We Followed in the Footsteps of an American Icon

New York Times bestselling author Isaac Fitzgerald set off into the heart of America, following the path of the legendary Johnny Appleseed on an epic journey that both took him far from home and brought him closer to it.

The Friends of DCDL hosted an entertaining author visit that was part memoir, part history and part travelogue at Preservation Park's newly renovated Bicentennial Barn located in McCammon Creek Park on Thursday, September 17th from 6pm-8pm. Tickets for this event included a hardback copy of American Rambler: Walking the Trail of Johnny Appleseed.  Guests enjoyed apple cider slushies while shopping authenticated Johnny Appleseed trees, culinary seasonings, fruit preserves, herbal teas, salves & tinctures, local honey, apple cider vinegar, and beeswax candles from Stillwater Valley Orchard and Apiary. The book discussion was moderated by our very own Friends board member, Monte Stevens. After the discussion and Q & A, Isaac signed copies of his book. Back copies of his other books were also be available for purchase that evening from Beanbag Books.

About the Book

American Rambler follows Issac on a year-long journey from Massachusetts to Indiana tracing the real and mythic steps of John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed. Isaac walks, drives, and floats along the historic heartland route from Chapman’s birthplace in Leominster, Massachusetts, through Ohio to his final resting place in Fort Wayne, Indiana, examining monuments, festivals, and landscape.

Interwoven with the travel narrative are real facts about Chapman, including his spiritual background in an obscure Christian sect and the reality that his planted apples were largely meant for hard cider rather than eating.

Isaac uses the physical trek to unpack personal themes of grief, loss, a turbulent childhood, his struggles with alcohol, and the passing of his mother during the final stages of writing.