One of my favourite books is All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. Some of you might have seen the movie with Matt Damon and Penelope Cruz, which I give a 4 out of 10 for its adherence to the tone and depth of the book. The book is a masterclass in the sparse application of language and the unorthodox development of dialogue.
I’ve owned a few copies of this treasured read, one of which has come on several trips into the backcountry and emerged worse for wear. On one occasion it spent time in a not-so-drybag bobbing its way down Utah’s Green River.
That is my vision for High Cols and Deep Canyons. I’ll know the book is a success when readers share pictures of their copy:
- Caked in mud from a spring family camping trip
- Curled and swollen after being dropped into a mountain river while fly fishing
- Dog earned and ripped from repeated jamming into a backpack
- With several pages missing after being used to start a fire
- Likewise, a few pages light when the bathroom tissue runs low on a long expedition
- Stollen and fought over by a murder of crows
- Trampled to dust by wild bison
- Digested and excreted by a grumpy grizzly bear.
Should you have such an image, send it my way.
In the meanwhile, consider these words by my friend Ben Gadd, author of Magnus opus Handbook of the Canadian Rockies, and the charming novel Ravens End:
“It has been my pleasure to follow Stephen Legault’s writing career for many years. Early on I recognized him as one of the better young voices advocating for the protection of the Rocky Mountains. Now, three decades later, his book High Cols and Deep Canyons reminds me of why I have enjoyed his writing for such a long time. I hope this book finds its way into many a backpack, canoe, or kayak, as hikers, climbers, paddlers, and families carry it with them into the wilds to enjoy during a night under the stars.”
Tell me where you might take High Cols and Deep Canyons.
Click here to find out where to buy your copy.
stephenlegault.ca 