The only things I remember about the story are the protagonist getting a sabbatical from school and getting slashed by the beak of a heron. Did those things happen in that book?
Also, did you like My Side of the Mountain and The Education of Little Tree?
Last question … Were your parents hippies, too?
(This post might age me somewhat.)
I remember two specific parts (sadly without many details):
At one point, the protagonist kills an animal and finds himself staring at a particular organ, apparently craving the nutrients provided by that organ.
At another point, he boils water in a leaf, observing that a leaf will never burn below the top of the water due to the water keeping the leaf moist.
I probably should know whether either of those claims are realistic, but I’ve never been in a survival situation and I still don’t know to this day.
Never tried a leaf but you can boil an egg in a campfire using a paper cup, the fire will only burn down to the waters edge
I Remember something about him hollowing out that tree that he turns into his house with fire embers or something. It sounded really cool, but thinking back, I’m not sure if any of it’s possible
Greetings, fellow geezer! I don’t remember much of it, to be honest. Must be well over thirty years since I read it. But I remember that I liked it.
I was homeschooled from age 7 to age 11 and read the book in a similar timeframe. My parents had some trouble getting bureaucratic approval to take us out of school. IIRC about the book, the main character just took a sabbatical from school, entirely withdrawing without an alternative education plan. I remember wondering about the logistics of that, which I guess is why the point sticks in my mind.
I think the heron slash might have been the catalyst for the whole story, otherwise I don’t know why it might have stayed with me.
I do also remember liking all three books, even though Little Tree - presented as an autobiography - turned out to be a lie. It’s still enjoyable as fiction.
