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Reading List: Food

May 7, 2015March 14, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

After last week’s foraging adventures, food is on the mind. This edition of camp reads explores the complicated relationship between people and food. We are lucky that in this day and age we are no longer required to forage for nourishment, we simply buy what we like at the grocery store. But how does the produce in the grocery store differ from it’s wild ancestors and why has a world of exotic fruits been reduced to apples, bananas and oranges? What does it mean when we buy a fish labeled as wild or farmed and how does it impact the salmon runs in the local rivers we explore? How do the morels, mussels and clams get from our favorite forests and coastlines to our dinner plates? And with the GMO debate raging, what is the importance of seeds and why do they matter? These fascinating books explore these timely questions and will certainly give you plenty of food for thought.

The Mushroom Hunters by Langdon Cook

Seattle’s famous forager, Langdon Cook, delves into the wild mushroom picking business in this fast paced narrative. His mycellial adventure follows the mushroom trail all over the northwest where colorful characters abound from the kitchens of Seattle’s famous restaurants to the morel rich burn areas of the eastern reaches of the northwest. Langdon is a regular contributor to Seattle Magazine and keeps a beautiful and informative blog on his website.

Shell Games by Craig Welch

Dive into the world of underwater crime in this dark and mysterious true story of Puget Sound poachers. Welch, an environmental reporter at the Seattle Times, follows wildlife cops on the trail of shellfish kingpins illegally harvesting geoduck and selling them on the Asian black market where they are considered a delicacy. This book will make you think twice about where the shellfish come from – and you won’t be able to put it down.

Eating on the Wild Side by Jo Robinson

They say, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But did you know that some varieties of apples are better than others and that some have little nutritional value at all? Robinson explores the history of the fruits and vegetables you find in the grocery store and discovers that the produce we eat today has little in common with the nutritious foods our ancestors gathered in the wild. This great reference lists the best varieties to choose at the market as well as how to cook and store them for maximum nutritional value.

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan

In this fascinating book, prolific food writer Michael Pollen takes on the relationships between people and four specific plants. He discusses how the beauty of the tulip wreaked havoc on the 17th century European economy creating Tulipmania (see also: Road Trip: Skagit Valley). He explains how the sweetness of apples aided its expansion into the new world via a man called Johnny Appleseed. The much discussed plant of late, marijuana makes an appearance with it’s powerful chemical reactions in the human brain that aids in memory loss. Lastly, the potato serves as the example of man’s control of the plant for our modern day food consumption.

Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food by Paul Greenberg

Paul Greenberg takes on the “last wild food” in this informative book about our relationship with fish as food. The four fish the title refers to are salmon, cod, sea bass and tuna, the most desired fish on the market. He brings to light the problems with over-fishing and explores why these species are so desired and consequently farmed. He takes a close look at how the fish get to our dinner plates and offers ways to make the system more sustainable, efficient and healthy for both us and the fish. I look forward to reading Greenberg’s second book American Catch: The Fight For Our Local Seafood about the seafood industry.

The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson

As a follow up to his first book, Feathers, biologist Thor Hanson takes on the subject of his young son’s latest curiosity: the seed. Hanson shines a light on the role these tiny (or in some cases, very large) natural encasements of life had on history and our modern way of life. Seeds such as cottonseed, nutmeg, peppercorn, coffee and mace may have changed the course of the world by cultivating the Age of Discovery and the Industrial Revolution. A seed even influenced the design of an airplane. While the GMO debate has seeds on the minds of many of us lately, Hanson refrains from over-examining the subject and rather reminds us simply that the amazing and resilient seed is worthy of the discussion.

See Also: Fat of the Land by Langdon Cook

Reading List

Reading List: Wolves

March 26, 2015November 21, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

The wolf was my favorite animal growing up. I was obsessed with them as a kid, and frankly as a teenager. I collected little wolf statues, had posters of wolves and begged my dad to make a donation to the Nature Conservancy so I could ‘adopt’ a wolf and get a stuffed animal. When my dad and I weren’t watching baseball or football we were watching nature shows. My favorites were always the ones about the far north: the taiga, the cold, the moose, bear and the wolf. Something about the wolves intrigued me. They are smart, opportunistic, loyal yet independent, and often misunderstood. This edition of camp reads includes some of my favorite books of all time. I hope they will become some of your favorites as well.

Wolves in the Land of Salmon by David Moskowitz

Moskowitz weaves his stories as a wildlife tracker with recent scientific studies to tell the fascinating story of the wolves of the Pacific Northwest. The book takes you on a tour of the current wolf packs in the NW and examines the historic populations in the Olympics and western Oregon. Moskowitz explores the intricate and sometimes contentious connections these wolves have now and had in the past with the local fauna and people. Published in 2013, this book has everything you want to know about the history and current state of wolves in the NW. You can follow Moskowitz’s travels on his blog.

A Wolf Called Romeo by Nick Jans

This is the remarkable true story of a wolf and it’s relationship with a community in Alaska. The residents of Juneau were at first startled to see a large black wolf frequenting their favorite recreational area. But over time this friendly wild animal began to interact with the nearby people and dogs, playfully following them as they cross country skied and cooperating with local photographers. Of course, a situation that involves interaction between people and wild animals cannot be without controversy. Nick Jans chronicles the life of Romeo as he observed it from his back yard and the reactions, good and bad, of the residents and authorities, bringing to light tough questions about conservation and living with predators.

Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat

This might be my favorite book of all time, or at least in my top five. All of the prolific Canadian author’s stories are a joy to read, but this is his best. He tells of his time in the Canadian Wildlife Service assigned to live out a summer in the frozen Arctic to study wolves and find out why they were killing so many caribou. For a long time wolves had been perceived as opportunistic hunters, killing weaker species for fun. But during his time in the wild, Mowat finds a different story completely and even comes to develop a deep affection for the wolf pack he is observing. This classic tale speaks to the true nature of man versus wild. A quote from the book sums it up well, “we have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be — the mythological epitome of a savage, ruthless killer — which is, in reality, no more than the reflected image of ourself.”

The Call of the Wild & White Fang by Jack London

A list of books about wolves would not be complete without these two classics. Published in 1903 and 1906 respectively, London drew on his experience in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush of the 1890’s to write these wildly popular books. The Call of the Wild tells the story of Buck, a domestic dog that was kidnapped from his loving home in California and taken to the Yukon to be a sled dog in harrowing and sometimes violent conditions. Conversely, White Fang, is about a wild wolf-dog that is found and brought up as a domesticated sled dog. Both of these books explore the relationships between man and nature, and demonstrates humanity’s tendencies toward violence and, contrarily, peace.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

This was one of my very favorite books when I was a kid. It’s the story of a 13-year-old Yupik girl in Northern Alaska. She grew up hunting with her father and learning the ways of the land. But when her father disappears and she is shipped off to marry an unkind man, she decides to run away. She hunts small game and makes camp along the way, but when it becomes tougher to find food she befriends a pack of wolves. She finds a way to communicate her hunger with the wolves and they bring her food. Jean Craighead George wrote the book in 1972 after visiting Barrow, Alaska with her son. She went to the far north town as a journalist to visit scientists studying wolves. She saw the way the native people interacted and communicated with the animals and was intrigued. When they saw a curious young girl alone on the tundra, her son wondered aloud what the young girl was doing out there all alone, thus providing the basis of this wonderful story. George wrote two sequels to this book in the 1990’s. Those are Julie and Julie’s Wolf Pack.

Shadow Mountain by Renee Askins

This is the beautifully written memoir of a women who’s mission was to bring wolves back to the American wilderness. As part of her undergraduate research in the 1980’s Askins raised a wolf pup in captivity and named her Natasha. After creating a bond with this wolf and studying others in captive conditions she recognized their unhappiness with this lifestyle. She vowed to Natasha that she would bring wolves back to Yellowstone National Park and spent many long years of hard work fighting for her cause. She took on politicians, ranchers and endured death threats, disappointment and meager wages to create the Wolf Fund. This heartwarming story of persistence and dedication to these intriguing animals will certainly inspire you.

See Also: 3 Among the Wolves by Helen Thayer

Reading List

Reading List: Winter

January 7, 2015November 22, 2019
by Ashley Gossens

The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

This is the magical story of a couple who move to a homestead in Alaska in the 1920’s and a miracle happens. They are down on their luck and have been unsuccessful at having children. On the night of the first snow of the winter they build a small child in the snow and give her a scarf and mittens, a face and hair. It is a rare moment of happiness for the couple on the night of the first snow. The next morning the snow child is gone but left are boot prints in the snow and flashes of yellow hair in the woods. Based on a Russian fairy tale, this ultimately uplifting and brilliantly told story brings joy to the endless dark and frigid winter and will warm your heart. I simply adore this wonderful story of wilderness, survival, love and the inevitability of loss. Eowyn is not only a genius storyteller but also a bookseller at an independent bookstore in Alaska. Click on the link to order the book from her store.

In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides

This is the truly remarkable story of Captain DeLong and his mission on the USS Jeannette to reach the north pole in the late 1800’s. At the time there had been missions to the Arctic via Europe and Greenland but this was the first American mission through the Bering Sea between Russia and Alaska. No one had successfully reached the pole yet and there were many theories of what it would be like. Fans of Jules Verne may recognize the open polar sea theory in which it was believed that an ice free ocean surrounded the pole. DeLong and his crew never reached the pole and highly doubted the theory as they were stuck in pack ice for two freezing years. The ship finally yielded and sank to the bottom of the sea leaving the men alone on an epic journey over land. You can feel the unbearable cold these men suffered emanating from the pages of this amazing story.

The Way Winter Comes by Sherry Simpson

It seems that living in Alaska comes with a special connection to land and wildlife. Sherry shares her stories of living in a land of wolves, bears, otters, moose and raven. She does not shy away from the contradictions of living in such a place, it’s bounty of beauty and life bringing with it the harsh realities of death. These stories display her ability to explore these contradictions in sparse and concise prose that is beautiful to read. My favorite story in the collection is about her week long stay alone in a cabin on a secluded island. She playfully makes a list of creative ways she could die on the island, reads Moby Dick on the beach while listening to whales breach and contemplates life.

Winter World by Bernd Heinrich

Influenced by Jack London’s stories and his fascination with how the tiny golden crowned kinglet, no bigger than a hummingbird, survives through the rough Maine winters, Bernd goes on a mission to learn the intimate details of how evolution enables animals to cope with the winter world. Biologist by day, Bernd dives into the science behind why some animals stay active all winter and some hibernate or how tiny bugs survive freezing temperatures without their blood freezing. In true scientific form the book is full of notes from the field and lovely sketches by the author.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

This wintry classic was one of my favorite books growing up. I think everyone at some point in their life has pretended to discover a secret world with fantastical woodland creatures and delicious treats like turkish delight. Narnia is a chilly setting where it is always winter and never Christmas. With it’s fur coats, white witch, sleighs and evil wolves, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe may be the best winter adventure book of all time.

Reading List

Holiday Gift Guide: Part 1

November 20, 2014July 30, 2018
by Ashley Gossens

Support your local bookstore this holiday season and pick up one of these motivational gems for your trail loving family and friends. Or you can click on the links below to buy them from my favorite Seattle Bookstore, Elliott Bay Book Company.

Check back next week for Holiday Gift Guide Part 2!

The North Cascades: Finding Beauty and Renewal in the Wild Nearby by William Dietrich

This love letter to the truly awe-inspiring region of the North Cascades is broken up into three sections. First you are taken on a journey from the babbling creek valley floor through towering evergreens, up the arduous and famously steep switchbacks, then finally up onto the most rugged and desolate peaks in the country. Along the journey you learn about the history of the region and about the ongoing struggles between the loggers, activists, energy providers and recreationists.

The second section of the book profiles a range of people who’s everyday life is affected by this region such as conservationists, mountain climbers, and volunteers that inspire a younger generation to enjoy the outdoors.

Famed trail guide writer Craig Romano completes the book with a practical guide to visiting the area complete with trail maps, hike descriptions and lodging info.

The Drunken Botanist by Amy Stewart

This is the perfect gift for the hiker who is fascinated by plant life along the trail and enjoys a cold beverage after a long hike. This boozy botanical encyclopedia teaches you the history of the plants that make your favorite spirits and brews. Northwest hikers will recognize these entries: juniper, gentian, maidenhair fern, elderberry, violet, douglas fir, pine and spruce.

Stocking Stuffer: Clear Creek Distillery Douglas Fir Eau-de-Vie: Portland’s Steve McCarthy spent 10 years perfecting this spirit infused with spring-time douglas fir buds. It’s featured in the book along with a recipe for the ‘Douglas Expedition’ cocktail.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert

What this book is not: Eat, Pray, Love. What this book is: a sprawling novel about a botanist in Victorian times who is trying to find her place in the world. She travels, falls in love with a man who paints orchids, and acquires a particular fondness for moss. This is a great pick for a fiction loving naturalist.

Hiking Washington’s History by Judy Bentley

Stocking Stuffer: WTA membership with a NW Forest Pass or Discovery Pass

In this fascinating historical trail guide, Judy reminds us that even though it may sometimes feel like we are discovering a wild place for the first time, there were many many footsteps there before us. Some of the trails we hike in the Cascades have been frequented for thousands of years like the trail from Cascade Pass to Stehekin. Other trails are haunted by tragedy like the Iron Goat Trail at Stevens Pass where in 1910 more than 96 people died after a train was swept away by an avalanche.

The book explores trails all over the state from Cape Flattery at the very northwest tip to Palouse Canyon in the southeast part of the state. Some of my favorite historical trails include the Monte Cristo Townsite, Old Robe Canyon, Ebey’s Landing, Elwha River (Press Expedition), Cape Disappointment and so many more.

As I am a total trail history nerd, it should come as no surprise that this book practically lives in my backpack. As soon as I got it I read it straight through in one sitting. Before going on a hike featured in the book, I re-read that trail’s entry, I then read it again while on said trail and then one final time upon returning home. I can’t emphasize enough how much I love this book.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

We’ve all heard about it, and for good reason. Cheryl’s story of hiking the Pacific Crest Trail after the loss of her mother is beautiful and truly inspiring. I consider this an essential for anyone who has felt lost in their life and looked to the outdoors for inspiration.

Stocking Stuffer: Red hiking boot laces