Blue Mountains Far Away: Journeys into the American Wilderness

McNamee's essays are about desert lands where blue mountains are always in view, essays the author hopes "stand as something of a for open land, for suspicious-tasting ice, for the freedom of the highlands and the infernal blaze of the desert in summer." McNamee's subjects include his childhood spend downwind of an atomic bomb testing range, the pleasures of unhurried exploration, animal communication, and the meaning of Las Vegas. No index or notes. McNamee is a well-published author and contributor to periodicals like The Nation, Orion, and Newsday . Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)