That Wild Country

By: Mark Kenyon

Narrated by: Mark Kenyon

Length: 8 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's Summary

From prominent outdoorsman and nature writer Mark Kenyon comes an engrossing reflection on the past and future battles over our most revered landscapes - America’s public lands.

Every American is a public-land owner, inheritor to the largest public-land trust in the world. These vast expanses provide a home to wildlife populations, a vital source of clean air and water, and a haven for recreation. 

Since its inception, however, America’s public land system has been embroiled in controversy - caught in the push and pull between the desire to develop the valuable resources the land holds or conserve them. Alarmed by rising tensions over the use of these lands, hunter, angler, and outdoor enthusiast Mark Kenyon set out to explore the spaces involved in this heated debate, and learn firsthand how they came to be and what their future might hold. 

Part travelogue and part historical examination, That Wild Country invites listeners on an intimate tour of the wondrous wild and public places that are a uniquely profound and endangered part of the American landscape.

©2019 Mark Kenyon (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

A Must Read!

This is a must read for everyone. Not just outdoor enthusiasts. A profound look into our history and future of public lands that most of us take for granted.

Growing up near the Boundary Waters and currently living in the PNW, the outdoors and public lands have been a staple for me my entire life. Unfortunately, I have taken them for granted. Mr. Kenyon has educated me on how and why we have the public lands that I have enjoyed for over 50 years of my life.

Mr Kenyon did a phenomenal job of balancing his personal journeys through the areas that he researched and the historical significance behind our public lands.

Due to That Wild Country, I have a newly found need to get involved to save our public lands as they were meant to be.....for everyone’s enjoyment for generations to come.

In addition, That Wild Country has helped me understand that all sorts of people with all types of interests enjoy our public lands. I will no longer be irritated as I hear ATV’s, hear loud music, watch IG chasers for the perfect post, or watch the raucous crowds around a pristine alpine lake. Public lands are for all of us to enjoy however we each chose to enjoy them! Thank you Mr Kenyon for shifting my mindset.

I also believe that public lands can possibly be the one unifier that brings our country back from its great political division. As a self defined ultra liberal, I have always fully supported hunting and fishing. If we all stand together to protect and grow our public lands and not be short sighted for short term profits, future generations will be able to hunt, fish, hike, backpack, or do what ever they want to do on our shared national treasures.

5 people found this helpful

Excellent read!

I am skeptical when an author narrates his own book, but Mark Kenyon’s passion really comes through and makes this book a great audio “read”. Both informative and entertaining. Makes me want to get some trips planned.....
Very well done!

3 people found this helpful

Outstanding and compelling

Mark Kenyon has delivered a boots on the ground eyes toward the prize battle cry for American public lands. I ordered the audiobook and I’m so glad that I did. You can hear the passion in Marks voice as he recalls tales far and wide of epic time spent in America’s great wild lands. At the end of the audiobook you can tell that Mark is getting very emotional wrapping up his saga. It was very moving tribute for his soon to be born son. Every American that treasures wild spaces needs to purchase a copy of this book. It Is entertaining, thought-provoking and most importantly inspiring.

1 person found this helpful

Beautifully Told!

Mark Kenyon does a wonderful job of taking the listener through the history of our public lands while sharing his epic adventures in various parks, forests and other public places. I recommend this for anyone concerned about our natural spaces and protected lands, regardless of your reasons and to anyone wondering why they should be.

1 person found this helpful

Fantastic Journey

Very well put together. Mark’s ability to bring to light the history behind the ongoing controversy over our nation’s public wild places, while sharing with us his personal encounters within these places left me wanting to get out more and see them. His words painted majestic pictures as I listened to his narration of this book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves our countries beautiful landscape.

1 person found this helpful

Public Lands Past and Present

I would recommend this book for anyone who considers themselves to be an outdoor enthusiast. Mr. Kenyon mixes history, politics and his own personal experiences in America's public lands in an effective way that is easy to read.

I especially enjoyed learning more about the history of the establishment of public lands. I live very close to the Gila Wilderness and hear a lot about the continued controversy of keeping these lands open to everyone. This isn't an easy thing to do and I know that it will continue to be a fight long after my death.

Mr. Kenyon talks about the politics involved in our public lands in a fairly impartial way, even though it is obvious which group he agrees with. This isn't an easy thing to do and I appreciate the fact that he didn't allow himself to delve into his personal politics or bash any one person too much.

The author switches between the history of public lands and his personal treks into those public lands, so the sometimes dry, factual parts of the book are broken up by the experiences that he relates. He was an effective narrator and I could feel his emotion and passion as he described the beauty of the areas that he was describing.

Timely and Timeless

Mark's courageous and passionate advocacy of the conservation of our public lands appears at a politically fraught juncture in American history. With a well informed historical, political and philosophical perspective he renders the peaks and valleys of the current landscape of our political discourse. I know that many hunters, anglers and outdoorsman have Republican leanings, but the GOP has spearheaded the efforts to capitulate are public lands to corporate interests. And despite Mark's audience having conservative predilections, he objectively narrates the political fight and places blame where it's due. This was a fascinating and highly enjoyable read that left me more passionate than ever about this ongoing fight for public lands.

A must read for hunters and all who enjoy outdoors

Loved it!! Mark did a fantastic job on the writing and narration of his book. A great read for anyone interesting in the out doors and our public lands, and a MUST read for hunters and us Michiganders!!

exaggerated

I liked the history aspect of the book but i felt every point of his personal experience was overly dramatized. I ended up needing to skip through stories as it dragged on.

Warm, Heartfelt, Historical, and Relevant

Mark shares his adventures through some of America's greatest resources, our public lands. He does so with humor, emotion, history, and passion. I don't hunt or camp or fish or barely hike, but reading That Wild Country has reinforced in me the need to pay attention to this amazing resource and living museums of our nation. Well Done, Mark!