Of Men and Mountains: The Classic Memoir of Wilderness Adventure [Paperback]

William O. Douglas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2001

A book of personal adventure and discovery: an account of the way Douglas and other men managed to find a richer life in the mountains.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Highly interesting and rewarding."--The New York Times

From the Back Cover

When Bill Douglas was a child, he nearly died of infantile paralysis. To build back the strength in his wasted legs, he started hiking through the sage-covered foothills around his home in Yakima, Washington. The cure worked; and year by year he pushed his explorations further into the tangled, rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Of Men and Mountains is a book of personal adventure and discovery - an account of the way Douglas and other men managed to find a richer life in the mountains, and how they found something else besides. Its pages are filled with the stories of the sheepherders, Native Americans, fishermen, and foresters who learned to survive in the wilderness, to enjoy it, and to learn the secret of the true serenity of spirit. (5 1/2 x 8 1/4, 352 pages)

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585743968
• ISBN-13: 978-1585743964
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #937,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book allows you to visit MY mountains, February 9, 2006

By 

Robert "whidbeyfisher" (Puget Sound, Wa, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Of Men and Mountains: The Classic Memoir of Wilderness Adventure (Paperback)

This book is a wonderful and gentle journey of one man who loved to be in the mountains! As an adult I started backpacking the very areas Douglas talks about in the book and have grown quite fond of the southern portion of the Cascades. Names like Darling Mountain, Fryingpan Lake, Fifes Peak, Old Snowy Mountain and Conrad Meadows - I've been to most of these places!

Through Justice Douglas I get to see how it was so long ago! Very well written, you get to hear about the adventures of young men growing up and doing the things that young men did in the early 1900s. And while specific to the Wallowas and the south central Cascades, the story is told as if the forests he visits were the forests closest to you. Each little lesson he learns, he shares. Tips on cooking and fishing and surviving - and how to be a little less afraid and a little more inspired. These are the forests that are visited by wise scholars and simple horsemen and everyone in between.

The book is definitely not a work of fiction - you couldn't possibly describe these places in the way that he does without having been there. The book is about real places with real people. Don't take my word for it - drive to Tampico near Yakima in Washington and hike up to Darling Mountain. Then go down to Conrad Meadows and to the Tieton Basin. Walk across Highway 12 and up Indian Creek trail to the Blankenship Meadows and then up to the top of Tumac Mountain. When you're tired looking as far as the eye can see, go down to Twin Sisters Lake for bit of fishing and a night of rest before the long journey to Bumping Lake and then on to Goose Prairie where Douglas once lived. These are a few of the places that Justice Douglas takes you to.

If you want the controversy of William O. Douglas read "Wild Bill: The Legend and Life of William O. Douglas". If you want to read about men and mountains, then I highly suggest this book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Of Men and Mountains, June 15, 2010

By 

David M. Silva - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Of Men and Mountains: The Classic Memoir of Wilderness Adventure (Paperback)

A classic memoir of wilderness adventure. Easy reading for the outdoor enthusiast. Fishing, hiking, and friendship in the great outdoors. Read and enjoy!!!! By William O. Douglas U.S. Supreme Court Justice 1939-1975

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars love the mountains, October 11, 2009

By 

Thomas Hill (north carolina) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Of Men and Mountains: The Classic Memoir of Wilderness Adventure (Paperback)

Very good book. A little long winded at times, seems to ramble somme. Overall good read.