Rhythm of the Wild A Life Inspired by Alaska's Denali National Park [Hardcover]

In his previous impressive book, John Muir and the Ice That Started a Fire, Heacox investigated the ways Alaska's landscape affected the life and writing of the great naturalist. Now, in a memoir focused on his long relationship with Denali National Park, he returns to the personal writing style that brought him wide acclaim. . . .He writes eloquently of his experiences getting to know the park's landscape and wildlife. There is some humor as he shares experiences with tourists and visiting politicians, and also some frustration over Alaska's endless love-hate relationship with it's wildlife, especially wolves. And he shares stories from his youth, including delightful music and literary references. But Heacox excels at conveying his deep love for the land, and his ability to make the case for its significance to American life elevates him to the highest level of nature writing. . . .This is an author at the top of his game; a true national treasure.Former National Park Service ranger Heacox (John Muir and the Ice that Started a Fire: How a Visionary and the Glaciers of Alaska Changed America, 2014, etc.) lyrically recounts his passionate and enduring relationship with Alaskas Denali National Park, a chunk of Alaskan land the size of Massachusetts with only one road.Established in 1917, Mount McKinley National Park is also known by its Athabaskan name of Denali, and Heacox first experienced it in 1981 while working as an interpretive ranger for the Park Service. The author builds his narrative, which spans 35 years, on his deep and personal exploration of the sacredness of wild places, especially Denali, and why these landscapes are so necessary to all humans and animals in todays crowded, noisy world. Heacox deftly traverses a multitude of topics, including his happy childhood spent roaming the Northwest, the influence of music, especially the Beatles, during his teenage years, and the natural and human histories of the park. As the narrative unfolds, the author lÃq