Books about Wildness from Amazon.com

Natural-history writer David Petersen's Heartsblood is not so much about hunting, although that controversial subject is an important part of the book, as is a lively, deeply intelligent discussion of what it means to be a human animal aware of what lies outside Petersen suggests that a true engagement with the natural world requires a keen knowledge of its workings--of how water flows, of how animal populations wax and wane--and a recognition of the realities of life and death.

An avid fisherman and hunter, Petersen has little patience with the yahoos who blast at anything in sight, those thoughtless persons who have given hunting a bad name. Neither does he suffer lightly those who maintain that hunting is morally wrong, for, he insists, in the absence of natural predators, hunters act as a necessary brake on overpopulation, which can lead only to suffering. He has little use for expensive gear, for GPS systems and top-of-the-line weapons, nor for most hunting magazines, which, he says, cater to just those yahoos with a taste for fancy goodies, and which he deems "greedy and increasingly immoral."

With all those peeves and qualifications, it would not be out of place for Petersen to assume a grumpy air. For the most part, however, he does not; he is cordial to those who disagree with his views, which he carefully backs with biological facts, philosophical and anthropological interpretations, and reflections gathered from a half-century's experience in the wild. His book deserves a wide audience, and the ideas within it merit much discussion as thoughtful men and women everywhere do what they can to protect what little is left of nature--a struggle in which hunting, Petersen holds, can play an important part. --Gregory McNamee.
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"For Love of Wildness" is Terry Grosz's eagerly anticipated sequel to the stories he told in his first book, "Wildlife Wars." Picking up where he left off, Grosz, who was a conservation officer for California and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years, begins this new book with his move from the state to the federal level, where the cases are often bigger and more complex. Grosz's stories are action-packed, yet always infused with his love of wildlife and the great outdoors, and he makes the urgent point in his book, as he did in his career, that our failure to protect our fragile natural resources is the same as stealing from our children and our children's children.

"Having been unable to put the first book down until the last shot was fired and the last poacher was clapped in irons, I'm eagerly awaiting more—from the safety of a reading lamp." —Ed Dentry, Denver Rocky Mountain News.
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The pressures of modern life are increasingly squeezing the adventure, the wonder, the physicality—the juice —out of children's lives. Virtually every arena of kids' experience is now subject to some form of outside control, and this is a serious threat to the unique spark that animates every child. Lamenting risk-averse parents, overstructured school days, and a lack of playtime and solitude, this book is a clear and compelling plea to save childhood.

"Mercogliano is, in effect, a cultural therapist . . . a purveyor of hope."
—Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia

"With deep insight, Mercogliano shows . . . how we can help young people break through conventional restraints and pursue their passions. This is a beautiful, searching, and inspiring book."
—William Crain, author of Reclaiming Childhood

"A very strong and attractive book."
—John Taylor Gatto, author of Dumbing Us Down

"Mercogliano's book, full of insight, enthusiasm and hope, is as readable and practical as it is illuminating."
—Publisher's Weekly.
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This classic text of environmental advocacy explores the philosophical issues of what makes the wilderness "wild," and suggests what we must do to keep it that way. Without some management, the world's wilderness cannot survive the number of people who seek to enjoy it. But with too much management, or the wrong kind, we will destroy the spiritual component of "wildness" in our zeal to preserve its physical side. With humor and insight, the Watermans look beyond the ecology of the backcountry to explore the factors that make it wild and consider the most difficult wilderness management issues facing us today. The huge increase in the popularity of recreational hiking and camping since the original publication of this book makes its message even more relevant today and its potential audience even larger..
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This unusual and inspiring collection of 70+ stories, essays, poems, and interviews revolves around the central theme of how wilderness affects us spiritually Through their experience of nature in its most basic form, the notable contributors (Robert Bly, Maxine Kumin, Terry Tempest Williams, and more) confront their relationship to themselves; to planet Earth, and all its inhabitants; and to the divine.

It is within the sanctuary of the wilderness, far from their computer screens and local espresso vendors, that these highly acclaimed writers find their strongest voice. As a result, these vivid stories of encounters with animals, wretched weather, fear, humility, and ultimately, spirit are gritty and as down to earth as it gets. New material from David Whyte, Gary Snyder, Wendell Berry, Nancy Wood, Deena Metzger, Laura Carithers, and Howard Nelson add an additional ten pages to this second edition..
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