The Golden Spruce is the story of a glorious natural wonder, the man who destroyed it, and the fascinating, troubling context in which his act took place.
A tree with luminous glowing needles, the golden spruce was unique, a mystery that biologically speaking should never have reached maturity; Grant Hadwin, the man who cut it down, was passionate, extraordinarily well-suited to wilderness survival, and to some degree unbalanced. But as John Vaillant shows in this gripping and perceptive book, the extraordinary tree stood at the intersection of contradictory ways of looking at the world; the conflict between them is one reason it was destroyed. Taking in history, geography, science and spirituality, this book raises some of the most pressing questions facing society today.
On the night of January 20, 1997, with the temperature near zero, Hadwin swam across the Yakoun river with a chainsaw. Another astonishing physical feat followed: alone, in darkness, he tore expertly into the golden spruce – a tree more than two metres in diameter – leaving it so unstable that the first wind would push it over. A few weeks later, having inspired an outpouring of grief and public anger, Hadwin set off in a kayak across the treacherous Hecate Strait to face court charges. He has not been heard from since.
Vaillant describes Hadwin’s actions in engrossing detail, but also provides the complex environmental, political and economic context in which they took place. This fascinating book describes the history of the Haida’s contacts with European traders and settlers, drawing parallels between the 19th century economic bubble in sea otter pelts – and its eventual implosion – and today’s voracious logging trade. The wood products industry is examined objectively and in depth; Vaillant explores the influence of logging not only on the British Columbia landscape but on the course of western civilization, from the expansion of farming in Europe to wood’s essential importance to the Great Powers’ imperial navies to the North American “axe age.” Along the way, The Golden Spruce includes evocative portraits of one of the world’s most unusual land- and seascapes, riveting descriptions of Haida memorial rites, and a lesson in the difficulty and danger of felling giant trees.
Thrilling and instructive though it may be, The Golden Spruce confronts the reader with troubling questions. John Vaillant asks whether Grant Hadwin destroyed the golden spruce because – as a beautiful “mutant” preserved while the rest of the forest was devastated – it embodied society’s self-contradictory approach to nature, the paradox that harrowed him. Anyone who claims to respect the environment but lives in modern society faces some version of this problem; perhaps Hadwin, living on the cutting edge in every sense, could no longer take refuge in the “moral and cognitive dissonance” today’s world requires. The Golden Spruce forces one to ask: can the damage our civilization exacts on the natural world be justified? (From Chapters Online)
Book Club Discussion Questions
(Questions provided by Lisa - posted because it is very difficult to find good questions for this book)
1. Do you think Grant Hadwin is still alive?
2. Can you empathize with Grant's position? Do you think his actions were forgivable?
3. Do you agree with John Valliant when he says "It seems in order to succeed - or even function - in this world, a certain tolerance for moral and cognitive dissonance is necessary"?
4. Which parts of the books did you like best? Do you have any criticisms?
5. Do you find The Golden Spruce to be a disappointing or inspiring read? Did it leave you with any lasting thoughts?
6. The Golden Spruce is a Canadian book. What does it tell us about our experience of nature, our economy, and how we see ourselves?
7. Does this book make you want to visit the Queen Charlotte Islands?
Book Club Discussion Notes
We enjoyed this book for what it was: an non-fiction account of an event and the background surrounding the situtation. It reminded a lot of us of a documentary, and was a little disjointed in parts. However, if you are from British Columbia, it is a must read as it provides an interesting history of logging, and native culture in our province. We also though the descriptions of the logging practice, and the geography of British Columbia was amazing. After reading this book, we all want to visit the Queen Charlotte Islands.
