I finished Stephen Hume's Off The Map: Western Travels on Roads Less Taken earlier this Christmas Eve. I couldn't have chosen a better book to while away a few hours on this slow-moving, relaxing, yet emotionally intense day -- my first Christmas following the death of my mother.
Hume has a knack for unearthing stories about British Columbia and then painting them in words that stir the reader's soul. His sense of human history within the natural environment imbues his prose with haunting detail and emotion. He shares his strong conscience, and is not afraid of pointing fingers at those who would despoil our land, kill our rivers, and strangle indigenous cultures while blithely assuming the mantle of "progress."
This collection of essays is a must-read for anyone who cares about our great land. I am not shy to admit that several passages brought tears to my eyes.
Posted by Paul at December 24, 2007 09:01 PM