Destined to become a classic of adventure literature, The Last Season examines the extraordinary life of legendary backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson and his mysterious disappearance in California's unforgiving Sierra Nevada—mountains as perilous as they are beautiful.

Eric Blehm's masterful work is a gripping detective story interwoven with the riveting biography of a complicated, original, and wholly fascinating man.

Length: 384 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
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Product details

File Size: 1490 KB
Print Length: 384 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books; Reprint edition (October 13, 2009)
Publication Date: October 13, 2009
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B000S1LV0O
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

X-Ray:

Not Enabled

Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

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- #3 in Books > Business & Money > Industries > Sports & Entertainment > Park & Recreation
- #6 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Sports > Outdoors & Nature > Hiking & Camping > Instructional
- #7 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Biographies & Memoirs > Professionals & Academics > Environmentalists & Naturalists

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Customer Reviews

279

4.6 out of 5 stars

5 star		70%
4 star		20%
3 star		5%
2 star		4%
1 star		1%

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Top Customer Reviews

Great writing of a mysterious outdoors disappearance

ByBobon September 5, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Blehm is a great writer, you can see the journalistic skills at work in the level of detail he puts into this story. I wish all such writers took the time to do such thorough research and present all facets of the subject. Ranger Randy was really brought to life, from his interesting childhood growing up in Yosemite, with an nature focused father, who was friends with Muir and others. This carried through to Randy's 28 years as a seasonal Ranger at SEKI, his college years, time in the Peace Corps, climbing in the Himalayas, through decades of marriage. Through the mystery of Randy's disappearance Blehm leaves the reader to judge (or not) the flaws and consequences of this interesting man; one who certainly gave more to the Parks and those who visited than he received, though he himself may have disputed that.

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Enjoyable but could have been more concise

ByConstant Readeron September 6, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I am a frequent Sierra visitor so many of the locations mentioned are places I have been or camped -- that's my disclaimer! I enjoyed this book but not nearly as much as many of the other reviewers appear to have. Like some I think it would have worked much better in a shorter form. It would have been the perfect length for a New Yorker feature for example. Certain elements of the story get repeated so many times as to encourage section skipping, something I normally don't do in a book I like.

There are a couple of things in the book that rang a little odd to me. Referring to Randy's travels to Bangkok as "exploring" the religion of "hedonism" is hopefully intended as humor, and there are other places where the writer glosses over what seem to be major lapses in relationship judgement. Ditto for Randy's female friend in the mountains, who escapes with barely a scratch despite some pretty questionable tactics. I also did not really grasp the picture painted of Alden Nash, who seems to graduate from passive, annoyed observer to active participant only after the mystery has been solved. Maybe the writer had to steer around some complex politics in writing this book given that so many of the participants are still alive and even contributed to his work.

If the book's aim was to show what an incredible ranger and asset to our parks Randy was, then it succeeded completely. He seemed to be the absolute ideal ranger. Indeed I would have liked to have seen him move more into oversight and politics as he got older, as his thoughts on managing parks and visitors aligned very closely with my own.

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I found it hard to put down

ByScott FSVINE VOICEon April 26, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

"The Last Season" is the story (really a mystery) of a National Park Ranger Randy Morgenson, who disappeared while patrolling in the back country of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National parks.

There are plenty of reviews now available, so one can get an idea about Randy and the book about his vanishing. I'll just add another 5 star review, as the book was enthralling. I took it everywhere with me because I could hardly put it down.

Highly recommended! If you love or even like the great outdoors, especially the mountains, this is the book for you. Part travel book, part meditation, part mystery, "The Last Season" delivers on all counts. I'm sure I read it again, even knowing how it all turns out. Get this book!

July 2014 update: I still have fond memories of reading this book. I judge other books against how much I liked this one.

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Fear and Loathing Meets John Muir

ByGeorgeon March 23, 2006

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

OK. Total Disclosure: I worked with and was a friend of Randy Morgenson -- the subject of this book -- for over 25 years; I was also interviewed for the book (endlessly, it seemed).

For all that, when I read this (a manuscript copy), I found it compelling. I mean, I lived the whole thing pretty intimately, but kept wondering "hmm, I wonder what happens next?"

A number of the reviews emphasize Randy's apparently troubled life. That's kind of true, but I notice one of the reviewers calls it a love story -- a love for the land. And I think that's closer to it. It's also one of the few honest descriptions of the exciting, glamorous life of a backcountry ranger (the fast cars, alluring women, investment strategies...)I've run across (Jordan Fischer-Smith's "Nature Noir", though not about backcountry rangers, is the other excellent account of rangering).

Anyway, if you're a hiker or one of those folks who always wanted to be a backcountry ranger, this is the book to read. Maybe a cautionary tale but, really, it's all about not being happy anywhere else.

George

22 comments 284 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Read with a open mind.. Look into what a indivigual who was dedicated to his job.

Byrobert allenon August 3, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

It is a excellent story that gives a reader not only some beautiful descriptions of some beautiful country in our nation, it also gives us some insight of the history of a park ranger and the large areas that they may be responsible for. It also. Gives us the political problems that a large organization to try and keep their equipment updated.

The trials of a Search and Rescue operation are very evident in this book. It reveals how even today with all of the dead communications spots in our country, even the best individuals can end up in a very serious situation and not be found until it is to late.

I rate this book at the highest level.

Bob

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

A great read

I couldn't put this book down. Thank you for weaving this gripping story, and introducing me to Randy and his life.Read more

Published 9 days ago by NukeCGN25

True Story

Published 12 days ago by cathleen m rehr

Sparked a fire!

One of the best written books I've read in awhile. Was suspenseful and informational, the author painted a picture that was realistic.Read more

Published 26 days ago by Ari

No walk in the woods!

This is an excellent report of one extraordinary ranger, I could not put this book down!Read more

Published 1 month ago by Robert R. Tyl

Five Stars

Another fantastic book by Eric Blehm Read more

Published 2 months ago by Joseph Szukics

Five Stars

Met my expectations.Read more

Published 2 months ago by Walter F. Payne

Five Stars

Awesome adventure book. Ranks up there with "Into Thin Air"Read more

Published 2 months ago by Lisa Lampkin

Eric Blehm is so easy to read

Eric Blehm is so easy to read. I'm not one to sit and devour a book in short order, however, this is the second of his books I have finished faster than I wished.Read more

Published 3 months ago by Darren Linn

Five Stars

Great book, hard to put down Read more

Published 3 months ago by Amazon Customer

Five Stars

great book, thank you Read more

Published 4 months ago by Pam

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