The Gila River and Wilderness are the heart and soul of A Song for the River. Every summer since 2002, author Philip Connors has been perched in a tower 50 feet above the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico, watching for fire.
His first book, Fire Season, recounted the deep lessons learned about mountains, wilderness, fire, and solitude. A Song for the River, its sequel, updates and deepens the story: the mountain he loves goes up in flames; a lookout on another mountain whom he has come to love as brother dies in a freak accident; and three high school students he admires die tragically in an airplane crash while researching the wilderness and the wild river they wish to save. Connors channels their voices in a praise song of great urgency and makes a plea to save a vital piece of our natural and cultural heritage: the wild Gila River, whose waters are threatened by a potential dam.
