Mountains Of Memory: A Fire Lookout'S Life (American Land & Life) - Hardcover

Scheese, Don

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0877457832 ISBN 13: 9780877457831

Publisher: University Of Iowa Press, 2001

Synopsis

In Mountains of Memory, 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 the mainland United States. An inspiring tale of self-discovery, Mountains of Memory paints a complex portrait of the natural, institutional, and historical forces that have shaped the great forested landscapes of the American West.

A student of nature writing as well as a fire lookout with over a decade of experience, Scheese recounts his life at the top of the world, along with daring adventures such as backpacking and mountaineering in the Bighorn Crags and kayaking down the Middle Fork of the Salmon River. All the while, he touches upon the mysterious and powerful realities of the wilderness around him stunning dawns visible within the glass cage perched on a 9,000-foot mountain, stirring flashes of lightning visible all around the dark landscape as the radio crackles with reports of strikes observed and fires spotted, long-awaited trips down the mountain to civilization for cold beer and hot pizza.

In the tradition of Edward Abbey and Gary Snyder, Don Scheese offers readers a meditation on the meaning and value of wilderness at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

About this title

About the Author

Don Scheese is an associate professor of English and director of the Environmental Studies Program at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. He is the author of Nature Writing: The Pastoral Impulse in America.

From Library Journal

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
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: University Of Iowa Press
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0877457832
• ISBN 13: 9780877457831
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 262