Wild Thoughts from Wild Places

Collection of essays spanning twenty years from the author catapulted to global prominence by the witty and urbane Song of the Dodo. Gathered chiefly from his Outside magazine column Natural Acts, Quammen reminds us of the many less-quantifiable virtues of the wild that often get quashed in the path of so-called progress. During the course of these travel reminisces he does touch on conservation and island biogeography, but the highlights of Wild Thoughts from Wild Places are the effective descriptions of the outdoor activities – like observing mountain lions or white-water rodeo – which are disappearing fast all over the world.

"David Quammen easily passes the acid test of any essayist: he is a good companion. He has been to far places and done unusual things. He has tales to tell and things to say, and he does that well."
- New York Times Book Review