Laughter and Tears Through My Logging Years

History / Pacific Northwest / Logging / Biography:

“I was one lucky son of a gun to have been given a chance to be part of this new age of opening up the Boles and Joseph country to logging. I got to see and to be a part of the beginning of a new industry across the Salmon River,” according to the author.

But much of those logging and lumbering days are over as Clem Nuxoll had lived them. Rather than let those times escape into eternity, this woodsman captures many of those days, both the happy and sad ones, about his family and friends, in his book "Laughter and Tears Through My Logging Years."

Besides the jokes and adventures in genuine logger style, there are 15 poems and 75 photographs that add to this “rough-n-tough” man’s story. Not only does he entertain with personal tender touches, but the author describes in detail and with experience how loggers managed to get their job done without any chainsaws—a history lesson in itself. With the arrival of the chainsaw, however, there were lots of adjustments to be made and changes to follow.

The author recalls one particular incident with the lumberjack’s new tool:

“The saw hit me on the head, knocking off my hard hat. Boy, did the blood fly! I walked up to the landing and scared the hell out of everyone because of the blood running down my face. Rupe took me into the hospital where they put in four long stitches without any pain medicine. Dr. Rockwell said, ‘I heard loggers are tough. We are going to find out now.’ ”

When you read this logger’s book, you will also find out how really tough and loving are the people in Delbert (Clem) Nuxoll’s life.

"This book would stand alone just for the reading of the poems. The story is an added bonus." -- Richard Dwyer of Vancouver, WA

Captures the heart of our native county. For those who share a love of Idaho and the great Northwest. -- All of Clem's relatives and friends