Wild to the Heart [Paperback]

Rick Bass (Author), Elizabeth Hughes (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 1997

A lyrical exploration of wildness and freedom in nature and in ourselves.

In these thirteen essays, Rick Bass is a man divided, a lover of wilderness tied to the city. On long weekends, in his Volkswagen Rabbit, he drives away from Jackson, Mississippi, and the job that confines him. His excursions which take him to southern rivers, southern swamps, and sometimes to conservation meetings also lead to musings about his favorite mountains, grizzly bears, and the wildness in all of us. Drawings

Editorial Reviews

Review

Rick Bass is a lively, alert, fully engaged writer with something to say and he says it good. (Edward Abbey )

About the Author

Rick Bass lives in the Yaak Valley of Montana and is the author of The Watch, Ninemile Wolves, and Winter, among other books. His most recent book of short stories is In the Loyal Mountains.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (May 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393314871
• ISBN-13: 978-0393314878
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,832,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Book by Bass, August 26, 2001

By 

M. Silva (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild to the Heart (Paperback)

I am not a Rick Bass expert. I have only read In the Loyal Mountins, The Watch, and now Wild to the Heart, but i love his writting. Wild to the Heart is no different. The book contains thirteen essays written by Bass ranging in scope from Siera Club meetings to birthday partys that involve both canoeing and clog dancing. This book is filled with all of Bass' genius, the simple but magical language, the vivid descriptions of nature, and his interacting with people and earth. I love the way that Bass can write about nature and hiking and even if you've never done these things, he brings them alive and shows the beauty of them. The thing that I liked most about this book (and all his books) is the fact that his language is clear and easy to approach. He doesn't bog the writing down by trying to show off his masterfull vocabulary, and this creates very fluid prose. Such descriptions as "niglets of rain splatter us" are so interesting, and he never seems to use cliche metaphors. This book is strong all the way through, but I would have to pick "On Camp Robbers, Rock Swifts, and Other Things Wild to the Heart," as my favorite. There is a scene in which he's describing different birds that both hade me laughing and wondering at how someone could write so well. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was that i found the story "Paying Dues" a little weak and it got a little preachy towards the end. While this book is not as good as "The Watch" (but really, how could it be) it is most definatley a great book and worth anyone's time who cares to read it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a journal, July 4, 2011

By 

J. Ruff - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wild to the Heart (Paperback)

I really like Rick Bass' writing style and love affair with the wildness of nature. Like many of us, he struggles with having to be responsible and make a living, but also wanting to break free. Bass' refuge is usually the mountains, but in "Wild to the Heart" he finds himself with "river people."