At the Edge of the Orchard

By: Tracy Chevalier

Narrated by: Hillary Huber, Mark Bramhall, Kirby Heyborne, Cassandra Morris

“With impeccable research and flawless prose, Chevalier perfectly conjures the grandeur of the pristine Wild West . . . and the everyday adventurers—male and female—who were bold enough or foolish enough to be drawn to the unknown. She crafts for us an excellent experience.”
—USA Today

From internationally bestselling author Tracy Chevalier, author of A Single Thread, comes a riveting drama of a pioneer family on the American frontier

1838: James and Sadie Goodenough have settled where their wagon got stuck – in the muddy, stagnant swamps of northwest Ohio. They and their five children work relentlessly to tame their patch of land, buying saplings from a local tree man known as John Appleseed so they can cultivate the fifty apple trees required to stake their claim on the property. But the orchard they plant sows the seeds of a long battle. James loves the apples, reminders of an easier life back in Connecticut; while Sadie prefers the applejack they make, an alcoholic refuge from brutal frontier life.

1853: Their youngest child Robert is wandering through Gold Rush California. Restless and haunted by the broken family he left behind, he has made his way alone across the country. In the redwood and giant sequoia groves he finds some solace, collecting seeds for a naturalist who sells plants from the new world to the gardeners of England. But you can run only so far, even in America, and when Robert’s past makes an unexpected appearance he must decide whether to strike out again or stake his own claim to a home at last.

Chevalier tells a fierce, beautifully crafted story in At the Edge of the Orchard, her most graceful and richly imagined work yet.

Critic reviews

“A rich, well-researched novel—it’s the story of one young woman becoming an American.”
—NPR, All Things Considered

“Well-told and engrossing . . . With compelling characters and swift pacing, ¬The Last Runaway adds a worthy new chapter to a story that has consumed generations.”
—USA Today

“Irresistible.” —O, The Oprah Magazine

“Chevalier admirably weaves historical figures and actual events into a compelling narrative.”
—San Francisco Chronicle (on Remarkable Creatures)

"Evokes entire landscapes...a master of voices."
—New York Times Book Review (on Falling Angels)

"Chevalier's signature talent lies in bringing alive the ordinary day-to-dayness of the past...lovingly evoked."
—Elle (on Burning Bright)

"Absorbing...[Chevalier] creates a world reminiscent of a Vermeer interior: suspended in a particular moment, it transcends its time and place."
—The New Yorker (on Girl With a Pearl Earring)

"Chevalier's ringing prose is as radiantly efficient as well-tended silver."
—Entertainment Weekly (on Falling Angels).

Wonderful story

The characters come alive in this audible book. Enjoyed it from start to finish and learned about various trees in addition! Good research, good story! Highly recommend !!

Overall a good story…

Depressing and sad for long lengths, but overall a good story. Tree info very interesting. Uplifting ending,

Life Struggles in the Early West

Starting out planting apple trees in Ohio to collecting seeds from the gigantic redwoods and sequoias in California, a young man tries to find his place in the world as he interacts with various other strugglers in the new west. Tracy Chevalier is a excellent author of historical fiction. I've read all that she has written.

another good read

Every book by Chevallier has been different and entertaining in a new way. This one develops more male characters. I'm impressed with her ability to take the reader to so many different places and periods of history.

If you like trees...

If you like trees you'll like this story. Kind of dark at times but a good tale.