Landscape of Desire: Identity and Nature in Utah's Canyon Country

Rating:
Summary: Landscape of Desire - Identity and Nature in Utah's Canyon C
Review: Landscape of Desire - Identity and Nature in Utah's Canyon Country - Greg Gordon

The author mentions in his "Author's Note" that "For years I have struggled with the dilemma of writing about a place I love, a place known only to a few hearty souls..." I to hesitate to mention this book for fear this wonderful land will become over trodden, but do so for the same reason as the author - to get the word out on conservation of our lands...to helps us all to learn about the wonderful natural lands around us and to help us all to find ways to conserve these lands and use them wisely.

Greg Gordon not only describes these lands through history, land and people as does Kenneth A. Brown and Wallace Stegner, but also interweaves his story about his relationships with the land and with his students that accompany him during a two month hike along Muddy Creek and the Dirty Devil River from I-70 to Lake Powell. By doing this, to this reader, the area and book comes alive. This book is not just about the land, it's history but is also about human relationships, and how you can learn from not only the land but from each other. Gordon does a wonderful job of taking you through this desert environment, providing you with insights on the geology, plant and animal life and history of the area and does it in a human story telling manner that rivals many works by Edward Abbey. You know he loves this land, its solitude and its beauty and that he desires to preserve it through education and stewardship.

A wonderful read and a great story teller, I couldn't put the book down and look forward to reading more by this author!

David Lloyd Koenck
Snowmass, Colorado
Moab, Utah