My Bearings

The bear track halted my run. It and a string of identical cousins imprinted the sandy trail ahead of me. If I paid no attention to the crescent moons pressed by the claws, the tracks resembled a child’s delicate footprint. Rounded, plump indents. Chubby toes. The cherubic tread traveled north on the trail, the same… Continue reading My Bearings

The Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy

Eyes do not see; they touch. Vision evolved from skin gathering light in minute detail. The brain does not think; it smells. It evolved from a large olfactory nerve in skull. It helped us sew memories and scents together.This book will change how (and who) you are in the world. Meloy, Ellen. The Anthropology of… Continue reading The Anthropology of Turquoise by Ellen Meloy

Apocalyptic Planet by Craig Childs

Gearing up to see Al Gore’s return in An Inconvenient Sequel? Be sure to add some good mental trail mix to your rucksack. Childs, Craig. Apocalyptic Planet: Field Guide to the Future of Earth. New York: Vintage, 2012. Print. Genre: narrative nonfiction Summary: Craig Childs travels around the world to showcase the impacts of climate… Continue reading Apocalyptic Planet by Craig Childs

Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey

The perfect book for anyone feeling, of late, as though the barbarian hordes are besieging all that is sacred and precious. Abbey, Edward. Desert Solitaire. New York: Ballantine, 1968. Print. Genre: nonfiction (nature/politics…enviropolitico?) Summary: Edward Abbey, a rebel-rousing UNM graduate, goes to work for the National Parks Service. He endures a year in Arches, Utah, where… Continue reading Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey