The Enduring Wild, Josh Jackson
The Enduring Wild, Josh Jackson
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The Enduring Wild
A Journey into California's Public Lands

Author: Josh Jackson

Narrator: Alex Knox

Unabridged: 4 hr 26 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/01/2025


Synopsis

A galvanizing road trip across California's immense public wilderness from a beloved adventurer.

It all began with a camping trip. Outdoor enthusiast Josh Jackson had never heard of "BLM land" before a casual recommendation from a friend led him to a free campsite in the desert—and the revelation that over fifteen million acres of land in California are owned collectively by the people. In The Enduring Wild, he takes us on a road trip spanning thousands of miles, crisscrossing the Golden State to seek out every parcel of public wilderness therein belonging to the federal Bureau of Land Management, from the Pacific shores of the King Range down to the Mojave Desert. Over mountains, across prairies, and through sagebrush, Jackson unravels the stories of these lands. He tells of the Indigenous peoples who have called them home for millennia, of the extractivist threats that imperil them today, and of the grassroots organizers and political champions who have rallied to their common defense to uphold the radical mandate to protect these natural treasures for generations to come. For the adventurers, campers, explorers, map readers, road trippers, nature enthusiasts, and public lands lovers out there, The Enduring Wild is an indispensable invitation to know these places more deeply and to embrace our common inheritance.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Rachele on July 06, 2025

I thought this book was stunning. I read it in one afternoon and truly couldn’t put it down. It was sort of like a Desert Solitaire for the 21st century, with a land ethic and outlook that meets our current moment. I enjoyed the visual and spiritual/emotional journey that Jackson takes you on as he......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on July 02, 2025

I highly recommend “The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California’s Public Lands,” which tours remote BLM land in the Golden State. Unlike our national and state parks that are promoted as tourist destinations with infrastructure and amenities, Bureau of Land Management land has long been treated as......more

Goodreads review by Nathan on July 19, 2025

I received this book through Goodreads First Reads and am grateful for the opportunity to read the book. Before picking up the book, I didn't know anything about the Bureau of Land Management, much less that BLM lands exist. This personal guide to California's diverse and fascinating BLM environments......more

Goodreads review by Robin Lee on June 29, 2025

When he started his project five years ago, Josh Jackson couldn’t have known just how timely the publication of his book would be. His mission to visit and document BLM lands in California to shed light on these little-known and underappreciated wild places culminated in this wonderful book. But now......more

Goodreads review by Stephanie on July 18, 2025

Jackson creates an excellent path through his journey, contemplating the land, sharing the story of people who’ve always been there, and the work of many to preserve the least known of public lands. It’s not just a journey of going “out there” but dwelling on the idea that “in making an idol out of......more