These 5 Books Will Inspire Your Inner Wild
Covering themes rooted in the West, these books inspire adventure and conservation.
Getty Images/Justin Lewis
Discovering solitude and restoration, a lone male hiker reclines in a hammock strung between two pine trees next to an idyllic mountain lake. He is barefoot and wears a plaid wool shirt, reading a book, while clouds and sky offer up prisms of magical afternoon sunshine. Snowy mountains are nearby, but before he climbs them, this hiker is resting up, in balance with himself and his momentary place in the world.
Snuggle up with a good book. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your favorite adventurer or wanting to cozy up with one yourself, these reads will inspire readers with wanderlust.
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Courtesy of Amazon
This Contested Land: The Storied Past and Uncertain Future of America’s National Monuments
For those following environmental policy, it comes as no surprise that national parklands and monuments are constantly under threat. In her first book, This Contested Land, author and graphic artist McKenzie Long sets out to various parklands across the U.S., including Gold Butte in Nevada, Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks in New Mexico, and the Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument in Oregon and California on a mission to convey the complexities behind protecting these lands from climate change and economic development. The collection of essays is a beautiful homage to the contested lands of the West and beyond.
The Seven Circles
The Seven Circles: Indigenous Teachings for Living Well
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In The Seven Circles, wellness teachers and husband-wife duo Chelsey Luger and Thosh Collins share intimate stories from their life journeys growing up in tribal communities that inspired their commitment to wellness. The founders of Well for Culture cover various Indigenous traditions that serve as guidance for leading a healthful life, from staying active and spiritually centered through running and dance, to creating a light-filled, minimalist home to foster sacred space. Ultimately, the book takes readers on a journey of how to connect with nature, community, and with ourselves.
Courtesy of Amazon
Ranchland: Wagonhound
French photographer Anouk Masson Krantz takes us on a deep dive into the private world of Wagonhound in Wyoming, one of America’s largest and most revered working ranches, spanning more than 300,000 acres. Her stunning photography showcases cowboy ranching culture and land stewardship in the American West and highlights the daily beauty and seasonal rhythms of life on the ranch. It makes an excellent coffee table book, a wonderful alternative to the Tom Ford tome that every modern home seems to have these days.
Soundings
Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales: A Memoir
I’ve been completely fascinated by whales from the time I was a child, so I’m immediately ordering Irish-British author Doreen Cunningham’s Soundings. The book blends science and nature storytelling with memoir—in it Cunningham travels with her toddler as she follows the migration route of gray whales between Mexico and Alaska. It’s the perfect combination of escapism and realism, and promises to be an excellent read with countless great reviews from critics.
Never Finished
Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within
David Goggins’ bestselling memoir, Can’t Hurt Me, cultivated an army of evangelists for his raw, wild, and inspirational storytelling. In his latest work Never Finished, Goggins takes you inside what he calls his Mental Lab, where he developed this totally over-the-top yet inspiring take on philosophy, psychology, and pushing past previously determined limits. If you’re looking to break barriers, or are just looking for a unique read by one of the West’s wildest characters, this book is for you.
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