Kristen Kemp of Parents Magazine has selected Let Them Be Eaten By Bears as a “Mom Must Read” selection for June. Excerpt:
“His relatable writing style and first person stories—he’s also the founder of an outdoors program for high schoolers—will make you want to hop in puddles, gaze at clouds and share the wonder of nature with your children ASAP.”
Since I always post magazine and newspaper reviews when I can, I thought it’d be good to post a review of a different kind.
This person is not a professional reviewer, but she took a fair amount of time and really reviewed Let Them Be Eaten By Bears. She hated it. I mean HATED it. But at least she read it and committed to writing about it. And as I always say, love me or hate me, either one is fine by me. No ambivalence:
NW Book Lovers posted my agent’s (Adriann Ranta’s) squirrel story. It’s a pretty good one.
I was reading the new Poets & Writers issue yesterday, and I came across this quote by the poet Frank Bidart (if you don’t know him, he’s been suggested as a future Poet Laureate by many critics and readers):
“We live in this awkward culture that tells people that they have to have a job, have money to buy things, but that the job does not have to be connected to one’s soul, one’s inner life or spirit or sense of self-worth. On the contrary, the aim of work seems to be retirement where you can fish all day or go to Florida or someplace – which seems to me grotesque, an absolute impoverishing of the idea of human life.”
As my seniors were leaving the Integrated Outdoor Program yesterday, and I thought about all of the adventures I’ve been on with them over the past two years (snowshoeing, climbing, river swimming, camping, looking at the stars, biking, spelunking, etc.), I realized how grateful I am to get to do the job that I do. My job is an incredible daily blessing. I get to be outside with young people. I get to adventure and explore with them. We get to read great literature together, write poetry, discuss philosophy, and lay in the sun. We get to make primitive fire and wander off trail. Take shelter under Coastal Redwoods. Get lost and find our way once again.
This life is a good life. Thank you to all of my seniors. I love you.
Thank you to FamilyBandage.com for the following book review for Let Them Be Eaten By Bears. Excerpt:
“Many books like this more-or-less talk down to its readers. This one doesn’t. Hoffmeister wrote this book as though he was talking to friends and fellow outdoor enthusiasts. He has experience–a lot of it–which he refers to often, but not in a look-at-me-I’m-boasting kind of way. He’s very relateable, as a parent, spouse, instructor, and all-around fun-loving individual.” – FamilyBandage.com
The review is called:
This is an old, old debate between outdoors people:
Which is better, going to different places, being inspired by new natural settings OR getting to know one wild place really really well?
Both are good philosophies. New, different, inspiring places and activities spark curiosity and require adaptability. And that’s excellent. It’s good to get out of your comfort zone.
But learning a somewhat wild place (a place that has no trails and no water and no bathrooms) and getting to know everything about it is very cool too. That inspires confidence and a love for the outdoors, a love for place.
