Under the Stars

April 4, 2016
Mixing history and firsthand account, White (The Cactus Eaters) traces the evolution and various iterations of recreational camping in the U.S. He begins, unsurprisingly, with Henry David Thoreau, the “father of the backyard campout.” From there, White undertakes his own adventures recreate camping history. He hires a wilderness guide and camps in the Adirondacks, a popular approach for 19th-century Romantic campers. He undertakes a “naked survival campout” to get a taste of the experience of Joe Knowles, who in 1913 entered the Maine woods with nothing and lived for two months simply for the challenge. The writing is light and humorous even as White explores social and cultural issues surrounding camping: the roots and implications of the “ethnicity gap” in camping and outdoor activities; the initial exclusion of women from the outdoors, and the women who pushed against those barriers, using the outdoors to “make a political statement.” The history is engaging, featuring familiar and unknown characters, and White does justice to camping in all its forms, including woodcraft, leave-no-trace backpacking, car camping, glamping, and RVing. The book does not purport to be a comprehensive history. Rather, it is a quite enjoyable stroll through the past, led by a talented writer who clearly appreciates the benefits of getting outside.

June 1, 2016

White (The Cactus Eaters) weaves personal vignettes and history to describe the appeal of camping in America; how it took hold and evolved. While not an exhaustive history, the book is entertaining and considers the influence of such figures as Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, and Theodore Roosevelt. The author's geographical forays include the Adirondacks, the Everglades, and the Sierras. White explores the history of the Boy Scouts, the advent of Leave No Trace camping, the phenomenon of "glamping," and the growing predominance of RVs. In the vein of Bill Bryson, White's own mishaps and wry humor keep the prose fresh and engaging. He addresses issues such as the lack of diversity in the average national park campground, the accessibility vs. preservation of wild places, and the importance of spending time outdoors as a spiritual pursuit in an increasingly cloistered and technologically dependent world. While White offers few solutions to some of the topics he discusses, such as sustainability, this is a worthwhile history of what seems a singularly American way of interacting with the natural world. VERDICT In an era when visits to national parks have grown exponentially, this book is an excellent and timely choice for readers.--Barrie Olmstead, Sacramento P.L

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