Fred Tarpley chose the title to his newest book wisely. Wood Eternal will inevitably take its place alongside its subject matter, the bois d’arc tree (a.k.a. Osage orange), as eternal. Tarpley has poured a lifetime of research into this work destined to become the definitive source for all information related to the tree that contributed so much to our country’s development.

Full disclosure: Tarpley may have made me a rich man by describing all the uses for the bois d’arc tree and its green fruit. I have more than fifty of the trees on my place. I now lament my ignorance in doing away with at least a hundred before reading this book.

Before dismissing this as just a complete reference book, read a few pages. Only Dr. Tarpley could achieve the improbable and nearly impossible task of making a book about a tree compelling.  He skillfully weaves the tree’s story into America’s story.  I was particularly fascinated with the role that the Osage orange played in the lives of many of our founders, including Washington, Franklin, and Jefferson. Washington and Franklin sought a thorned hedge plant, but died without ever encountering their messiah tree.

I knew, of course, that farmers and ranchers once raised crops and livestock without the benefit of barbed wire fences. However, before reading this book, I gave little thought to how the lack of fences that were horse high, bull strong and pig tight made their job so much more difficult. Bois d’arc trees trimmed into hedges tried to fill the void, but ultimately provided a more useful purpose by inspiring the invention of barbed wire. It seems almost crafty on the part of bois d’arc trees to provide such inspiration, almost as if they knew that the newfangled barbed wire would need posts that were, well, eternal. If you have ever tried to rob a bois d’arc of one of its limbs, you know that they have a life and will of their own. They fight. Maybe they’re crafty, too. 

Almost everyone in this area has a bois d’arc story or two. Every novel I have written mentions the tree or something made from it at least once. For most of us in this part of the country, love them or hate them, they are part of our lives. After reading Wood Eternal, I’ll never look at a bois d’arc fence, an ancient grave marker, or the bois d’arc pegs that hold my desk together the same again.

Get autographed copies from the author at 4540 FM 1568, Campbell, Texas, 75422 or call 903-886-6498.  

Jim H. Ainsworth’s fourth novel, Home Light Burning from Sunstone Press, is now available. He is the author of four novels, a memoir, four business books and hundreds of articles.  He welcomes comments at www.jimainsworth.com