a place and people one knows briefly shines through the work and makes one wish for a time and place when travel, life and writing unfolded at a the speed of a long walk. Some editions incorporate other stories written about Dunnet Landing into the body of the novella. This can lead to a change in the narrator's voice that is incongruous with the rest of the work. Look for a version that preserves the order of one of the early publications with other short works in a separate section.

Balm for the soul

I'd have to disagree that this title is for older readers. But I can see how, in general, a more sedate pace is required to truly enjoy the read.I'm 27 and currently undergoing chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. I'm an avid reader, but since treatment began I haven't been able to focus so well. I happened to pick up this book on a whim, and I do no regret it. While there is no plot, and the chapters are really just a series of character sketches, this book is pure magic. You have to be in the right frame of mind to appreciate it though.I've been sick a lot through treatment and when I've tried to read "lighter" books, they've barely aroused my interest for long.This book is in no way light. It is quiet and subtle and still and profoundly deep. It is exactly what I needed, a literary balm for the soul--taking me to a place and allowing me to meet people long lost to time, immersing me in a beautiful world I don't really wish to leave.It draws you in, as if it's winter and you are welcomed into a warm room with a cozy fire--and it wraps around you with all the comfort of heaven.I'll be disappointed when I reach the last page and thus the end of this particular journey.

The Calmness of the Countryside.

I thought that Sarah Orne Jewett's, The Country Of The Pointed Firs, was a highly creative and illustrative work of art. Jewett's depictive style of a calm and satisfying life, combined with breathtakingly beautiful detail, was unlike anything I have ever experienced. I could actually imagine myself on a desolate island of green fields and trees, while being surrounded by calm blue waters. Though repetitive, and dull at times, I found myself plunging within the depths of the book to uncover a wonderful, yet almost hidden meaning. The meaning of lonliness, and the satisfaction the characters find within the essence of their lonliness. Simple satisfactions like the beauty of the countryside, picking herbs and fishing, visiting family and friends, or recalling the memories of their lives past. The book began with the narrator, a writer who left the busyness of a hectic city, to discover the peacefulness of Dunnet Landing. The novel simply concludes with the narrator's regret of having to leave the island, in order that she return to her life in the city. On arrival at Dunnet Landing, the narrator encountered Mrs. Almiry Todd. While living as a guest in Mrs. Todd's home, she not only discovered the peacefulness of the countryside, but also the satisfaction that was found among its dwellers. As her stay progressed, the narrator developed a loving relationship with the island and its inhabitants. She encountered people like Mrs. Todd, William, Captain Littlepage, Mrs. Fosdick, the Bowden's, and of course, Mrs. Blackwell. The narrator also enjoyed engaging in conversations about people who once inhabited the island, like Johanna and Nathan. Throughout the book, the narrator discovered the calm and satisfying pleasures of enjoying the simple things in life. While putting aside the pleasures found within city life, she discovered the joy of picking herbs, recalling memories, visiting people, or just taking a walk. All in all, Jewett describes a novel about finding the satisfaction within a lonely life, a life that is characterized through maturity. The characters on the island portray lonliness, which is the basis of our human condition. However, despite their lonliness, the people of Dunnet Landing share strong bonds connected through families and friendships. Through the context of their isolation on Dunnet Landing, they are able to achieve the satisfaction of all desired nature. Finally, I thought that some readers were harsh in reviewing the book. If people would broaden their horizons by opening their minds and hearts to this passive style of writing, they might uncover a valuable perspective that one day they will cherish!

A short story collection centered around the people of Maine

A collection of quiet "sketches," this volume is a reminder of the fine writing produced by some of the earliest American realists. Critics have recently revised their first opinions of the book as a "small success" and now consider it a classic of American literature. The stories revolve around a young writer who goes to the coastal town of Dunnet Landing, Maine. In the company of Mrs. Todd, a venerable and locally revered herbalist who gives her lodging, the writer comes to know and write about the people of the area. The result is a fascinating look into personalities shaped and distilled by life on that severe coast into persons of rare character. This edition also contains eight of Jewett's best short stories, including "A White Heron" and "The Queen's Twin." No plot devices or car chases here--this is a book to read on a rainy afternoon when nostalgia and melancholy threaten to overwhelm. It's comfort food like grandma used to make--reassuring, soul-fortifying, and full of the capacity to cheer. It's also addictive--once you take a bite out of Pointed Firs, you can't stop. Similar author: Mary Wilkins Freeman