These writers, all 30 and under, show us how bushwhacking through rhododendrons, navigating arctic rivers, and fleeing mountain lightning have helped them blaze a trail not just to the ideal campsite, but also to a solid sense of self. Yet these are no cliché accounts of conquering the wilds. They are the tales of diverse young people, most living in large cities, who share a longing for a deeper connection to the outdoors. Whether their leaky tents are set up in a suburban backyard, in a Brooklyn farmers' market, or next to a mouthy drag queen, these writers illuminate the inevitable connection between geography and identity, and they zip open the doors to a whole new breed of nature writing.
-Elizabeth Oliver

People have been exploring their relationship with the wilderness and of course, the wilderness itself since time immemorial. This collection of pieces from young writers who are perhaps influenced more by a McSweeneys perspective than perhaps John Muir provides a modern yet nostalgic insight into our conflicted relationship with the wild. The myths laid down by men like Shackleton and Thoreau are powerful and seductive and are now used by marketing companies to make retirement plans seem enticing. You could argue that America, particularly the West was built on the idea of wilderness being something to conquer, to make your own, and also perhaps the idea of man existing as part of the wilderness, rather than being an unwelcome interloper. These essays raise questions about our interaction with nature and the myth of wilderness without seeming dour or heavy handed; from a teenager who camped out in his parent’s backyard for a year after a particularly brutal break up to a woman who went to work at the South Pole with dreams of Shackleton, and ended up feeling disillusioned and bored with the frigid reality she was confronted with.