National Park Ranger

by Charles R. Farabee Jr., Fran P. Mainella (Foreword by)

Dressed in the familiar gray and green uniform and crowned with the traditional "Smokey the Bear" hat, the National Park Service Ranger is symbolic of many things in American protection and preservation, education and enlightenment, solitude and self-sufficiency. In the past, rangers spent most of their working hours alone-patrolling miles of trails, often in dismal weather conditions, to force out wildlife poachers. Now, the modern ranger may be a law-enforcement official, naturalist, historian, or river guide.

In this celebration of one of America's most enduring symbols, former ranger Butch Farabee briefly reviews the evolution of this national symbol. Packed with entertaining anecdotes and illustrated with over one hundred archival photographs, this book not only provides fascinating insight into the diversity of roles a park ranger must play, but also honors the unique people dedicated to guarding and maintaining this country's irreplaceable treasures.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Conservation, Nature

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, short introduction to the history of the NPS.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative short history of the Park Service, its antecedents, mission, and staff. I was particularly interested in the many photographs of early rangers, but the focus on the evolution of the Service's approach to stewardship as their understanding of the ecosystems they served grew was also encouraging and worthwhile. Kinda makes you want to go quit your job and become a ranger. [grin]

[Larry Perez · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved it, but then I'm a bit of a geek for the subject matter. How could I not love a book that details the amazing places and people with which I've had the pleasure of serving?

For those outside the circle of National Parks, though, this might be a dull read.

[Maria Gutier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this history of the park service. Covers a lot of ground but most importantly it references a lot of other materials which I found invaluable. I now have a whole NPS reading list to get through because of this book.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had put off reading this book for years- not because of the subject matter but because of the terrible cover.

The book was well researched but poorly written (things don't bode well when there is a typo in the Introduction)- it was like reading a laundry list of "White Male Rangers of Yesteryear". Farabee gets too bogged down in the minutia of park establishment and dates. Farabee may have been known as an amazing ranger, but he clearly didn't specialize in interpretative writing.

The most dismal section was the "Women Rangers" chapter. There was more time spent discussing a fictional woman ranger (Anna Pigeon) than any of her real peers. It felt like this entire chapter was added because Farabee's editor told him to. He did credit Polly Welts Kaufman who wrote "National Parks and the Woman's Voice" but Farabee didn't do her justice. Don't waste your time, just read Kaufman.

I did enjoy the much too short section chapter on what it is like to live in a remote outpost. The historic photos throughout the book were fantastic too.

The best part? The illogical addition of a chart of ranger awards, which the author was, coincidently, a recipient.

Bottom line: If you can struggle your way through the boring details of park establishment (I find them boring and I work for the NPS) to get to the interesting personal stories of rangers, then go for it. If all else fails, the photos are great.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written for readers of all ages, this book examines the history and role of the National Park Ranger. I always thought it would be cool to be a park ranger. It's interesting to note that women were not allowed to be Park Rangers until the 1970s! (al)[return]_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [return][return]Farabee provides an insider's look at the growth and development of our National Park system, and the men and women who shaped its history. (lj)

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good view on history, and general information on the Park Service.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read it for my academy...but I read it before I went when I was working in Yellowstone...it was actually really good!

[Tyler Beil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humble beginnings nothing has changed