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331st out of 780 books
—
1,335 voters
Before They're Gone: A Family's Year-Long Quest to Explore America's Most Endangered National Parks
A longtime backpacker, climber, and skier, Michael Lanza knows our national parks like the back of his hand. As a father, he hopes to share these special places with his two young children. But he has seen firsthand the changes wrought by the warming climate and understands what lies ahead: Alaska’s tidewater glaciers are rapidly retreating, and the abundant sea life in th...more
Hardcover, 224 pages
Published
April 3rd 2012
by Beacon Press
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I'm going to give this author the highest praise I can think of: His writing style is Krakauer-esque. The words and phrases he uses to describe the outdoors and his family's experiences evoke perfect images. Some may think it's hyperbole, but I assure you that our National Parks are worthy.
One of my favorite lines: "Powerful landscapes like the Tetons will manhandle your psyche; they can make you wonder what the hell you've been doing all these years, for which you won't have a satisfying answe...more
One of my favorite lines: "Powerful landscapes like the Tetons will manhandle your psyche; they can make you wonder what the hell you've been doing all these years, for which you won't have a satisfying answe...more
Before They're Gone is equal parts travel journal, personal memoir, and environmental reality check. Author Michael Lanza's year long quest to share with his children the most threatened parks in America is both bittersweet, and heartwarming. Liberally sprinkled with memories of past treks, scientific data, and the simple pleasures of a parent spending time with his kids. Michael's detailed, and often times humorous, writing makes you long to be relaxing in the shade of lodgepole pines in the Ro...more
Jun 11, 2012
Kathy
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who care about the environment
Finally a well-written memoir based on science and real life experience! I loved the way the author described the natural scenery and the entire "feel" of every place he visited; he made me want to follow in his footsteps and visit some of these places before they become unrecognizable. I truly enjoyed the author's conversational writing style which made reading some of the more dire and depressing sections still readable. But also I appreciated how the author brought his young children into wil...more
I wish the author would have added more photos to this book. The author does a good job of describing some of the many bad climate/global warming changes that may take place during my lifetime, and my kids and grandkids will have to deal with the fallout. While I would love to take a year off and travel to as many national parks as possible, he took some risks I would not take with my kids (hikes on an narrow icy trail at the Grand Canyon). His kids were very lucky to be able to take this trip,...more
I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely loved his writing style, although after a while, his similes did begin to feel a little repetitive. I enjoyed the personal stories from the trips more than the hard facts of climate change, but he alternated between them at a good pace so I never got too bogged down with textbook-like reading (though it was definitely harder to digest during those parts). Definitely a book I will reread again (though probably only by chapter when at or about to visit one...more
Don't want a lecture? don't read this review.
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This book = so, so inspiring. The research is impeccable and extensive and terrifying; I cannot imagine how people aren't concerned about the fate of the planet in the fate of such overwhelming evidence.
So, the author makes it his goal to visit some of the country's national parks with his children over 12 months so that they can witness for themselves the natural beauty that may, by the time his kids are adults, be drastically changed or eve...more
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This book = so, so inspiring. The research is impeccable and extensive and terrifying; I cannot imagine how people aren't concerned about the fate of the planet in the fate of such overwhelming evidence.
So, the author makes it his goal to visit some of the country's national parks with his children over 12 months so that they can witness for themselves the natural beauty that may, by the time his kids are adults, be drastically changed or eve...more
Before They're Gone by Michael Lanza is cautionary journey that explores the likely outcomes in store for our National Parks should we ignore the growing threat of climate change. And typical of most modern problems, not unlike our current economic crisis, those to be most directly effected by our generations' failure to act won't be ourselves but our children. Taking his two young kids on a year-long odyssey to visit America's most iconic wild places, Lanza leads us all on an expedition through...more
Full confession - I received this book through a GoodReads giveaway earlier this year. It makes me happy to review it, but the five star rating was earned on its merits.
I thought the book was excellent. The author has a wonderful way of describing the national treasures he and his family visited. It made you feel like you were hiking, paddling, or climbing right next to him. It is always difficult to capture that mystical moment of nature, but he does an outstanding job chapter after chapter.
He...more
I thought the book was excellent. The author has a wonderful way of describing the national treasures he and his family visited. It made you feel like you were hiking, paddling, or climbing right next to him. It is always difficult to capture that mystical moment of nature, but he does an outstanding job chapter after chapter.
He...more
An ultimate "We're Killing the Earth, Global Warming" book. the author took his 9- and 7-year olds to 10 US National Parks for 3-4 day adventures. He feels these parks are most at risk because of decreasing glacier areas, rising oceans, threats to flora and fauna. The incidents with the children are interesting but the message is so slanted and pervasive I can't imagine why I kept reading. While he cites a number of scientists and "experts: he buys it all with no question. There is no balance.
Part travel/adventure, part climate science, magazine author Lanza and his family visit 8 disparate parks, hiking, backpacking and climbing on a journey of a lifetime. But each park is threatened by rising average temperature. Without getting into the political controversy, Lanza documents the changes and show where and why they will affect our national parks.
This is a beautifully written book that makes it clear that young children can safely explore the wilderness. Unlike some nature writers, he does not make the trips sound so difficult that normal people couldn't attempt them nor so hum-drum that nobody would want to try. He inspired me to visit more national parks.
Many places that we've visited, and many more that we want to go to. I found myself wishing I had done more of this type of thing with our own kids before they moved out. Go visit, and appreciate these beautiful places before they disappear!
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I thought the author had a great idea/plan in introducing his children to endangered national parks. What an adventure for this family. I read thru this book rather quickly, considering that it's really not all that 'easy' a read, so I think that says something for it's 'staying power', it's ability to keep the reader attached to the book. This book has alot of concrete, exact, scientific, measured ... alot of information to absorb....& that's what I think makes it a more challenging read. I...more
Aug 18, 2012
Stephen Nordlund
added it
Excellent, well written book. Entertaining and Enlightening. I want both of my kids to read it.
Part science, part adventure. Climate change is impacting all of us today even though we may not see it.
I wanted more of a story of the family. Too much science for me.
Wanted more of an adventure story, not a look at climate change.
while I enjoyed reading this at the outset. It soon became rather repetitive. And it seems fitting that there was a chapter referring to Dr. Seuss as sections frequently had a Lorax tone to them.
I think this would have been better a series of articles rather than a book.
I think this would have been better a series of articles rather than a book.
This is a book with an important message, but there are plenty of personal anecdotes and fun thrown in too. I recommend it to anyone and everyone -- you'll enjoy the ride and learn a lot as you go.
Ugg, I so wanted to love this book. Have tried to read it several times. I love the concept. Wanted to learn about the climate issues affecting our national parks......BUT unfortunately for me it was like looking at someone else's scenery pictures. I just could not stay interested.
I'm not sure if it was the writing style or the theme, but I just couldn't get interested in this book. I stopped after the first chapter.
This book just made me want to travel more. Although the statistics are pretty depressing and seems at this point inevitable, it will make me cherish our national parks that much more
Jun 17, 2013
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