Making the Bear Dance [Perfect Paperback]

Jeff Connor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2001

From a naturalist point of view, Connor recounts the adventures he had as a wildland firefighter. From the Chicken Complex, the Happy Camp Complex, and the Yellowstone Fires of 1988, to single tree fires in wilderness with miles to hike to reach them, these stories run the gamut. With a progression of the author's maturity from eager, but not-to-intelligent beginner, to a seasoned leader, these stories mix a fight for nature to rule Her land and a fight to preserve the homes of people nestled against the edges of wilderness. "Connor's unique account of wildland firefighting gives an insider's perspective on the rigors and issues surrounding this hot and politically charged topic. Set in some of the most breath-taking natural areas of North America, Making the Bear Dance gives a vicarious glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes."

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jeff Connor is a born storyteller." -- Nancy Wilson, Program Director, Rocky Mountain Seminars, Rocky Mountain National Park

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc.; 1 edition (January 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878391657
• ISBN-13: 978-0878391653
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,384,329 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories, November 6, 2010

By 

Thomas Ribe "Earth Reader" (Santa Fe, NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Making the Bear Dance (Perfect Paperback)

The American public lands are great places of our common heritage and they are places where people chose to spend their careers doing highly unusual work in spectacular settings. Thousands of people have worked for the US Forest Service, the BLM, and the National Park Service in this beautiful public heritage but few have written well about their experiences since Edward Abbey published Desert Solitaire in the 1960s.

Jeff Conner is an easterner who chose to come out West to experience our public land heritage in a rambling career with various federal agencies. He took careful notice of the land in places like Utah, New Mexico and California and his experiences working on forest fires reveal the true adventure of wildland fire and park rangering. Jeff recognizes that public lands are the great places for the great American adventure and his stories reflect his close attention to landscape and his strange experiences with the people who work on public lands.

I highly recommend this book, having pursued a career in conservation myself. If you ever wanted to know what people who fight fires and raft rivers for a living really experience out in the field, read Jeff's book. His description of fighting little fires in New Mexico and huge fires in California are pure gold. He writes well and he notices the right things. His story of the big Happy Camp Fire in California will surprise you and raise your heart rate.

This is a great read. Savor it and renew your commitment to our public lands and the public servants who work there on our behalf.