After being away from the BWCA for 16 years, my trip this summer has lit the fire inside me again and I'm already planning next years trip. In the meantime, I've read a few books and am looking for more. I read Dirty Shirt and The Singing Wilderness and now starting Down from Basswood. I'd like to get a few more ordered and thought I'd see what some of you all have enjoyed reading.

Mike Furtman wrote a book entitled "A Season in the Wilderness", or something like that, it was pretty good...it is about a summer he spent volunteering at the old USFS Crooked Lake Cabin (?) ...we actually met him that season up there, he hit us up for our travel permits!

Keep on Paddling by Roy Cerny is entertaining. Lost in the Wild by Cary Griffith is cool too. Both of these are more storytelling, not guide books. If you’re looking for guide books, anything by Robert Beymer or Cliff Jacobsen are good bets. If you want to laugh, pick up some of Bob Cary’s books. They’re hilarious anecdotal tales from the BW.

Tony

A Year in the Wilderness

Ditto on "A Season for Wilderness." I love that book. I've read it 3-4 times.

Also fun for canoe trips:

Canoeing with the Cree
Lost in the Wild
Anything Sigurd Olson
Canoe Country
Snowshoe Country

Read this as I paddled last summer. Great read.

Jaywalker: "Read this as I paddled last summer. Great read.
"

I just finished this about a month ago. Very sad but also very interesting. I recognised a couple names. Made me wonder how many on this message board had property or we involved in fighting that fire.

I 2nd "Lost in the Wild" - can learn a few things from their mistakes.
Also: "The Voyageur's Highway" by Grace Lee Nute is a classic.
And, "Boundary Waters History" by Stephen Wilbers.
If you like more historical accounts, there are a couple books about Dorothy Molter, and also Mrs. Hanson of Sawbill wrote a book - I am blanking on the name.
"Waters Beneath My Feet" by Jerry Pushcar (recommended by someone on this site) is an AMAZING story - though not specifically about BWCA.
If you like plant ID - "Canoe Country Flora - Plants and Trees of the North Woods and Boundary Waters" by Mark Stensaas is good. Also, "The Boundary Waters Ecosystem" by Henseilman.

I 2nd "Lost in the Wild" - can learn a few things from their mistakes.
Also: "The Voyageur's Highway" by Grace Lee Nute is a classic.
And, "Boundary Waters History" by Stephen Wilbers.
If you like more historical accounts, there are a couple books about Dorothy Molter, and also Mrs. Hanson of Sawbill wrote a book - I am blanking on the name.
"Waters Beneath My Feet" by Jerry Pushcar (recommended by someone on this site) is an AMAZING story - though not specifically about BWCA.
If you like plant ID - "Canoe Country Flora - Plants and Trees of the North Woods and Boundary Waters" by Mark Stensaas is good. Also, "The Boundary Waters Ecosystem" by Henseilman.

Historical: saving quetico superior by Searle
Children's: hush hush forest Cassanova and Wroblewski
Fiction: William Kent Kruger and Furtman
Non-fiction: lost in the wild (I'll send you my used copy, pm me)
Skills: Furtman and Jacobson
Ecology: northland Wildflowers Gregor, Songbird Journey (not bwca but great read) Chu, any by T Marrone, Birds of Canada guide and Kaufman field guide in addition to Peterson and stokes
Then, so you can continue to buy gear and paddle, Little Book of Common Sense Investing, Bogle (rest in peace).
And any and all of the others' above in the thread.

Since we've covered all the "usual suspects" of Boundary Waters books I'll throw another one out there that's a little different but think you all would enjoy. Check out : "The Emancipation of a Buried Man" by Eddy Gilmore. Eddy grew up in Wisconsin in the house of a hoarder under horrible conditions. This is his story of finding himself eventually, in large part, due to his time in the wilderness and specifically in an abandoned shack in the woods surrounding the Pigeon River off the Grand Portage which he visits annually to this day.

Eddy now lives in Duluth where he runs an urban farm supplying micro-greens to local restaurants and markets. He also is a sometimes columnist for the Duluth News Tribune. His wife is an artist. Really cool family, story, and example of the power of wilderness experiences.

The Emancipation of a Buried Man

Boundary Waters Boy, Northwoods Canoe Journal by Howard Greene.. both are excellent narratives of the early days. Some of the best pictures of the old time canoe country are in the Howard Greene book.

My favorite is Cache Lake Country by John J. Rowlands. It isn't about the BWCA specifically, but rather the north country which he does not name. It's a year in the life of a timber cruiser, and the book is full of woodcraft and campcraft, a few recipes, and lots of musings and teachings about wildlife and living in a remote cabin. It even has a recipe for bug repellent!!

Read it first when I was about 12. Read against once every coupla years.

Mike

djwillco: "Since we've covered all the "usual suspects" of Boundary Waters books I'll throw another one out there that's a little different but think you all would enjoy. Check out : "The Emancipation of a Buried Man" by Eddy Gilmore. Eddy grew up in Wisconsin in the house of a hoarder under horrible conditions. This is his story of finding himself eventually, in large part, due to his time in the wilderness and specifically in an abandoned shack in the woods surrounding the Pigeon River off the Grand Portage which he visits annually to this day.

Eddy now lives in Duluth where he runs an urban farm supplying micro-greens to local restaurants and markets. He also is a sometimes columnist for the Duluth News Tribune. His wife is an artist. Really cool family, story, and example of the power of wilderness experiences.

The Emancipation of a Buried Man "

This sounded interesting. just ordered it

Paddle Whispers by Douglas Wood

All of William Kent Krueger's mystery series.

One of Nevada Barr's mystery series, Destroyer Angel, is set in BWCA.

Woman of the Boundary Waters, about Justine Kerfoot (gunflint lodge) was fascinating.

As they haven't been mentioned:

A Wonderful Country: The Quetico-Superior Stories of Bill Magie by David Olesen

Popple Leaves and Boot Oil: A wildlife biologist in northern Minnesota by Milt Stenlund

MikeinMpls: "My favorite is Cache Lake Country by John J. Rowlands. It isn't about the BWCA specifically, but rather the north country which he does not name. It's a year in the life of a timber cruiser, and the book is full of woodcraft and campcraft, a few recipes, and lots of musings and teachings about wildlife and living in a remote cabin. It even has a recipe for bug repellent!!


Read it first when I was about 12. Read against once every coupla years.


Mike"

Thanks for the tip. I ordered it on your recommendation. Looks like a great read. I'm trying to ween down my books for upcoming trip. I like to take flora, bird and fungi books on my solo's since I'm trying to learn more about my surroundings. Between them and reading books I'm a bit overwhelmed at the stack.

If anyone has recommendations on easy to pack bird, flora and fungi books specific to the BW area would be greatly appreciated.

Loved Lost in the Wild! So good.

Not specific to the BWCA, but Paddling to Winter is also an amazing read if you want to get motivated!