Winter Study Nevada Barr
In bestseller Barr's chilling 14th mystery thriller to feature National Park Service ranger Anna Pigeon (after 2005's Hard Truth), Anna joins the team of Winter Study, a research project intended to study the wolves and moose of Michigan's Isle Royale National Park, the setting for 1994's A Superior Death. Complicating the study is Bob Menechinn, an untrustworthy Homeland Security officer assigned to shadow the research. Crowded into inhospitable lodgings and persecuted by unrelenting cold, Anna is far from her comfort zone as nature turns awry with a series of bizarre events. The team stumbles upon the tracks--and the mutilated victim--of a preternaturally large, unidentified beast, and local packs of wolves descend on human- populated areas, a behavior out of step with their species. The campfire legends of youth metastasize into adult fears as Anna must piece together a connection between these anomalies while guarding herself from the strangers around her. Barr's visceral descriptions of the winter cold nicely complement the paranoia that follows the appearance of the mythic monsters at play.
Publishers Weekly Review; February 2008.
Waltzing in Ragtime Eileen Charbonneau
Award-winning YA author Charbonneau (The Ghosts of Stony Clove) successfully crosses over to adult fiction with this lively historical novel spiked with steamy romance. In 1903, Olana Whittaker, the spoiled 23-year-old daughter of a timber tycoon, is covering the grand opening of Sequoia National Park for a San Francisco newspaper when she meets Matthew Hart, the park's long-haired, bearded ranger, who is determined to keep lumber interests away from the magnificent trees. After rescuing Olana during a blizzard in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Matthew brings her back to his tree house, where he uses primitive remedies to heal her severe frostbite, and the two begin a simmering romance. In fact, after he returns Olana to her wealthy family, Matt reluctantly agrees to stay in San Francisco until she fully recovers; in gratitude, Olana's father gives him the desired acreage for the park. But soon, Matthew resigns his park post in the wake of disturbing disclosures about his past. Olana follows him to his mother's home in St. Pitias, where she learns some surprising secrets, experiences passionate love and has an explosive argument with Matt that leads to her marriage to Darius Moore, her father's despicable business partner. Other developments in this eventful soap opera include murder and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Charbonneau's mix of sexy romance and melodrama provides plenty of entertainment.
Publishers Weekly Review; July 1996.
The National ParksDayton Duncan
America’s national parks spring from an idea as radical as the Declaration of Independence: that the nation’s most magnificent and sacred places should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. In this evocative and lavishly illustrated narrative, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan delve into the history of the park idea, from the first sighting by white men in 1851 of the valley that would become Yosemite and the creation of the world’s first national park at Yellowstone in 1872, through the most recent additions to a system that now encompasses nearly four hundred sites and 84 million acres.The authors recount the adventures, mythmaking, and intense political battles behind the evolution of the park system, and the enduring ideals that fostered its growth. They capture the importance and splendors of the individual parks: from Haleakala in Hawaii to Acadia in Maine, from Denali in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, from Glacier in Montana to Big Bend in Texas. And they introduce us to a diverse cast of compelling characters—both unsung heroes and famous figures such as John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams—who have been transformed by these special places and committed themselves to saving them from destruction so that the rest of us could be transformed as well.
Book Description.
These Rare Lands Stan Jorstad
Landscape photographer Jorstad traveled numerous times to each of this country's 54 national parks to capture the unique beauty found in each. Arranging the photos chronologically by the date each park was established lends an interesting perspective to this all-color collection of largely panoramic views; by focusing on unique angles and subject matter, Jorstad offers an alternative to more traditional tourist-vista collections. While the large-format photos convey the sense of space and grandeur found in the parks, some of the most striking images are the smaller-format close-ups of more mundane subjects that benefit from the scrutiny. Accompanied by text from former American Poet Laureate Strand and a brief foreword by actor Robert Redford, this top-notch work offers a most inviting glimpse of world-renowned scenery.
Library Journal Review; January 1998.
No Certain RestJim Lehrer
When two Civil War relic hunters stumble upon human remains on a hill overlooking Antietam Creek, National Park Service archaeologist Dr. Don Spaniel is called in to excavate. This novel follows Spaniel's quest for the truth and the consequences of his decision to reveal his discoveries. Spaniel employs the help of a forensic anthropologist, a retired army colonel and Civil War history buff, the Army War College, and various historical societies in solving the mystery. Excerpts from the fictional journal of Union soldier Albert Randolph are interspersed throughout, along with detailed snippets from actual archived materials, giving the novel the fullness and flavor of historical fiction. Though focused on fictional characters both past and present, this novel provides a considerable amount of history incidental to Civil War military life, especially at Antietam, in addition to being a very entertaining story. Though Antietam is the subject of various adult and juvenile fiction, most notably Bernard Cornwell's The Bloody Ground, this latest effort by news commentator/author Lehrer (The Special Prisoner) is recommended for all public libraries.
Library Journal Review; July 2002.
The Sorrow of Archaeology
Russell Martin
In his fourth novel, set near the rugged four corners area of southwestern Colorado, Martin employs a 700-year-old skeleton as a metaphor for a modern-day woman's struggle with disease. On a dig near Tse Canyon with her husband, Harry, Sarah finds the deformed leg bone of a young Puebloan girl, who also shows evidence of a fatal head injury. Sarah relates on some deep level to this long-dead girl, and wonders about her fate. Sarah had to give up her medical practice when the 'exacerbations' of her multiple sclerosis became more frequent and increasingly debilitating. She also suffered a miscarriage, and she and Harry are forced to face the likelihood that their marriage will remain childless. Now Sarah begins to suspect her husband's attentions may be wandering. The vivid Mesa Verde landscape and strong characters drive the plot, but, unfortunately, the intriguing story of the young Puebloan girl is forgotten as Martin focuses on Sarah's sexual insecurities and growing inferiority complex as a result of her disease.
Booklist Review; October 2005.
The Last Season
Eric Blehm
In this tribute to backcountry National Park Service rangers (and a poignant and evocative homage to one in particular), Blehm (Agents of Change: The Story of DC Shoes and Its Athletes) instantly captures readers. Randy Morgenson served as a backcountry ranger in the Sierra Nevada Mountains for 28 seasons until he mysteriously disappeared. His remains were only found five years later. Did Morgenson purposefully walk away, or did he meet with a tragic accident? Blehm uses Morgenson's journals to retrace Morgenson's steps and to illustrate the lives of backcountry rangers, who protect, serve, save, and recover with little recognition. Readers will experience the daily hopes of rescue and the eventual letdown when the search efforts must be called off. While the book is a tribute to one man, the descriptions of backcountry rangers' lives will fascinate many. Readers who enjoyed Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild may also appreciate.
Library Journal Review; May 2006.
Guide to the National Parks
National Geographic
Featuring 375 color photos and 80 full-color detailed maps—more than any other park guidebook—this is the most comprehensive, up-to-the-minute book of its kind on the market today. It reflects National Geographic’s century-long association with America’s national parks system and its peerless reputation for travel expertise and cartographic excellence.The guide opens with an essay by Yellowstone authority Paul Schullery, a section on how to use the guide, and a national locator map. The parks are presented alphabetically region by region, with individual maps and geographical profiles. Colorfully illustrated descriptions offer tours tailored to the time available, whether it’s an hour or a week, and tell visitors the best spots to enjoy hikes, spectacular vistas, wildlife, and more. An Information & Activities page provides practical advice on visiting—park contact information, camping and lodging, accessibility, pet restrictions, things to do, and special advisories. Excursions to nearby wildlife refuges, monuments, forests, and other areas of exceptional interest follow many of the park entries.From planning a trip to making the most of every minute, here’s all the information anyone could want on the scenic national parks—the crown jewels of the park system—plus invaluable advice from National Geographic writers who know them well.
Book Description.
The Sorrow of ArchaeologyRussell Martin
In his fourth novel, set near the rugged four corners area of southwestern Colorado, Martin employs a 700-year-old skeleton as a metaphor for a modern-day woman's struggle with disease. On a dig near Tse Canyon with her husband, Harry, Sarah finds the deformed leg bone of a young Puebloan girl, who also shows evidence of a fatal head injury. Sarah relates on some deep level to this long-dead girl, and wonders about her fate. Sarah had to give up her medical practice when the 'exacerbations' of her multiple sclerosis became more frequent and increasingly debilitating. She also suffered a miscarriage, and she and Harry are forced to face the likelihood that their marriage will remain childless. Now Sarah begins to suspect her husband's attentions may be wandering. The vivid Mesa Verde landscape and strong characters drive the plot, but, unfortunately, the intriguing story of the young Puebloan girl is forgotten as Martin focuses on Sarah's sexual insecurities and growing inferiority complex as a result of her disease.
Booklist Review; October 2005.
The Last SeasonEric Blehm
In this tribute to backcountry National Park Service rangers (and a poignant and evocative homage to one in particular), Blehm (Agents of Change: The Story of DC Shoes and Its Athletes) instantly captures readers. Randy Morgenson served as a backcountry ranger in the Sierra Nevada Mountains for 28 seasons until he mysteriously disappeared. His remains were only found five years later. Did Morgenson purposefully walk away, or did he meet with a tragic accident? Blehm uses Morgenson's journals to retrace Morgenson's steps and to illustrate the lives of backcountry rangers, who protect, serve, save, and recover with little recognition. Readers will experience the daily hopes of rescue and the eventual letdown when the search efforts must be called off. While the book is a tribute to one man, the descriptions of backcountry rangers' lives will fascinate many. Readers who enjoyed Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild may also appreciate.
Library Journal Review; May 2006.
Guide to the National ParksNational Geographic
Featuring 375 color photos and 80 full-color detailed maps—more than any other park guidebook—this is the most comprehensive, up-to-the-minute book of its kind on the market today. It reflects National Geographic’s century-long association with America’s national parks system and its peerless reputation for travel expertise and cartographic excellence.The guide opens with an essay by Yellowstone authority Paul Schullery, a section on how to use the guide, and a national locator map. The parks are presented alphabetically region by region, with individual maps and geographical profiles. Colorfully illustrated descriptions offer tours tailored to the time available, whether it’s an hour or a week, and tell visitors the best spots to enjoy hikes, spectacular vistas, wildlife, and more. An Information & Activities page provides practical advice on visiting—park contact information, camping and lodging, accessibility, pet restrictions, things to do, and special advisories. Excursions to nearby wildlife refuges, monuments, forests, and other areas of exceptional interest follow many of the park entries.From planning a trip to making the most of every minute, here’s all the information anyone could want on the scenic national parks—the crown jewels of the park system—plus invaluable advice from National Geographic writers who know them well.
Book Description.
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