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On the Wild Edge: In Search of a Natural Life
"Opinionated and iconoclastic, Petersen writes with humor and a well-honed craft that will delight fans of Edward Abbey." ― Library Journal (starred review)
Twenty-five years ago David Petersen and his wife, Caroline, pulled up stakes, trading Laguna Beach, California, for a snug hand-built cabin in the wilderness. Today he knows that mountain land as intimately as anyone can know his home.
Petersen conflates a quarter century into the adventures of four high-country seasons, tracking the rigors of survival from the snowmelt that announces the arrival of spring to the decline and death of autumn and winter that will establish the fertile ground needed for next year's rebirth.
In the past we listened to Henry David Thoreau or Aldo Leopold; today it is Petersen's turn. His observations are lyrical, scientific, and from the heart. He reinforces Thoreau's "in wildness is the preservation of the earth." In prose rich with mystery and soul, his words are a plea for the survival of the remnant wilderness.
"Many of us would like to live a life of greater intention and simplicity, but few can and even fewer do. David Petersen is one of those rare human beings among us who lives a wild life with a cultured mind . . . [He] has created a map all of us can follow."―Terry Tempest Williams, author of The Open Space of Democracy
Twenty-five years ago David Petersen and his wife, Caroline, pulled up stakes, trading Laguna Beach, California, for a snug hand-built cabin in the wilderness. Today he knows that mountain land as intimately as anyone can know his home.
Petersen conflates a quarter century into the adventures of four high-country seasons, tracking the rigors of survival from the snowmelt that announces the arrival of spring to the decline and death of autumn and winter that will establish the fertile ground needed for next year's rebirth.
In the past we listened to Henry David Thoreau or Aldo Leopold; today it is Petersen's turn. His observations are lyrical, scientific, and from the heart. He reinforces Thoreau's "in wildness is the preservation of the earth." In prose rich with mystery and soul, his words are a plea for the survival of the remnant wilderness.
"Many of us would like to live a life of greater intention and simplicity, but few can and even fewer do. David Petersen is one of those rare human beings among us who lives a wild life with a cultured mind . . . [He] has created a map all of us can follow."―Terry Tempest Williams, author of The Open Space of Democracy
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 31, 2011
Ok I want to preface this review by telling you that I usually love this sort of book. I love Edward Abbey (as those of you who read my reviews know) and other authors of his ilk. Usually. For some reason, I found the tone of this book to be pompous and annoying. Part of what I like about people who take off and go live in a remote natural setting is that they are ususally deeply conflicted about it and that usually generates great story telling. This guy, has very few reservations about what he does (until his wife gets very very sick). And in some way that I cannot clearly define, this guy comes off as profoundly selfish. He has no children, and I found myself constantly wondering how his wife has put up with him all these years.
He intimates that he has struggled over the years with depression, and I found myself thinking "of course you have you moron, go out and interact with PEOPLE and perhaps you will snap out of it."
That said, he does indeed provide some incredible descriptive prose that makes you really feel like you are crouched there in the woods with him. I did finish the book, but I probably won't read any more books by Petersen.
He intimates that he has struggled over the years with depression, and I found myself thinking "of course you have you moron, go out and interact with PEOPLE and perhaps you will snap out of it."
That said, he does indeed provide some incredible descriptive prose that makes you really feel like you are crouched there in the woods with him. I did finish the book, but I probably won't read any more books by Petersen.
July 1, 2012
Not worth reading. It's the self congratulatory musings of an erstwhile hippie, peppered with condescending rants against those who have a worldview different from his own.
February 1, 2025
There is a widely known appeal about living in a city in your 20s - understandably so, as I can see why it’s such a popular move.
It has never felt like a calling to me. Peace in a tranquil land with no disturbances has such great benefits to outweigh the FOMO of a bustling lifestyle where you constantly meet new people. As much as I enjoy the happiness that comes from people entering my life, it doesn’t outweigh the feelings of gratitude I always experience in the middle of nowhere.
Petersen shares similar feelings here. The beauty that comes from wildlife, and areas that remain relatively untouched by human civilization, is a gift that needs to be preserved. We lack an interest in the roots of our world - instead constantly focused on pushing new boundaries in technological advancement and searching for the newest innovation to grace mankind. All of this comes at the expense of our environment. I worry for the day these emissions reach a point to where all humans start to take it serious, because at that point, it’s already over. Our species is too ignorant to take heed to warnings until they’re too late.
We have a duty to give back to the world what it has given all of us - life. I commend those that choose the quiet life. I hope one day I can follow suit, and cherish the natural gift that comes with consciousness.
It has never felt like a calling to me. Peace in a tranquil land with no disturbances has such great benefits to outweigh the FOMO of a bustling lifestyle where you constantly meet new people. As much as I enjoy the happiness that comes from people entering my life, it doesn’t outweigh the feelings of gratitude I always experience in the middle of nowhere.
Petersen shares similar feelings here. The beauty that comes from wildlife, and areas that remain relatively untouched by human civilization, is a gift that needs to be preserved. We lack an interest in the roots of our world - instead constantly focused on pushing new boundaries in technological advancement and searching for the newest innovation to grace mankind. All of this comes at the expense of our environment. I worry for the day these emissions reach a point to where all humans start to take it serious, because at that point, it’s already over. Our species is too ignorant to take heed to warnings until they’re too late.
We have a duty to give back to the world what it has given all of us - life. I commend those that choose the quiet life. I hope one day I can follow suit, and cherish the natural gift that comes with consciousness.
February 26, 2008
This is one of my new favorite books. It is a lot like Desert Solitaire but about a cabin in the Colorado mountains. Specifically, the San Juans. Peterson writes fluidly and eloquently about wildlife, flora, chopping wood, society, shoveling snow, dogs, hunting and the decision to separate himself from the majority of popular society (with his wife and a series of dogs). He has a deep connection with the land around him that only comes from living within it, as a part of it, and studying it extensively. He is also (maybe primarily) a passionate elk hunter. His hunting style is primitive, with a longbow and wooden arrows and no sort of artificial aid, other than camouflage clothing. I’m not anti-hunting, especially as a food source, but if I were, the way he writes about it may change my mind.
Reading this book, for the first time I saw in print many things I have thought in the past, so it really struck a chord with me. I could write all day about this I like it so much, so I’ll stop now before I get long-winded. Lots of quotes to follow:
“What we are, and are not, is largely a product of the choices we make. We only live once, and most of us don’t even do that.”
“To reduce wealth to money and possessions is an incredible underestimation of our emotional life.” -Arne Naess
“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.” -Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“Adventure is mostly a drag when it’s happening.”
“Nature isn’t always pretty, but she darn sure always works.”
“Never take more than not quite enough.”
“Intelligence, it seems to me, is what works best to satisfy a particular creature’s needs in the particular circumstance it must adapt to.”
“Thoughtfulness, in this warped and thoughtless world, too often leads to disappointment, discontent, anger, rage and even psychosis.”
“When I thought about it, it hurt too much. So I quit thinking about it.” -Ed Abbey
“Evolutionary fitness is measured by how well a species, plant or animal, adapts itself to fit, not fight, its environment. In the end, long-term survival and prosperity – for humanity as well as for all species – are products not of force but of finesse.”
“Certainly and tragically, we are well along the doomsday path to collective cultural insanity as a result of divorcing ourselves from the wild world that shaped and continues to nourish and sustain us.”
“To focus and obsess on the negative, emulating the nightly news, is a sinful waste of our demigod intellect and heretical to the blessing of life itself.”
“While we have little control over personal longevity, we have huge control over what we think, say and do while here, and thus how much we enjoy doing it.”
Reading this book, for the first time I saw in print many things I have thought in the past, so it really struck a chord with me. I could write all day about this I like it so much, so I’ll stop now before I get long-winded. Lots of quotes to follow:
“What we are, and are not, is largely a product of the choices we make. We only live once, and most of us don’t even do that.”
“To reduce wealth to money and possessions is an incredible underestimation of our emotional life.” -Arne Naess
“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.” -Alfred, Lord Tennyson
“Adventure is mostly a drag when it’s happening.”
“Nature isn’t always pretty, but she darn sure always works.”
“Never take more than not quite enough.”
“Intelligence, it seems to me, is what works best to satisfy a particular creature’s needs in the particular circumstance it must adapt to.”
“Thoughtfulness, in this warped and thoughtless world, too often leads to disappointment, discontent, anger, rage and even psychosis.”
“When I thought about it, it hurt too much. So I quit thinking about it.” -Ed Abbey
“Evolutionary fitness is measured by how well a species, plant or animal, adapts itself to fit, not fight, its environment. In the end, long-term survival and prosperity – for humanity as well as for all species – are products not of force but of finesse.”
“Certainly and tragically, we are well along the doomsday path to collective cultural insanity as a result of divorcing ourselves from the wild world that shaped and continues to nourish and sustain us.”
“To focus and obsess on the negative, emulating the nightly news, is a sinful waste of our demigod intellect and heretical to the blessing of life itself.”
“While we have little control over personal longevity, we have huge control over what we think, say and do while here, and thus how much we enjoy doing it.”
January 7, 2013
In fairness, an incomplete review. I didn't finish the book.
While I was really looking forward to this book, I only made it through a few chapters. Despite repeated attempts to engage in what I though would be a wonderful life-in-nature mental getaway, I couldn't get past the judgmental overtones (to paraphrase: I'm getting back to nature and the rest of you city dwellers are idiots.) I fully admire the capacity to be self sufficient on the side of a mountain in Colorado, but the first few chapters kept bristling me with all the aging-hippie-dislikes-society side comments, to a point where I was no longer interested in finishing. Other, better reads await.
While I was really looking forward to this book, I only made it through a few chapters. Despite repeated attempts to engage in what I though would be a wonderful life-in-nature mental getaway, I couldn't get past the judgmental overtones (to paraphrase: I'm getting back to nature and the rest of you city dwellers are idiots.) I fully admire the capacity to be self sufficient on the side of a mountain in Colorado, but the first few chapters kept bristling me with all the aging-hippie-dislikes-society side comments, to a point where I was no longer interested in finishing. Other, better reads await.
December 31, 2016
4 stars for the writing and adventure stories, 1 star for the earth worshiping, condescending hippie drivel. This guy has a serious case of the justifications, he has to justify everything, in detail, the sign of a conflicted soul. But still, I'm a sucker for stories of living off the land and this was one.
January 21, 2009
Read over winter break in the Poconos. Liked the Colorado scenery, but too many chapters on elk hunting. Really.
January 24, 2019
David Petersen isnt searching for a natural life, he and his wife already found it. What he tells us is just how the nature he found is threatened by humanity. He expresses rage and humility, insight and knowledge in abundance. But somehow, the book seemed a wallow through the snow of his winter thoughts with his dog. The book didnt inspire so much as tire me out with the sadness of our planet's predicament.
October 22, 2023
Never have I found myself nodding in such wholehearted agreement with an author’s views on so many interwoven topics (ecological, ethical, social, political, cultural…). Petersen is a card-carrying member of the Curmudgeon Club, but a compassionate one at that, and the kind of deep thinker I’d love to have a beer with.
September 23, 2024
“There’s no place in the world I’m more at peace or happier,” he said of that wild region after we returned to his cabin. “The natural world is the only reality, that’s the only valid base for spirituality there is.”
“Autumn is his favorite season. .. Joy bubbles up through the pages like Aspen leaves to skyward on a whirlwind.”
“Autumn is his favorite season. .. Joy bubbles up through the pages like Aspen leaves to skyward on a whirlwind.”
January 11, 2021
Wonderfully written...a man truly at one with nature, who thinks too much, but has a good heart...keen observer of the natural surroundings and animals that he and his wife share 8n the mou twins of Colorado...
September 5, 2023
I was interested enough to finish the book. I thought the book was dated. The book spent an enormous time remembering “close” encounters with bears. In the end the author was going off the deep end about civilization and growth. A real turn off.
October 31, 2025
I gravitate toward books about living in or near wilderness, about living simply, and about observing nature and wildlife - because that's my lifestyle. Petersen is a real character and a very good writer, however I found his material to be a bit preachy and repetitive, and definitely geared toward men, in particular men who like to hunt or want to learn how to hunt. Nonetheless, I'm glad I read it. I learned a few things about the elk and bear that pass through my homestead and am re-affirmed in my meaningful and self directed lifestyle.
December 29, 2010
If you've ever wondered what it would be like to uproot yourself and relocate to a wilder spot, where adventures can begin at the door's threshold, then you should check out this introspective by David Petersen. Truly a character, Petersen added to an already impressive list of vocations (marine pilot, motorcycle magazine editor) when he moved from Laguna Beach to the Colorado Rockies. I'll leave it to Petersen to explain to you what it means to be "on the Wild Edge" but this description is apt.
The book is not a page-turner, but perfect for relaxed and rainy afternoons. It is more a collection of adventures, stories, soapbox rants, and philosophical musings assembled - as Petersen notes - over 20 years of mountain living. While one may not agree with all that he writes, he leaves no doubt that his words were carefully considered, and passionately felt.
The book is not a page-turner, but perfect for relaxed and rainy afternoons. It is more a collection of adventures, stories, soapbox rants, and philosophical musings assembled - as Petersen notes - over 20 years of mountain living. While one may not agree with all that he writes, he leaves no doubt that his words were carefully considered, and passionately felt.
October 23, 2012
In the 1980s, David Petersen and his wife Caroline fled California and ended up in their hand-built cabin in the mountains above Durango, Colorado. In explaining his passion for their simple life with minimal possessions and a deep caring for nature, the author writes about self-reliance, the ethical hunting of wild game, responsible stewardship, and threats to their lifestyle. A definite recommendation for anyone considering becoming an "edge-dweller." (lj)
August 4, 2008
Overall enjoyed it. As someone who struggles to find a balance between easy and sustainable living this book hits a nerve. Knocked off a star since he preaches sustainability yet still seems to drive around to his favorite hiking spots whenever the feeling strikes. Harder to take the preacher seriously when you catch him sinnin. ;)
September 11, 2008
One the best books (non- Fiction) I have ever read. I am glad there are people in this world that think this way and have decided that being human is more than our everyday self- cenetered lives. If I could live even partially, in my little section of ever dwiddling wild, as atuned to the world around as Peterson I would live a very rich life. By the way his wife has to be an amazing person.
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February 24, 2010I couldn't even get past the preamble. I skimmed ahead as well to see if perhaps this book went somewhere but it did not appear to really have a point. I admire the author's asceticism and his desire to live a natural life, but this book is basically some sort of first person narrative of living in the sort of wilds of Colorado. It didn't cut it for me.
December 6, 2011
This is another book about losing yourself in nature. Imagine selling everything you own and buying a little cabin in the woods far, far away from everything and everyone you know. Having to grow/hunt for your food and basically live off the land. Would it be heaven or hell? That would depend on you. This is a good book; however, it did get a little slow towards the end.
December 7, 2012
The author lives in a cabin that he built on a mountain near Durango, Colorado, USA.
He, his wife, and a procession of doge live a full life, one I would like to think I should have chosen for myself many years ago.
Following in the footsteps of Aldo Leopold and others he describes his life and beliefs.
I found it a good read, if a bit long in the tooth.
He, his wife, and a procession of doge live a full life, one I would like to think I should have chosen for myself many years ago.
Following in the footsteps of Aldo Leopold and others he describes his life and beliefs.
I found it a good read, if a bit long in the tooth.
Read
September 24, 2008im fairly impressed with this one. it reads really fast, and is part adventures, part info, part politics ( well, not politics maybe, but something similar). another compassionate hunter out there giving me hope.
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February 2, 2009Not to be confused with "Into the Wild", this book is David Petersen's account of how he and his wife left Laguna Beach to live in a $300 trailer in the woods outside of Durango, CO. Made me want to move to the middle of nowhere and hunt with a bow and arrow.
October 16, 2015
This book for me was very easygoing, beautiful and honest. It isn't an elaborate story, nor is it terribly exciting. It is very well written and is entirely from the author's point of view. I would recommend this to anyone with a love for the outdoors, there is a lot to be learned from his story.
October 28, 2007
He is my hero.
November 26, 2008
3 1/4 stars. The book was good, but not engaging. It contained no real information I haven't learned elsewhere.
July 14, 2011
If only...
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July 25, 2014As an arrogant isolationist, I can sort of relate to him. I enjoyed his stories more than his rants and his personal epiphanies more than his quotes.
January 17, 2015
Non fiction, a naturalist applying the natural world to life.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews