Book Review: The Last Season
Book Review: The Last Season by Eric Blehm
If you’ve ever been to the Sierra, or to any special place outdoors, then the novel, The Last Season, will both captivate and haunt you. Part life reflective, part mystery, and part who’s who of the outdoors, this novel conveys the ups and downs of the life of Randy Morgenson, an under-recognized but highly experienced, seasonal backcountry ranger.
Blehm does an excellent job of giving the reader insight into Morgenson’s life without imposing his own biases. This excellently researched book mixes Morgenson’s original prose with the Author’s own work to develop a deep understanding and connection to Morgenson. The reader gains insight as to what it was like to grow up in Yosemite and the influence it had on Morgenson as an adult. Blehm details the impact that family friends, like Ansel Adams and Wallace Stegner, had on Morgenson’s creative passions and their development.
But Blehm does more than paint a picture of Morgenson’s life, he makes the reader want to be part of it. I couldn’t help but wish that I could have met Randy Morgenson. Although I didn’t travel into the Sierra until 2005, long after Morgenson’s last season in the Sierra, I feel like I missed out by not running into Ranger Randy while in the backcountry.
I would highly recommend The Last Season to anyone who has ever been to the Sierra, had a positive interaction with a backcountry ranger, has worked or wanted to volunteer for Search and Rescue or just likes a good read. However, this novel haunts me with it’s mystery, mistakes and my own familiarity with the area where everything goes down. No matter how haunting, there is no denying that it was one of those “can’t put it down” books. Happy Reading!
