Noted writer and photographer Stephen Trimble mixes eloquent accounts of personal experiences with clear explication of natural history. His photographs capture some of the most spectacular but least-known scenery in the western states. The Great Basin Desert sweeps from the Sierra to the Rockies, from the Snake River Plain to the Mojave Desert. "Biogeography" would be one way to sum up Trimble's focus on the land: what lives where, and why. He introduces concepts of desert ecology and discusses living communities of animals and plants that band Great Basin mountainsâ"from the exhilarating emptiness of dry lake-beds to alpine regions at the summits of the 13,000-foot Basin ranges. This is the best general introduction to the ecology and spirit of the Great Basin, a place where "the desert almost seems to mirror the sky in size," where mountains hold "ravens, bristlecone pines, winter stillnessâ"and unseen, but satisfying, the possibility of bighorn sheep." Trimble's photographs come from the backcountry of this rugged land, from months of exploring and hiking the Great Basin wilderness in all seasons; and his well-chosen words come from a rare intimacy with the West.
Industry Reviews
"The Great Basin is one of the least novelized, least painted, least eulogized of American landscapes. Stephen Trimble has opened it up with the perception of a frontier scout, but for a different set of people this time: people more eager to know than to possess, more eager to understand than to utilize. In making it come alive he serves the reader well; but, just as important, he conveys his respect for the myriad individual landscapes in which he has tried to corroborate all that he tells us. This reciprocity, offering homage in exchange for understanding, earns our trust, and lets us know this is a worthy guide to a part of the Great Unknown. " --Barry Lopez, author of Arctic Dreams and Horizon "In this meticulously revised and updated edition of his masterful book, Stephen Trimble reintroduces us to the natural wonders of the largest, highest, coldest, least known desert in the United States. A superbly engaging and accessible account of the biogeography and ecology of this spectacular region, his ambitious work replaces an entire shelf of field guides. But it is far more than that. In its expert braiding of accurate, up-to-date science, stunning photographs, and lyrical prose, The Sagebrush Ocean ranks among the most expansive, graceful, and inspired natural histories of a western landscape ever written." --Michael P. Branch, author of Raising Wild and On the Trail of the Jackalope "Steve Trimble's lovely book, Sagebrush Ocean, established a gold standard for Great Basin studies. In this new and thoroughly re-envisioned edition, he reveals once again how closely he listens to the land--as he has always done--but listens to others who have studied the region, and with his usual generosity credits them. His book is literary and literate, a master work rooted in scientific studies. It is a beautiful book. As our Great Basin continues to undergo change, in thoughtful and measured language, Trimble explores forces that imperil or even diminish the landscape. Between the Sierra Nevada and the Colorado Plateau, this may be our desert, hot and cold, and some have always seen it as a barrier to human desires, yet Trimble sees inhabitants of remarkable fauna and flora. In the deep past our Great Basin has not always been so austere. Particularly, now protected by wilderness designations and a National Park, this region's mountain ranges are increasingly utilized by those who wish to seek solitude within this ocean, on inviting islands" --Michael P. Cohen, author of Granite and Grace: Seeking the Heart of Yosemite "The first edition of The Sagebrush Ocean was an exemplary natural history exploration of this vast, wild region of the North American West, representing a seamless merger of Trimble's elegant prose and exceptional photos. This updated edition maintains all the virtues of its predecessor--a volume that attains a rare blend of intelligence, insight, and spirit--but is even richer and deeper, as it reverberates with the poignancy of Trimble's honest, compassionate ecological update." --Thomas Lowe Fleischner, author of Astonished By Beauty: A Field Guide to the Practice of Paying Attention, founding director of the Natural History Institute "Western landscapes have garnered attention in photographs, paintings, and the written word since the era of homesteading sent white people westward. However, between the Rockies and the Sierra, lies a less documented oasis. The desertic, salty playas and surprising mountains are no less beautiful, but are certainly less accessible. Stephen Trimble's time in these spaces is evident in this updated volume, which feels like a blend of poetry and science. He gives us a new lens through which to view the complexity of a segmented Great Basin in a backdrop of the landscapes' geologic history." --Bonnie Baxter, PhD, professor of biology, director of Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster University
