Roadless area

When it comes to outdoor writing, of natural history and the ability to place the reader into the environment he chooses to write about, it is difficult to beat Paul Brooks. His writing ability, artistic ability and feel for nature are without peer. In this volume of work, one I have read many times and will continue to do so, Brooks explores the quickly dwindling road less areas of the world we live. Among these areas he addresses in this work are: Canoeing the Border Lakes. The Olympic Wilderness Virgin Islands The Great Smokes Alaska Mexico's California And many, many other points of interest. The author takes us with he and his wife as they travel, and walk, canoe and travel through these areas, camping and observing as they go. We are talking up close observations here. His vivid descriptions of the country side, plants, animals, conditions, and overall natural history of each area are without compare. His essays in this book, such as Man and Wilderness are absolute classics in this field. I read a lot in this particular genre, and I have yet to come a cross a better writer. Paul Brooks has been the author of many books and hundreds of articles over the years and his work is currently being featured at The Walden Woods Project via the Thoreau Institute. (They have a wonderful wed site which is quite worth going to and browsing. One of his many works I recommend is Speaking for Nature: How Literary Naturalists from Henry Thoreau to Rachel Carson Have Shaped America." I know it is not "the thing" to be a tree hugger now days, but I make no apologies for it and do hope that we have more like Mr. Brooks coming down the line. Brooks died in 1998 at the age of 89 and was fighting the good fight until the end. Anyway, I digress; if you like outdoor writing, and writing that actually gives useful information and tips, then this is certainly a work you will want to read. Brooks was a natural story teller and possessed a very smooth writing style. If you find a copy of this book, try to find one with his illustrations as his art work is quite good also. I am pretty sure it is out of print now and my old copy from the late 1960s is getting in pretty ragged shape. If you have any interest in this sort of thing, then this, and his other writings, are almost a must. Don Blankenship The Ozarks