NPT Reviews of Books and other Material

Dirt Work: An Education In The Woods

Submitted by Danny Bernstein on May 8, 2013 - 1:25am

In Dirt Work: An Education in the Woods, Christine Byl recalls long days of working on trails in Glacier and Denali national parks. She clears brush, digging ditches, building bridges, cleaning up after forest fires, and blasting snow. An inside look on what it takes to make trails accessible to hikers.

Canyons And Ice, The Wilderness Travels Of Dick Griffth

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on May 3, 2013 - 2:01am

Canyons and Ice: The Wilderness Travels of Dick Griffith (Ember Press)

Dick Griffith might not be the last great American adventurer, but if such a tally is ever made he certainly deserves a place in the top two or three. For more than six decades, Mr. Griffith has been exploring wild and rugged corners of the world, and on the cusp of 86 he's still not finished.

Yellowstone, Land Of Wonders: Promenade In North America's National Park

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 26, 2013 - 2:00am

If you, too, have paused before an faded and worn map of Yellowstone and wondered the same, then Yellowstone, Land Of Wonders: Promenade in North America's National Park is for you. But not only does this travelogue carry you back to the Yellowstone of 1883, but it's cast through the eyes of a Belgian writer who spent 10 days in the park that summer.

Wilderness Wisdom

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 10, 2013 - 1:30am

"Anyone who tells you portaging is fun is either a liar, or crazy, or maybe both." That's hard wisdom from the late Bill Mason, a legendary canoe paddler, naturalist, and author, to dispute. It's just one of the gems to be found in the second edition of Wilderness Wisdom, a pocket-sized book of inspiring quotations well-suited for the outdoors.

The Seventymile Kid: The Lost Legacy Of Harry Karstens And The First Ascent Of Mount McKinley

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on April 1, 2013 - 1:50am

Turn-of-the-century Alaska was a harsh, demanding, and yet exhilarating place, a landscape that didn't suffer greenhorns. Nineteen-year-old Harry Karstens thrust himself into this setting in 1897 to join the Gold Rush, and went on to cast a long shadow in the state's history, and not just because of his role in summiting Mount McKinley.

The Graphic History Of Gettysburg - America's Most Famous Battle And The Turning Point Of The Civil War

Submitted by Jim Burnett on March 24, 2013 - 1:49am

Gettysburg: The Graphic History of America

This "illustrated history" offers a concise and readable overview of "America's most famous battle and the turning point of the Civil War." Although the target audience is older children and young adults, the book provides a nice visual summary of the Battle of Gettysburg for almost any reader.

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By Jim Burnett

Secrets Of The National Parks, The Experts' Guide To The Best Experiences Beyond The Tourist Trail

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on March 22, 2013 - 1:29am

National Geographic Secrets of the National Parks: The Experts

Just in time for travel season, National Geographic has added another title to its collection of national park-related books. This one entices with a promise to reveal the "Secrets of the National Parks."

Birding In The National Parks: A Book To Help You Bird In The Southwest's Parks

Submitted by Kirby Adams on February 26, 2013 - 2:53am

Birding the Southwestern National Parks (W. L. Moody Jr. Natural History Series)

Just in case I wasn’t aware that I very badly need to do more birding in the Southwest, a copy of Birding the Southwestern National Parks by former Park Service employee Roland Wauer arrived in my mailbox. Now I find myself checking plane fare to Las Vegas, El Paso, and Los Angeles. This may be one of the most expensive book reviews I’ve ever written.

Enjoying Big Bend National Park, A Friendly Guide To Adventures For Everyone

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on February 24, 2013 - 2:15am

Anyone heading to Big Bend National Park in Texas for the first time would benefit from a guidebook to suggest ways to enjoy the park, and Enjoying Big Bend National Park, A Friendly Guide To Adventures for Everyone moves you in that direction.

The Long Fuse: How England Lost The American Colonies, 1760 – 1785

Submitted by Jim Burnett on February 20, 2013 - 3:11am

The National Park Service manages over fifty sites connected with the American Revolution or Colonial America, and they offer valuable glimpses into the birth of our nation. Whether you're a serious history buff or one whose memory on the subject is a bit rusty, odds are you've never read much on that subject from the British point of view. You can bridge that gap via an entertaining and enlightening book, The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies, 1760 – 1785.