Spend an evening at the library with award-winning science and nature writer and National Geographic Society lecturer Gary Ferguson, author of the new book The Carry Home: Lessons from the American Wilderness.

Ferguson will speak about his new book in a talk he calls "In Celebration of 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act: America’s Love Affair with Wild Nature." His talk, rich with history, science and folklore, tracks  the compelling, thoroughly surprising story of America’s relationship with wild places. Here is an intimate portrait of a

precious national love affair: from the middle 1700s, when wild places were referred to as “the great equalizer” (soon to make nature the symbol of choice for a brand new county eager to show its patriotism); to the early 1800s, when progressive and orthodox clergy alike were locked in a debate about whether nature was “the hand and voice of God, or God himself”; to the early 1900s, when the America’s naturalists became rock stars. But this is far more than just a trip down memory lane. His new book, The Carry Home, focuses on the role of wilderness in healing and what wilderness still offers us today, illuminating everything from the scientific value of wilderness as a baseline in the face of climate change, to its effects on critical thinking and creative capacity, to the increasing recognition of wild landscapes for their surprising therapeutic value in treating addiction, depression and anger in at-risk teens.

About the author
Over the past 25 years, Gary Ferguson has traveled thousands of miles down the rivers, trails and back roads of North America: trekking 500 miles through Yellowstone to write Walking Down the Wild, wandering through the seasons with the first 14 wolves released into Yellowstone National Park for The Yellowstone Wolves: The First Year, spending a season in the field at a wilderness therapy program for the best-selling Shouting at the Sky. His new book is The Carry Home: Lessons from the American Wilderness. Ferguson celebrates how science, myth, psychology and cultural history shape our thoughts and experiences of the natural world. He has written for a variety of publications, from Vanity Fair to The Los Angeles Times. He’s also author of 22 books on science and nature, including the award-winning Hawks Rest, published by National Geographic Adventure Press. Ferguson is currently on the faculty of the Rainier Writing Workshop Masters of Fine Arts program, at Pacific Lutheran University. “I began my writing career by exploring the tracks humans have left in nature,” he says. “Now I’m mostly interested in the tracks nature leaves in us.”

This community talk is free.

About the Library Author Series
Bud Werner Memorial Library presents an ongoing program of author talks throughout the year. These are free community events held in Library Hall, where a diverse award-winning range of visiting authors speak about their literary works and their writing processes. Each talk is followed by a Q&A and an opportunity to have authors sign copies of  their books.

Books will be available for sale and author signing courtesy of Off the Beaten Path Bookstore.