King Spruce, A Novel

King Spruce is a novel written by Day, Holman, published in 1927. The story takes place in the early 1900s in the forests of Maine, where the lumber industry is booming. The protagonist, Joe Easter, is a young man who has grown up in the woods and has a deep love for nature. He becomes an expert in the logging industry and is hired by a wealthy lumber baron to help him cut down the last remaining stands of virgin spruce trees in the region. As Joe works for the lumber company, he becomes increasingly conflicted about the destruction of the forest and the impact it will have on the environment. He meets a group of conservationists who are fighting to preserve the forest and becomes torn between his loyalty to his employer and his love for the natural world. Throughout the novel, the author paints a vivid picture of the beauty and majesty of the Maine forests, while also highlighting the devastating effects of industrialization on the environment. The story is a powerful commentary on the balance between economic growth and environmental preservation, and the difficult choices that must be made to achieve both.