Backwoods Boy    by Richard Irving Order:  USA  Can Self, 2023 (2023) Softcover, e-Book     Reviewed by Alan Skeoch The expression 'May you live in interesting times' came to mind as I read Rick Irving's description of his life growing up in rural New Brunswick in the 1950's. Ordinary things ... Like putting up fruit and berries in Crown sealers with his mom. Like working in the bush with his dad at sawmills, logging, or cutting firewood. Like handling an aged box of Forcite explosives while installing a septic tank. Like the routine of a one room schoolhouse Personal stories that reveal how much he loved his extended family without ever saying so. Richard realized as he wrote this book just how deep was his love of his parents who had to make do as pioneer settlers did a century earlier. Insulation for instance. When the house was built it was insulated with layers of birch bark to keep the cold winds of winter out and the warm pulsing of winter maple cordwood in. Big mistake made of necessity. When the house caught fire it exploded like fireworks in Maytime. This is an endearing tale of a boy who grew up in interesting times - preserving food, cutting wood, blasting rock, exploring, loving, marveling ... Missing are the horrors of the 1950's. Nuclear bombers flew over Richard's home but the fear of nuclear winter did not seem to concern the Irving family. They had to make do in their own little world. Backwoods Boy gets more and more amusing and interesting as the tale of Richard Ivring's childhood years unfolds. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews