The Sun Is a Compass: A 4,000-Mile Journey into the Alaskan Wilds
March 27, 2019 - Comment
For fans of Cheryl Strayed, the gripping story of a biologist’s human-powered journey from the Pacific Northwest to the Arctic to rediscover her love of birds, nature, and adventure.
During graduate school, as she conducted experiments on the peculiarly misshapen beaks of chickadees, ornithologist Caroline Van Hemert began to feel stifled in the isolated, sterile environment of the lab. Worried that she was losing her passion for the scientific research she once loved, she was compelled to experience wildness again, to be guided by the sounds of birds and to follow the trails of animals.
In March of 2012 she and her husband set off on a 4,000-mile wilderness journey from the Pacific rainforest to the Alaskan Arctic, traveling by rowboat, ski, foot, raft, and canoe. Together, they survived harrowing dangers while also experiencing incredible moments of joy and grace — migrating birds silhouetted against the moon, the steamy breath of caribou, and the bond that comes from sharing such experiences.
A unique blend of science, adventure, and personal narrative, the book explores the bounds of the physical body and the tenuousness of life in the company of creatures whose daily survival is nothing short of miraculous. It is a journey through the heart, the mind, and some of the wildest places left in North America.
In the end, The Sun Is a Compass is a love letter to nature, an inspiring story of endurance, and a beautifully written testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
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Amazing book! Wow, this author tells a great story of her family’s adventure. I highly recommend it!
An Amazing Journey Warning: Do not read in public if you don’t want strangers to see you crying. I was crying three minutes in to the book, and cried several more times while reading this book on two long flights.I picked up this book because I was familiar with Caroline’s chickadee research. The book was about so much more. I feel like books come in to your life when you really need them and that was the case with this one for me. I couldn’t put it down.
If you read one book this year, make it this one. âIf you pick up one book this year, make it this one. A love letter to life, nature, and the kindness of strangers. Written by a woman with heart, a knowledge of the world around her so vast, an adventurer like youâve never known. This is Caroline Van Hemertâs memoir THE SUN IS A COMPASS. Let her take you to Alaska and beyond.Hers is a powerful, gripping like you are on the trip with her, 4,000 mile journey you cannot believe, but you will be rooting for her and her husband all the…