The Hour of Land

By Terry Tempest Williams

☕︎☕︎☕︎☕︎☕︎

I’m a sucker for writer-naturalists—the kind of authors who don’t just describe landscapes but make you feel them, who weave personal stories with big-picture environmental thinking. So when I spotted The Hour of Land at my favorite bookstore in Moab, I snagged it without a second thought. And wow, am I glad I did.

This isn’t just a book about national parks; it’s a poetic, deeply personal, and urgent meditation on why these places matter—not just as breathtaking landscapes but as battlegrounds for conservation, history, and even social justice. Terry Tempest Williams takes us on a journey through twelve national parks, from Big Bend to Gates of the Arctic, but she’s not here just to gush about the scenery (though her writing is stunning). She digs into the complicated, sometimes uncomfortable realities of public lands—who has access to them, who gets left out of the conversation, and what it really means to “protect” them in an era of climate change and corporate greed.

What I love about this book is how Williams makes it so personal. She writes about her own experiences in these parks—moments of awe, loss, resistance—and ties them into the larger story of America’s relationship with its wild spaces. She’s not afraid to be emotional or political, and that’s what makes this book feel so alive. It’s part love letter, part call to action.

I raise my baby on public land—I’ve changed diapers on boulders and given my son a name rooted in these landscapes—this book hit home. Williams captures something I’ve felt deep in my bones: that these places shape us, hold us, and demand something from us in return.

If you’ve ever stood in a national park and felt something shift inside you, this book will resonate. It’s a celebration, a warning, and a reminder that while these lands may seem timeless, their future depends on all of us. Whether you’re a hiker, an armchair traveler, or just someone who loves good nature writing, The Hour of Land is worth your time.