"Gentlemen of the Woods is one of those rare gifts. A book I never knew I needed but is now indispensable. Willa Hammitt Brown’s work here is transcendent: a narrative and analysis that illuminates the past while explaining our present world. It is sharp, ceaselessly fascinating, and leaves the reader transformed in how they see the past, the world, and themselves."-Jared Yates Sexton, author of American Rule and The Man They Wanted Me to Be
"The story of the lumberjack is the story of America. It’s a story of road monkeys, bull cooks, and river pigs. It’s a story of capitalism, conquest, and controversy. Willa Hammitt Brown’s Gentlemen of the Woods interrogates the lumberjack’s many identities: Was he a dignified, mythic strongman? Was he an exploited itinerant tramp? Was he a degenerate, violent outcast? At last we have a book that pulls the lumberjack from the mists of memory and vividly paints him in his true, wild, filthy glory."-Mark Cecil, author of Bunyan and Henry and host of The Thoughtful Bro podcast
"You’ll never think about lumberjacks the same way thanks to Willa Hammitt Brown’s Gentlemen of the Woods. From their complicated and hidden narratives to their significant historical impact and larger-than-life lore, the restless ghosts of the North Woods are finally getting their due."-Susan Marks, author of Finding Betty Crocker: The Secret Life of America’s First Lady of Food
"From go-devils to road monkeys to agropelters, Willa Hammitt Brown shows us the vast Northwoods workscape of America’s lumberjacks. Were itinerant ‘jacks’ heroes or villains? Neither, says Brown, but understanding their dangerous work lives, diverse backgrounds, and colorful saloons helps us see the Gilded Age at its brutal cutting edge. Filled with first-person narratives and legends, this beautifully written book breaks new paths in labor, gender, and environmental history, and the history of capitalism."-Scott Reynolds Nelson, author of Steel Drivin’ Man: John Henry, the Untold Story of an American Legend
"In this nuanced and insightful work, Willa Hammitt Brown deftly weaves together cultural history and memory studies to give an intimate and revealing portrait of the Northwoods lumberjack, an American icon shrouded in layers of folklore. Gentlemen of the Woods takes the reader on a fascinating journey beyond the legend of Paul Bunyan to understand life in a logging camp-with all its discomfort and danger-and the process of mythmaking in American popular culture."-Eric Rutkow, author of American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation
"Brown’s book should be read closely, along with her good scholarly documentation in the notes, and not just looked at for the fine images that we associate with the North Woods."-UP Book Review
"For those who enjoy fresh views of history and comparisons to modern issues, this is a fascinating read."-The Ely Winter Times
"Written in clear prose with well-founded arguments, this book, heavily illustrated with archival photographs and drawings, makes an excellent addition to history collections."-Library Journal, starred review
"Brown’s book is thoughtful and deeply researched, and she writes with both empathy for the people involved and unflinching attention to troubling truths."-Mankato Magazine
"The book is well written, extensively researched and includes many illustrations, photographs and images which greatly enrich the reading experience."-What We’re Reading, KAXE
