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The Last Season
Author: Eric Blehm

"This is a first-rate detective story, but it is an even better love story – an account of the love for wild places that animates some of us, leads us ever deeper in and higher up." —Bill McKibben, author The End of Nature and Wandering Home "Like Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild and Werner Herzog's Grizzly Man, The Last Season is fi... more »lled with suspenseful storytelling that synthesizes years of exceptional research. Beyond documenting an intriguing search-and-rescue incident, this is the legendary tale of Randy Morgenson, an unsung witness of wilderness devotion, a true conscience and disciple of the backcountry, whose last wish may well have been to pay off a debt to the mountains and meadows he protected." —Aron Ralston, author Between A Rock and a Hard Place "The story of a wild man of profound vision and sustaining conscience. Blehm has superbly captured that soul and given it voice; it is one we all should listen to carefully." —Page Stegner, Author Outpost of Eden: A Curmudgeon at Large in the American West "At the heart of The Last Season is an inquiry you needn’t have left pavement and hot showers to appreciate. It delves into the character of a man, the story of a marriage, the compromises that make our lives work, and the outcomes of one man’s refusal to make them. I couldn’t put it down." —Jordan Fisher Smith author Nature Noir: A Park Ranger’s Patrol in the Sierra "An intriguing, bittersweet wilderness detective story." —Greg Child, author Over the Edge: The True Story of Four American Climbers' Kidnap and Escape in the Mountains of Central Asia "This is a hell of a story, a tale of lost souls and human frailty and very real sadness, but it’s also a one-of-a-kind look into a truly rarefied American subculture, the specialized world of elite backcountry rangers – their ethics, their techniques, even the motivations that keep them deep in the woods, as the years turn into decades and life flows on by. I have a feeling Eric Blehm’s The Last Season is going to be around for a long time, earning a place in every home library devoted to the California wilderness experience." —Daniel Duane, author Caught Inside and Looking For Mo "Impeccably researched and compassionately told, The Last Season is a compelling story of one man’s passion and pain." —Jennifer Jordan, author Savage Summit A beautifully crafted work that would be a compelling read simply on the basis of a remarkable true story. However, Blehm goes far beyond merely recounting dramatic events and through meticulous research and sensitivity succeeds in getting into the hearts, minds and very souls of his characters. Interest in the out-of-doors isn't required to enjoy THE LAST SEASON, but this book also provides an insightful look into the lives of backcountry rangers˜a dedicated and largely unknown group of defenders and lovers of the American wilderness. —Jim Burnett, author, Hey Ranger! True Tales of Humor and Misadventure from America's National Parks "The Last Season is an exciting yet tragic saga that follows the mysterious disappearance of wilderness ranger Randy Morgenson. This true story is a "must read" for any serious Sierraphile." —Gene Rose, Sierra author, historian and lecturer "Eric Blehm’s The Last Season is a terrific mystery and a heartbreaking story of one man’s love of wilderness. It will keep you reading into the night, and remain with you long after you have finished." —Nora Gallagher, author Practicing Resurrection "Very artfully written, The Last Season allows the reader a highly-intimate – almost voyeuristic – insight into the life and mysterious disappearance of this enigmatic and, some would say, larger-than-life backcountry park ranger. I highly recommend it." —Butch Farabee, author Death, Daring, and Disaster – Search and Rescue in the National Parks "A mesmerizing tale of one man’s struggle for fidelity – to the woman with whom he enjoined his life, and to the wild world of which he was steward. How many of us have felt in our bones that pull between worlds and the passions they inspire; Blehm sinks our teeth right into the marrow of that conflict." —Amy Irvine McHarg, wilderness activist and author

ISBN-13: 9780060583002
ISBN-10: 0060583002
Publication Date: 4/1/2006
Pages: 352
Rating:

Currently 3.8/5 Stars.

3.8 stars, based on 17 ratings

Publisher: HarperCollins
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Audio CD
Members Wishing: 3
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Vicki M. (GVvicki) reviewed The Last Season on 1/12/2008

Helpful Score: 5

Once you pick the book up you won't want to put it down. My husband isn't much of a reader but we went camping in the eastern Sierra last summer and he had the book in his hand the whole time we sat in camp. We couldn't pack up the last day until he finished it!

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Carley R. reviewed The Last Season on 7/18/2009 + 3 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

Amazing read. Depicts a NPS Ranger with a vivid hero like quality, makes me wish I had met him. =)

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Carol F. (cactusflowerwomen) reviewed The Last Season on 3/25/2012 + 628 more book reviews

This is the story of the life of a back country ranger in California's high sierras. The joys and anguishes and his dedication to his biggest love, the outback, the pristine meadows. Dangerous, low paying and often thankless job. His love for the country he patroled was described in beautiful prose, from every individual flower to the birds, and his fight to keep the outside world from destroying it. He became acquainted with John Muir, Wallace Stegner and Ansel Adams. And then he went missing and one of the largest Search and Rescue missions was launched, never to find him. It's also a great detective story and a love story.

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