Wildfire: A Reader [Paperback]

Alianor True (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2000

This is an edited collection of essays on wildfire. Pieces were selected to show the literary and aesthetic aspects of wildfire, and the evolution of our understanding of it. These essays focus on the intriguing, frightening, awe-inspiring dimensions of fire within an ecological framework. Nature Writer And Wildland Firefighter gathers together some of the finest stories and essays ever written about wildfire in America.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Rooted in NatureThe use of "controlled burning" to regenerate plant growth or clear an area of persistent insects can be traced to the earliest Native Americans, while European settlers largely regarded fire as a destructive force. In Wildfire: A Reader, wildfire firefighter Alianor True (American Nature Writing: 2000) has forged a rich collection of literary essays including writers from Mark Twain to Edward Abbey who vividly describe their fascination with fire and with harnessing its extraordinary energy.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This collection gathers a wide variety of stories and essays written on wildfire in America. The editor, who contributes a piece describing a summer she spent fighting fires on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, has included works ranging from Native creation myths to modern stories of wildfire up to the 2000 Cerro Grande fire near Los Alamos, NM. Also covered are selections from writers as diverse as Edward Abbey, John Muir, Mark Twain, Aldo Leopold, John McPhee, and others. True has attempted to show how our attitude toward wildfire has changed from adversarial to accepting. For instance, today we use controlled burns to restore open spaces and clear underbrush choking many forests owing to years of aggressive fire suppression. Recommended for all natural science collections, this unique collection should especially appeal to public library patrons. [This title joins a recent boomlet of new books about wildfires, including David Strohmaier's The Seasons of Fire: Reflections on Fire in the West (LJ 6/15/01), Stephen Pyne's Year of the Fires: The Story of the Great Fires of 1910 (LJ 5/15/01), and Sebastian Junger's forthcoming Fire (Norton, October). Ed.] Tim Markus, Evergreen State Coll. Lib., Olympia, WA.
- Tim Markus, Evergreen State Coll. Lib., Olympia, WA.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Island Press; 1st edition (June 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559639075
• ISBN-13: 978-1559639071
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,101,436 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars well worth the read, March 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Wildfire: A Reader (Paperback)

An outstanding collection of essays on wildfire and fire ecology, this book put many of my own ill-formed ideas and smoky musing into clear, engaging words. I recommend reading the latter essays first, which vividly bring the out magic of firefighting and fire use in modern life and conservation. The essay by the editor (True) is a wonderful description of how being a firefighter changed her perceptions of nature (as it did for me and so many others as well); the essay on "pride and glory" reveals what many in fire feel but are often reluctant to reveal; the essay on Cerro Grande taught me a few things I didn't know about that fire; the contributions from the two MacLeans (father and son) are excellent excerpts from their respective books on wildland firefighting (both MUST READS in their own right); and of course good ole Ed Abbey--always ready with a sweet one-liner or two--has some wonderful sections from his life as a fire lookout. Some of the early essays are not nearly as engaging, and might be of limited interest; this is the only reason I gave it four instead of five stars.

If you are fascinated at all with the world of wildland fire, get this book.