James A. Rhody 

1927 – 1989

Brant’s Bear

The bear reared up on its hind legs, and as it raised itself up, Brant wondered if it would ever stop.  It kept going up and up and up until it towered eight feet or more in height.

In a low crooning voice, Brant spoke. He chanted, “You’re my bear and I’m your friend, and we share this land together”.

Recently retired and widowed, Brant turns to the northern wilderness of his boyhood to regain his confidence and to search for a purpose to fulfill the remaining years of his life, and the faith to believe in life after death. His confidence is restored with the completion of the log cabin he builds, and Brant then finds purpose and faith through a unique association with a giant bear.

Join the two unbending, absolute monarchs of the same piece of wilderness territory in their journey through life, and share with them the humor and sorrow, the victories and defeats, on to the climax of a story that will have you thinking of the purpose of your life for weeks.

 

The Pleasure Of The Sorrow

From the pen of one of Northern Wisconsin’s favorite story tellers comes this novel of homesteading and logging camp life in the Northwoods in the 1890’s. This historical novel by Jim Rhody is steadily paced and thought provoking.

Young Henry Brandtner – Brant – is forced into adulthood in his early teens by circumstances of the times, and through his eyes you will meet and get to know a variety of individuals of a century ago. You will associate with Curly, the trapper and wolf hunter; the Professor, a fugitive from the law; Evil, the crippled veteran of the Civil War; Mister Coring, who is the boss of Camp Nine; Martha, the hot-blooded troublemaker, and many others.

These are more than just characters in a story. Each has his own part in the history of the area, and each brings to life the pleasures and hardships of the day, often with sadness, and always with humor.

Carefully researched and crafted, The Pleasure of the Sorrow is authentic to the extent that while the camp and characters are fictitious, dates and details are historically accurate.