Campfire Reading

When you're longing for a bit of the North Country, there's nothing like a good book to lose yourself in that will bring back all those memories.  Here is my list of some of my favorite North Country reading and some fun extras.  Enjoy.

Recommended Art Books

Walking and Fitness

Minnesota Vacation Days

I can't recommend this book more highly.  Not only is it a nostalgic treat, with vintage posters, postcards, and advertisements, but it is a wonderful journey into the past of family vacations and of course, specifically, Minnesota as a vacation destination.  You don't have to be from Minnesota to appreciate the warm sense of nostalgia that fills this book.  Curl up and enjoy some happy times of the past!

Listening Point by Sigurd Olsen

Here is the quintessential North Country book to whet your appetite for the sound of loons calling, the smell of pines and balsam, walleye frying over the campfire.  Olsen speaks to the wilderness traveler, voicing feelings and thoughts that you thought no one understood.  Olsen encourages the reader to find that place "where the universe can be contemplated with awe.

Singing Wilderness by Sigurd Olsen 

In this book, Olsen offers a tonic for stress and a way to escape.  He speaks to the very heart of finding peace and solitude in Nature.  His love for the North Country rings true with every page, transporting the reader to the Quetico-Superior area.  

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

No North Country reading list would be complete without the book that influences so many after him, including Sigurd Olsen.  Thoreau was certainly well before his time, with wisdom that speaks as true today as it did when it was first written.   Thoreau speaks of Nature, of living a good life, of reading and solitude.  A book to learn from.

Walking by Henry David Thoreau

I came across this gem while traveling the Great River Road.  Thoreau speaks of the joys of walking, of observing and embracing the wild about us.  Grab your hiking stick and put on your boots.  You'll be in the mood to hike after reading this book. 

This is a challenging book and one of the most influential about wildlife biologists and conservationists.  It is the kind of book you can immerse yourself in.  Leopold draws a picture of wilderness from several perspectives, the perfect guide into these glimpses of nature.  Later, he challenges our thinking about development and preservation of our natural resources, forcing us to think closely and hard about our decisions that will impact future generations.  A must read for anyone concerned about conservation issues.

I found this book such a delightful read when I first discovered this writer.  Cook writes loving and with a keen eye for the beauty surrounding him in the North woods.   It's so easy to get caught up in the author's enthusiasm and enjoyment of all of the pleasure of being in the North Country.

 Northwoods Fish Cookery by Ron Berg

Here is the definitive book about shore lunches and preparing fish the North Country way.  An outstanding collection of recipes for all your favorites, including trout, pike, and of course, walleye.  There's everything here from the simple to the elegant with appetizers and side dishes to boot.  The author is the executive chef at the Gunflint Lodge. This is so-ooo North Country, you can just hear the wolves howling and the loons calling.

A Northwoods Companion by John Bates

These books, one for Spring and Summer and the other for Fall and Winter, give the reader a wonderful glimpse into the phenology of the passing of the seasons in the North Country.  Written from a northern Wisconsin perspective, this book details the changes of the seasons as marked by bird migrations, hibernation of amphibians and much more.  You can hear the wind in the trees as you read these books!  Fall and Winter edition-- .  Spring and Summer edition-- 

Poison Heart

This is the latest by Logue.  Right from the first pages, I was hooked.  The action that unfolded was so unexpected, so evil.  Again, the setting was delightful, and even prompted an impromptu trip down the Wisconsin Great River Road for me after reading it.  Her story is tightly written, unfolding slowly and drawing one in so skillfully.  The character of Claire Watkins is interesting and well-developed.  This is a great summer read!

Finding books set on the Wisconsin Great River Road is a real treat for me, especially one that is such a deliciously suspenseful read.  "Bone Harvest" is set in the town of Fort St. Antoine.  Having personal knowledge of the area makes it more fun.  The mystery is suspenseful, a real page turner dealing with an old murder that has resurfaced.   The mystery was well-written, not at all contrived, with a satisfying ending.  

This is some fun North Country reading.  This mystery is set in Isle Royale.  Descriptions give the reader the feeling of being there amongst the pines and rocks.  You can just feel the wind coming off of the lake.  Nice to find a mystery with a North Country theme.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

This is one book I like to pick up again and again.  It's a great story of mystery, menace, and love.  A truly devilish Mrs. Danvers is essential to creating this atmosphere.  A good read on a stormy night.

Victorian Ghost Stories: An Oxford Anthology by Michael Cox, R. A. Gilbert

The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories by Michael Cox, R. A. Gilbert

A ghost story, and a ghost story well told, is one of the best things about a campfire.  These two anthologies contain some of the absolute classics of the ghost story.  There are some truly scary stories in these books.  These include some of the best ghost stories ever written.  These are not Stephen King-like stories, but true classic ghost stories.  I return to these books again and again when I'm in search of a good fright.

Speaking of wolves, Minnesota's own, David Mech, is the world's leading authority on wolves.  This book gives a thorough and fascinating history of the wolf and research.  Interesting reading for the wolf enthusiast.  Especially intriguing is the international scope of the wolf.

I just love this book.  The photographs are a wonderful tribute to the cabin.  The different styles of cabins in the various parts of the country and the stories of people looking for this icon of rustic living makes this a great cabin-living read. 

The first time we drove this scenic byway that follows the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, my husband and I were astonished by the wild beauty of the scenery.  The Mississippi River carved a complex of bluffs, creating an amazing landscape.  We thought we just had to tell everyone about this undiscovered treasure of the Midwest, so we wrote the book.

Okay, I'll admit to be a little biased here, but I found this story of the Mammoth Cave a great read and a fitting tribute to the hundreds of volunteers who contributed to the restoration of this global treasure.  Norm gives insight into the struggles inherent in this particular project--removal of an old tourist bridge about 2 miles into the cave, working with only the light of caving helmets.   The stories give a touching human perspective to leading a diverse group of volunteers through a mammoth restoration process.