「小樹」是一本自傳體的小說。描述一位小時候和爺爺奶奶,在美國東部查拉幾山區生活的印地安少年故事。書中不僅生動描寫了30年代經濟大蕭條時人們的生活狀況,它還記錄了你我心中最普遍而深刻的人性軌跡。
「小樹」在美國暢銷排行榜上原以真實自傳名列第一,後因作者身份撲朔迷離,於是紐約時報書評、出版者週刊分別將之列入小說類排行榜。
「小樹」在美國前後暢銷量超過百萬冊,並榮獲1990年第一屆美國圖書銷售協會年度最佳圖書獎(ABBY)。另外,本書已售出電影版權。
「這本書實在太神奇了,好得教我忍不住地想向全世界大喊:『你們一定要讀它!而內涵卻又如此真實。』我慎重地向您推薦此書。」
-----------------The New Mexican
「從來沒有一本書能像『少年小樹之歌』一樣,讓我經歷那麼多次由捧腹大笑,到潸然淚下的心靈起伏。如果您要我選出今年的年度最佳作品,那一定非本書莫屬。因為它是一本能夠為我心靈帶來快樂和充實的深刻創作。」 -
-----------------Chattanooga Times
The Education of Little Tree has been embedded in controversy since the revelation that the autobiographical story told by Forrest Carter was a complete fabrication. The touching novel, which has entranced readers since it was first published in 1976, has since raised questions, many unanswered, about how this quaint and engaging tale of a young, orphaned boy could have been written by a man whose life was so overtly rooted in hatred. How can this story, now discovered to be fictitious, fill our hearts with so much emotion as we champion Little Tree’s childhood lessons and future successes?
The Education of Little Tree tells with poignant grace the story of a boy who is adopted by his Cherokee grandmother and half-Cherokee grandfather in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee during the Great Depression. "Little Tree," as his grandparents call him, is shown how to hunt and survive in the mountains and taught to respect nature in the Cherokee Way--taking only what is needed, leaving the rest for nature to run its course. Little Tree also learns the often callous ways of white businessmen, sharecroppers, Christians, and politicians. Each vignette, whether frightening, funny, heartwarming, or sad, teaches our protagonist about life, love, nature, work, friendship, and family. A classic of its era and an enduring book for all ages, The Education of Little Tree continues to share important lessons. Little Tree’s story allows us to reflect on the past and look toward the future. It offers us an opportunity to ask ourselves what we have learned and where it will take us.