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A Parchment of Leaves

4.17 of 5 stars 4.17 · rating details · 1,161 ratings · 155 reviews

Winner-Kentucky Novel of the Year, 2003
Winner-Award for Special Achievement from Fellowship of Southern
Writers
Nominee-Southern Book Critics Circle Prize
Nominee-BookSense Book of the Year (longlist)

"So it is that Vine, Cherokee-born and raised in the early 1900s, trains her eye on a young white man, forsaking her family and their homeland to settle in with Saul's people: h...more

Paperback, 304 pages

Published August 26th 2003 by Ballantine Books (first published August 16th 2002)

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May 23, 2012 gina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, fiction, native-american, historical-fiction

One of the best books I've ever read. I wish I had read it instead of listened to it though because I wanted copy so many of the lines. I will probably ask for a copy as a gift so I can underline and mark in it. The writing is beautiful and speaks to my southern soul. Also, it felt like he was in a way writing my families story. I've always wondered how in one generation the intermarriage of a Native American to a white person could loose all connection to their heritage. This book answered this...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Thomas Holbrook rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Reading Silas House’s writing is akin to visiting your mother’s dinner table - familiar surroundings, food full of memories and remembered flavors, in the company of people who have helped to shape the person whom you have become. This volume is the second of the “Free Creek Trilogy,” the only one I had not read and the completion of the history that created Clay, whom was met in Clay’s Quilt. It was a wonderful (now) family reunion where I learned the things of my “family” that had been held in...more Reading Silas House’s writing is akin to visiting your mother’s dinner table - familiar surroundings, food full of memories and remembered flavors, in the company of people who have helped to shape the person whom you have become. This volume is the second of the “Free Creek Trilogy,” the only one I had not read and the completion of the history that created Clay, whom was met in Clay’s Quilt. It was a wonderful (now) family reunion where I learned the things of my “family” that had been held in shadow. It was also a bittersweet farewell to a trilogy that is a study of life in Eastern Kentucky and some of the best writing in contemporary literature.
Vine, a Cherokee maiden with the reputation of being a witch, spies Saul Sullivan when he climbs the mountain upon which Vine lives to begin clearing land so that Tate Masters (Crow County’s richest man) could build a mansion. When Saul’s youngest brother, Aaron, is bitten by a Copperhead during this task and is healed by the ministrations of Vine, Saul quits the job and begins a life with Vine. The story is told from the First Person point-of-view of Vine as she learns how to be married, a mother and a member of a family whose ways are as foreign to her as is her skin color to those now surrounding her. She proves herself to be more than equal to this task, even though its cost requires her to leave all she knows, defend what she loves with profound sacrifice and learns to live in a manner that mirrors “the Old Ways” of the Cherokee in a setting that is alien. In the hands of Mr. House, Vine shows herself to be a fitting docent on this tour of life on God’s Creek, Kentucky (a branch that joins Free Creek at the head of the holler) circa 1917.
The emotional impact of this novel continues what is found in the other volumes of the trilogy. Mr. House speaks to the heart of the reader without having to resort to sappiness or emotional gimmicks to evoke an emotional response. His ability to describe nature and how it affects the characters is second to none and is, once again, an important character of the book. While reading this book, I felt the mist rising from God’s Creek, the summer heat bearing heavily on Vine forcing her work to be completed as soon as possible, the waxy feeling a Red Bud leaf has and very nearly tasted the blackberries picked by Vine as she wades the cold waters of the creek.
Because of Vine’s close hold with nature, this book speaks the most eloquently of its wonders of the three books which make up this series. When she leaves Red Bud Camp, she digs up a Red Bud tree to transplant in her yard on God’s Creek. This tree becomes a touchstone for her connection back to her family and a source of strength for her in her new “place.” As she was dealing with a moment seemingly unbearable, this tree became a healing balm, supplying her with what was needed for her to carry on.

“I walked out to the tree and put my finger on a leaf, smooth like it was coated with wax. I could feel its veins, wet and round. I had always found comfort in the leaves, in their silence. They were like a parchment that holds words of wisdom. Simply holding them in my hand gave me some of the peace a tree possesses. To be like that – to just be – that’s the most noble thing of all.” p. 218

It takes patience to learn such nobility. I think I am moving too fast to learn this discipline well, but I would very much like to learn its language. As it speaks of Spirituality and a faith that is real, connected and honors all that is. Nothing is more real or more True.
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Jul 24, 2012 Marg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club

One of the big advantages of being part of a book club is that you often find yourselves being encouraged to read books that you just normally wouldn't read. This is especially true if that particular book club has quite eclectic tastes. This year alone we have read Fifty Shades of Grey the book that shall not be named, To Kill a Mockingbird, and then this book among others.

A Parchment of Leaves is a book that I hadn't heard of before, or even the author! It is historical fiction, but it is firm...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Regina Spiker rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cherokees, abuse, mountains, logging, appalachia, kentucky

"There is so much writ upon the parchment of leaves, So much of beauty blown upon the winds,
I can but fold my hands and sink my knees
In the leaf pages." James Still, "I Was Born Humble"

Vine is a dark haired Cherokee woman living in the mountains who falls in love with a tall, quiet, freckled, redheaded man named Saul. She moves from her home in Redbud Camp to the home of Saul's mother, Esme, and brother, Aaron, in God's Creek, Kentucky until their own home can be built. Aaron, younger than Saul,...more

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Mar 10, 2010 Shanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

With the recent passing of my grandmother, I have been recalling stories from her life and once again have been stirred to possibly write a book. But I have not been sure if I wanted to write something fictional or biographical. So anyway, I thought I should read some books associated with the place and culture from in which she lived and from which I came to help me get some ideas. So this review is written with that in mind.

Overall, I thought it was a good book. The description of the places w...more With the recent passing of my grandmother, I have been recalling stories from her life and once again have been stirred to possibly write a book. But I have not been sure if I wanted to write something fictional or biographical. So anyway, I thought I should read some books associated with the place and culture from in which she lived and from which I came to help me get some ideas. So this review is written with that in mind.

Overall, I thought it was a good book. The description of the places were believable and reminded me of settings from some of my own childhood. I did find the language a bit distracting. I felt like the improper english wasn't true to the area or perhaps it wasn't true to the area of Kentucky where I grew up. I felt like all the uses of the work "knowed" verses "knew" was more of a way to acknowledge the fact that people from that area had their own unique idioms, sayings and uses of words without really being true to it. I'm just an all or nothing kind of person I guess. I would have preferred it not be there at all as to have it only half. But on the other hand, I may have found the book entirely too hard to read if the author had stayed entirely true to that regions real way of speaking.

I really like the way the author depicted the relationship between the women in this book. I felt like it was real and, in fact, I think it gave me some insight into the possible relationships that my grandmother had with her mother and grandmothers and sister. If for no other reason this book was worth the read for me. I think that it shows a depth of relationship that has lasted between women in different times and different places that is perhaps a bit more hard to come by these days. However, I do think many times these relationships arise out of necessity and hardship.

This book in someways explores that age old question, "Why do people do what they do?" The bible says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (made in the image of God Himself). Meaning that we are awe inspiring creatures capable of tremendous things - both good and bad. There are people in my extended family and events that have occurred that quite simply confound me and like Saul in this book I just don't understand how people can be so violent. But then I have never been put into a situation like the main character. I guess I just appreciated the different characters and that they seemed real - because I know of (more than know) some people in my own family history that resembled them. (less)

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May 08, 2012 Carol rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have nothing negative to say about this book. It was truly excellent. I always feel weird about giving five stars, feeling obligated to give *some* kind of constructive criticism. Here? Nothing. I can't find one thing. Believe me, I tried. (I don't give five stars very easily.)

So I guess I'll talk about all the things I liked:

When it comes to Voice, Silas House is up there with Mark Twain. I could literally hear these characters talking. I now plan to read everything else he has written, based...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Kelsey Burnette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-i-think-brother-jim-would-like

I'd say this is the most beautifully written book there ever was, but Silas House has written others that are every bit as beautiful. If there is another writer who captures the spirit of Appalachia in general, and the spirit of Appalachian women in particular, as perfectly as House is able to do, I have no idea who it is. At its core, I think this book is a meditation on life, love, God, the Holy Spirit, and the power of forgiveness--forgiving yourself and accepting the forgiveness of others. A...more

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Feb 09, 2013 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the first book by Silas House that I have read. I found the beginning a little slow to get into and some of the dialect hard to follow (as I am as Yankee as they come). However, the trials and tribulations of Vine, Esme, Saul and even Aaron are heart wrenching and warming at the same time. As Lent is just around the corner, I kept thinking about a few central themes that ran throughout the book, rebirth, renewal and forgiveness. Another central theme was connecting the past with the pres...more

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Jun 07, 2009 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

A beautiful story of young Cherokee woman and her love of family. The story takes place in the mountains of Kentucky in the early 1900's. Vine falls for and marries a young Irish man and moves to live with his family and leaves her family behind. It's a story of a mother's love and the love a wife has for her husband. It's a story about secrets and forgiveness. It was just a "goodread".

I actually was at the library and they did not have the book I wanted, so I went down an aisle, closed my eyes...more

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Dec 01, 2011 Vivian rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: literary fiction readers

Recommended to Vivian by: Kanawha County Public Library

Every now and then I receive a book recommendation that completely surprises me (in a good way). A Parchment of Leaves by Silas House is one such book. I belong to a local book group that meets at the Charleston Town Center Mall on the last Wednesday of each month in the Community Room at Panera Bread Company (if you're in the Kanawha County area please join us). This was our book for the month of November.

The story is set in eastern Kentucky during the early 1900s and centers on a young Cherok...more Every now and then I receive a book recommendation that completely surprises me (in a good way). A Parchment of Leaves by Silas House is one such book. I belong to a local book group that meets at the Charleston Town Center Mall on the last Wednesday of each month in the Community Room at Panera Bread Company (if you're in the Kanawha County area please join us). This was our book for the month of November.

The story is set in eastern Kentucky during the early 1900s and centers on a young Cherokee woman and her experiences with her non-Cherokee husband and his family. Although there is racism evident against Cherokees, this is not the heart of this story. Vine is a beautiful young woman that becomes enamored with Saul Sullivan. Saul is just as entranced and in love with Vine and the two marry. Vine accompanies her husband to his family's land and leaves all that she has known behind.

The life that Saul and Vine lead is not considered a hard-scrabble life, but they do have to work hard. They must build their own home, which they do with the assistance of neighbors and family. They grow most of the vegetables and must slaughter chickens and hogs for meat. Vine washes their clothes on rocks at the nearby creek and they obviously don't have indoor plumbing, running water or even electricity. Vine and Saul don't miss these things simply because they've never had them and it isn't expected. Saul works hard at the local mill and Vine works equally as hard keeping house. Eventually Vine gets pregnant and gives birth to a little girl they name Birdy.

As World War I begins, Saul wants to help with the war effort and volunteers to work in the next county. This job means that he'll be gone for long periods of time. Vine gets along well with her mother-in-law and loves her new family. But she is also wary of her brother-in-law Aaron. He has never openly done anything, but he simply always seems to be underfoot and watching her, even when she's out in the woods or walking with friends. She is extremely cautious about Aaron but Saul thinks he's harmless. Aaron isn't exactly irresponsible, but he's never held down a job and seems to want to experience a hundred different jobs all at once. After some time Aaron leaves the family and is gone for months before returning with a wife - a young and pregnant wife. Aaron's marriage gives Vine hope that he's no longer attracted to her, until it is pointed out that his wife, Aidia, bears a strong resemblance to her.

I could give you more details about the story, but I'll stop here. It is sufficient for me to note that this is an excellent portrayal of rural Appalachian life during the early 1900s. Mr. House has crafted a story that is captivating and utterly believable. This isn't a glossed-over, rose-colored view of rural life, all of the hassles, trials and tribulations are deftly revealed. I become so engrossed in the story that I had to finish it in one sitting, even staying up late to do so. Saul is initially the typical strong but silent man that openly loves his family. He becomes more outgoing as the story evolves but remains openly loving of his family. Vine isn't a traditional housewife and mother although she deals with all of the household chores with ease. Their marriage has its share of ups and downs, usually as a result of outside forces. The story is different and the voice of Vine is unique, such that A Parchment of Leaves had me in a hurry to collect more literary fiction by Mr. House.
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Jun 23, 2012 Virginia Ullrich-serna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

This is a very good book. Written as sort of a journal of the life of a Kentucky Cherokee at the turn of the century. Vine meets and marries a white farmer/logger. It is well written and Silas' description of the life style and attitudes of the people of the Kentucky mountains is so true. The book is not all roses and fun and the family struggles are even applicable to the economic times of today.
Silas writes as if he himself lived the life of Vine and her family. If you love Sharyn McCrumb the...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Helen rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Cherokee woman leaves her family to marry a gentle but reserved white mountain man whose brother becomes obsessed with her.

The book contains themes such as racism, the difficulty of assimilating into a different culture, adultery, women's independence, and family. It is beautifully written and takes place in a natural setting.

People who enjoy Diana Gabaldon's The Fiery Cross (the saga of Jamie and Claire that chronicles their life in the NC mountains), will enjoy this similar yet more literary...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, kentucky, southern

The setting for this book is the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky in the early 1900s. It is the story of Vine, a beautiful Cherokee woman and her husband Saul, a white man. Vine leaves her family home to live with her husband’s family on God’s Creek. When war breaks out Saul must leave his family and go to work for the war effort. He leaves them in the care of his younger brother, Aaron, who he trusts will take good care of them all. But everything won’t be okay. There is something sini...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Lily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyed this first exposure to the work of Silas House. Tells the story of a Cherokee woman who marries an man with Irish immigrants among his ancestors. It is set at the beginning of the century through WWI in Appalachia. I particularly enjoyed the similes and metaphors House used to describe the physical surroundings. There were about 30 characters who were named, each of them developed appropriately for their role in the plot. Among the secondary characters, the local midwife was especially w...more

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May 18, 2010 Darcy Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really liked this book. Very nice descriptions. I wasn't bored for a second. I think Saul and Vine was a good match. However I don't like that Saul is never there. Aaron is very mysterious. He's violent to his wife and tried to rape Vine. Vine killed Aaron, but didn't tell the rest of the family. She buried Aaron so his wife would never find him. I don't like Aaron and how he comes onto Vine. Aaron has no respect for anybody. He treats his wife and family badly. Vine feels sory for killing Aar...more

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Jan 03, 2012 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vine, a Cherokee girl, marries white man, Saul Sullivan. Saul's younger brother, Aaron, who has always been somewhat of a misfit with a sinister attraction to Vine, eventually rapes Vine who then kills him with kitchen knife. Vine buries Aaron and tells no-one except her closest friend, Serena as she knows Cherokee woman could not get fair trial. Beautifully descriptive book with regard to emotions and the natural setting but, for me, it moved slower than Clay's Quilt which I enjoyed more.

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Jan 25, 2010 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mason-county-library-book-club

Really loved this book! I liked reading about life in Kentucky just 100 years ago. Most of all I loved the characters. The book really centered on the day-to-day life of women as they kept it all together in a time when it was necessary to be completely self-sufficient. It reminded me just how strong and proud women can be, and I loved how closely knit the communities were. What they did, they all did together. The book really made me long for a simpler time. I kind of want to grow a garden now!

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Jan 01, 2008 Katie Abbott Harris rated it 4 of 5 stars

A beautifully told story, "A Parchment of Leaves" takes the reader to the early 1900's in the Appalachian mountains. Vine, a young Cherokee woman, is the narrator, and she tells of her romance and marriage to Saul, an Irishman who lives in a nearby settlement. Many town members discriminate against her, but those in her close circle, including her mother-in-law, Esme, accept her unconditionally. Particularly disconcerting and ominous is the fixation that Saul's younger brother, Aaron has on her....more

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Jan 14, 2013 Trista rated it 5 of 5 stars

Coming from a similar family history this book touched me in a way that most wouldnt understand. House touched down on a issue regarding family ancestry that is a huge part of this country, though few seem to grasp this. I come from ancestry of Sappony,Cherokee, and Irish which began in the early 1800s.For my ancestors to be in interracial marriages in a time of great racial hostility and bigotry, is amazing and proves that love can overcome great obstacles.My hat is tipped to those who come fro...more

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Jun 14, 2010 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: us-south, male-author

I really enjoyed this book. It tells the story of a Cherokee woman who marries a white man in Appalachia in the early 1900s. My favorite part of the book wasn't so much the characters or the plot, but rather the setting. The author does a wonderful job creating a sense of place and I really felt like I was there in the hollows of Redbud Camp and God's Creek with all the characters. Or maybe I just wanted to be there. On another day, I might have given this book three stars, but today I'm giving...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Patricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was my first novel by Silas House, but it won't be my last! He created a magically real early 20th century Appalachian setting, complete with authentic foods, entertainments, work - all against the backdrop of World War I. But,even more stunning were the women characters: Vine, Esme, Serena, and Aidia - strong, weak, passionate, courageous, and treacherous. I was amazed that a man could create such authentic female characters and imbue them with unforgettable voices. A must read!

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May 24, 2012 Cynthia rated it 4 of 5 stars

enjoyed the uncommon topic of Appalachia life in the firs quarter of the 20th century.
The isolation and unique culture of each 'creek' or "holler'. With the added story-line
of a Cherokee family that did not take 'the march.'
It is really the story of 'a lie' and how it changes lives, the lie effects the one that does not
share the truth and the ones who never knew the truth, and the changes that come to
their life by not knowing.

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May 11, 2009 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

A Parchment of Leaves is a story about a boy named Saul who falls in love with a Cherokee Indian named Vine. Unfortunately his brother falls in love with her too. This is a tragic love story that shows the transformations that marriage and love can take. It takes place during World War I, when so many things where changing in everyday lives. It also shows the prejudices to the Cherokee Indians at that time.
A great book, my only complaint would be the dialect, it can be frustrating.

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Mar 09, 2012 Carolyn rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the first book I read by Silas House! He is the best writer of modern age. I can't wait for him to write another new one. Clays Quilt was ok, Eli the good made me sob. I lived next door to a Kentucky women and she was as neat and clean as any housewife I've ever known. She taught me to wax my front porch! Even the Quaker religious part was touching. What a patient people.

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Sep 05, 2009 Tamara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Beautifully written. Wonderful descriptions. Careful attention to detail. If you've not heard Silas House and his short story contributions to NPR, you're in for a treat. This is the story of Vine, a Cherokee, and Saul, the Irishman who marries her, their love, their trials and the prejudice of a small Kentucky town in the early 1900s. Each character is believably portrayed, the town vividly described, so we understand and imagine the scenes when each goes to extremes to survive. A rich read. An...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Valerie Petersen rated it 2 of 5 stars

A Parchment of Leaves seemed like a soap opera set in the backwoods of early 1900'2 Kentucky. It is told in the east Kentucky dialect, in the first person of Vine a young Cherokee woman, thought to be a witch. She marries Saul Sullivan after saving Saul's younger brother, Aaron, from a snakebite.

The resulting story of their marriage and life with Saul's family in God's Creek creates a gripping, insightful view of a life in rural Kentucky.

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Sep 16, 2011 Lee rated it 4 of 5 stars

The author is a very good story-teller! Even though the story is set in a region of the state I'm still only beginning to learn about, his descriptions of the places make it real; and he brings his characters to life so well. The story and emotions feel authentic, and that made the book a pleasure to read.

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Sep 24, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

What I liked most about this book is that it never for one second pretended to be something it's not. It is what it is...a story about people, a way of life that is gone and the struggles and changes that come along with living. There were never any gimmicky moments of magic or mystery...it has a very down to earth feel. Beautifully written and engaging right until the very last page.

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Jan 15, 2013 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

Set in the mountains of Kentucky, this is a novel about family, love, and forgiveness, written in simple but elegant prose. The storytelling is seamless and fast-paced, and the ending is understated and stunning. This was my first Silas House novel, and he makes one proud to be a Kentuckian.

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Feb 21, 2009 Donna rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have read Silas House's other book, CLAY'S QUILT, and so much enjoyed it. This one was SO VERY GOOD! The characters and setting always intrigue me and this one was no exception.

This one included the struggles of the Kentucky settlers including the Indians and the Irish. The difficulties of just surviving in the area at this time shaded by the prejudices make for interesting historical reading.

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About Silas House

Silas House is an American writer best known for his novels. He is also a music journalist, environmental activist, and columnist. He lives in Eastern Kentucky, where he was born and raised.

House's fiction is known for its attention to the natural world, working class characters, and the plight of the rural place and rural people. He is also a music journalist, environmental activist and columnist...more Silas House is an American writer best known for his novels. He is also a music journalist, environmental activist, and columnist. He lives in Eastern Kentucky, where he was born and raised.

House's fiction is known for its attention to the natural world, working class characters, and the plight of the rural place and rural people. He is also a music journalist, environmental activist and columnist. House has written features or press kits on such artists as Kris Kristofferson, LeAnn Womack, Lucinda Williams, Nickel Creek, Kelly Willis, Buddy Miller, Darrell Scott, Delbert McClinton, Tim O'Brien, Scott Miller, and many more.

In 2000, House was chosen, along with since-published authors Pamela Duncan, Jeanne Braselton and Jack Riggs, as one of the ten emerging talents in the south by the Millennial Gathering of Writers at Vanderbilt University. House served as a writer in residence at Eastern Kentucky University from 2004-2005 and at Lincoln Memorial University from 2005-2010. At LMU he also directed the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. In 2010 House became the National Endowment for Humanities Chair in Appalachian Studies at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. He has served on the fiction faculty at Spalding University's MFA in Creative Writing since 2005. In 2010 House was selected as the focus of the Silas House Literary Festival at Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia. The same year he was chosen as Appalachian Writer of the Year by Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Since 2005 House has been increasingly visible in the fight against mountaintop removal mining, an environmentally devastating form of coal mining that blasts the entire top off a mountain and fills the valley below with the debris. House wrote the original draft of the 2005 Kentucky authors' statement against the practice; since the draft more than three dozen authors have signed it. House has published many articles about mountaintop removal and has performed at various concerts as a member of Public Outcry, an acoustic band formed for the purpose of raising awareness of mountaintop removal mining. The other members of the group are authors George Ella Lyon and Anne Shelby, with musicians Jason Howard, Jessie Lynne Keltner and Kate Larken. Public Outcry tours college campuses to educate students about mountaintop removal. House and Howard also perform together as The Doolittles. (less)

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Quotes from A Parchment of Leaves

“I had always found comfort in the leaves, in their silence. They were like a parchment that holds words of wisdom. Simply holding them in my hand gave me some of the peace a tree possesses. To be like that-to just be-that's the most noble thing of all.” — 15 people liked it

“Maybe all the secrets of life were written on the surface of leaves, waiting to be translated. If I touched them long enough, I might be given some information no one else had.” — 7 people liked it

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