Book Review: “Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands: A Young Politician’s Quest for Recovery in the American West”

One positive outcome of this plague unpleasantness is I have been able to make a dent in my seemingly always-growing stack of unread books. One of the more enjoyable reading excursions was Roger L. Di Silvestro’s “Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands”. In June 1884, a 24-year old Theodore Roosevelt arrived in the Badlands a broken man. Both his wife and his mother had died just … Continue reading Book Review: “Theodore Roosevelt in the Badlands: A Young Politician’s Quest for Recovery in the American West”

Book Review: Darwin Lambert, “The Undying Past of Shenandoah National Park”

This is a delightful book. I have always loved hiking in Shenandoah National Park, not only because of its natural beauty, breathtaking views, tasty blackberries, and the occasional bear sighting, but also because of the way you can feel the closeness and immediacy of the rich history of the region as you hike along. Old stone walls, crumbling foundations, abandoned mines and moonshine hollows, the … Continue reading Book Review: Darwin Lambert, “The Undying Past of Shenandoah National Park”

Book Review / Recommendation: Robert Moor, “On Trails”

If you are self-distancing and looking for an entertaining way to while away the hours, you can do no better than to pick up a copy of Robert Moor’s award-winning book “On Trails”. It truly is a remarkable book and, without question, the best hiking-related work I’ve read in the last several years. Readers are taken on a rich, globe-spanning journey (sometimes meandering but always … Continue reading Book Review / Recommendation: Robert Moor, “On Trails”

Walking with History: Revisiting Earl Shaffer’s “Walking With Spring”

“Most people never in all their lives sleep under the open sky, and never realize what they are missing.” – Earl Shaffer I started my flip-flop hike of the Appalachian Trail on April 15. As preparation for my hike, in addition to the usual obsessing about gear and doing several shakedown hikes, I read books. A lot of books. These included books on how to … Continue reading Walking with History: Revisiting Earl Shaffer’s “Walking With Spring”