The Last Season (P.S.) by Eric Blehm
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Book Reviews of The Last Season (P.S.)
Book Review: A compelling book about a compelling life....
Summary: 5 Stars
I was inspired to read "The Last Season" by the "Backpacker" magazine article, but resolved to hold out for the paperback version, partly with the idea that it would be ideal reading on the trail, and partly because I like paperbacks. Well, once I got it, it never did make it to the trail--I just finished the book, and to be honest, I found it remarkable. Rare is the biography that genuinely gives the reader a sense of truly knowing it's subject, and Eric Blehm succeeds at doing this beautifully. Randy Morgenson was an extraordinary individual; flawed, yes, but as true a steward as there ever was of the wilderness he loved, who "spoke for the trees" with the passion of the Lorax....he eventually became a part of the very fabric of that wilderness, in the real sense, and I doubt he would have wanted it any other way. His was really the most inspiring story I've ever read....to get some small sense of seeing the world through Randy's eyes was truly an honor, and I thank Mr. Blehm for that gift. I wish I could have known Randy. I have only been to the general area once, when I went to Yosemite with the Yosemite Institute when I was in High School in 1978, but I will never forget the chorus of gasps on the school bus (mine included) as we passed through a tunnel into the late afternoon reflections of the Yosemite Valley. I have seen a lot of the natural beauty in this part of the country--the Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, the Bighorns, the Black Hills, but nothing has ever really struck me quite like the overwhelming majesty of that place. I understand fully how enraptured Randy was with that area--or can I really? In the one week that I spent there, decades ago? Probably not.
Again I wanted to thank Eric Blehm for such a tragically beautiful, inspiring story. Randy had the passion and commitment for the outdoors that I think many of us aspire to, but probably very few actually can ever grasp. Perhaps this story can help.
Book Review: Exceptional Human perspective
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an exceptional story well researched and written by Eric Blehm. I'm a city person. I hike minimally, for enjoyment only, with the requirement being that I'm always end up in a nice hotel room that night. So clearly, Randy Morgensen, a seasonal park ranger for 28 years who grew up in Yosemite Valley, led a vastly different life from me and probably most readers. And maybe that's the best part of this book. Eric Blehm has done an excellent research job showing us how the influences in Ranger Randy's lives led him to his love of the Sierra Nevada's and his low paying, low rewarded job as a park ranger which he loved immensely. The passages where the intelligent Randy makes humorous comments intended to modify the behavior of campers into protecting and preserving the park are witty and show what a great love he had for the land.
Reading this book I can honestly say I don't know a single person like Randy Morgensen. I know American consumers. People who work to spend money and enjoy their lives. But Randy had a higher purpose. While his parents may have been disappointed that he didn't finish his college education, he had found his calling early and it had nothing to do with money.
But even this intelligent, thoughtful man has flaws and these eventually lead to the break-up of his marriage after an affair. And this personal drama arrives right at his untimely death to create a "perfect storm" of doubt and uncertainty as to how he really passed. The author's expert at the end takes all the evidence and delivers a plausible cause of death with minimal information which is fascinating.
But just as fascinating was learning of this life and yearning for the high Sierras. That is what I take away from this book, a man truly in love with nature more than himself. Read this book for enjoyment, mystery fascination, and to learn of another way to enjoy our massive country.
Book Review: When he put on the uniform, Randy's life was a kind of art...
Summary: 5 Stars
Would Randy Morgenson have approved of Eric Blehm's chronicle of his life and the portrait conveyed of him? Those who knew him personally and wrote reviews on this site can answer that much better than I, but somehow my intuition tells me he would. Blehm does a commendable job of piecing together the life of a complex man who lived according to his own ideals, the love/respect for nature being among the highest. Like anyone, Randy's life was not without its blemishes and complications, but in many ways he was a self-made man, educated by one of the grandest and most reliable and trustworthy of teachers--nature herself. Unfortunately, such a teacher is greatly undervalued, if it is even given any passing respect or credibility today. Randy knew this and he knew nature's teachings in an intimate way that others might only dream of.
It is sad and ironic that a man who harbored his own writing ambitions didn't live to tell his story, but I see Randy as one of those living artists whose canvass is reality itself. He carved out a deeply human story while living season after season in the grand Sierra mountain range. His life (while far, far from perfect) was a kind of high art whenever he put on his ranger uniform and followed his calling.
I liked one simple antecdote Blehm gave that captures much of Randy's philosophy that often put him at odds with greater society. He would let the front lawn of his home grow and grow, leave it to its natural state, while the neighbors would be up in arms about this "transgression." The lawn didn't get cut until Randy's wife finally did it. There are a great many things to explore and discover in this book!
Book Review: Randy Morgenson - Gentle Giant
Summary: 5 Stars
Over the last twenty years I have hiked all or most of the John Muir Trail sixteen times from south to north. Between 1987 and 1996 I had the privilege and honor of getting to know Randy on the trail. His friendly kind face at McClure was always a welcome sight. I would always take a layover day just to be able to spend some time talking to him about wilderness and the incredible beauty of the Sierras. His understanding of the mountains was deep and compelling. He was perhaps one of the most experienced introspective mountaineers the Sierras have ever seen. His knowledge of the High Sierra was tremendous and his humble sincere love of the land truly an inspiration - for such a powerful mountaineer Randy was such a gentle poetic person. This book does a superb job of capturing Randy and his pure love of the High Sierra while at the same time documenting the monolithic effort to find him. Also, having known over the years many of the backcountry rangers involved in the search, and knowing first hand what a close family they are I would also say that the author very deftly weaves into the book the fraternal nature of the search. I highly recommend Eric Blehm's "The Last Season" to anyone that has spent time in the wilderness (especially the Sierras) it reads like a mystery but has a very personal touch. Randy the Range of Light misses you, there is a tear in every thunderstorm, thank you for all the beautiful words.
Book Review: Compelling story - beautifully written
Summary: 5 Stars
Although this book will really speak to those who have spent time in the mountains, (especially the Sierra) it is simply a beautifully written book. Randy Morgenson is a thoroughly interesting subject, complete with human frailties, but the allure of this book is in the details of both his life and death. The author treats us to little interesting tidbits throughout, such as the fact that Randy learned about photography from the iconic Ansel Adams. The author obviously took painstaking steps to exhaustively research the story, and the care he took is evidenced throughout. The man and the history is compelling, but it is the superb writing that takes you on the journey where you can picture every event as it unfolds, through the lost art of true storytelling.
I especially enjoyed reading at the end, that the rangers had "unofficially" named an unnamed peak after Randy Morgenson. Although officially denied this honor, Randy can look down from that great mountain range in the sky, and note that at least Google Maps recognizes it!
There was only one thing that disappointed me - evidently, the Kindle version does not contain the photos that are included in the book, nor has it been updated to the latest paperback release version. Come on now, don't Kindle users deserve the same experience as someone reading the paperback version?