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Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, And Dying In The National Parks
For twelve years, Andrea Lankford lived in the biggest, most impressive national parks in the world, working a job she loved. She chaperoned baby sea turtles on their journey to sea. She pursued bad guys on her galloping patrol horse. She jumped into rescue helicopters bound for the heart of the Grand Canyon. She won arguments with bears. She slept with a few too many rattlesnakes.
Hell yeah, it was the best job in the world! Fortunately, Andrea survived it.
In this graphic and yet surprisingly funny account of her and others’ extraordinary careers, Lankford unveils a world in which park rangers struggle to maintain their idealism in the face of death, disillusionment, and the loss of a comrade killed while holding that thin green line between protecting the park from the people, the people from the park, and the people from each other. Ranger Confidential is the story behind the scenery of the nation’s crown jewels—Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Smokies, Denali. In these iconic landscapes, where nature and humanity constantly collide, scenery can be as cruel as it is redemptive.
Hell yeah, it was the best job in the world! Fortunately, Andrea survived it.
In this graphic and yet surprisingly funny account of her and others’ extraordinary careers, Lankford unveils a world in which park rangers struggle to maintain their idealism in the face of death, disillusionment, and the loss of a comrade killed while holding that thin green line between protecting the park from the people, the people from the park, and the people from each other. Ranger Confidential is the story behind the scenery of the nation’s crown jewels—Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Smokies, Denali. In these iconic landscapes, where nature and humanity constantly collide, scenery can be as cruel as it is redemptive.
246 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 750 reviews
August 11, 2020
I'm going to be a lot nicer to park rangers when I see them. These stories illustrate how hard, frustrating and dangerous it can be to work in national parks. The stories are fascinating, a mixture of the author's experiences and those of fellow rangers. One thing that could make this book better would be photos and maps, particularly, Grand Canyon maps.
Some take-away points I gleaned from this book:
1. Stay on the marked paths. Always.
2. Don't ask stupid questions because the rangers have already heard them a million times.
3. Don't approach any wildlife, and don't put your children on them.
4. Don't walk or climb on safety ledges.
5. Follow the guidelines for protecting your food (and life) from bears.
6. Criminals like to hang out in national parks just as much as you do.
7. The ranger in the fee booth feels like he/she's in prison--be extra nice!
8. Most rangers don't get paid well, few get benefits and they have to pay money back to the NPS to live in crappy housing. Be nice!
9. Get a permit to camp or hike--or pay the fine.
10. STAY ON THE MARKED PATHS--ALWAYS!!!
Some take-away points I gleaned from this book:
1. Stay on the marked paths. Always.
2. Don't ask stupid questions because the rangers have already heard them a million times.
3. Don't approach any wildlife, and don't put your children on them.
4. Don't walk or climb on safety ledges.
5. Follow the guidelines for protecting your food (and life) from bears.
6. Criminals like to hang out in national parks just as much as you do.
7. The ranger in the fee booth feels like he/she's in prison--be extra nice!
8. Most rangers don't get paid well, few get benefits and they have to pay money back to the NPS to live in crappy housing. Be nice!
9. Get a permit to camp or hike--or pay the fine.
10. STAY ON THE MARKED PATHS--ALWAYS!!!
September 22, 2012
"In the United States, a park ranger is more likely to be assaulted in the line of duty than is any other federal office, including those who work for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Secret Service; and the Drug Enforcement Administration."
I loved this. As previously stated, the other books I've read on this subject have been more focused on tourists and visitors to parks, the dangerous (and frequently) stupid situations they put themselves in, etc. This was very much about being a ranger. Yes, there are the stories about rescues and stupid park visitors and whatnot, but it is much more focused on the rangers' experience and ways of dealing with such things. A wide range of topics get touched on -- being a woman in a male dominated field; poor pay and living conditions; visitors' perceptions of the job vs the reality; love and relationships. It is all told in a casual, conversational way. The whole book, in fact, felt to me like sitting around a campfire listening to rangers "talking shop". Recommended.
I loved this. As previously stated, the other books I've read on this subject have been more focused on tourists and visitors to parks, the dangerous (and frequently) stupid situations they put themselves in, etc. This was very much about being a ranger. Yes, there are the stories about rescues and stupid park visitors and whatnot, but it is much more focused on the rangers' experience and ways of dealing with such things. A wide range of topics get touched on -- being a woman in a male dominated field; poor pay and living conditions; visitors' perceptions of the job vs the reality; love and relationships. It is all told in a casual, conversational way. The whole book, in fact, felt to me like sitting around a campfire listening to rangers "talking shop". Recommended.
May 26, 2022
A fascinating, fascinating book. As most of us probably did, I always took park rangers for granted. When I would visit a park, they were just kind of there. I had a vague notion that they took care of the park and helped people in trouble, but I never (fortunately) got into enough trouble to experience this firsthand. Of course there was the ranger from the Yogi Bear cartoons, and the chubby one from the Disney cartoons, but neither is a strictly accurate portrayal ...
It turns out that there's a lot of work involved in the job, and not a lot of pay either. It's one of those jobs that one does more for the love of the work than anything else. The scenic beauty on a daily basis sounds nice, but the thought of the many ways nature can (and does) kill people necessitating a ranger cleanup is a sobering one. Don't get the idea that this book is one long bummer though. There are laughter and tears, triumph and tragedy, love and loss all in equal measure. Lankford gives us an insider's perspective on the job, neither wallowing in sordid detail, nor lifting rangers up onto a perfect pedestal. Her tales of the ranger life ultimately show us what it's like to be human. This is a warm, wonderful book that will make you laugh, cry, and gasp in amazement. Highly recommended!
It turns out that there's a lot of work involved in the job, and not a lot of pay either. It's one of those jobs that one does more for the love of the work than anything else. The scenic beauty on a daily basis sounds nice, but the thought of the many ways nature can (and does) kill people necessitating a ranger cleanup is a sobering one. Don't get the idea that this book is one long bummer though. There are laughter and tears, triumph and tragedy, love and loss all in equal measure. Lankford gives us an insider's perspective on the job, neither wallowing in sordid detail, nor lifting rangers up onto a perfect pedestal. Her tales of the ranger life ultimately show us what it's like to be human. This is a warm, wonderful book that will make you laugh, cry, and gasp in amazement. Highly recommended!
July 18, 2016
About a year ago, I read Over the Edge: Death in Grand Canyon. Morbidly fascinating book, and this is, too. Because Lankford spent a fair chunk of her career as a ranger in Grand Canyon National Park, there's a fair bit of overlap. It can be a little strange to read some of these incidents again, with much more detail and insight into the mindset of the rangers on scene. I even remembered some of the names from Over the Edge. While every bit as interesting as the previous book, I'd say that this one was more engagingly written. There's still the same lessons, though: read the signs, listen to the rangers, stay on the paths, don't engage the wildlife. A good entry in the small "wow, people do strange things in national parks" sub-sub-genre of nonfiction I'm strangely into.
November 2, 2020
This should really be called "How the National Park System gave me PTSD". Lankford is a previous NPS ranger that spent most of her tenure at Yosemite and Grand Canyon, two very popular and beautiful parks. I was expecting a memoir-like collection of stories and reflections on her time, as the title would suggest. Noooooopppeee. I was really let down by the execution.
Firstly, this isn't a memoir. It's a collection of stories from four different NPS rangers (one being the author), the other three whom Lankford knew personally. So many of the stories are second-hand.
Secondly, and maybe my biggest gripe - there is ZERO STRUCTURE. For the life of me I cannot figure out what the formatting for this book is. It seems to just meander here and there. I can think of a few ways you COULD organize:
- By time, working chronologically from earlier to later experiences. Nope, we go from early 1990s to early 2000s to late 1990s to early 1990s to etc. etc. and I just never knew if we were interacting with a younger park ranger or a more experienced one because the dates all merged together.
- By the ranger, so collecting all of Lankford's stories, followed by collecting those of each of the other three rangers. Nope, we get Ranger 1 - Ranger 4 - Ranger 4 - Ranger 3 - Ranger 4- Ranger 2 - Ranger 4 - Ranger 3 - Ranger 1, etc. I would get confused switching back and forth from different perspectives!!
- By place, so starting with stories setting place in Yosemite and then the Grand Canyon. Nope, we move back and forth and back and forth between the two places (and some earlier stories from the east coast).
Thirdly, there was zero reflection on the stories, just a regurgitation of what happened. Why did you write this? What was the point? Why do you think people acted the way they did? How could the NPS better protect visitors and their rangers? What would make the organization better? Give me something, some context, some opinion around these recollections.
Lastly, it is also worth pointing out that every story is depressing, and the majority involve death. The tone became so bleak reading this that I ended up not feeling anything towards the end of the book, because I knew every chapter would end with something bad happening.
I dunno, maybe it was therapeutic for Lankford to write this and get some of these stories off her chest. I felt like there was serious potential here but maybe one of the worst executed pieces I've read. There are chapters that did stick with me (mostly due to the incredibly grim descriptions and endings), but I'm hoping I can find some more NPS-inspired nonfiction pieces that'll deliver where this did not.
Firstly, this isn't a memoir. It's a collection of stories from four different NPS rangers (one being the author), the other three whom Lankford knew personally. So many of the stories are second-hand.
Secondly, and maybe my biggest gripe - there is ZERO STRUCTURE. For the life of me I cannot figure out what the formatting for this book is. It seems to just meander here and there. I can think of a few ways you COULD organize:
- By time, working chronologically from earlier to later experiences. Nope, we go from early 1990s to early 2000s to late 1990s to early 1990s to etc. etc. and I just never knew if we were interacting with a younger park ranger or a more experienced one because the dates all merged together.
- By the ranger, so collecting all of Lankford's stories, followed by collecting those of each of the other three rangers. Nope, we get Ranger 1 - Ranger 4 - Ranger 4 - Ranger 3 - Ranger 4- Ranger 2 - Ranger 4 - Ranger 3 - Ranger 1, etc. I would get confused switching back and forth from different perspectives!!
- By place, so starting with stories setting place in Yosemite and then the Grand Canyon. Nope, we move back and forth and back and forth between the two places (and some earlier stories from the east coast).
Thirdly, there was zero reflection on the stories, just a regurgitation of what happened. Why did you write this? What was the point? Why do you think people acted the way they did? How could the NPS better protect visitors and their rangers? What would make the organization better? Give me something, some context, some opinion around these recollections.
Lastly, it is also worth pointing out that every story is depressing, and the majority involve death. The tone became so bleak reading this that I ended up not feeling anything towards the end of the book, because I knew every chapter would end with something bad happening.
I dunno, maybe it was therapeutic for Lankford to write this and get some of these stories off her chest. I felt like there was serious potential here but maybe one of the worst executed pieces I've read. There are chapters that did stick with me (mostly due to the incredibly grim descriptions and endings), but I'm hoping I can find some more NPS-inspired nonfiction pieces that'll deliver where this did not.
October 5, 2017
I purchased and read this book after visiting a few national parks this summer. The tales are honest and draw the reader in, but the book does not have a beginning middle and an end. It is neither a memoir of the author herself nor a collection of park ranger adventures -- it is instead a hodge-podge of tales involving herself, her friends, and none-of-the-above, including both park ranger stories and random personal stories and love life stories of these.? This is all told in no apparent order, but ends with the personal story endings of the author and the included friends, as if it was a collected memoir. Not well organized, but an interesting read.
March 14, 2013
As a former NPS seasonal ranger I was interested in reading this book. What she illustrates is a true picture of working in our busy parks though by the end of the book I was tired of her whining. Yes, housing can be awful, yes, visitors can be rude and stupid and yes, by the end of the season you will probably be burned out and ready to leave. But, you don't work hard to get a job with the Park Service because you want to be rich, famous and sit at a desk all day. Overall, the book started with promise but isn't all that well written.
January 8, 2025
Well this was absolutely bloody tedious!!
I really loved Lankford's Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail, so I mistakenly assumed that this memoir would be more quality writing. Boy was I wrong!
Lankford comes across like an excitable, twatty, egotistical teenager, hellbent on proving how awesome she is, wanting to race people up steep hiking trails to mortally wounded hikers and forever bemoaning how sexist and misogynistic the Parks Service is but then getting excited when she hears one of her male co-workers finds her "hot"!! Honestly, she is a walking bag of contradiction! The general public are thick as pigshit and prone to do stupid things in the wilderness, cue Lankford doing equally stupid things but it's allowed because she works there! Talk about do as I say not as I do!
All her co-workers who she gushes over constantly are picked apart looks-wise. The "blonde princess", the black "ebony" man, the token "Asian American". Honestly why do we need to know what they look like or what racial background they have?? They're a fucking park ranger you goon!
The stories she tells of deaths in the US National Parks are not handled sensitively; they are sensationalized and picked wide open for their "entertainment value". She even seems to trivialize suicide amongst young men there.
Honestly, Lankford seriously disappointed me with this one. She comes across as a not very nice person at all.
I really loved Lankford's Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail, so I mistakenly assumed that this memoir would be more quality writing. Boy was I wrong!
Lankford comes across like an excitable, twatty, egotistical teenager, hellbent on proving how awesome she is, wanting to race people up steep hiking trails to mortally wounded hikers and forever bemoaning how sexist and misogynistic the Parks Service is but then getting excited when she hears one of her male co-workers finds her "hot"!! Honestly, she is a walking bag of contradiction! The general public are thick as pigshit and prone to do stupid things in the wilderness, cue Lankford doing equally stupid things but it's allowed because she works there! Talk about do as I say not as I do!
All her co-workers who she gushes over constantly are picked apart looks-wise. The "blonde princess", the black "ebony" man, the token "Asian American". Honestly why do we need to know what they look like or what racial background they have?? They're a fucking park ranger you goon!
The stories she tells of deaths in the US National Parks are not handled sensitively; they are sensationalized and picked wide open for their "entertainment value". She even seems to trivialize suicide amongst young men there.
Honestly, Lankford seriously disappointed me with this one. She comes across as a not very nice person at all.
February 21, 2022
I listened to this book on audio while on a road trip, and it was intense! As a former seasonal park ranger (interpretation), I was a little stunned by some of the vitriol the author expressed in the book. But I realize my experience was short term and not in search and rescue. The stories contained in the book are eye opening and brutally honest. It’s a good read for anyone seriously considering a career in the park service, but maybe not for those who would rather maintain the fantasy of a dream career.
January 17, 2015
Soooo, having been a seasonal National Park ranger in my idealistic youth long, long ago in galaxy far, far away..., I could appreciate and relate to many of the stories former NPS ranger Lankford penned in this excellent book, especially:
* nudists vs ranger square off on a (non-nudist) National seashore - check
* sub-standard park staff accomodations; complete with wildlife roommates (aka scorpions) - check
* fun with loggerhead sea turtle babies - check
* idiotic questions from park visitors - double check
Good tales, well told; some funny, some poignant, some hair-raising, all entertaining.
Still miss those baby loggerhead turtles -- the scorpions, not so much...
* nudists vs ranger square off on a (non-nudist) National seashore - check
* sub-standard park staff accomodations; complete with wildlife roommates (aka scorpions) - check
* fun with loggerhead sea turtle babies - check
* idiotic questions from park visitors - double check
Good tales, well told; some funny, some poignant, some hair-raising, all entertaining.
Still miss those baby loggerhead turtles -- the scorpions, not so much...
January 2, 2012
I liked this book, but some stories felt unfinished. I buy an adventure book every time I'm up at Grand Canyon, and have read many. They all make me realize that my safe, 800 hiking miles in GC, have come at a steep price for many. My goal is 1000 GC miles before I need to give up my hiking days. I'm almost there. These types of books show me what not to do, and give me great admiration for all the Park Rangers work risk their lives every day for park visitors.
May 4, 2017
I have wanted to read this book since a trip to the Grand Canyon three years ago. I just got my chance when we added it to a mixed order of summer reading gift books for our Adult Ed students. I put it on the request list because I thought it would appeal to some of the outdoor types. Yesterday I grabbed it and started reading, finishing the first ten chapters in a couple of sittings. I think I am already done.
The stories are interesting, but the Ranger who wrote it is extremely jaded. She has already convinced me never to set foot in Yosemite, and I am hoping this book doesn't come back to haunt me during my ten-day tour of Utah national parks this summer. She basically takes the beauty of the parks and replaces it with fear and sadness.
On the first point, I am sure that there is plenty of crime to contend with in our national and state parks, but I imagine that most people who visit these places aren't predators, terrorists, or generally horrible individuals. I have only experienced one negative incident in a national or state park in all my visits; most of the people I encounter are lovely. Yet, even as I type that, after reading this book I can readily visualize a rapist stealing my children from my tent in the night.
On the second point, her stories did make me appreciate the Rangers more - I will be extra polite, obedient, and helpful when I'm there. I certainly don't want to contribute to the job-related misery she so vividly describes. If things are that awful, why would anyone want to spend even a week on the job? Also, it seems that all the men she worked with were Neanderthals. I'm sure that there are plenty of men who work in the parks who don't shame themselves by treating women badly. (I believe sexism is very real and more likely to be found in male-dominated professions, but I also believe that there is a range of human behavior anywhere).
As far as the writing goes, her stories are disjointed. She doesn't always have a clear beginning, middle, and end, so I found myself wondering how some ideas related to others in the same story. She also uses crude language and references. I'm not so conservative that bad language and sexuality will make me put a book down, but if it is gratuitous or sophomoric, I lose patience pretty quickly. At one point, she compared a poor girl who suffered from hyponatremia to a porn star because of the sounds she was making when the person treating her attempted to insert a catheter. In moments like that, the author came off as crude, unethical, and ignorant.
I am a bit sorry that we ordered this book for our students. They have enough problems without having to slog through more heartache. I am giving it a two because I found some of the knowledge I gained useful. However, it really bummed me out. Please, dear reader, refrain from placing this book in the hands of anyone who has never experienced the majesty of a national park. It will likely convince that person to never try one out.
The stories are interesting, but the Ranger who wrote it is extremely jaded. She has already convinced me never to set foot in Yosemite, and I am hoping this book doesn't come back to haunt me during my ten-day tour of Utah national parks this summer. She basically takes the beauty of the parks and replaces it with fear and sadness.
On the first point, I am sure that there is plenty of crime to contend with in our national and state parks, but I imagine that most people who visit these places aren't predators, terrorists, or generally horrible individuals. I have only experienced one negative incident in a national or state park in all my visits; most of the people I encounter are lovely. Yet, even as I type that, after reading this book I can readily visualize a rapist stealing my children from my tent in the night.
On the second point, her stories did make me appreciate the Rangers more - I will be extra polite, obedient, and helpful when I'm there. I certainly don't want to contribute to the job-related misery she so vividly describes. If things are that awful, why would anyone want to spend even a week on the job? Also, it seems that all the men she worked with were Neanderthals. I'm sure that there are plenty of men who work in the parks who don't shame themselves by treating women badly. (I believe sexism is very real and more likely to be found in male-dominated professions, but I also believe that there is a range of human behavior anywhere).
As far as the writing goes, her stories are disjointed. She doesn't always have a clear beginning, middle, and end, so I found myself wondering how some ideas related to others in the same story. She also uses crude language and references. I'm not so conservative that bad language and sexuality will make me put a book down, but if it is gratuitous or sophomoric, I lose patience pretty quickly. At one point, she compared a poor girl who suffered from hyponatremia to a porn star because of the sounds she was making when the person treating her attempted to insert a catheter. In moments like that, the author came off as crude, unethical, and ignorant.
I am a bit sorry that we ordered this book for our students. They have enough problems without having to slog through more heartache. I am giving it a two because I found some of the knowledge I gained useful. However, it really bummed me out. Please, dear reader, refrain from placing this book in the hands of anyone who has never experienced the majesty of a national park. It will likely convince that person to never try one out.
February 22, 2017
My daughter gave this book to me because I have jokingly maintained that being a park ranger would be my second career one day. Well, reading this book has permanently dissuaded me from that (albeit farfetched) notion. The book is written by a long time National Park Service ranger, a woman who began at Cape Hatteras National Seashore and wound up out west in places like Yosemite and the Grand Canyon. There are a few passages that met my expectation of conveying the sublime experiences of working in some of the world's most beautiful and spectacular places, including the tale of the author's own epiphany moment that led her into permanent employment with the Park Service (it involved helping a baby sea turtle get to the water at Cape Hatteras). But be forewarned, the bulk of the book is about the horror stories that fill a huge chunk of the time of the park rangers. As the author relates her own stories, as well as those of a few of her close friends and colleague, we get to read about the "underside" of the park ranger job: dealing with criminals, vandals and bullies, dodging scorpions and bears, rescuing stranded climbers on El Capitan in Yosemite, counseling people out of suicide attempts, and recovering the bodies of people who have died in accidents. Rangers are given special training in rope recuses and as coroners, and despite the wonders of the places in which they work, it appears that few stay in the service for their entire career-- it's just too mentally and physically taxing. Yet despite the fact that the book did not exactly meet my expectations, it did leave me with a new level of respect for these overworked and underpaid civil servants whose efforts allow all of us to enjoy the greatest gift our nation has ever provided for its people: our National Park system.
November 9, 2022
Non-Fiction
This is a collection of somewhat disjointed stories from a NPS ranger. I didn't know much about the hierarchy of rangers going into this and I learned a lot about this world. There are so many things that happen and that rangers need to be prepared for and it isn't well publicized what they go through because, well, people might be scared away from visiting parks. Criminals, dehydration, first aid, suicides, scorpions, poisonous snakes, and extreme weather conditions are just some of the topics discussed here as they pertain to park rangers and park visitors. I enjoyed reading this but thought it could have had smoother transitions between chapters/stories.
"But age wreaked havoc on our idealism, a little courage bled from each tragic experience, and hope seemed elusive when so many lives were lost."
"Park rangers, including those at the highest ranks, have been disciplined, frivolously indicted, and even fired because they told the truth about living, working, and dying in a national park."
"Park rangers were cops, firemen, EMTs, and game wardens! You could be a park ranger and do it all! All of the fun stuff in one job. For one paycheck. Neat!"
"Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints."
This is a collection of somewhat disjointed stories from a NPS ranger. I didn't know much about the hierarchy of rangers going into this and I learned a lot about this world. There are so many things that happen and that rangers need to be prepared for and it isn't well publicized what they go through because, well, people might be scared away from visiting parks. Criminals, dehydration, first aid, suicides, scorpions, poisonous snakes, and extreme weather conditions are just some of the topics discussed here as they pertain to park rangers and park visitors. I enjoyed reading this but thought it could have had smoother transitions between chapters/stories.
"But age wreaked havoc on our idealism, a little courage bled from each tragic experience, and hope seemed elusive when so many lives were lost."
"Park rangers, including those at the highest ranks, have been disciplined, frivolously indicted, and even fired because they told the truth about living, working, and dying in a national park."
"Park rangers were cops, firemen, EMTs, and game wardens! You could be a park ranger and do it all! All of the fun stuff in one job. For one paycheck. Neat!"
"Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints."
June 2, 2010
This is a very entertaining and totally honest portrayal of the National Park System from some brave and underpaid, nature-loving park rangers at Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Denali. Exciting and sometimes cringe-worthy, Andrea's accounts of her own and her coworkers' experiences in the national parks had me riveted. My favorite moments were those when Andy and Mary showed the male rangers just how much a female ranger could kick ass. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves the outdoors and especially those who love our national parks. You'll never look at a park ranger the same way again!
June 5, 2017
Fascinating book that certainly gets rid of an illusions that being a national park ranger was a glamorous life.
Anyone thinking of doing this for a career should read this book first.
Anyone thinking of doing this for a career should read this book first.
August 17, 2023
Andrea Lankford the author is everything I am not- yet wished I was if not for my proprioceptive and vestibular systems and anxiety issues.... (rats to genetics and luck of the draw) This "scared of heights, hate spinning, the unknown, and feet on the ground gal" was memorized by her abilities. So eye opening to the actualities of working in the NPS. A newfound respect, admiration and a deeper sense of appreciation for all they do I was unaware of. The book is a bit graphic and not a Sunday school read. Wholeheartedly recommend it if one spends anytime at the parks or likes others' life journeys.
October 21, 2023
I think before anyone visits a National Park, they should have to read this book. A lot of visitors would be much kinder to park Rangers if they did. The book also makes you aware of all the life threatening possibilities when hiking and may make you think twice about a decision you are faced with out in the backcountry.
August 29, 2022
2.5 stars. The stories and anecdotes are often interesting, and would be fascinating to hear someone tell you about them over a beer. But the writing isn't very good. And this collection really needed a strong Editor. There is no overarching theme nor plan nor order to anecdotes shared. It's just a random compilation. It doesn't build to anything. Just a handful of collected stories, compiled in any order. Definitely gave me a greater respect for and insight into just how hard being a Ranger is, and the wide wide variety of duties they have to perform (including law enforcement and medical emergencies, etc). These stories portray hardships feel very honest, and Langford is open about the emotional and mental toll this job can take, and how tough financially it is, too. I appreciated some of the insights into this world, so I guess I'm glad I read it, but it wasn't fun to read (partly because writing and organization aren't great, and partly because the stories are often very bleak). But I'll definitely be thinking about it for awhile. Also, while published in 2010, some of these stories (and the attitudes within) felt very outdated,and more representative of the 80's & 90's when they took place. Especially some of the gender and LGBT stuff...comments are made in ways that are intended to be jokes that sure wouldn't have been funny in 2010 and feel even more outdated now in 2022. (Although my bookclub was split on this. Several of us found that jarring and unpleasant and others were more willing/able to excuse it).
April 2, 2019
If you love the national parks as I happily admit to -- this year I'll get to the only two of the fifty-nine that I have yet to visit -- you have a certain fondness for the rangers. You sympathize with the one stuck in the kiosk collecting entrance fees all day. You try not to ask boring questions that they must have to answer so many times it hurts. And you really appreciate their helpfulness when you need it -- especially if it is answering one of those questions. After reading this, your fondness for them will grow deeper, probably much deeper.
I guess I just didn't think about how dangerous some of their duties are. Mountaineering. Search and rescue, or recovery. Criminal apprehension. And a lot more. And I definitely didn't account for how the terrain and the elements increase that danger. The author brings that message home most forcefully, particularly with regard to the "big, nasty parks" like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, where her experience was concentrated. A very good read. Well worth it.
I guess I just didn't think about how dangerous some of their duties are. Mountaineering. Search and rescue, or recovery. Criminal apprehension. And a lot more. And I definitely didn't account for how the terrain and the elements increase that danger. The author brings that message home most forcefully, particularly with regard to the "big, nasty parks" like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, where her experience was concentrated. A very good read. Well worth it.
December 12, 2020
I had to dig in the book bag for another one. Still wasn't up to Patricia Cornwell (that book is at the top of the heap) and I dug around a bit and found this one. I have been to several National Parks and this book blew me away. For all the reading I do, fact is still more cruel, sorrowful, dangerous, crazier stories, and happier than fiction. The writing is not top notch but for the most part the feelings and stories divulged in this book are. A great change of pace read.
July 13, 2013
OMG, even being a Nat'l Park Ranger is a crummy job.
May 23, 2023
Ranger Confidential was an incredibly fascinating book, I had a hard time putting it down! It included a mix of good and bad experiences from several different rangers, while also detailing so many aspects of the job. It discussed the experiences of women in a male-dominated field, how poor pay and poor living conditions could impact a person, relationships in stressful and fluid jobs, and other topics. It could be made more impactful by including maps or images of the trails or mountains/canyons for perspective, especially for those who haven't visited the discussed areas before. (This isn't to say it's not impactful on its own - it absolutely is.)
It was somewhat disjointed, in terms of how the chapters were organized, though it didn't make the book terribly confusing.
This book will make you reevaluate what you think about park rangers, and even what you think about the rules in parks. Sometimes rules seem ridiculous or silly, but Lankford hammers home through each story that those rules are in usually in place for the safety of the wildlife, the rangers, or the visitors. And the rangers are often doing their best while dealing with a lot of different (and sometimes brutal) situations, and sometimes little support. I'm curious about if anything has changed for NPS staff since the publication of this book, and if so, in what ways.
It was somewhat disjointed, in terms of how the chapters were organized, though it didn't make the book terribly confusing.
This book will make you reevaluate what you think about park rangers, and even what you think about the rules in parks. Sometimes rules seem ridiculous or silly, but Lankford hammers home through each story that those rules are in usually in place for the safety of the wildlife, the rangers, or the visitors. And the rangers are often doing their best while dealing with a lot of different (and sometimes brutal) situations, and sometimes little support. I'm curious about if anything has changed for NPS staff since the publication of this book, and if so, in what ways.
May 22, 2023
This book made me want to be extra kind to the park rangers.
I really enjoyed this story, even though it wasn’t as lighthearted as I initially thought it would be. Some of the stories were tragic, others made me chuckle.
Some of the stories were hard to listen to, and there was some language.
I really enjoyed this story, even though it wasn’t as lighthearted as I initially thought it would be. Some of the stories were tragic, others made me chuckle.
Some of the stories were hard to listen to, and there was some language.
February 24, 2025
The National Park Service is largely invisible, despite all they do. This is just a tiny peak behind the curtain. And a timely book (2025 at the time of writing this) now that the Park Service has been gutted, further reducing the safety of visitors as well as our most prized natural spaces.
January 5, 2023
Awesome book that will really open your eyes to the duties and life of a NPS Ranger. Total enjoyment and recommended for all that love the outdoors.
March 24, 2024
A blend of memoir and nonfiction exploration of the National Park Ranger career. Did you know that Park Rangers are the most likely law enforcement officers to be assaulted? More than border patrol, more than FBI agents, more than beat cops. I’ve imagined a simple, peaceful life of a park ranger for myself a time or two; the point of this book is to disabuse you of the notion that being one is anything but simple or peaceful.
Read
March 10, 2025An important book now more than ever about the thankless hell NPS workers go through every day to make the National Parks safe and accessible. This book is very easy to read- it doesn’t really form a cohesive narrative but is instead told like a campfire tale from chapter to chapter.
If any of the stories sound like something you’d be interested to hear about in more detail, I recommend the podcast National Park After Dark (in particular they covered the exact BASE jumping incident Lankford describes in the book very thoroughly)
If any of the stories sound like something you’d be interested to hear about in more detail, I recommend the podcast National Park After Dark (in particular they covered the exact BASE jumping incident Lankford describes in the book very thoroughly)
December 18, 2024
Lots of interesting first hand accounts of what it’s like to be a national park ranger. There is one personal narrative that carries throughout the book which I was a bit confused by until it all made sense in the end. Easy and fast listen, would recommend.
October 27, 2020
Two things you should know before reading this book:
1. For a large portion of my life--like a lot of people, I'm sure--I've dreamed of becoming a Park Ranger for the NPS. After living vicariously through Lankford, I think I can put that dream to rest. This book will do that to most readers, I suspect, although there are those who will take these tales as a challenge.
2. I thought--and oh, how wrong I was--that this book would be sort of like Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods," but from a Ranger's POV. While there are humorous moments, they are few and far between.
RC is primarily a collection of stories about Lankford and her co-workers during her 12 years working for the NPS. While not entirely grim, reader be warned that the overwhelming number of tourists to our National Parks and the egregiously high number of stupid things they do makes for a tense, sad read at times. I came away with a picture of a corps of people who are dreadfully overworked, doing the most dangerous things you can imagine *just to save our butts.* And they do this because they love our protected wild spaces with their whole being, and consider the poor housing, long hours, and meager pay to be the price they pay to wake up and work each day in some of the most breathtaking places on the planet.
And sometimes, the price they pay is not getting to wake up again. Lankford says right from the get-go that a Ranger dies, and while I knew it was coming, I admit that I haven't cried that hard in a long time. That's probably the third thing you should know before reading, but since Lankford spells it out clearly in the very beginning, I didn't think I had to.
Problems with the book aside from content: It's very much a collection of stories, not entirely linear, and sometimes it's just a snapshot. The narrative jumps around, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph, or sentence to sentence. When you have to go back and figure out what's going on, and try to draw lines between dots, it can throw a reader, certainly. I became used to it, but for many, this will be a big problem. Also, another reviewer mentions the lack of maps and photos. I really wish there had been maps, especially of the two big parks Lankford worked at, Yosemite and Grand Canyon.
The last issue is that, having been told immediately a Ranger will die by the end, every person we meet along the way prompts us to guess if they're "it." Honestly, trying to figure out who would be the one was more distracting than the other issues. I'm still trying to figure out a way it could have been handled that would have the reader understanding death will probably occur to a person we get to know and like, while not having them do what I did.
Despite the problems, this book is compulsively readable and a real eye-opener. I love the outdoors, and I'm pleased to say that I have always stayed on the trails, taken my garbage back out with me, and tried my best to leave the plants and animals undisturbed. After reading RC, my guess is, if you aren't already, you will also be a considerate and compassionate tourist in our public parks.
1. For a large portion of my life--like a lot of people, I'm sure--I've dreamed of becoming a Park Ranger for the NPS. After living vicariously through Lankford, I think I can put that dream to rest. This book will do that to most readers, I suspect, although there are those who will take these tales as a challenge.
2. I thought--and oh, how wrong I was--that this book would be sort of like Bryson's "A Walk in the Woods," but from a Ranger's POV. While there are humorous moments, they are few and far between.
RC is primarily a collection of stories about Lankford and her co-workers during her 12 years working for the NPS. While not entirely grim, reader be warned that the overwhelming number of tourists to our National Parks and the egregiously high number of stupid things they do makes for a tense, sad read at times. I came away with a picture of a corps of people who are dreadfully overworked, doing the most dangerous things you can imagine *just to save our butts.* And they do this because they love our protected wild spaces with their whole being, and consider the poor housing, long hours, and meager pay to be the price they pay to wake up and work each day in some of the most breathtaking places on the planet.
And sometimes, the price they pay is not getting to wake up again. Lankford says right from the get-go that a Ranger dies, and while I knew it was coming, I admit that I haven't cried that hard in a long time. That's probably the third thing you should know before reading, but since Lankford spells it out clearly in the very beginning, I didn't think I had to.
Problems with the book aside from content: It's very much a collection of stories, not entirely linear, and sometimes it's just a snapshot. The narrative jumps around, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph, or sentence to sentence. When you have to go back and figure out what's going on, and try to draw lines between dots, it can throw a reader, certainly. I became used to it, but for many, this will be a big problem. Also, another reviewer mentions the lack of maps and photos. I really wish there had been maps, especially of the two big parks Lankford worked at, Yosemite and Grand Canyon.
The last issue is that, having been told immediately a Ranger will die by the end, every person we meet along the way prompts us to guess if they're "it." Honestly, trying to figure out who would be the one was more distracting than the other issues. I'm still trying to figure out a way it could have been handled that would have the reader understanding death will probably occur to a person we get to know and like, while not having them do what I did.
Despite the problems, this book is compulsively readable and a real eye-opener. I love the outdoors, and I'm pleased to say that I have always stayed on the trails, taken my garbage back out with me, and tried my best to leave the plants and animals undisturbed. After reading RC, my guess is, if you aren't already, you will also be a considerate and compassionate tourist in our public parks.
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