Joy of Backpacking

June 15, 2007
Nevada resident Beffort (Afoot & Afield: Las Vegas and Southern Nevada) is a veteran hiker who brings his personal knowledge and considerable research to play in producing a wide-ranging primer for folks wanting to put their home on their back and head out into the beyond. Most key considerationssafety, comfort, equipment, food, and water, etc.are covered in substantial detail. The treatment of food and cooking could be stronger, but to counterbalance that, Part 5, "Joy on the Trail," is first-rate on all matters other than cooking. There's information for every backpacker, from the rankest novice to the seasoned veteran, although the former are the primary audience. Failure to include Horace Kephart's timeless Camping & Woodcraft in the bibliography seems strange, given that it has never been out of print in the 100-plus years of existence and its author was long known as the "dean of American campers." Nonetheless, public libraries should definitely add this book to their collections.Jim Casada, formerly with Winthrop Univ., Rock Hill, SC

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