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Was It Worth It?

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

"If wilderness is outlawed, only outlaws can save wilderness." Edward Abbey

In a collection of gripping stories of adventure, Doug Peacock, loner, iconoclast, environmentalist, and contemporary of Edward Abbey, reflects on a life lived in the wild, asking the question many ask in their twilight years: "Was It Worth It?"

Recounting sojourns with Abbey, but also Peter Matthiessen, Doug Tompkins, Jim Harrison, Yvon Chouinard and others, Peacock observes that what he calls "solitary walks" were the greatest currency he and his buddies ever shared. He asserts that "solitude is the deepest well I have encountered in this life," and the introspection it affords has made him who he is: a lifelong protector of the wilderness and its many awe-inspiring inhabitants.

With adventures both close to home (grizzlies in Yellowstone and jaguars in the high Sonoran Desert) and farther afield (tigers in Siberia, jaguars again in Belize, spirit bears in the wilds of British Columbia, all the amazing birds of the Galapagos), Peacock acknowledges that Covid 19 has put "everyone's mortality in the lens now and it's not necessarily a telephoto shot." Peacock recounts these adventures to try to understand and explain his perspective on Nature: That wilderness is the only thing left worth saving.

In the tradition of Peacock's many best-selling books, Was It Worth It? is both entertaining and thought provoking. It challenges any reader to make certain that the answer to the question for their own life is "Yes!"
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    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from October 25, 2021
      Naturalist and explorer Peacock (In the Shadow of the Sabertooth) presents a captivating retrospective on his life in the wild. Using vivid imagery, he reflects on humanity's relationship with the natural world, his tour of duty in Vietnam, living among Grizzly bears in Yellowstone National Park, and, appropriately, mortality. Each memory encapsulates Peacock's profound compassion for humans and animals alike, and his deep sense of responsibility. After attending to "too much collateral damage—that cowardly phrase they apply to the pile of small, dismembered bodies after a botched air attack," as a Special Forces medic in Vietnam from 1965 to 1968, Peacock "applied the anger I had built doing that to the defense of wild things." Readers will appreciate his madcap yet reverential takes on nature; recalling a close encounter with a snake on the Missouri headwaters, he wonders, "How the hell could anyone believe humans were the center of the world when facing poisonous reptiles, grizzlies... or polar bears on equal terms and neutral turf?" While ruefully aware of the prospect of catastrophic global warming ("The beast of today is climate change"), Peacock's "heightened awareness" of the beauty of the wild never wanes. This passionate work is a welcome and worthy addition to the growing canon of environmental literature.

    • Booklist

      January 1, 2022
      With a contemplative tone, the author (In the Shadow of the Sabertooth, 2013) reflects on solo trips as well as adventures with his friends and family. Peacock's descriptions--whether of exploring the ranges and valleys of the Sonoran Desert, floating and fishing in a river in Montana, or studying grizzlies in Yellowstone and tigers in Siberia--are detailed and vivid, immersing the reader in the experience. Glimpses of his personal life, from preparing a meal for the memorial of his friend Edward Abbey to canoeing the Shiawassee River to repatriate Indigenous artifacts he collected as a child, offer insights. Also woven through the text is the importance of spending time in the wilderness, whether it is to deal with grief, to sleep well, or to hide out from the FBI for a bit. Peacock's concern for wilderness and its inhabitants is clear as he discusses climate change and its impact on habitats and the diminishing wild spaces around the world. His passion for the subject and his compelling writing make for a captivating and thought-provoking read.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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