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Nick of the Woods
This is a reproduction of the original artefact. Generally these books are created from careful scans of the original. This allows us to preserve the book accurately and present it in the way the author intended. Since the original versions are generally quite old, there may occasionally be certain imperfections within these reproductions. We're happy to make these classics available again for future generations to enjoy!
- GenresFiction
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1837
About the author
Robert Montgomery Bird
199 books5 followersRobert Montgomery Bird was an American novelist, playwright, and physician.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 30, 2012
Needless gore, artless prose--basically, Bird's description of the Kentucky frontier is one of the most extreme examples of "Indian-hating" that comes out of the frontier romance genre of the Removal period. He gets three stars just because its such a seminal example, but don't read it expecting to feel anything but disgust with the actions of the main characters and the irritating racism that's generally par for the course for novels of the period, sympathetic to Indians or not.
October 6, 2018
It’s a terrible book, there’s no way around that. But as a historical artifact and an entertaining read, it has its value.
July 2, 2019
2019-06 - Nick of the Woods; or, The Jibbenainesay. Robert Montgomery Bird (Author) 1837. 240 Pages.
This is another Philadelphia Gothic novel from the early Republic. Although this book is often classified by reviewers as “Frontier Gothic” since it takes place on the frontier of the old Northwest Territory notably in the Kentucky territory borderlands. I really enjoyed this book, and it is the authors most famous and bestselling piece. The second I have read by the author Robert Montogomery Bird. It is excellent story telling. It is something of a 19th century American classic. Mark Twain and several others make reference to it in their own writings. The author makes efforts to write in dialect so that we get an approximation of how characters would have sounded given time, geography, education, and background. Those who remember American Western films and TV shows of the post WWII era will recognize some of the Native Americanesque modes of speech in this text. As I said … this book has had deep and lasting influence. In fact to me … the book reads like a movie with stock characters we have all seen and even some settings and plot moves. It is a fast reading romp for the early 19th century, somewhat predictable, with plot twists and scintillating scenes of daring do. You may be able to find a copy free in the public domain. A word though about the title character … he is not what you would normally call the main character of the story though he haunts it like a specter even when he is in it. He is strongly reminiscent of Mr. Kurtz in “Heart of Darkness” A man of peace, a Quaker, who ends up being a notorious bogeyman to the Native Americans. Moving through the woods in the darkness of night dispatching his victims in their sleep and always leaving a tell-tale mark on their bodies with his knife. Even though we meet him and follow him in the story … I could not help feel, even after his soliloquy on how he got where he is, that we are dealing more with a phantom than a man. Brilliant stuff.
This is another Philadelphia Gothic novel from the early Republic. Although this book is often classified by reviewers as “Frontier Gothic” since it takes place on the frontier of the old Northwest Territory notably in the Kentucky territory borderlands. I really enjoyed this book, and it is the authors most famous and bestselling piece. The second I have read by the author Robert Montogomery Bird. It is excellent story telling. It is something of a 19th century American classic. Mark Twain and several others make reference to it in their own writings. The author makes efforts to write in dialect so that we get an approximation of how characters would have sounded given time, geography, education, and background. Those who remember American Western films and TV shows of the post WWII era will recognize some of the Native Americanesque modes of speech in this text. As I said … this book has had deep and lasting influence. In fact to me … the book reads like a movie with stock characters we have all seen and even some settings and plot moves. It is a fast reading romp for the early 19th century, somewhat predictable, with plot twists and scintillating scenes of daring do. You may be able to find a copy free in the public domain. A word though about the title character … he is not what you would normally call the main character of the story though he haunts it like a specter even when he is in it. He is strongly reminiscent of Mr. Kurtz in “Heart of Darkness” A man of peace, a Quaker, who ends up being a notorious bogeyman to the Native Americans. Moving through the woods in the darkness of night dispatching his victims in their sleep and always leaving a tell-tale mark on their bodies with his knife. Even though we meet him and follow him in the story … I could not help feel, even after his soliloquy on how he got where he is, that we are dealing more with a phantom than a man. Brilliant stuff.
December 17, 2014
This is a decent frontier adventure story, but it was somewhat of a disappointment compared to Sheppard Lee--Bird's far superior novel published a year earlier (1836). The two novels probably shouldn't be compared to one another, however, since they are so completely different.
This one is a historical novel set in Kentucky and Ohio in the late 18th century. There is a needlessly complex backstory that is essential to the plot. This makes the whole thing less enjoyable, especially since the book is currently out of print, and most readers will be reading it on an electronic device and won't be able to easily flip back to refresh the relevant details.
Nevertheless, this was Bird's best-selling work during his lifetime. It seems to have a lot in common with Zane Grey's border trilogy, published roughly 70 years later, but with more violence and less romance. Without the high expectations created by Sheppard Lee, I might have found it more satisfying, but this is merely a good adventure story and by no means a great work of the American Renaissance.
This one is a historical novel set in Kentucky and Ohio in the late 18th century. There is a needlessly complex backstory that is essential to the plot. This makes the whole thing less enjoyable, especially since the book is currently out of print, and most readers will be reading it on an electronic device and won't be able to easily flip back to refresh the relevant details.
Nevertheless, this was Bird's best-selling work during his lifetime. It seems to have a lot in common with Zane Grey's border trilogy, published roughly 70 years later, but with more violence and less romance. Without the high expectations created by Sheppard Lee, I might have found it more satisfying, but this is merely a good adventure story and by no means a great work of the American Renaissance.
January 27, 2016
Not the worst classic I've ever read. Reads a lot easier than many I've experienced. Lots of characters, but they're all unique. Fast-paced. Don't like Bird's portrayal of women, and by the end, I was just ready to be done. The first half, or even the first two-thirds, were much better than the last bit.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews