a great book

by pj finn

Literature on wilderness is always a treasure. Much of it ranks among the best of writing, regardless of subject or genre. That it’s about wild country makes it very special.

I grew up on the lakes of northern Minnesota, not far from the Boundary Waters. One of the greatest voices in wilderness writing during the last century lived in the area and left a legacy of wilderness writings that few will ever match. His name was Sigurd F. Olson.

Olson was well known as a guide in the Boundary Waters, and was even more well known for the numerous canoe trips he made into the far north of Canada, and for the books he wrote about those trips. He was a gentle soft-spoken man with a deep love and respect for wilderness, and a deep connection to it. Legend has it that at the end of his life he knew it was time to go,  left a note to his wife in his typewriter saying he was off on his last adventure, and put on his snowshoes and walked off into the woods to die. True or not, the legend fits the man.

Of all his books the one that had the most profound impact on me was ‘Reflections From the North Country’, a collection of essays about his experiences in the wilds, and his philosophy about wilderness.  He writes about harmony, solitude, search for meaning and contemplation among other things. It’s truly a great book, and I consider it a must-read for any wilderness lover.

Reflections from the North Country (Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage)