I am reading A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit. The book, vaguely based on the premise that people today are rarely “lost,” explores the gray area between danger and stability. Consisting of nine short essays, it jumps across disciplines, pulling references from history, art, literature, Solnit’s dreams, and her friend’s anecdotes.
I chose to read this because I am about to hike the Continental Divide Trail, an unfinished trail that runs from Mexico to Canada. I anticipate being lost at times, so I am interested in how others experience being lost. One of my favorite examples is in the introduction. Solnit quotes Daniel Boone, who said, “I was never lost in the woods in my whole life, though once I was confused for three days.”
The Daniel Boone quote makes me think of the group of guys my Father in law hunted with. None would ever admit to getting lost, the term they used was ‘got turned around’ — as in “Yeah, I got turned around in that cedar bog this morning.”
That is a wonderful, evocative and elegant review. I believe I am inspired to read it, having been both lost and confused frequently.
That is a wonderful, evocative and elegant review. I believe I am inspired to read it, having been both lost and confused frequently.