Books by Helen Hoover

These are some of the items that Adrian Hoover jotted down on his to-do list, soon after he and his wife, Helen, gave up urban comforts for the deeper delights of the wilderness in 1954. The Years of the Forest by Helen Hoover elaborates on that deceptively short list and describes the difficulties inherent in accomplishing each of those tasks. In fact, it would take sixteen years to check off every item. This is the story of the Hoovers' education in wilderness housekeeping, and of the surprising challenges they faced at each step.There are priceless hints and how-to's for solving the problems of living close to nature and on good terms with one's neighbors -- bluejays, weasels, field mice, and deer. There is plenty of magic in this guide, delightfully illustrated by Adrian Hoover. Now in paperback for the first time, this book tells the story of going bark to the land, with all its rough edges and incomparable rewards.

A beloved naturalist's guide to the northern wilderness around her remote cabin."Helen Hoover is one of those rare writers who can describe the natural world warmly, intimately, and affectionately without being in the least sentimental or childish". Paul GruchowIn 1954, Helen Hoover and her husband Adrian left their careers and the big-city life of Chicago to live in a small cabin in the north woods that border Minnesota and Canada. Living without electricity, telephone, or a car, the Hoovers became part of the environment, peacefully coexisting with their wild neighbors.The Long-Shadowed Forest is the amazing record of the Hoovers' relationship with deer, mice, birds, squirrels, moose, and other creatures of the forest. First published in 1963, these stories of daily life in the woods and vivid descriptions of a fascinating variety of plants and animals delighted readers for years and have an enduring popularity.