Amy Irvine

The first two-thirds of this book is as lyrical and well-written as any book I have ever read of this southern Utah section of the Colorado Plateau. Interesting, informative, and as compelling as any Terry Tempest Williams book. Irvine will remind you repeatedly of Williams, both in her writing style and in what she chooses to write about. I always enjoy learning more about this part of the world I live in, and I mean both the natural and everyday world of the Western United States.

But the last third of the book began to fall apart for me. I thought it was a little disjointed and disorganized. I had the sense of an author with a lot of material still on the desk and no clear idea of how to bring the book to a close. Later, after a bit of on-line research, I realized this part of the book was written after Irvine's struggle with with a physical illness that caused a great many problems in all aspects of her life. I think that struggle is reflected in this part of the book. This is probably not the book (at least the last third) that Irvine set out to write, but it is probably the only book she could write and still get on with her life. In any case, there is enormous tallent here, and I look forward to reading the next book by this interesting author.… (altro)