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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I first read this book in 2000. At that time, I knew it was "good," but for some reason, it didn't really draw me in.

I've taught her epilogue, "Clan of the One-Breasted Women," several times. And now, I'm rereading *Refuge* because I assigned it to my students.

This book is truly brilliant. Tempest Williams writes about her mother's ovarian cancer, as well as that of her grandmothers and aunts. She believes that this was caused by nuclear testing. But the book is about so much more than that. It delves into how the land and water are intricately tied to our bodies and the destruction that has had a profound impact on the entire system.

She also shows how her love for nature was deeply ingrained in her by the Mormon culture. However, this very system that encourages obedience is also contributing to the destruction.

It's a really deep and thought-provoking work, man. It makes you think about the complex relationships between nature, culture, and our own well-being.

So so so beautiful.

Last year, she recorded an audio version of this. It has been more than 30 years since the original, and listening to it now is such a profound and soothing experience.

It is also sad - it is the best description I have come across of watching one's parent die of cancer.

Plus, there are birds! I am really bummed that Terry Tempest Williams isn't part of the main natural history canon that we are introduced to in high school.

I truly wish I had been exposed to her works instead of just those of the men.

Her writing is simply so good. It has the power to touch the heart and make us think deeply about the natural world and our place in it.

Her words paint vivid pictures and evoke strong emotions.

It is a shame that more people are not familiar with her writing at an earlier age.

Hopefully, in the future, her works will be more widely recognized and included in school curriculums.

With Mitt Romney running for President, Mormons have suddenly found themselves in the intense media spotlight. It was during this time that I had the fortuitous encounter with Terry Tempest Williams. I first heard an interview with her on one of my all-time favorite radio shows, OnBeing. The interview was so incredibly compelling and engaging that it immediately piqued my interest. I couldn't wait to explore more of her work, so I headed to a used bookstore in search of her books. And lo and behold, this was the one they had in stock. Now that I've delved deep into a few other books by her, this particular one seems like as good a starting point as any.

Terry Tempest Williams is a multi-faceted individual. She is a dedicated conservationist, a talented writer, a loving daughter, and a devout Mormon living in Utah. No doubt, she is far more than the simple sum of these three roles, but these are the aspects that truly intrigue me. In this book, her Mormonism serves more as a backdrop rather than an explicitly discussed topic.

In Refuge, Terry Tempest Williams pens about the year her mother passed away, which coincidentally was also the year the Great Salt Lake rose to record heights, posing a significant threat to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. The book masterfully weaves together the stories of the changes her family had to face with those of the lake and the bird habitat. Although they are few and far between, my absolute favorite parts of the book were TTW's brief summaries of the lessons she learned in the face of death. She writes, "I am slowly, painfully discovering that my refuge is not found in my mother, my grandmother, or even the birds of Bear River. My refuge exists in my capacity to love. If I can learn to love death then I can begin to find refuge in change."

The book is just as much about her family as it is about the Great Salt Lake area. I gleaned a wealth of knowledge from it and even began to acquire a smidgen of literacy about birds. I truly appreciate the book for focusing my awareness on these beautiful songsters. The Epilogue - "The Clan of One Breasted Women" - is a poignant account of the high incidence of breast cancer in her family and serves as a powerful witness to the toxic effects of decades of atomic testing in Utah and Nevada.

It is a thought-provoking and deeply moving work that leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

This series of essays is composed by a woman who incidentally happens to be Mormon.

In this book, the fact that she is Mormon appears to be more related to geography than a matter of choice.

It is an outstanding series of essays as she is a natural writer.

The Salt Lake and the surrounding environment assume an almost divine beauty in the way she portrays it.

There are several poignant and delightfully tender essays regarding the land.

And her mother, along with her writing style, is precisely that - tender.

Her words seem to flow effortlessly, painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind.

The descriptions of the Salt Lake region are so detailed and evocative that one can almost feel the gentle breeze and smell the fresh air.

The essays not only offer a glimpse into the author's personal experiences and emotions but also provide a unique perspective on the Mormon faith and the natural world.

It is truly a remarkable collection of writings that will leave a lasting impression on the reader.