Wild Spectacle: Seeking Wonders in a World beyond Humans

Janisse Ray has set out to immerse herself in wildness, to be wild, and to learn what wildness can teach us. The stories in Wild Spectacle capture her luckiest moments, such as heart-pounding amazement, discovery of romance, and moving toward living more wisely. She also crosses boundaries to encounter danger and embrace sadness. The sixteen essays span a landscape from Alaska to Central America, connecting common elements in the ecosystems of people and place. Ray embraces the intentionality of trying to be a better person balanced with seeking out natural spectacle, abundance, and less trammeled environments. She questions what it means to travel into the wild as a woman, speculates on the impacts of ecotourism and travel in general, questions assumptions about eating from the land, and appeals to future generations to make substantive change.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 06 October 2022
Publisher: Trinity University Press,U.S.

Janisse Ray embarked on a journey of adventure and self-discovery, seeking to immerse herself in the wild and learn its teachings. Her experiences range from overwintering with monarch butterflies in Mexico to counting birds in Belize, capturing moments of heart-pounding amazement, romance, and wisdom. Through her essays in "Wild Spectacle," Ray explores the interconnectedness of ecosystems and people across diverse landscapes, from Alaska to Central America. She laments the loss of sights witnessed by explorers like Bartram, Sacagawea, and Carver, such as flocks of passenger pigeons, wolf routes, and bison herds. She yearns for a wilder world and documents encounters that are rare in a time of disappearing habitats, declining biodiversity, and climate change.

In an era characterized by virtual and urban lifestyles, Ray embraces the intentionality of seeking balance between being a better person and experiencing natural spectacle, abundance, and less-trampled environments. She delves into questions about traveling into the wild as a woman, the impacts of ecotourism, and the significance of eating from the land. Ray also appeals to future generations to make substantive change.

"Wild Spectacle" invites us to explore our first home, the wild earth, and ponder its known and unknown beauties and curiosities. Through Ray's storytelling, we are reminded of the importance of preserving and protecting the natural world for generations to come.

Dimension: 215 x 139 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781595349873