Publisher's Synopsis
The Valley of the Giants is a novel written by Peter B. Kyne. The story is set in the redwood forests of northern California during the early 20th century. The book follows the struggles of two families, the Isbel and the O'Neill families, who are landowners in the valley. The Isbel family, led by the patriarch, John Isbel, is struggling to keep their land from being taken over by the O'Neills, who are determined to expand their lumber business. The story also focuses on the romance between John Isbel's daughter, Ruth, and Terrence O'Neill, the son of the O'Neill family. The two families are constantly at odds, but as the story progresses, they begin to realize that they have more in common than they thought. The novel explores themes of family, loyalty, and the impact of industrialization on the environment. The Valley of the Giants is a classic American novel that has been praised for its vivid descriptions of the redwood forests and its portrayal of the conflicts between the logging industry and conservationists.1918. Begins: In the summer of 1850 a topsail schooner slipped into the cove under Trinidad Head and dropped anchor at the edge of the kelp-fields. Fifteen minutes later her small-boat deposited on the beach a man armed with long squirrel-rifle and an axe, and carrying food and clothing in a brown canvas pack. From the beach he watched the boat return and saw the schooner weigh anchor and stand out to sea before the northwest trades. When she had disappeared from his ken, he swung his pack to his broad and powerful back and strode resolutely into the timber at the mouth of a little river. The man was John Cardigan; in that lonely, hostile land he was the first pioneer. This is the tale of Cardigan and Cardigan's son, for in his chosen land the pioneer leader in the gigantic task of hewing a path for civilization was to know the bliss of woman's love and of parenthood, and the sorrow that comes of the loss of a perfect mate; he was to know the tremendous joy of accomplishment and worldly success after infinite labor; and in the sunset of life he was to know the dull despair of failure and ruin. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.