Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book

Hot Search

Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place

terry tempest williams

... Show More
In the spring of 1983 Terry Tempest Williams learned that her mother was dying of cancer. That same season, The Great Salt Lake began to rise to record heights, threatening the herons, owls, and snowy egrets that Williams, a poet and naturalist, had come to gauge her life by. One event was nature at its most random, the other a by-product of rogue Terry's mother, and Terry herself, had been exposed to the fallout of atomic bomb tests in the 1950s. As it interweaves these narratives of dying and accommodation, Refuge transforms tragedy into a document of renewal and spiritual grace, resulting in a work that has become a classic.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1991
Literary awards
evans biography award, 

This edition

Format
320 pages, Hardcover
Published
May 2, 2000 by Pantheon
ISBN
9780679405160
ASIN
067940516X
Language
English

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for terry tempest williams

terry tempest williams

... Show More
Terry Tempest Williams is an American author, conservationist and activist. Williams' writing is rooted in the American West and has been significantly influenced by the arid landscape of her native Utah in which she was raised. Her work ranges from issues of ecology and wilderness preservation, to women's health, to exploring our relationship to culture and nature.

She has testified before Congress on women's health, committed acts of civil disobedience in the years 1987 - 1992 in protest against nuclear testing in the Nevada Desert, and again, in March, 2003 in Washington, D.C., with Code Pink, against the Iraq War. She has been a guest at the White House, has camped in the remote regions of the Utah and Alaska wildernesses and worked as "a barefoot artist" in Rwanda.

Williams is the author of Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place; An Unspoken Hunger: Stories from the Field; Desert Quartet; Leap; Red: Patience and Passion in the Desert; and The Open Space of Democracy. Her book Finding Beauty in a Broken World was published in 2008 by Pantheon Books.

In 2006, Williams received the Robert Marshall Award from The Wilderness Society, their highest honor given to an American citizen. She also received the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Western American Literature Association and the Wallace Stegner Award given by The Center for the American West. She is the recipient of a Lannan Literary Award for Nonfictionand a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship in creative nonfiction. Williams was featured in Ken Burns' PBS series The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009). In 2011, she received the 18th International Peace Award given by the Community of Christ Church.

Williams is currently the Annie Clark Tanner Scholar in Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah and a columnist for the magazine The Progressive. She has been a Montgomery Fellow at Dartmouth College where she continues to teach. She divides her time between Wilson, Wyoming and Castle Valley, Utah, where her husband Brooke is field coordinator for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
39(39%)
4 stars
28(28%)
3 stars
33(33%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Shiinitakunaaai
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
This took my breath away.

It is a beautifully observed account that delves deep into the landscape of the Great Salt Lake. The description of the area is so vivid that it seems to come alive before your eyes. The birds that find refuge there add a touch of wonder and beauty to the scene. Moreover, the book explores the emotional refuge that the natural world provides, a haven in the face of life's challenges.

The arc of the story is from birth to death, a poignant reminder of the cycle of life. Sadly, mortality comes for the women in the family all too often and too soon, in the form of cancer linked to above-ground atomic bomb testing in what was described as "virtually uninhabited desert terrain."

However, despite the hardships and tragedies, the power of love, faith, work, and activism imbues the book with energy and purpose. It shows that even in the face of great adversity, there is always hope and the ability to find meaning and make a difference. Overall, this is a truly remarkable and thought-provoking work.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
taynatavares
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
"Refugio" is an all-encompassing reading in sensations. It is so delicate and yet so cruel. It has a contagious spirituality and a painfully physical aspect.

The presence of death is oppressive at times and liberating at others. It is so humanistic that it portrays the best and the worst of humanity. It reminds us of the duty to hold on to all the good that surrounds us and defend it from the hostile.

It is an invitation to always choose life in moments of doubt. This work takes the reader on a journey through a range of emotions, from the tenderness of spiritual connection to the harsh reality of the human condition.

It forces us to confront our own mortality and the choices we make in the face of it. "Refugio" is not just a book; it is an experience that lingers long after the final page has been turned.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
WafflePlug
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Double 5 stars!

I'm truly overjoyed that this book exists. It's like a precious gem that has fallen into my hands.

From the moment I picked it up, I was captivated by its engaging content and beautiful writing style.

The author has done an outstanding job of creating a world that is both vivid and believable.

Every character is well-developed and has their own unique personality and story.

The plot is full of twists and turns that keep me on the edge of my seat, eager to turn the next page.

Not only is this book entertaining, but it also has a profound message that makes me think and reflect.

It has truly touched my heart and has become one of my all-time favorite books.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read and is looking for a great story.

It's definitely worth the read and will leave you with a lasting impression.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Sabaisms
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More

Reading this book is like witnessing the transformation and disappearance of the wetland landscape of your childhood home, and seeing your mother and beloved grandmother lose their battles with cancer and pass away. It's just like that.


This book was truly stunning. It felt like a cattle prod right between the eyes. And it was painful, like crying sand instead of tears.


And it was so familiar. (Yes, I lived in Utah. Yes, with all my ancestors' pioneer histories. Yes, with the pervasive blessing and burden of Mormonism. Yes, with the inspiring and healing landscapes of mountains and deserts. Yes, my mother died young of breast cancer.) It was so painful that I couldn't even cry through it.


Williams' poetic style reminds me of the old-time naturalists. She is a keen observing soul out there in nature, deeply woven into the natural world and intimate with the birds.


Refuge is unique. It came out of nowhere and knocked the wind out of me. It's more of a talisman than a book.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
HolographicToast
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Perhaps it was the remarkable clarity and unwavering honesty in Williams’ writing that truly won me over.

Before delving into this book, I couldn't have cared less about its focal points. Whether it was the Great Salt Lake, Mormonism, or the overarching theme of a mother courageously fighting against metastasized breast cancer in the latter stages. Having lost my own mother to cancer, I was reluctant to relive that painful experience. I only decided to read it because I have a penchant for books on the environment and it had received numerous positive reviews.

However, my initial reservations proved to be completely unfounded. I found myself completely enamored with this book, and my interest was particularly piqued by the ecology of the Great Salt Lake.

This book truly deserves 5 stars. It is now widely regarded as a conservation classic. It is an incredibly moving book, and there were several moments while reading that brought me to the verge of tears. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging read.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
zaynab_hamied
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
A truly remarkable and beautiful book awaits the reader. It is part memoir, part natural history lesson, as Terry Tempest Williams delves deep into the complex connections among grief, flooding, politics, cancer, and womanhood.

Her writing style is nothing short of gorgeous, captivating the reader from the very first page. For lovers of nature, her vivid descriptions are like a refreshing breeze, evoking a yearning to experience the places she describes with the same sense of reverence.

The way she draws parallels between her mother's battle with cancer and the fight to preserve the bird refuge sustained by the Great Salt Lake is both achingly beautiful and thought-provoking.

This book is a true gem that will undoubtedly remain in my library for a long time to come, serving as a constant source of inspiration and reflection.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
kora
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Yes, this is indeed one of those books that I would list as "amazing" for me.

At the beginning, I had a hard time getting into it. However, I persevered for several reasons. It was recommended to me by my grad school professor. Naturally, I wanted to read it to understand the mind of this mentor more closely. Also, I was attracted by the subtitle "An Unnatural history of Family and Place." I had never heard of Williams before.

Initially, there was too much naturalist talk for my taste. Moreover, its other subject matter was the author's mother's struggle with cancer, which was so sad. I even put it down at one point because it made the loss of my own brother to cancer feel so fresh. And my own fear of getting cancer was emphasized.

But this is a bittersweet and sacred story of one family's journey through losing those they love (a mother, two grandmothers, and aunts to cancer). Williams not only expresses her own deep personal and intimate feelings (which were some of the most moving parts of the book) but also speaks for the others remaining. She is known for the essay at the end of the book that serves as the epilogue, entitled "The Clan of One Breasted Women." The irony of this book is that these people all live in the western part of the country - Utah - where there was extensive nuclear testing during the 1950s and beyond. Williams, a Mormon with a clear lineage to the beginnings of the movement, presents evidence suggesting that these research projects are the cause of the cancers in her family. She also chronicles her concerns about the lack of environmental respect given to the Great Salt Lake and the surrounding region. Part of her refuge is spending time in the bird refuge that borders part of the Great Salt Lake.

Although at first I wasn't sure if I would like this book, I gave it a chance. And I'm extremely thrilled with the outcome. How can one be thrilled with such a bittersweet book with death as an outcome? Williams says that "Grief dares us to love once more." This parallels a recent song I've heard by artist Amy Grant - "Love has made me unafraid." It's no coincidence that two different people in the midst of the human experience have discovered this profound truth for themselves in entirely separate ways. I'm glad they brought to my attention something I knew but had not yet articulated.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
ByArchen
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Terry Tempest Williams has a world in her head that is vastly different from mine.

Her mother is battling cancer, and she herself is a scientist who devotes her time to studying birds near the Great Salt Lake.

The description she offers is truly captivating: "The pulse of Great Salt Lake, surging along Antelope Island's shores, becomes the force wearing against my mother's body. And when I watch flocks of phalaropes wing their way toward quiet bays on the island, I recall watching Mother sleep, imagining the dreams that were encircling her, wondering what she knows that I must learn for myself. The light changes, Antelope Island is blue. Mother awakened and I looked away."

I, on the other hand, would never, ever pen something of this nature. Ever.

The entire book, all 314 pages of it, had such an impact on me that it actually gave me a headache. However, perhaps this unique style and the profound emotions it evokes are exactly what some readers are looking for. Maybe this is your kind of thing.

Who knows? Maybe for you, this book would be a source of inspiration and a window into a world of beauty and pain that you've never experienced before.

0 0 Reply
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.