Recommended Reading

In 2007, outdoor journalist Fitz Cahall was about to give up on his dream of telling adventure stories when he experimented with recording an online radio show. Since then, The Dirtbag Diaries has released more than three hundred episodes and, for many outdoor lovers, has become more a way of life than merely a podcast. Now, in his first book, Cahall has collected thirty of the show’s stories, which settle into the soul the way snowflakes slowly descend in winter. From mountain peaks to river valleys, long hiking trails to bike paths, these are stories of, yes, adventure, but also about relationships—with fathers, lovers, friends, and dogs—forged through time spent outside and lives well lived.

I missed this book when it first came out in 2020, and I’m so glad a friend recently placed a copy in my hands. While Wintering was published during the pandemic and feels particularly reflective of that difficult era, it’s a timeless affirmation of stepping back and embracing rest. Through the lens of memoir and expository questioning of societal norms, Katherine May examines winter’s symbols and rituals, revealing the deeper meaning behind everyday acts, like how a tree’s falling leaves can turn into lessons about sustaining life. We outdoor lovers tend to be constantly going, doing, and seeing. Wintering is a reminder that nature, as ever, is a profound teacher, and that sitting still can be one of the most powerful acts of all.

Pioneering wildlife biologist Diane K. Boyd has spent more than four decades studying wolves near Glacier National Park in Montana. Called the “Jane Goodall of wolves,” she was the first female scientist to radio-collar wild wolves in the U.S. In her debut memoir, Boyd reflects on her journey and the complexities of human and wildlife coexistence. The best memoirs allow you to step into that person’s shoes, and this book does that vividly—the loud crunch of your footsteps when you’re the only human for miles around, the sensation of a wolf’s fur under your hands, the sound of a howl that rises and ripples across the forest. Through stories and in-the-field photographs, Boyd weaves a deeper understanding of wolves’ social structures, unique personalities, and their vital role in wild ecosystems.

From the author of The Overstory comes another masterpiece, the kind of book that sounds impossible in scope and yet somehow works beautifully. Through the interconnected stories of Evie, a diver who sinks to the bottom of the pool with one of the first aqualungs; poetry-loving Ravi and computer geek Todd; and the residents of a small South Pacific Island, Richard Powers pieces together a sweeping saga of environmental conservation, resource exploitation, and the potential dangers of technology. Lush descriptions of the South Pacific’s coral reefs ebb and flow with philosophical inquiry as Playground highlights the stakes for life on earth while humanity rushes toward the seductive allure of artificial intelligence. At once a love letter to the ocean, a tender tribute to community, and a character-driven drama grounded in cutting-edge science, Playground defies categorization.

In his mid-twenties, Patrick Hutchison felt adrift at his email marketing job in Seattle, while it seemed everyone around him had figured out a solid trajectory—careers, financial stability, marriage. He yearned for more out of life, but what was in reach? On Craigslist, he stumbled upon a tiny cabin tucked away in Washington’s Cascade Mountains. Never mind that it looked more like a chicken coop than a cabin and was, as he writes, “the sort of place where you wish your shoes had shoes.” For a mere $7,500—which, technically, he didn’t have—and with some carpentry skills—well, he didn’t have those either, but that’s what YouTube is for, right?—it could all be his. Cabin is equal parts laugh-out-loud fixer-upper humor as well as an endearingly relatable chronicle of figuring out one’s place in the world.

This national bestseller is a fictional exploration of sisterhood set against the backdrop of a mysterious bear that appears on Washington’s San Juan Island. The story revolves around sisters Elena and Sam, who navigate their strained relationship, their ailing mother, and financial struggles. The bear serves as both a threat and a comfort, eliciting starkly different reactions from each sister. Sam, fearful and practical, wants the bear removed, while Elena becomes enchanted, complicating their bond. Told from Sam’s perspective, the novel blends realism and fairy tale elements, revealing unsettling truths about identity, connection, and dreams. It’s a startling, thought-provoking read, best shared and discussed with a friend or three.