Faith of Cranes: Finding Hope and Family in Alaska

by Hank Lentfer

Faith of Cranes weaves together three parallel narratives: the plight and beauty of sandhill cranes, one man's effort to recover hope amid destructive climate change, and the birth of a daughter.

"Faith of Cranes is a love song to the beauty and worth of the lives we are able to lead in the world just as it is, troubled though it be. Lentfer's storytelling achieves its joys and universality not via grand summations but via grounded self-giving, familial intimacy, funny friendships, attentive griefs, and full-bodied immersion in the Alaskan rainforest. The writing is honest, intensely lived, and overflowing with heart: broken, mended, and whole."
a "David James Duncan, author of The Brothers K and God Laughs & Plays


Hank Lentfer listened to cranes passing over his home in southeast alaska for twenty years before bothering to figure out where they were going. On a very visceral level, he didn't want to know. After all, cranes gliding through the wide skies of Alaska are the essence of wildness. But the same animals, pecking a living between the cornfields and condos of California's Central Valley, seem trapped and diminished. A former wildlife biologist and longtime conservationist, Lentfer had come to accept that no number of letters to the editor or trips to D.C. could stop the spread of clear cuts, alter the course of climate change, or ensure that his beloved cranes would always appear. And he had no idea that following the paths of cranes would lead him to the very things he was most afraid of: parenthood, responsibility, and actions of hope in a frustrating and warming world.

Faith of Cranes is Lentfer's quiet, lyrical memoir of his home and community near Glacier Bay that reveals a family's simple acts -- planting potatoes, watching cranes, hunting deer -- as well as a close and eccentric Alaskan community. It shows how several thousand birds and one little girl teach a new father there is no future imaginable that does not leave room for compassion and grace.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Nature, Wildlife, Birds, Biography Memoir, Ornithology

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Near as I can figure, I may well be the most fortunate bloke alive. Consider: I live on the edge of the largest, contiguous, bear-blessed, wolverine-wandered, crane-graced, salmon-saturated stretch of wild land left on the planet. I could, with enough grit and a big enough back pack, step from my door and ramble and wallow through some 30 million acres without encountering so much as a cigarette butt, much less a human butt. I could (and sometimes do) board a little air taxi and trust that prop to buzz, nonstop, through mountain passes to the capital city where I can get my tooth ache fixed. A wooly teeming landscape and Novocain – I got it all going on, the best of the Pleistocene alongside the best of modern living.

Over the years, watching the Industrial Revolution revolutionize yet another patch of wildness, I’ve worked hard to keep my despair in check. I am happy to report the effort is paying off. Not that I don’t get bummed by our seemingly endless ability to keep making the same mistakes, but I have learned to balance the bummedness with increasingly long bouts of celebration, and wonder, and (when I am most lucky) pure joy. Faith of Cranes is the book I wrote about this work and this joy. This blog is another way I hope to share the challenges and rewards of living and loving the last scraps of vast teeming wildness.

Reviews

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The irony of the dedication page quote has my mind in a twist. The author dedicates this memoir to his daughter and pairs this with the following quote:

“The opposite of faith is not doubt; it is certainty.” - Anne Lamont

The irony lies in the fact that the title, “Faith of Cranes”, would lead one to believe that the author may take the reader on a faith journey through the observation of cranes and nature. But, the book is only full of certainty (per Ms. Lamont, the opposite of faith) of our doomed planet. So intriguing.

I finished this book at 5am, anchored at Porpoise Island, where I can see the flat plane of Gustavus, the morning sun kissing the Fairweather Range, and the wild sea birds (Guillemots?) going about their summer feeding. So, I am immersed in the very place where the author keeps his heart. The author did an outstanding job capturing the poetry of a deer hunt, and the pure joy of catching nature in an undisturbed act. Beautiful organization and writing. Raw and decidedly honest. Many of my own experiences are eerily in step with his, right down to a visit to the glass store in Juneau where my husband found discounted misordered picture windows that became the starting point for our own self built cabin over the hill in Excursion Inlet where we lived year round and raised our 2 boys for a time (one of whom was delivered by Dr. Jones as he and my husband talked about the wicked currents around Lemesurier Island). If anybody can feel this author’s rhythm, it should be me. Yet, we are so very different.

All I feel after reading this beautifully written memoir is anguish for the author for the weight of despair he carries through his life as evidenced by quotes like these:

“...a story of how one man, blinded to present beauty by the fears of an ugly future, regained his sight.”Page 15

”I was still running, fleeing from the obscenity of consumerism, moving too fast to find any satisfaction.” Page 64

“Where Anya was held in place by love, I was pushed by fear and prodded by anger, mad at a culture willing to trade beauty for profit.” Page 141

”What do I not see while focused on a failed future? Anya’s wholesome food made me realize I’d been feeding myself a steady diet of discouragement and despair.”Page 142

At this point, the reader expect the despair to turn a corner, and He does make progress in being very conscious of his demon. Yet, four years later, he is distraught to find that he has taught his 4 year old daughter to feel “like a living mistake” because people are destroying the planet. He desperately looks for some course corrections. In the last pages of the book, he learns some coping mechanisms that primarily include focusing on “small acts done in great love”. But, still, in spite of this growing up, he is clearly a man lacking faith because he is so certain of the “inevitable diminution of beauty over time.” I still think, in spite of the joy he found through being a father, that he assumes a future of darkness and because of that, lives battling despair.

While he spent years mourning for the future, I was living just one mountain over reading my bible each day and exploring with my boys the beauty of God’s creation, teaching gratitude for the mysteries of our universe, and understanding that although our world has fallen from God’s grace, and He promises uncertainty and consequences, that He also promises a future reconciliation to a perfect paradise; a place where sandhill cranes could never be threatened. My conclusion, I will keep my worldview which include faith in an uncertain future, and my much larger definition of pure beauty which I can find inside people from everywhere and even in the middle of a city.

[Dave Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a heartfelt, beautifully written book not merely about sandhill cranes and how they are tied to and weave through the author's life, but about how they instruct and direct his journey. It is a journey of despair, of fear and anger at what we are doing to our planet, but a journey that ultimately leads to a place of hope. It is an ode to the outdoors and an extremely well written story. I can't recommend this enough.

[Cori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me homesick for Alaska and wild spaces. Really beautiful thinking and writing. Thanks for the reflections and honest sharing, Hank!!

[Justin Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faith of Cranes spoke to my heart. This book is perfect for anyone who is up to date on environmental issues and mad about the state of the world. I am one such person, and frankly it gets old being around me. Like a hot cup of coffee on a rainy day this book puts life into perspective in an understated and humble way. The writing was not overly poetic, it was not uneducated either, it was just right.

Honestly I can't say enough about Faith of Cranes, it is one of the best self help books I have ever read and that is not even its mission. Further it is an enjoyable read, Hank Lentfer developed the story in an almost Thomas Wolfe-esque (mini stories within a grander story) style.

If I were to say one thing about Faith of Cranes it would be that it is the book equivalent of Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life.

[Susy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another lyrical Alaska story but this time it's not the story of the rough and tumble outpost living but the the thoughtful and complicated musings of a lifetime Alaskan who feels passionate about the land and the wildlife and the despair of what big business & big oil companies can do to it. The cranes that fly over his cabin near Glacier Bay are the same ones I drive to see each fall. He worries that when the cranes have to forage between condo complexes and cornfields that they won't return. I marvel that there are seemingly enough environmentalists nearby to ensure that the cranes will return to his family each spring.

The writing is beautiful and while at times Lentfer feels incredibly discouraged by the encroachments on the land that means so much to him and his family, it is the birth of his daughter that gives him new clarity and a sense of hope.

This is a lovely heartfelt story by a man who is unafraid to show his emotions, raw and tender, about his place in the world.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat. Reading this book is like sitting around the campfire with Hank and hearing the stories the way he remembers them. I will pick up this book anytime I want to transport myself to a distinct sliver of southeast Alaska that I love dearly.

[Patricia E. Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever felt frustrated and Iike giving up? Why do I even bother? I ask myself this question all the time. It could be about recycling or keeping in touch with family and friends. Does it matter? Does anyone really care? Naturalist and conservationist Hank Lentfer discovered these feelings in himself after years of advocating against climate change. Lentfer's memoir reveals the lessons he learned from family and friends and from the sandhill cranes that return to his Southeast Alaska homeland year after year. Through the stories of the cranes and the birth of his daughter, Lentfer describes how he learned the importance of finding joy and feeling hopeful each day. This is the perfect retreat book for when you need reminding that even the smallest acts of kindness and grace can have a great impact, perhaps not on the world, but on you and the people closest to you.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this rumination on progress, personal responsibility, family, and our relationship with the natural world. I read most of it while camping at a hot spring in Alaska, and it was certainly a good setting for it. I felt the author wouldn't mind that a muddy dog stepped on it while it sat on the edge of the hot pool.
While Kim Heacox, the author of The Only Kayak and Hank Lentfer are friends, and both appear in each other's books, the books themselves are very different. This book is more personal and less historical, and more focused on the town of Gustavus and its inhabitants than on Glacier Bay itself. I do think the two books make a nice pair. I think I might recommend read this one first.

[Megan Herlaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This rich and thoughtful memoir filled me with joy at the same time it made me question, like Lentfer, this world and our place in it. I loved how his daughter, at six, had absorbed her parents' disdain for our species and there was no other influence to have brought her to that realization. I loved the lifestyle in the temperate rainforest, but was struck at how they rejoined civilization when necessary, giving them the best of both worlds. What a wonderful glimpse into the simple life. A life that few children are encouraged to strive for. Maybe one of these days, that will change. The prose was elegant, the story peaceful. A pleasure to read in the evenings, which led to a restful night.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

What more can I say than it was a wonderful experience to read this book and can't recommend it enough. It is simply one of the best books I have read in a VERY long time. Thank you Hank for writing and sharing this with us and it was a great read during a time when hope and faith for the future is maybe needed more than ever. Set in a place I love and live in with many parallel paths, thoughts, friends, goals, and desires.

[Patrice La Vigne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Hank is a deep thinker. He really made me re-evaluated some critical environmental considerations, in a good way. There was so much I loved about this book and Hank's writing. Read this if you want to some great insight from a hardcore Alaskan and conservationist.

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this memoir. The author is friend and fellow Gustavian to Neil's cousin, Kim Heacox. Kim actually appears in this book and also provided the cover photo and author photo. I really love reading tales of Alaska and the unique life that it offers.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[L.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all books Alaskan while living in lower 48s. Southeast AK is a special place.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faith of Cranes: Finding Hope and Family in Alaska is so much more than a story of sandhill cranes. More than a story of conservation. So much more than a story of someone running from progress and hiding out in Alaska. Author Hank Lentfer does a wonderful job of weaving themes such as progress, conservation, hope, family, nature, and place into one cohesive story that feels more like you're listening to Hank tell a story while sitting around a fire.

The only thing that kept me from giving this book a 5 is at times I had a hard time identifying with Hank's overwhelming feeling of dispare towards our changing planet. As someone who considers myself invested in the struggle between progress and the environment I was shocked to feel disconnected with Hank's dispair. As he would talk about the fear of what might happen to our planet, or the struggle he feels when his tiny town receives a paved road, I found myself losing him. I can understand how this might be something one would ponder, yet, to let change and progress overtake you, to cripple you, to make you feel hopeless is something I can't understand. Change is inevitable, but to think you could ever avoid it, or stop change is naive. There are things we as Alaskans can do to keep our state beautiful, and I don't agree that simply putting our hands up and enjoying what we have, while we have it and looking away from the things that worry us is the way to live.

Ultimately it's an interesting perspective, one I was happy to read and ponder. How do we deal with problems we can't fix, how to we find hope where there feels there is none, how to we love things we know we might lose? Hank's writing is so beautiful I felt I could see Gustavus exactly has he lives it, even though I've never been to the southeast. A wonderful read, and would make for a great book group discussion.

[Kajsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a first-reads giveaway, so first off, thanks Hank!

I enjoyed Faith of Cranes. It was neither the most exciting book in the world nor was it a boring drudge through a crane lover's life. It was instead a rather interesting portrayal of a life spent loving the earth, and since I have struggled with some of the same ideas as Mr. Lentfer. I too an frustrated with the constant destruction of our beautiful world. Though I have not lived as rustic or varied life as him, I sympathize with many of the problems he has with society. I give it this rating because it was pretty good for what it was, a memoir, and Mr. Lentfer's voice is lent well to the topic of a simpler Alaskan life.

Faith of Cranes was a story of life, growth, and love. If you are irritated with the mistreatment of earth, and want to hear how a kindred spirit came somewhat to terms with it, you will enjoy this. If you are more of the corporate materialist variety, you will not. This book is a bit slow in places, but I think that is because of the nature of it, it is about observing what is around you, not just flying by.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely do you meet a man who is as depressed and furious about what humans are doing to the planet as Hank Lentfer was in his early years. No matter how much we love the Earth, most of us don't let passionate feelings about development and climate change stop us from functioning day to day. Lentfer refused to go along with that. Instead of ignoring how he felt, he faced his fears and, over the course of years, found a way through them to a hopeful place.
In this honest, lyrical memoir, Lentfer shares his wide-ranging thoughts and deep feelings about the fate of the Earth we love. He shows us how those thoughts and feelings have evolved over time in response to events in his life and on the bigger national stage. This is not a book "about" cranes, though they're woven through it in a beautiful way. I learned things about sandhills in these pages, but a better understanding of crane biology isn't a big reason to read this book. Instead, read it to meet a remarkable human and to gain some wisdom and peace from sharing his journey.

[Aaron Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife was given this book by a great friend, Sean "Soup" Campbell, who lives in Alaska and is also an English teacher. Hand Lentfer's writing was conversational and easy to read. You feel like you're sitting on his porch listening to him tell you the story of the cranes. The blend of story telling, describing the beautiful wilderness of Alaska, and terrible collision of the impact of modern life on the patterns of wildlife made this book a pleasant read. There was just enough of each to keep the reader engaged throughout. While suspense and drama don't drive the plot or next page turn, the feeling of sitting around longer and throwing another log on the fire makes you want to stay. Highly recommended to those whose who enjoy the outdoors, the impact of climate change, and good people of the earth stories.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did. Lentfer definitely falls on the "extreme" side of every coin and can come across as self-righteous in places. But when he wasn't, it was beautifully written and I found it hard to put down. I'm not really sure I can put a finger on what I liked so much about it, but I can say that his passion for Alaska came through and resonated with me. I also enjoyed how he wrapped up the book ("small acts done with great love" when you get there). I'd be interested in reading more of his work.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The descriptions really took me to Alaska and created a wonderful sense of place. I grew to appreciate the author's struggles with wanting to make a difference, but also wanting to live completely off the grid. His ability to capture the importance of taking time to appreciate the endangered natural beauty of the world inspired me. I was less impressed with the progression of plot; I found that the author jumped around in time a lot which made it difficult to follow.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found Lentfer to be sincere but self-absorbed, and his writing to be sometimes lyrical but usually affected. I enjoy nature writing and have a particular fondness for sandhill cranes, but I found his obsession to be eccentric bordering on self-destructive (as he himself admits and attempts to counter throughout the book). I empathize with wanting to protect an endangered species, but when it comes to the point where you put that species above your own, I check out.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was a thoughtful and well written memoir but I can't give it more stars because I was disappointed by the lack of cranes in the story. I was expecting more parallels between the cranes and his growth and development as a man and father and overcoming what nature, both human and phsyical, put in his path- the way the cranes have to- but it had far less cranes in it than I would have liked.

It was good. I'd recommend it. It wasn't quite what I was wanting.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle says it all: finding hope and family in Alaska. A thoughtful, lyrical memoir of rustic life near Glacier Bay, reaching towards wisdom, attempting to unravel the knot of right living, and responsibility to wilderness and future generations. And of course the Sandhill cranes, those beautiful migrants.

[Deidre · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads giveawy. Too often books based in Alaska are not recognizable. This was interesting and reminded me of life in my past.

[Julene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, what a great book. Lentfer is so eloquent and unique in his message. Beautifully written.

[Aleta Chossek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding hope

Evocative memoir that uses natural beauty and ordinary, simple life events to bring hope to the reader who is troubled by society's self destructiveness.

[Jernegj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the storyline- I love sandhill cranes and worry about the destruction of beauty. Read it in a day. Wish there was more.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compact record of a man seeking to live in harmony with nature