The Trail Book

by Mary Hunter Austin

The Trail Book  is a classic of American nature writing. First published in 1918, it is a collection of children’s tales, framed by its setting in New York’s Museum of Natural History. For two children, Oliver and his sister Dorcas, the museum’s famed dioramas (which were new at that time) come to life and admit them into a series of exciting adventures that include talking animals and magical travels. Along the way, the children discover the ways of the ancient Native Americans and the landscapes of the pre-Columbian continent, as well as the impact on both Indians and wildlife from contact with European explorers and Euro-Americans. Told by a variety of narrators, including some of the animals, the stories offer a perceptive and sympathetic view of the natural history of North America and of Native American–white relations. This edition of  The Trail Book  includes an afterword by Austin scholar Melody Graulich that addresses Austin’s motives in writing the book and its significance as an early example of interdisciplinary multicultural literature. The illustrations by Milo Winter that enlivened the original edition are included, as are Austin’s appendix giving historical background and a glossary of Indian and Spanish names.

Genres: Fiction

239 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1918

About the author

Mary Hunter Austin was a prolific novelist, poet, critic, and playwright, as well as an early feminist, conservationist, and defender of Native American and Spanish-American rights and culture.

After graduating from Blackburn College in 1888, she moved with her family to California and established a homestead in the San Joaquin Valley. She married Stafford Wallace Austin In 1891 and they lived in various towns in California’s Owens Valley before separating in 1905.

One of the early nature writers of the American Southwest, her popular book The Land of Little Rain (1903) describes the fauna, flora and people of the region between the High Sierra and the Mojave Desert of southern California. She said, "I was only a month writing ... but I spent 12 years peeking and prying before I began it."

After visiting Santa Fe in 1918, Austin settled there in 1924. She helped establish The Santa Fe Little Theatre (still operating today as The Santa Fe Playhouse). She was also active in preserving the local culture of New Mexico, establishing the Spanish Colonial Arts Society in 1925.

In 1929, she co-authored a book, Taos Pueblo, with photographer Ansel Adams. It was printed in 1930 in a limited edition of only 108 copies. It is now quite rare because it included actual photographs made by Adams rather than reproductions.

She is best known for her nature classic Land of Little Rain (1903) and her play The Arrow Maker (1911).

Reviews

[Perry Whitford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What if that terrible movie <>Night at the Museum<> had been originally been a children's book written for adults?

Well, it pretty much was. In <>The Trail Book<> the exhibits from the Museum come to life after closing for two children and tell them the stories of their frozen moments preserved behind glass. The storytellers include a buffalo, a puma, a pelican, an egret and various Native Americans, from the Ice Age to the first meetings with the white man when the tribes 'still believed the Spaniards were Children of the Sun, and trusted them.'

I shouldn't really pick out particular tales because they were all wonderful but I will do anyway. How about the story of the boy who befriended the mammoth who killed his father and therefore led his people to the sea? Or the story of the clever Aztec slave girl who brought corn to America? Or the Coyote's story about the first friendship between man and dog:

"Man is the wolf's Medicine. In him he hears the voice of the Great Mystery, and becomes a dog, which is great gain to him."

Mary Austin was a special writer. I can't tell you what a joy it was to read a children's book by an author with equal knowledge and respect for Native American folklore, a love of landscape and the language to bring it to life. The themes were far too deep for children, but there's talking animals so what more do you need?

And no Ben Stiller. Perfect!

[Gail Kennon · Rating 3 out of 5]

beguiling but i didn't have much knowledge to place these stories to remember.