Praise for Return to Wild America

"News from the natural world is so rarely heartening these days that Scott Weidensaul’s bracing inventory of America’s wild places and all that still lives in them comes as a bit of a shock. With a keen eye for all that we’ve lost and all that yet remains, this book is a tale both cautionary and optimistic. Best of all is the presence on every page of Weidensaul himself, an enthusiastic observer who gives generously of his own sense of awe."

William Souder, author of Under a Wild Sky: John James Audubon and the Making of The Birds of America

"With Living on the Wind, Scott Weidensaul proved his ability as a reporter and a storyteller; this unsettling but also lovely account of the wildness left in our midst confirms his place in the first rank of the country's naturalist writers."

Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

"Peterson and Fisher’s Wild America was one of the all-time great nature books. On the golden anniversary of its publication, Scott Weidensaul, one of the greatest living nature writers, proves himself a worthy successor to the original authors as he examines what has been lost and celebrates what remains of America’s wild nature. Part investigative reporting, part lyrical celebration, this is one of the most important books of the decade, and it should be required reading for all who love the outdoors."

Kenn Kaufman, author of Kaufman Field Guides

"This engrossing, state-of-nature memoir, making a vibrant case for preserving America's wild past for future Americans, promises to become a classic in its own right. (Starred review)


Publisher's Weekly

"A masterful job of balancing history and science with personal experience…interesting and informative not only to birders, but also to anyone who venerates North America's vast, fragile beauty."

Irene Wanner, Seattle Times

"Scott Weidensaul is, at heart, a knowledgeable optimist…Return to Wild America is filled not just with vivid details but also with hope."

Janet Lembke, Raleigh News & Observer

"A half-century of books like this one have awakened Americans to the moral necessity (and long-term self-interest) of conservation."

Bruce Barcottt, Outside

"Vividly chronicled…All in all, an engaging and most informative sequel." (Starred review)

Library Journal