“Keene’s Law”
a novel by George Patte

on WSKG Radio’s OFF THE PAGE
L I V E  Tuesday, August 8 at 1pm
(Repeating at 7pm)

“The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed, or destroyed.”

          The “forever wild” clause, however, does not exclude private ownership in the park. In fact, slightly more than half of the territory is in private hands – full- and part-time residents number nearly 250,000 and over ten million people visit the Adirondacks each year.
          The natural splendor and legal consequence of the Adirondacks provides both plot and setting for George Patte’s novel “Keene’s Law”. The story begins in 1960 with an elderly lawyer, Jack Durant, remembering back to the 1890s when his father and law partner, Keene Durant, was involved in legal transactions as private and state boundaries were established. The action then moves forward from the end of the 19th century as two cases confront the Keene Law Firm. A poor family is threatened with eviction from their small farm unless the validity of their ownership can be proven, and a tract of nearly 400,000 acres in the Great Basin belonging to Keene’s friend William Longfellow could be lost due to a dubious tax foreclosure.
          Longfellow dies suddenly and ownership is transferred to his daughter, Kora, Jack’s childhood playmate and grown-up romantic interest. She and Jack hold contrasting views of the future of the forest wilderness, reflecting the philosophies of the then-contemporary naturalists John Muir and John Burroughs. Burroughs (who makes a cameo appearance in “Keene’s Law”) believed that wilderness should be developed as a place for human escape and careful development, Muir that it should remain untouched.

          I bit my tongue at the sentiment expressed by Burroughs, but Kora didn’t. I’d glanced at her at Burroughs’ reference to the wealthy land barons, and had known right then that she wouldn’t remain silent much longer. As Burroughs fed a log to the fire, Kora burst out with a response.
          “Mr. Burroughs, my father was a land baron. He opened up some of the wilderness here, he lumbered off the land and worked mines. He didn’t necessarily feel that the Basin should be preserved forever wild – a position you and I might agree on. But it’s something that has to be studied closely before a decision is made.”
                                              --from Keene’s Law

          Legal issues are well-researched and precisely developed in the novel, for George Patte is a practicing attorney in Ithaca. He is also a lifelong visitor to the Adirondacks, an avid fly fisherman (“Keene’s Law” contains several precise and lyric descriptions of fishing in the mountain streams) and a first-time novelist. “The creative process of depicting the era,” he explains, “and the issues of wilderness and love converging around the ‘forever wild’ concept, was very inspirational to me. These issues still shape and guide us today. My experience as a kid from a French-Canadian background instilled in me an interest in the area that has spiritual aspects – one that I seem to have a need to express in my writing!”
          George Patte will join WSKG’s Bill Jaker on OFF THE PAGE to discuss the legal, environmental, human and literary issues in “Keene’s Law”. To join in the conversation call toll-free during the 1:00 PM live broadcast to 1-888/359-9754 or post a comment or question HERE... or directly to WSKG.Radio@Gmail.com.

The Olivia Kidney stories by Ellen Potter are among today’s most popular children’s books with their “all-around weirdness and adventure”. Ms. Potter visits with Crystal Sarakas on OFF THE PAGE on Tuesday, August 22nd to tell about Olivia and answer queries from readers young and old.