California State Park Rangers Association

“Trip Tales: From Family Camping to Life as a Ranger”

by Rosanne S. McHenry, July 2021

What’s the wildest thing that ever happened to you during an outdoor adventure? Did you accidentally set your boots on fire? Get attacked by hungry raccoons or investigated by a curious bear? What’s it like to be a park ranger? What happens when you get bucked off a horse, dangled from a cliff, bitten by bloodthirsty horseflies, or fall smack-flat onto your butt while leading a group of scouts down a trail?  These hilarious and eye-popping adventures will capture your imagination and carry you right into the experience of visiting our beautiful parklands; for all to enjoy! A fun beach read, or great stories for families to share.

On Amazon: Paperback $17.95, Kindle $7.99, 

Impressive online reviews and forward by Dr. Denzil Verardo. https://tinyurl.com/yjaj94lg

“Introduction to Fire in California, 2nd edition”

By David Carle, August 20, 2021

This second edition brings the wildfire story up to the year 2020, with information about recent extreme and deadly fire events and the evidence that climate change is swiftly changing the wildfire story in California. This update reflects current debates about California's future as a climate-crisis leader facing massive, annual natural disasters; the future of California development and housing; and the critically necessary alternatives to traditional energy options.  Publisher: ‎UC Press; Paperback ‏ 248pages,

Features: A larger, more reader-friendly page format; More than 110 color illustrations and maps; An overview of major wildfires in California's history; An updated and expanded discussion of the effect of climate change on fires in natural landscapes; Tips on what to do before, during, and after fires; Discussion of utility companies and massive power shutoffs. Available on Amazon Books.

“Over the Henness Pass; A 19th century version of the 20th century's Route 66”

by Chuck Scimeca, December 2020

You Bet Press on Apple Books

A 19th century version of the 20th century's Route 66, the legendary Henness Pass Road moved people, goods and gold between California and Nevada. Now you can enjoy the excitement and experience the challenges of the pioneers by driving your 4-wheel vehicle along the partly unpaved actual wagon route. The field guide takes you to most of the early stage and hotel stops, from Bridgeport, California to Virginia City, Nevada. 

Along the way, you can learn about the road and bridge builders and robber barons who built the road and many of the other transportation facilities that enabled the Gold and Silver Rushes of the 1850s and 60s. They sped up the opening of the West and helped develop modern day California and Nevada.  

The ebook contains over a hundred maps and images as well as mileages and GPS coordinates to more than 25 of the original hotel and stage stops.

Stories from Sea Level: The Heroic and Humorous Adventures of California’s Ocean Lifeguards

by Ed Vodrazka | Mar 19, 2021

Paperback $19.62, Kindle $5.99

Stories from Sea Level is a hand-picked assemblage of truly exceptional ocean-related events which occurred within the 50-year span between 1969 and 2019. The lifeguards featured in these stories work for various agencies between San Diego and the Sonoma Coast. Of note, the lifeguards themselves provided the author with the details and specifics necessary to accurately immortalize their remarkable and dramatic events. This collection of their accounts are offered by the author as a sincere homage to all lifeguards (past, present, and future) who diligently patrol the California coastline ensuring the safety of the general public.

Ten of these stories capture the details of daring rescues in which the lifeguards’ performances were so exceptional that they personified the essence of valor. All ten of these events (as indicated in their accounts) earned the lifeguards prestigious Medal of Valor honors from the United States Lifeguard Association and/or the Governor of California. This award serves as formal recognition and acknowledgement of the highest level of courage and bravery in our profession.  Balancing the gallantry and heroics, other stories serve to illuminate the whimsical nature of our profession and the comical shenanigans involved in our interactions with the public. They seem to exemplify the adage that “truth is stranger than fiction.”

"A Park Ranger's Ramblings"

Short stories of 35 years with state parks

by Laurent "Larry" Clark

Published Mar 26, 2021. Available now on Amazon, Kindle Edition $3.95

    Laurent Clark worked 35 years for California State Parks, serving in Mountain, Beach, Lake, Redwood, Desert, and Historic Sites.  <snip>Baker squawked hypnotic tones on the telltale call. The coyote slowed to a trot about 20 feet away but still honed on the entrancing sound. Then it stopped, directly beneath our dangling feet. It slowly raised on it’s hind legs and extended its head full up until the nose just slightly touched Baker’s boot. Baker looked down in wide-eyed stupefaction then screamed the cry of a wounded animal about to be eaten by shining white teeth. The Coyote did one of those mid-air u-turns and high tailed back up the creek into the shadows. We left before something larger than a Coyote came down the ghostly creek bed. 

Won Over: Reflections of a Federal Judge on His Journey from Jim Crow Mississippi

by William Alsup, published March 1, 2019. https://preview.tinyurl.com/alsup-book.

On  Amazon Kindle $8.69, Hardcover $18.27

    What was it like growing up white in Mississippi as the civil rights movement exploded in the 1950s and ’60s? How did some white children reconcile the decency and fairness taught by their parents with the indecency and unfairness of the Mississippi “Way of Life,” the euphemism applied to Jim Crow segregation? Won Over examines these questions as it traces the life journey of United States District Judge William Alsup, born in Mississippi in 1945 to hard-working parents who believed in segregation but also in fairness and decency. Therein lay the struggle at the core of the human predicament in the South.

    Alsup’s memoir recounts the influences that drew the author from traditional Southern attitudes toward a color-blind ideal. Those influences included his older sister, Willanna, his closest circle of friends, a charismatic mentor in college, and the moral force of the civil rights movement. Won Over recalls some of his steps along that journey―a counterprotest to a John Birch Society billboard calling for the impeachment of Chief Justice Earl Warren; a personal meeting with the brother of slain leader Medgar Evers to convey condolences; a letter to the editor of the statewide paper on behalf of his circle of friends declaring “We are for civil rights for Negroes”; a successful 1966 challenge to a statewide ban on “controversial” speakers on college campuses, used to prevent blacks from being invited to speak; and a visit to a Chicago church to hear Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speak against housing and employment discrimination.

Under the Overstory, Poems by Rick Rayburn

Random Lane Press, December 10, 2020

The illustrated book includes 55 of Rick's poems written about his travels, favorite places, parks, family and life experiences. The brand new book is not yet available for purchase on the web.  The way to get a copy is send an e-mail to publisher Bob Stanley at <randomlanepress@gmail.com> and he will write you back with ordering details and pricing.

To read a few reviews, click HERE.

Warm Winds and Following Seas: Reflections of a Lifeguard in Paradise

by Mike Brousard

2018, Paperback, on LULU Books , $27.99, 476 Pages. Ocean Lifeguards make tens of thousands of rescues every year on the fabled, crowded beaches of Southern California. “Warm Winds and Following Seas: Reflections of a Lifeguard in Paradise” tells their stories, recounts their challenges and rescues, and illustrates the pressures of a misunderstood, high profile and physically difficult profession. From the rite of passage of Lifeguard Training, to the grit and grind of surf rescues and piloting rescue boats in big waves, to life-threatening saves in the icy waters of Northern California, this journey into the world of Ocean Lifeguards offers a fresh perspective on open water lifesaving and these unsung heroes of the coastline.

Your Career in Parks and Recreation

by Virginia and Joseph R. McCall, 1974

The book describes the responsibilities of and the training required for a career in park service and outdoor rereation. Dedicated to R. L. V. Sims, the park supervisor who nudged a seasonal park aide into a highly satisfying park career. Published 1970 and 1974 by Simon & Schuster, New York. Out of print, a few copies rarely seen online. The last available book was selling on Amazon for $25.49

Putting California on the Map: Von Schmidt's Lines

by David Carle, published May 15, 2018, Amazon.com paperback for $13.14.

The biography of Allexey W. von Schmidt, 49er, surveyor and civil engineer, has 45 photos/sketches and 13 maps. A.W. surveyed land grant boundaries for Sutter, Bidwell, Lassen, Fremont and many others, and in 1855 extended the Mt. Diablo Baseline across the Sierra Nevada, through lands that would eventually become part of Yosemite National Park. He then marked Township and section corners in the Eastern Sierra from north of Mono Lake to below Owens Lake, in 1856 and 1857, before there were any mines or homesteads in that part of California. And was the first to complete a survey of the California/Nevada boundary line in 1872/'73. When A.W. lived in California, from 1849 through 1906, the young state developed a reputation as a society of innovators and energetic problem-solvers. Von Schmidt’s life story is at the core of the “anything is possible” legend that became associated with California and its citizens. Not just a surveyor and civil engineer, he was an involved citizen of San Francisco, a father and husband, and a pioneer whose personal triumphs and tragedies enlarged the California Dream. A.W.'s energetic efforts to give shape to California, to devise long-distance water delivery systems and astonishingly creative engineering solutions for challenges faced by the young state, have been nearly forgotten. This biography is the first comprehensive telling of his life and of his leadership in the shaping of 19th century California. Dave is handling distribution in the Eastern Sierra, contact <carle@qnet.com> www.davidcarlebooks.com. The book's list price is $16.95.

The President’s Guardian - A Comic Book

by Jacob Rubenstein and Mike Lynch Release Date May 2018 in Select Comic Book Stores.

22 pages, $3.99, Contact for order information.

Superwoman meets Clint Eastwood may be the simplest way of describing this comic book . . .The President’s Guardian is promising a fast-paced, action packed thrill ride between its pages, delivering a story line that combines action with today’s #MeToo struggle for sexual equality. Throw in a dash of politics and you’ve got a comic book that Lynch and Rubenstein say they feel has the right elements to not only make an impression on readers but provide a springboard into a potential option for a film — and beyond. The comic features a new female superhero, a female super villain and a woman president in desperate need of a super guardian. - Gus Thompson, Auburn Journal

Compassionate Warrior - A Memoir

by John R. Quirk February 20, 2018, Purchase on Amazon , $5.99 in paperback

This is a story of a hero who returned from Vietnam with severe post traumatic stress disorder that went undiagnosed and untreated for decades. It is not his biography. It is my memory of time spent in his life, with some biographical details pulled in as needed. It is the story of a warrior hero who came home to nightmares, homelessness and ever-present bottles of self-medication and forgetfulness. It is also a story of survival, compassion and self-measured personal success.

Bowman - Placer County - California

by Donna Howell, Rodi Lee, Michael G. Lynch and Karrie Samson On eBay or by direct mail order SEE ORDER FORM , $17.99

A history of the Bowman area, northeast of Auburn CA. The area is named after early settler and fruit grower Harry Bowman. Bowman developed from a rural fruit farming area to the suburban community it is today. Bowman had its own Post Office in 1893 and a school in 1895 and even its own ZIP 95707 in the 1960s.132-pages, color throughout, features over 400 photos and images. Subjects include the Bowman/Ackerman School, prominent first settlers and their decedents still living in the area, early enterprise, including agriculture, mines, auto camps, civic groups, public agencies, and developments like Hollendale and Train Villages. Coauthors researched and wrote the book over a two-year period. Besides being a co-author, Lynch did all the book design and layout. The book was funded by the the Placer County Historical Foundation, as part of their Bowman Project.

Sifting the Ash

by Greg Picard Published Nov 3, 2017

On Amazon : Paperback $15.00, Kindle Edition $2.99

The excitement and challenge of the fire service may have first attracted Pete Barrow to become a firefighter and paramedic, but it was his past that drove him to eventually become his department’s fire marshal and arson investigator. Now he has horrific fires coming all too often, and the cause seems to be suspicious in all of them. Unfortunately, not just empty buildings burn. Is it one pyromaniac, or are there more, and what could possibly be the motive? With innocent lives at stake, it will take all Pete’s skill, and the effort of his friend, Deputy Sergeant Chris Becker, to see their way through this search for a killer who is indiscriminate about who he takes out.

Annadel State Park; Stories from the First 20 Years

William Krumbein, republished September 6, 2017, Santa Rosa CA Paperback $9.95 and Kindle $4.99 on Amazon

Annadel State Park – The First 20 Years takes you back to the 1970s, 80s, and early 90’s. A history book of sorts, these are true stories and encounters between the park staff and park visitors (or animals, plants, rocks, fires, and even mysteriously buried old shoes), all documented in the park’s daily logbook. Park Rangers are needed to protect people from the park, and Park Rangers are needed to protect the park from people, and Park rangers are needed to protect the people from people. A Ranger’s job is never dull. It’s been almost 25 years now since the book first came out. Only a thousand copies were printed. Long out-of-print, I’ve wanted to see this book available again. Just recently I discovered book-scanning services. Hurray! Now a new generation can see how things were “way back then.”

My State Park Career

by Charles Mehlert, published 2007 Bowman, CA

CSPRA has published, in book form, the excerpted state park-related portions of park pioneer Chuck Mehlert's currently unpublished complete memoirs.

Contact Mike Lynch to get a copy of the printed book. Contact CSPRA's Webmaster for a PDF of the entire 372 MB memoir manuscript.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Paul R Johnson. 1982 Paperback at Amazon

Photographic images & captions by Paul R. Johnson with words by Harry Daniel, Mark C. Jorgensen & Paul R. Johnson Published by Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association

The Forgotten Artist, Indians of Anza-Borrego and Their Rock Art

by Manfred Knaak, 1986 paperback at Amazon

Manfred Knaak's "The Forgotten Artist" is a beautifully rendered book about pictographs in the Anza-Borrego Desert of southern California where such Indian rock can be found. He shows comparatively how such rock art depictions may stand for ritual magic, or fertility rites, and perhaps shamanistic dreams. This books is visually beautiful with photographs illustrating this ancient art form of the Americas, which is not too different from their counterparts worldwide.

Keepers of the Sandbox (A Becker Series Mystery)

by Gregory Picard and Wendy Gorham

The stark desert wilderness of the Mojave is home to incredible beauty and incredible evil. State Park Ranger Chris Becker and his young daughter Allie, find themselves alone in this harsh world. As they must suddenly learn to navigate the pitfalls of a single-parent life, without Allie’s mother, there is an even great danger lurking. Gunshots in the night and a missing person case force Chris onto a trail of deception and greed that will lead him into ever-increasing peril. $3.99 on Amazon Kindle , April 17, 2017.

Tales from the Parks: My Adventures as a Park Ranger

by Russell Cahill

If a bear lumbers into a hotel in the middle of the night, how do you get it to leave? Join former National Park Ranger Russell Cahill for this and other true life adventures. Join him as he lowers terrified climbers down the sheer cliffs at Yosemite, follow along as he traces the source of the "death lights" on the remote coast of Maui, and be with him as he creates chaos in the basement of the White House. From a childhood spent in the state parks of California to protecting the lands in the farthest reaches of the United States, the author will keep you guessing about what comes next. Readers will meet President Nixon, Charles and Ann Morrow Lindbergh, Governors Jerry Brown and Jay Hammond, and a host of characters who shaped the national and state parks during the past century. There are descriptions of building a cabin with hand tools in remote Alaska, volcanic eruptions and the biggest tsunami ever witnessed. Lace up your boots, and come along.

Published Jun 13, 2016, Paperback $15.95, $5.99 auto-delivered wirelessly, Amazon

Kolea, A Story of Hawai'i and Beyond

by Russell Cahill

To paradise they sailed — There once was a world where hula dancers were experts at spear fighting, where a blind warrior taught his students healing arts... where adventure ruled — ...as well as savage fighting. And where young people could build and sail a canoe on voyages to unknown lands. where danger waited... That world was Hawai’i.

Published June 1, 2016, Kindle $4.99, Paperback $13.95, Amazon

The Extraordinary Life of Charles Pomeroy Stone: Soldier, Surveyor, Pasha, Engineer

Hardcover December 2015, By Blaine Lamb

In the winter of 1861, as the secession crisis came to a head, an obscure military engineer, Charles Pomeroy Stone, emerged as the rallying point for the defense of Washington, D.C. against rebel attack. He was protector of the newly elected president and right-hand man of the army’s commanding general, General Winfield Scott, under whom he had served with distinction during the Mexican–American War. Nevertheless, with in a year, this same hero sat in a military prison accused of incompetence and possible treason.

A Ranger’s Private Diary

by Greg Picard, published January 30, 2016, in association with Bittercreek Enterprises.

On Amazon, 213 pages. Kindle Edition auto-delivered wirelessly $2.99. Paperback $15.00.

A Ranger's Private Diary is a book about the work and home issues of a real life park ranger. It is politically incorrect, hilarious, scathing and scandalizing. It is designed to make you laugh as often as possible. Rated “R” for radical, so read at your own risk!

An Old Ranger's Memories: Building Montaña de Oro State Park

by Dick McKillop and Sherry McKillop

On Amazon, 94 pages. Kindle Edition auto-delivered wirelessly $3.99. Paperback $15.99.

After a long labor of love I am very pleased to announce the report that Dad wrote (which I significantly edited and added to, as co-writer) about building Montaña de Oro State Park has, finally been published. If anyone would like an autographed copy, both Dad’s (rubber stamp of his signature) and mine, email me directly. Otherwise, it is available on Amazon. http://amzn.to/20xlcdg I am extremely please to say that 100% of the profits for this book will be given to the Central Coast State Parks Association. Sherry McKillop McKillop’s Enterprises followingmycompass@ymail.com (707) 227-7070

Me and the Mother Tree

Petey Weaver’s 404 page biography of her career in Parks.

Petey is considered the first female park ranger in California State Parks. InMe and the Mother Tree , she recounts in vivid prose her 20 years working at what was the beginning of the California State Park System. She brings to life the early parks, some of the inimitable park visitors, and the rangers and other park personnel who operated, protected, served, and educated the public. During her park career, from 1929 to 1950, Petey served in four parks; Big Basin, Richardson Grove, Pfeiffer Big Sur, and Seacliff State Beach. “I love this book. Petey Weaver was an exceptional writer. For those who didn’t live through the Depression and World War II, when many females working in our country were undervalued, this book serves as a vital time machine.” Jennifer Reeves, filmmaker.

Order Form - $12.99 including shipping . Proceeds support CSPRA.

A Ranger Pure and Simple. The Evolution of Parks and Park Rangers in America.

by GrayBears member Thomas A. Smith, with James Brady (Foreword) Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/lmnt9u8, Paperback, $23.00 – April 21, 2015

Parks and park agencies face a huge challenge from a growing population and a society that is becoming out of touch with nature. Tom Smith is a former Chair of the Park Management Department at West Valley College in Saratoga, California, and a long time seasonal Yosemite and regional park ranger. In this book he explores the origin of parks in America, the problems parks and park agencies will face in the future, and how rangers are adapting to deal with this changing culture.

Tower Tales: Remembrances of a California Lifeguard

by GrayBears member Brian Hickey

On Amazon.com, $12.59, or $3.99 on Kindle

Retired State Park Lifeguard, Ranger and Superintendent Brian Hickey shares his memories of days lifeguarding on the ocean beaches of Southern California. The 1960's were a unique time for Americans and American culture. The movies, music, and media of the day were fueling the public's unprecedented desire to go to the beach and go surfing. Nowhere was this fascination more evident than at the focal point of this attention, the beaches of Southern California. Millions flocked to these beaches to be part of this cultural phenomenon. It fell to the ocean lifeguards of the day to stand watch over this massive wave of novice beachgoers. Tower Tales offers a rare first hand account of what it was like to be an ocean lifeguard during this era and what the lifeguard lifestyle was like in those early years.

Fire Trucks & Fire Fighting Apparatus Used at Hearst Castle State Historic Park

by GrayBears member James G. Davis, Retired, Chief Ranger,

Hearst Castle Booklet available FREE for download in MS Word or Adobe PDF . Photos, review and research on the fire fighting apparatus that protected Hearst Castle from 1948 to 2014.

From Little Acorns

(aka The Man Who Planted Trees)

The following tale was distributed to all park employees in booklet form as required reading by then District 6 Superintendent Jim Whitehead. I first read and enjoyed the story back in 1971 when I started as a State Park Ranger Trainee, and thought you might enjoy reading it today. Download a FREE Adobe PDF version

Jeff Price, CSPRA Webmaster

Desert Bighorn Sheep: Wilderness Icon

by Mark C. Jorgensen, author, and Jeff Young, photographer

On Amazon.com September 30, 2014, Coffee Table book Desert Bighorn Sheep: Wilderness Icon is the most comprehensive photographic work on this elusive symbol of the deserts of the southwest United States and northern Mexico. Photographer Jeff Young worked for years to assemble tens of thousands of high quality photographs and assemble them into what is the finest collection of desert bighorn photos ever published. Author Mark Jorgensen brings his five decades of experience studying desert bighorn sheep and managing their habitat to provide the informative text of this book. The book’s six chapters include 200 high quality photographs featuring rare behavior, sheep in their rugged desert habitat, ewes nurturing newborn lambs, and massive rams in stunning ritualized combat for dominance. The text documents the struggle to provide habitat for the desert bighorn from Nuevo Leon west to Baja California, Mexico, and from Texas west to California.

Old Bones

by GrayBears member Gregory William Picard and Wendy Picard Gorham

278 pages, Paperback $14.25, Kindle $9.99 California State Park Ranger Chris Becker, and his daughter Alicia, have had their fair share of struggles since his wife left, but they have learned to depend on each other. As they both prepare for the changes that Alicia's first year of college will bring, their quiet life in the Cuyamaca Mountains is interrupted. A dead body; bitten, mangled and bloody, is discovered in the park. Chris and Alicia suddenly find themselves embroiled in a dangerous plot, and it will take all their ingenuity and teamwork to come out of it alive. Amazon Link; Paperback or Kindle version

Captain's Log - 'Uncensored'

by GrayBears member Gregory W. Picard

288 pages, Paperback $13.15, August 10, 2013 This book brings forth an illustrated, random collection of essays and thoughts born of many years while serving as a park ranger for the State of California. What follows is irreverent and iconoclastic, often scathingly humorous and sometimes deeply serious. There is no particular order, plan or even subject matter to it. This is a look at the inside life and times of one ranger while working for the government in the service of protecting our public recreation lands and the people who use them. It affords a unique and perspective for the insider or uninitiated outsider. The book makes no effort to have a proper format, a goal or point of view other than to entertain and perhaps occasionally inform. Amazon; Paperback

A Year in Bodie, A Park Ranger's Diary

by GrayBears members Carl and Margaret Chavez

On Amazon in Kindle format $3, hardcover $30 and paperback $20 A Year in Bodie follows the lives of Carl and Margaret Chavez from October 1966 to October 1967 in the harsh, isolated conditions of Bodie State Historic Park where Carl began his career as a park ranger for the California Department of Parks and Recreation. His wife Margaret, pregnant at the time, endured the challenging conditions and environment of Bodie, yet somehow managed to thrive and provide a loving home. Her account of those times from a woman’s perspective give us a glimpse of a time that is no longer with us.

Epoch, A Science Fiction Thriller

by CSPRA member Donald Murphy

EPOCH tells the story of Professor Alfred Watts Perry, the first African American to win a Nobel Prize in physics for his theory of emergence. Professor Perry wins a second Nobel for his work on broken symmetry and quantum gravity. But after a young child prodigy unwittingly solves some equations he has been working on for a decade, his colleagues are murdered and he barely escapes, with the help of the child prodigy, into inter-dimensional space; a region of space predicted by emergence theory.

A secret government project, EPOCH(Emergent Properties of Cosmic Holography), based on Professor Perry’s work has created technology to control spacetime and the leader of the project is intent upon tracking down Professor Perry and the child prodigy before they can expose EPOCH and the threat it holds for the destruction of the entire universe. Professor Perry faced with a gut wrenching and desperate choice must decide whether to sacrifice the needs of the few in order to save the many. In this case, the few are the six billion inhabitants of the earth. Soon on Amazon in Kindle format.

Have a Nice Day Job

by GrayBears member David Van Cleve

Publication Date: May 5, 2013 http://tinyurl.com/vancleve-book Kindle* Edition on Amazon, $5.00 Dave Van Cleve provides a humorous look back at his thirty-two year career with California State Parks. As a park ranger, park ecologist, and park superintendent, the author had several wonderful assignments throughout the State. In this book, the author relates a series of true stories about his experiences, which range from weird arrests (a rapist on a tramway car; making an enforcement contact at 11,000' in his boxer shorts; to putting a bad guy in jail for littering in a state park). Most of these stories are accompanied by mixed metaphors and malaprops, in a desperate attempt to make them appear funnier.

Beth (The Dawn)

by CSPRA member Donald Murphy

Publication Date: December 27, 2011 Amazon.com Beth Washington, a high school senior, fights the stress of being pressured by her father to be the first in their family to attend college by escaping to a dark place full of human parasites and personal demons. A platonic love enters her life and teaches her how to find her spiritual center. Upon surviving one tragedy after another she finally must choose between a life of lonely resentment and becoming a new woman through acceptance of real love.

Love Vignettes

by CSPRA member Donald Murphy

Publication Date: June 1, 1997 Amazon.com If you like poetry and sonnets in particular you will love this book. The sonnets are clear, and simple; yet they are full of depth and spiritual insights. Every human being wonders about the nature of love. From a teenager's first hormonal impulses to the loss of a loved one, we all try to understand the most powerful force in the universe. This collection of sonnets grapples with the nature of love. Within the "scanty plot of ground" known as the sonnet, love manifests itself as triumph, joy, sorrow, cynicism, a broken heart, loneliness, ecstasy and despair. But most of all, love is hopeful. Love Vignettes are one man's quest for love's ultimate prize: oneness with the universe.

Traveling the 38th Parallel, a Water Line around the World

by by GrayBears members Dave & Janet Carle

Now available from UC Press Between extremes of climate farther north and south, the 38th North parallel line marks a temperate, middle latitude where human societies have thrived since the beginning of civilization. It divides North and South Korea, passes through Athens and San Francisco, and bisects Mono Lake in the eastern Sierra Nevada, where authors David and Janet Carle make their home. Former park rangers, the authors set out on an around-the-world journey in search of water-related environmental and cultural intersections along the 38th parallel. This book is a chronicle of their adventures as they meet people confronting challenges in water supply, pollution, wetlands loss, and habitat protection. At the heart of the narrative are the riveting stories of the passionate individuals -scientists, educators, and local activists - who are struggling to preserve some of the world's most amazing, yet threatened, landscapes.

Twelve & Zen -- Where the 12 Steps Meet Zen Koans

by GrayBears member Ranger Bill Krumbein

Both paperback and Kindle Edition Now available from Amazon. There are already several excellent books available to you on these combined topics, so how is Twelve and Zen different from these? Twelve and Zen, to the best of my knowledge, is the first to bring koan practice into the picture as a very effective means of deepening your 12 Step practice. This is not a theory. I speak from my direct experiences -- from being in recovery for more than 25 years and koan practice for more than 15 years. It must me noted, this book is NOT a substitute for going to meetings, getting a sponsor, working the Steps and helping others. The book "Alcoholics Anonymous" has a chapter entitled "Into Action". This is a book about doing. No matter what kind of 12 Step program you are in, koan practice will enhance your practice.

Lake Natoma; A Ranger in Search of Walden Pond

by GrayBears member Dan Winkelman

It’s an autobiography of sorts that explores the relationship between my life as a ranger, the American River, and Lake Natoma. My canoe explores the feeling of being on the lake and immersed in its natural and cultural history. Lake Natoma is a look at transcendentalism in the 21st century by revealing most all the literature that flows through the mind of a ranger while he takes you for a paddle in his canoe. Enjoy the cultural and natural history of a lake that survived the gold rush and now struggles to fend off cityscape. Large coffee table book, 8 1/2 X 11, 80 pages. There are lots of color photographs and art work in the book. Published by Publishing Syndicate. Write direct to Dan Winkelman for an autographed copy. The book lists for $16.95 but if Rangers send him a check for $15 he will personally autograph and mail it to you.

BODIE'S BOSS LAWMAN, The Frontier Odyssey of Constable John F. Kirgan

by Bill Merrell and CSPRA Member David Carle

After serving with the 1st Illinois Regiment in the Mexican War, John Franklin Kirgan made his way westward, where his saga intersected with that of the new state of California's constitutional convention in 1850. Years later, the Comstock excitement brought Kirgan to Carson City and a stint as a prison guard at the Nevada State Prison. Finally, fate delivered him to Bodie in 1877, where he worked as constable, jailer, and deputy sheriff during the mining town's boom years. Serving as the "boss lawman" of Bodie was the culmination of Kirgan's life--an odyssey that placed him in contact with the emerging history of the American West. Merrell unearthed the story of a Western lawman who was responsible for law enforcement in a violent town far better known for its "Badmen of Bodie." Carle finished the final chapters of the book and prepared it for publication after Merrell passed away with his text unfinished

Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol in the Sierra

by GrayBears member Jordan Fisher-Smith

This is a walk in the woods like Thoreau never imagined. I can't make up my mind whether Jordan Fisher Smith is John Muir at the crime scene or Elmore Leonard with a backpack. In any event, this astonishing book, with its brilliant interweaving of murder, irony and natural history, invents a new genre.

Baker's Corner: A Mystery in Codman Square

by by GrayBears member John R. Quirk

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/oqvarss, Paperback, $6.99 – April 24, 2015

A mysterious talisman originating in the slave and chocolate trade travels to Revolutionary War era Boston where it is passed through the centuries. It comes into the hands of boyhood friends Finn Leahy and Tony Sebastiene. Then it, and their friendship, is lost amidst social upheaval and tragedy afflicting the neighborhood. The talisman resurfaces in a present day Boston confronted with a terrorist threat that seems to implicate the Dorchester Haitian community and a dream research center. Finn and Tony, now sixty, join with Finn’s son to encounter uncertain threats and the enduring mystery of the talisman.

The story is set in the Codman Square (aka Baker’s Corner) area of Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood and is framed by the founding and success of James Baker’s nearby Neponset River chocolate mill and its closing in 1965. The characters travel varied paths. They arrive, like the reader, with their own perspectives and conclusions in the same enduring place...Baker’s Corner.

Seldom Was Heard an Encouraging Word

A BLM Law Enforcement History by GrayBears member Dennis McLane

I have written and published a BLM Law Enforcement History Book. It may be of interest to Gray Bear members. I have attached a PDF FLYER I put together as a promotion for the book. Seldom Was Heard an Encouraging Word is available in soft cover at Amazon.com. The retail price is $30.00. The book is 545 pages of text and appendices. A thorough index is included. Signed copies of the book are available directly from the author. If you would like a signed copy, send a check or money order for $35.00 ($30.00 plus $5.00 for handling and priority mail. Idaho residents must add $2.10 sales tax for a total of $37.10) made out to Dennis McLane and send to Dennis McLane, Draywood Publications, 3355 N. Five Mile Rd. #169, Boise, ID 83713-3925.

AMERICAN RIVER CANYON

Images of America A Photo History Pictorial of the American River Canyon by GrayBears members Rodi Lee and Mike Lynch

The American River Canyon below Auburn is seen as a natural and scenic area but still contains signs of an extensive historical past. The book contains over 200 historic photos. This includes historic bridges and bridge sites dating back to the 1850s. The 1849 Gold Rush brought 75 years of mining that ended after massive dredges worked the river for its gold in the 1910s. Unique to the canyon is the Mountain Quarries Railroad, which traveled its way across 17 trestles and an elegant, still-standing concrete bridge to reach the main line in Auburn. Published May 14, 2012

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/lynch-auburn

Arcadia- http://tinyurl.com/lynch-arcadia

THE SPOTTING SCOPE

by GrayBears member David Carle

Another new book, this time a mystery novel, The Spotting Scope, just got posted at Amazon.com. Book stores and other online vendors will have it. CSPRA and Graybear folks may enjoy the premise. The Spotting Scope is an apt title for a novel focusing with vivid clarity on sharply escalating tensions following a murder. Ex-park ranger David Carle draws on deep knowledge of the terrain and the people who live in it to create a plot where spiraling suspense feels as natural as the surrounding wilderness. I was taken by how clean and clear the writing was, easing from good-natured wit into the darkness of murder and anger unleashed as warring parties hunt a killer. Published April 2012

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/carle-scope

DROWNING IN THE DARK

by GrayBears member Daniel C. Friend

As terrifying as any suspense thriller, Drowning in the Dark is the true story of one man who awoke in a mental hospital to discover that his worst nightmare had become his waking reality and that he had lost his career, his family and his friends. Just when it seemed that his life couldn't possibly get any worse, it did, continuing its downward spiral and raising the odds against his survival. Clinging to his deep seated spiritual values, he never gave up hope, and ultimately survived a fourteen year battle with suicidal depression that had nearly caused him to take his own life. This book recounts the truly inspiring story of one man's survival against overwhelming odds and the triumph of the human spirit. Publication Date: February 9, 2012

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/9vybjp9

CONFESSIONS OF THE NIGHT RANGER

by GrayBears member Daniel C. Friend

This is the true story of one California State Park Ranger's adventures in the Santa Cruz Mountains during the turbulent 1970s, when the area was haunted by notorious serial killers, motorcycle gangs and packs of wild dogs. Dangerous and exciting as the job of a Ranger was, the greatest challenge came not from the environment, or even from the people, but from the out-of-control Chief Ranger. This is a story that is part adventure, part drama, part tragedy and part soap opera. Most surprising of all, it is all true. Publication Date: December 21, 2011

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/9dj79c4

THE BLOOD QUILT

by GrayBears member Daniel C. Friend

The Blood Quilt is the true account of a young man's adventure, which turns into an incredibly romantic and heartrending story of two lovers who are torn apart by their interfering families. Against all odds, they find each other after a span of 46 years. Defying all obstacles, including bitter family interference, they reunite in love one final time, proving that love is truly eternal. Publication Date: November 8, 2011

Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/9f3y9kg

THEM WERE THE DAYS

Early Days at Big Basin, Richardson Grove, Seacliff Beach & Big Sur by Harriett "Petey" Weaver, CSPRA's Honorary Ranger 1971

FREE Download, made available January 2009 courtesy of Mike Lynch and CSPRA GrayBears, Published April 1991, by the 125th Ranger Anniversary Committee - now available by contacting Mike or Jeff Price.Download and print a PDF copy of the Petey Weaver mini-publication on her Ranger career in state parks, which started in 1929.Petey, the first uniformed woman in state parks, wrote this publication in early 1991 in honor of the 125th Ranger Anniversary. It was published by the 125th Ranger Anniversary Committee in April 1991. Not the best quality, but very readable historic essay.

CALIFORNIA STATE PARK RANGERS

by GrayBears member Michael G. Lynch

On Sale: 02/23/2009 128 Pages, ISBN: 073-8-559938, Arcadia Publishing. $21.99 Description: The first park ranger in the world was appointed in California in 1866. Galen Clark was chosen as “Guardian of Yosemite,” at what was then Yosemite State Park, and the concept of rangers to protect and administer America’s great nature parks was born. The tradition continued in 1872 with the establishment of the first national park at Yellowstone. From the earliest days, park rangers have been romanticized; they are explorers, outdoorsmen, tree lovers, animal protectors, police officers, nature guides, and park administrators. The park ranger has become an American icon, whose revered image has maintained itself to this very day.

MONO LAKE BASIN

by GrayBears member David Carle and Don Banta

128 Pages, ISBN: 073-8-559091, Arcadia Publishing. $21.99 Authors Don Banta, a 75-year Lee Vining resident, and David Carle, a Mono Lake ranger for 19 years, present here a collection of vintage Mono Lake photography. Working with archival materials from local families and the Mono Lake Committee, Carle and Banta show the lake, its environs, and its history through stirring imagery, including the lengthy court battle over the lake and its tributary creeks. Dave Carle has published e ight other publications .

Norman Clyde: Legendary Mountaineer of California's Sierra Nevada

by CSPRA Member Robert C. Pavlik

The first complete biography of the notorious but beloved Sierra mountaineer. This riveting account of one of the most notable personalities of the mountain climbing world reconstructs the life of legendary mountaineer Norman Clyde (1885-1972). He made his mark on history with more than one hundred and thirty first ascents throughout western North America, and many believe he knew the High Sierra better than anyone else, including John Muir. On Amazon, and possibly available at Heydaybooks Publishing.

Rangers of California's State Parks

by CSPRA Member Michael G. Lynch

The grand daddy of park ranger books is still available. The definitive, original and only book on the history of California State Park Rangers may be ordered from the author $10 for softcover and $15 for hardcover. Free media mail postage (slow) or $5 for priority mail. Mail check to: Mike Lynch P.O. Box 3212 Auburn, CA 95604

Webmaster note - this book was selling for $35 on Amazon!

Images of America: Cleveland National Forest

by James D. Newland, Supervising Historian, Southern Service Center

This brief “Centennial” history, with its evocative and interpretive photographs, will inspire appreciation for both the invaluable resource that the Cleveland National Forest lands represent, but also for the dedicated staff both past and present, who have stewarded this public reserve for all to enjoy. Jim has been professionally involved in cultural resources, land use planning, and historic preservation since 1991. He previously served as Historian for the USDA-Forest Service's Cleveland National Forest from 1993 to 1995. Read interview with the author. On sale used $13.59 at Amazon and new $19.99 at Arcadia Press.

Introduction to Fire in California

by CSPRA Member David Carle

What is fire? How are wildfires ignited? How do California's weather and topography influence fire? How did the California Indians use fire? In the spirit of his highly acclaimed Introduction to Air in California and Introduction to Water in California, David Carle now turns to another fundamental element of the natural world, giving a fascinating and concise view of this complex topic. His clearly written, dramatically illustrated book will help Californians, including the millions who live near naturally flammable wildlands, better understand their own place in the state's landscape. Carle covers the basics of fire ecology; looks at the effects of fire on wildlife, soil, water, and air; discusses fire fighting organizations and land management agencies; explains current policies, and explores many other topics. 91 color illustrations and 15 mapsOnline description, $12.89 at Amazon

Introduction to Air in California

by CSPRA Member David Carle

What is air? Why is the sky blue? Why do people react favorably to mountain or sea air? How does desert air differ from the air of California's Central Valley? How is air pollution affecting plants and animals? This book is a unique guide to the air we breathe in California. More than a natural history guide, it approaches this fascinating topic by recognizing the overwhelming role played by humans in the story of California's air. In a highly engaging style, David Carle explains daily weather patterns, seasonal climate, characteristic winds, and sky phenomena. He explores air as the gases in our atmosphere, but also considers the aspects of air that influence all of our senses--its taste, smell, feel, and look.

EARLY CHILDHOOD OUTDOOR DISCOVERY BOOK

by CSPRA Member William J. Krumbein

Games, Puzzles, Poems and Fun for kids 4 to 8. Sold at many park Natural History Association book stores.

Fire Fighters in Fatigues History of a World War II Army Engineer Fire Fighting Platoon

by CSPRA Member James G. Davis

Read Fire Fighters in Fatigues description and download order form.

Also check Jim's WW II websites:Fire Fighters : http://www.firefighters.mil-fire.net/index.html WWII Fire Trucks : http://www.firetrucks.mil-fire.net/index.html

Insignia of the Resource Agency Fish & Game, Parks, Forestry

by CSPRA member Mike Lynch, Doug Messer and Steve Huntington

Download book description and order form . Privately published and available from the authors.

Missing in the Minarets: The Search for Walter A. Starr, Jr.

by Hon. William Alsup, Honorary CSPRA Member

Publication Date: February 2001. This riveting narrative details the mysterious disappearance of Peter Starr, a San Francisco attorney from a prominent family, who set off to climb alone in the rugged Minaret region of the Sierra Nevada in 1933. Rigorous and thorough searches by some of the best climbers in the history of the range failed to locate him, despite a number of promising clues. When all hope seemed gone and the last search party had left the Minarets, mountaineering legend Norman Clyde refused to give up. Climbing alone, he persevered in the face of failure, resolved that he would learn the fate of the lost man. Clyde's discovery and the events that followed make for compelling reading.

A Pathway Through Parks

by CSPRA Member Carl Chavez

Stories in the book follow my 33-year career with California State Parks. There are tales from my assignments in Bodie SHP, Pt. Mugu SP, Pismo SB, Morro Bay SP, Cuyamaca SP, Plumas-Eureka SP, Humboldt Redwoods SP as well as Region and Division Headquarters in Santa Rosa and Sacramento. Over 100 current and former DPR employees (including many of you) are mentioned in the book with feature stories about the likes of Tiny Philbrook, Carl Anderson, Jim Hart, Ken Leigh, Ted Reinhardt and my daughter Abigail Cushenberry.

Introduction to Water in California

by CSPRA Member Dave Carle

Water is the foundation upon which California's ecosystems and economic vitality rise. . . . This is a must read for anyone living in California, whether they are students, politicians, farmers, environmental activists, or corporate executives."--Arthur Guy Baggett, Jr., Chair, California State Water Resources Control Board "This is a comprehensive, readable natural history guide to an extremely complicated subject. It interweaves the historical, human, and technological factors with the ecological and environmental realities."--Pam Lloyd, former Chair of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, S.F. Bay Region