For over thirty years Eric and Doylanne Wade have traveled twice a year to their cabin on a river for an extended stay in the wilds of the Alaska boreal forest. There the adventure-loving couple has built a rewarding life among bear, moose, owls, grouse, and fish. Lately, their interest has been focused on squirrels, specifically the abundant and always amusing Alaska red squirrel. In Squirrelland, Eric writes about his varied experiences with squirrels, both wild and urban, but also layers in the observations of squirrel biologists and researchers as well as the musings of his grand imagination. Doylanne's many photographs make the story engaging and vibrant. Join the Wades on this visit to the Alaska wilderness and learn a few things about the antics of the common squirrel.
About the Author :
Eric Wade, author of Upstream: In the Alaska Wilderness and Cabin: An Alaska Wilderness Dream, has spent the past four decades watching and dodging wildlife on his homestead in interior Alaska. It's a wild and lovely place where bears wander by, eagles soar overhead, squirrels build kingdoms, and mosquitos engage in savage warfare. He has a bachelor's degree in English education from Southern Oregon University and a master's in journalism from the University of Oregon. He served as a public-school teacher, principal, and director of nonprofit corporations. Doylanne Wade has long told wilderness stories with her camera. Lady bugs, dragonflies, bumble bees, and ants; foxes, gray wolves, black bears, and lynx have all been captured with her camera in her more than forty years in Alaska. She has a special appreciation for the small creatures that mostly go unnoticed in a vast and majestic landscape. She now uses a DSLR camera with 150-600mm and 18-270 lenses.
Review :
"Squirrelland is an unexpected surprise. Full of poetic prose and depictions of the little moments and dramas of life in the deep woods, it's also a close examination and study of one of Alaska's primary but often overlooked residents: the red squirrel. Illustrated throughout with gorgeous photographs, the book is a tribute to the importance of the small, resilient creatures that populate, survive in, and enhance our wild places."
-Sarah Birdsall, author of Wild Rivers, Wild Rose
"Choosing as his topic an animal small in stature, the ubiquitous red squirrel, Eric Wade artfully guides the reader to an exploration of larger themes in nature . . . through careful observation of one small part of nature, a microcosm, we are led to better understand and appreciate the macrocosm of greater nature . . .
If you love nature, if you like to consider and reflect on your place in nature, if you love a good read, and if you like beautiful photographs of nature, then Squirrelland is the book for you.
-John R. Harvey, Ph.D., author of The Stillness of the Living Forest: A Year of Listening and Learning
"Prepare yourself for full immersion in the world of the red squirrel of interior Alaska. The subjects of Doylanne Wade's exquisite photos range from the tiny to the immense-from the petite red squirrel to the massive bull moose. . . . Eric's text likewise examines the red squirrel up close and in wider context. Inspired by a study of eastern gray squirrels in Massachusetts, he undertakes his own study to better understand the squirrels around the couple's homestead. He weaves personal observations, scientific facts, and literary and historical references into a beautifully written account."
-Chris Lundgren, author of Accidental Adventures: Alaska-True Tales of Ordinary People Facing Danger in the Wilderness
"In our super-sized culture, Eric Wade makes a case for attending to the small and (dare we say) common red squirrel. With a naturalist's keen eye, he offers authentic perspectives on off-grid homesteading and our multi-faceted relationships with wildlife. A delightful foray into the Alaska wilderness with striking color photos by Wade's wife, Doylanne."
-Deb Vanasse, author of Roar of the Sea, a 2023 Oregon Book Award finalist
