Arctic Dreams (by Barry Lopez): is an exploration of the many-faceted wonders of the Far North, from the ever-changing light, to the sparse landscapes, to the creatures that survive and thrive in this (at first glance) barren realm. He also delves into the human dimensions of this massive and (mostly) unexplored world: from the Native communities that have seamlessly co-existed with the animals and plants here for millennia; to the explorers throughout history who have attempted short-term jaunts into this foreign world, often finding out the hard way how unprepared and unsuited for it they actually are; to the modern day oil and natural gas interests that threaten the fragility of this delicate ecosystem.
This is one of my favorite books because Barry Lopez is such a master of observation, noting details that most would miss. The Arctic is in many ways very subtle: tiny flowering plants almost invisible to the naked eye; temperature inversions in the cold atmosphere creating temporary mirages on the horizon; and animals like wolverines with such large home ranges that often the only sign of their existence at all is a fleeting set of their tracks.
But also, Lopez is a philosopher, seeing the High Arctic for the magical but yet unforgiving place that it is. For example, in a description of the Arctic through the eyes of a human, arriving for the first time from a gentler latitude, he writes: ''…the land becomes large, alive like an animal; it humbles him. . . . It is not that the land is simply beautiful but that it is powerful. . . . Darkness and light are bound together within it, and the feeling that this is the floor of creation.''