Book: A Road Runs Through It

A Road Runs Through It: Reviving Wild Places
edited by Thomas Reed Petersen
Johnson Books

“Can we restore the spirit of a place once smothered in roads?” asks Thomas R. Petersen, editor of A Road Runs Through It: Reviving Wild Places. A collection of essays and short stories written by some of the most recognizable names in conservation and naturalism, A Road Runs Through It tries to answer some of the same questions it asks. Haunting figures and powerful prose lend perspective to the complex issue of land access and use. “The furthest point from a road in the lower forty eight states is 20 miles—near the southeast corner of Yellowstone National Park,” writes David Havlick, demonstrating the scarcity of roadless areas. Poetic, prophetic, and passionate, the collection is a focused look at the state of our public lands, lands too often scarred by crisscrossing roads to nowhere, according to the authors. Beautifully bittersweet, it is a must-read for any lover of the wild outdoors. Additionally, all royalties of the book are donated to Wildlands CPR for the protection and restoration of wild places.