Wild America: The Record of a 30,000 Mile Journey Around the Continent by a Distinguished Naturalist and His British Colleague

If I were to pick the top five books that have influenced my life...for the better, this one would probably be at the top of that list of five. I first read it as a relatively young man and have given it several rereads over the years and just finished my latest.I like books pertaining to natural history, history and travel books. It this single volume I get all three of my reading loves dished out in a grand manner. This book has been around for over 50 years now and in many ways it is a fresh today as it was the day it was published. Now this is not to say that it can be used as a "current" travel guide - alas, far from it. The geography of North America has changes somewhat over the years. New roads, strip malls, dried up rivers and creeks, urban sprawl, pollution, new roads, logging, and on and on and on...all have taken their toll. The America Peterson and Fisher observed and recorded is in many ways not with us any longer. I suppose I am fortunate in a way (or unfortunate - depending upon how you look at it) to have had the opportunity to travel though and visit many of the places this duo visited both then and more recently. I am acutely aware of the changes.And this is one of the strong features of this work. It records a country in a state which we will, if we want to be realistic about it, never see again. It records our history and thereby will give the thoughtful reader much to ponder both as to our current situation and that of the future.The premise of this work is well known. Two of the world's greatest naturalists drive from the extreme North East section of N. America and roughly follow the coast line all the way around via automobile with a side trip to Mexico and of course Alaska. They observed and record. They of course pat particular attention to birds of other wildlife and plants are not ignored nor are the geographical oddities of this vast land.The book is well written and both med and contributed - the get the American "take" as well as the European (English). I love the way the book is designed and formatted...very, very readable!You need not be a birder to enjoy and appreciate this one. It is a chronicle of our land at a specific time. I wish there were more book like it written by naturalist of this caliber.Don BlankenshipThe Ozarks

Very fun read about nature, birds and the USA set in the 1950s. Interesting to read and get a sense for how much/what has changed in almost 70 years. They are great observers of nature and fun to travel along with.

I loved this book!! In this book alone I have discovered how many species of birds I want to see in my lifetime. It also has different places in North America that I plan on visiting now because of this book!

I just love this book. Reading it always inspires my wanderlust for nature, and it has done more to shape my vacation mentality (see nature, not just human stuff) than most anything else. This is the ultimate road trip book, with two top naturalists, who are also keen birders traveling North America seeing as much as they can. It's not just birds; mammals, reptiles, ecology, insects, and geography all spill off the pages in a readable fashion, along with funny moments (rolling downhill in neutral when the gas gauge reads empty, only to find out the gauge is broken and they had half a tank!) and a true friendship. It also shows how much the continent has changed since, and not for the better, at least in terms of the environment.

Keep your birding app handy when you retrace the the 1953 journey taken by these two scientists in search of the bird life along the Eastern coast, the Panhandle of Florida, the great deserts, even to the Pacific of the Alaskan islands. Peterson also describes the plant life and animals of these regions with an Audubon eye for detail and differentiation. When I was in the Great Smokies recently, I tried to follow their hike up the Ramsey Cascade to see the largest trees in the park. Even after so many decades, the memoirs have much to offer those who love to travel the conservationist's journey through the American landscape. It will always be on my bookshelf.

What a great read and adventure! Beautiful nature drawings to help capture the sights of the adventure!

I recommend Wild America to each and every one of us who loves Nature and the outdoors. To those of us who are concerned about the ongoing struggle to preserve undeveloped America. Peterson & Fisher got it in 1953. Thankfully, a majority of us get it. A difficult book to put down…as these 2 wonderful guides travel through the East, South, Gulf, West, Westcoast, Mexico, Northwest, and Canada+.I loved it.

Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher wrote a very enjoyable book about their birding across America. And Scott Weidensaul's book "Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul," published in 2005, was an excellent update on birding along a similar path across America.I highly recommend both books for those who are into birds and/or who like traveling to all sorts of interesting places in North America.

Their knowledge of birds is evident from the start. Travel must have been more restrictive than today. They were responsible for man birders getting started in the early days

All was excellent