Lassoing the Sun

A Year in America's National Parks

By: Mark Woods

Narrated by: Corey M. Snow

Many childhood summers, Mark Woods piled into a station wagon with his parents and two sisters and headed to America's national parks. Mark's most vivid childhood memories are set against a backdrop of mountains, woods, and fireflies in places like Redwood, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon national parks.

On the eve of turning 50 and a little burned out, Mark decided to reconnect with the great outdoors. He'd spend a year visiting the national parks. He planned to take his mother to a park she'd not yet visited and to re-create his childhood trips with his wife and their iPad-generation daughter.

But then the unthinkable happened: His mother was diagnosed with cancer, given just months to live. Mark had initially intended to write a book about the future of the national parks, but Lassoing the Sun grew into something more: a book about family, the parks, the legacies we inherit, and the ones we leave behind.

©2016 Mark Woods (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Woods makes a clear case for the significant power of the parks on our collective and personal psyches. A deeply heartfelt story about why the national parks remain so integral to the American story." (Booklist)

Unexpected

I didn’t expect to love this, read it at a friend’s recommendation and by the 2nd chapter fell in love with the story. It only gets better.

Refreshing

This book truly will touch the hearts of nature lovers and many other lovers of galore. This book truly captures a sense of family and a love for the outdoors and just exactly how it is continuously healing us.

Good Journey

good story teller. interesting passage through the year. something for everyone. ready to go camping.

Wonderful

Wonderful collection of stories about some of our best national parks. I love how his memories and others are scattered throughout.

All about death

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Spend more time talking about issues facing the parks and less time talking about his thoughts on death.

Would you ever listen to anything by Mark Woods again?

No.

What three words best describe Corey M. Snow’s voice?

Sad and boring.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

At times it focused on fascinating issues facing our national parks. Those brief sections were excellent.