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Library | Call Number | Status |
|---|---|---|
Searching... R.H. Stafford Library (Woodbury) | 921 SCHEESE | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
In this work, seasoned wilderness dweller Don Scheese charts a long season of watching for and fighting fires in Idaho's River of No Return Wilderness - the largest federal wilderness area in mainland USA. He offers a portrait of the forces that have shaped the landscape of the American West.
Author Notes
Don Scheese is an associate professor of English and director of the Environmental Studies Program at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota
Reviews (2)
Choice Review
Scheese offers a unique form of environmental writing in which he has merged personal narrative with meditations on the meanings and values of wilderness areas. He captures 12 seasons of fire lookout service and extensive backpacking experience in the Frank Church--River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho in an intriguing and delightful memoir. His environmental and cultural history of the largest official wilderness area in the lower 48 states and discussion of the problems inherent in defining and managing large areas of unique western landscapes are in the best tradition of Wallace Stegner, Edward Abbey, and Aldo Leopold. Blended with his environmental philosophies is a fascinating chronicle of living alone on a high remote peak and watching for fires. Scheese's account of a float trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River is particularly descriptive and insightful. This book will be enjoyed by a broad readership, but especially by those individuals with an interest in environmental history and management of federal wilderness areas. Strongly recommended for all readership levels. M. J. Zwolinski University of Arizona
Library Journal Review
Scheese (English and environmental studies, Gustavus Adolphus Coll.; Nature Writing: The Pastoral Impulse in America) spent 12 seasons in fire lookout towers in the largest official wilderness in the lower 48 states, which comprises much of central Idaho. During those summers, he had a lot of time between his official duties not only to explore the area but also to research the natural history of the region and ruminate on the value of wilderness in the West. This book is a delightful mix of the solitary day-to-day work of the fire lookout, descriptions of the flora and fauna and natural history of the region, favorite literary quotes, and a convincing argument for the importance of preserving wild space. With a useful bibliography, this is highly recommended for all collections and will especially appeal to fans of outdoor literature by Henry David Thoreau, Gary Snyder, Edward Abbey, and Aldo Leopold. Tim Markus, Evergreen State Coll. Lib., Olympia, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| Foreword | p. xi |
| Preface | p. xxiii |
| Acknowledgments | p. xxix |
| Spring | |
| 1 Settling In | p. 3 |
| 2 Working a Lookout | p. 15 |
| 3 Visitors | p. 27 |
| Summer | |
| 4 Independence Day | p. 41 |
| 5 Eyes in the Sky: A Brief History of Fire Lookouts | p. 46 |
| 6 Some Former Inhabitants | p. 53 |
| 7 Running the River | p. 77 |
| 8 Midsummer Musings and Field Notes | p. 103 |
| 9 Fire on the Mountain, Lightning in the Air | p. 109 |
| 10 Society | p. 117 |
| 11 Friends | p. 123 |
| 12 Pleasing Prospects | p. 130 |
| 13 Getting to the Source of Things | p. 135 |
| 14 The Bighorn Crags | p. 141 |
| 15 The Eagle Bar Fire | p. 157 |
| Fall | |
| 16 Hunting, the Fundamental Diversion | p. 171 |
| 17 The Habit of Walking | p. 178 |
| 18 The Fires of Fall | p. 182 |
| 19 Worship | p. 185 |
| Winter | |
| 20 Last Visitors | p. 193 |
| 21 Disappearances | p. 201 |
| 22 The State of Nature | p. 206 |
| Coda | p. 212 |
| Select Bibliography | p. 215 |
| Index | p. 221 |
