The Great Glorious Goddam Of It All by Josh Ritter

Synopsis
In the tiny timber town of Cordelia, Idaho, everyone has heard tales of the Applegates. Local legend says their family line boasts some of the greatest lumberjacks to ever roam the American West, and from the moment young Weldon stepped foot in the deep Cordelia woods as a child, he dreamed of joining the rowdy ranks of his ancestors in their epic axe-swinging adventures. But at the beginning of the twentieth century, times are changing fast, and the jacks are dying out.

On his deathbed nearly a century later, Weldon Applegate recounts his life in all its glory, filled with tall tales writ large with murder, mayhem, avalanches and bootlegging. It\x27s the story of dark pine forests brewing with ancient magic, and Weldon\x27s struggle as a boy to keep his father\x27s inherited timber claim, the Lost Lot, from the ravenous clutches of Linden Laughlin.

Review

The Great Glorious Goddam Of It All is a coming of age memoir of Wade Applegate, the last in the line of the Applegaes who are famous lumberjacks. At ninety nine years old, Wade is in hospital after being shot by his mortal enemy, Joe Mouffteau, and reminisces about his life as a lumberjack on the family land of the Lost Lot, which is said to be cursed. From illegal alcohol during prohibition, to the dangers he faced on the mountain fom man and nature, this book will take you on a compelling and fascinating journey.
The Great Glorious Goddam Of It All has to be one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time. I knew very little about the life of a lumberjack or the dangers they face daily. Josh Ritter’s writing brings the desolation of the mountains to life, the darkness and cold of this wild landscape where nature is in charge and the lumberjacks have to respect that or face the consequences. The lumberjacks basic living conditions are hard to comprehend, very little to eat, no running water and having to work long hours. The early parts of the book are set during the Prohibition of alcohol, but like many places there is illegal liquor, in this case Dream, and I loved that it was hidden in Church altars, Grandfather Clocks and tree roots in the hope it won’t be found.

Josh Ritter has made this very character led, telling the story of Wade and those he worked with. Wade’s life is hard to comprehend from todays stand point and I was completely in awe of how he survived. At thirteen years old he finds himself an orphan after his father dies on the Lost Lot. From this point Wade finds himself in danger from the land he has inherited and from his father’s partner Linden Laughlin, a cruel and hard man who works the lumberjacks hard and wants to destroy Wade. Wade’s strenght of character shines through, his stubborness to keep and work his land and live in such basic conditions even when he doesn’t have to. Throughout there are asides to his enemy Joe whom he seems to hate for bringing modernity to the mountain, ruining it in his eyes and his bragging nature. There are some brilliant names given to the lumberjacks that are not their real names but given in respect of their personality; The Kaiser with his moustache, Overland Sam for his speed, Russsian Alex and Dollar Edwards. There are so many quirky characters that add colour to this book, my favourite being the Witch, who tells fortunes in the back of the local store.

I loved learning about the lumberjacks in The Great Glorious Goddam Of It All and the dangers they face from falling trees, avalanches, and the nature of the mountain. Josh Ritter writes with humour, compassion and beautiful prose that captures the beauty, harshness and atmosphere of the mountain and those whose lives are caught up in it. You can’t help but love Wade as a character, his stubborness, innocence at the beginning, and his strenght to log his land. Beautiful, powerful and compelling, I highly recommend The Great Glorious Goddam Of It All.

I would like to thank Anne Cater and Harper360 for my invite to be part of the blog tour in return for my honest review.