A new book takes a unique look at Idaho’s wild places. Titled “Idaho Wilderness Considered,” the book is more than a field guide to the state’s backcountry. It includes personal journeys, political stories and historical snapshots of the wilderness character of Idaho.
Co-editor Murray Feldman says the book grew out of the Idaho Humanities Council’s two year-long reading and conversation series on wilderness. The catalyst was the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act in 2014.
The book includes encounters with bears and long hikes to fishing holes, coupled with the history and advocacy of Idaho’s wilderness. Written by 25 Idahoans, the book looks at how the state’s wilderness has influenced, and been influenced by, the people who live here.
Feldman, who is a board member with the Idaho Humanities Council, says it goes beyond a typical field guide.
“What we try to do is tell the story, told through a number of Idaho voices, about wilderness, both with a big 'W:' designated Wilderness, and a small 'w:' the concept of wilderness and what it has meant to the state,” says Feldman.
“Idaho Wilderness Considered” can be found on the Idaho Humanities website and at Rediscovered Books in Boise.
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