Podcasts Culture Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson David Gessner Returns - "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World"

David Gessner Returns - "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World"

Published: June 20, 2023, 7 p.m.

David Gessner is no stranger to Mountain & Prairie listeners\u2013 he\u2019s joined me for many episodes and is the author of many of my favorite books, including "All the Wild That Remains," "Leave It As It Is," "My Green Manifesto," and more. His newest book is "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water," which once again showcases David\u2019s unique ability to combine humor, travel, and memoir in service of connecting the reader with the natural world.

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"A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World" chronicles David\u2019s journeys around the country, where he finds himself in the middle of an unsettling number of climate disasters\u2013 from historic forest fires in the American West to hurricanes on North Carolina\u2019s Outer Banks. Eschewing the ubiquitous facts, figures, and policy debates that often dominate climate-focused books, David does what he does best: he tells stories. Specifically, he tells impactful, insightful stories from the front lines of the climate crisis\u2013 stories that will stick with the reader for years to come.

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As has been our tradition for several years now, David and I met up in Boulder, Colorado, where he and his family visit each summer. We obviously talk a lot about the book, but as is the case whenever we get together, the conversation flows into many fun and unexpected topics. You can check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we discussed, but some of the topics include: David\u2019s recent writing workshop at the Zapata Ranch with his friend, author Craig Childs, the importance of momentum and dailiness in writing, how David\u2019s daughter was the influence for the new book, optimism vs. pessimism when reporting current events, thoughts on death and loss, David\u2019s good friend, the late Mark Spitzer, the next generation of conservation-minded writers, some book recommendations, the idea of being a \u201cpolygamist of place,\u201d and much more.

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I\u2019m always happy to have the opportunity to sit down with David for a conversation, so I greatly appreciate his carving out the time. I hope you can check out "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World," and I hope you enjoy this episode.

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

  • 3:15 - David\u2019s Zapata Ranch retreat
  • 6:45 - Discussing the power of \u201cdailiness\u201d
  • 7:45 - Whether or not teaching helped in David\u2019s practice of writing
  • 9:00 - How many books David has written in the past 18 months
  • 10:30 - How David knows when an idea becomes a book in his mind
  • 16:45 - David\u2019s goal for "A Traveler\u2019s Guide to the End of the World," including how he balanced stories with statistics and humor with the weight of the subject
  • 20:45 - Evaluating how the news of the West is reported
  • 27:45 - What David means when he identifies as a \u201cpolygamist of place\u201d
  • 33:15 - David\u2019s relationship with Mark Spitzer
  • 39:30 - How David feels about entering a stage in life where his friends are beginning to pass away
  • 43:45 - Discussing David\u2019s daughter, climate change, and how they figure into "A Traveler\u2019s Guide"
  • 50:30 - David discusses the various tools he would like to use to face climate change
  • 52:45 - Who David thinks will continue the work of the Doug Peacocks of the world
  • 56:45 - Discussing the political alignment affiliated with climate change work
  • 1:01:30 - David\u2019s book recommendations

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