All the Things: Mountain Misadventure, Relationshipping, and Other Hazards of an Off-Grid Life

by Ammi Midstokke

After surviving the usual debacles of adulthood (marriage, taxes, divorce), Ammi Midstokke does what any sensible single mom would She purchases an off-grid fixer-upper perched on a granite hilltop in rural Idaho. Underprepared and overcaffeinated, she embarks upon a series of seemingly inadvisable activities from getting lost in the mountains after dark to dangling on a rope with a chainsaw to relationshipping with bearded woodsmen and falling in love. In her hilarious yet sage debut essay collection, Midstokke demonstrates that battles with freeloading varmints, clogged stove pipes, childhood trauma, and one surprisingly aggressive boulder are unexpected, if not wonderfully entertaining, pathways to personal growth and joy. All the Things delivers the irreverent, fearless, and brilliant voice of a woman who laughs in the face of failure and soothes her wounds by splitting wood, often in her skivvies.

Praise for All the Things :

"This collection of essays is to be kept on hand for whenever you need to feel more normal, seen, or understood. Ammi's words come to life with amazing description, and while outrageous at times, these are very relatable stories. We all have our different versions of pushing limits and seeing what is possible. By sharing her wild rides, Ammi helps us see the light and the necessity in seeking more."
--Krissy Moehl, champion trail runner, coach, race director, and author of Running Your First Ultra

“For years I have relished Ms. Midstokke's columns in The Spokesman-Review , both for their wry self-deprecation and for the fine ear she tunes to backwoods grammar, whether in her homeland of Sandpoint or on an excursion to Scotland.”
--Paul Lindholdt, Washington State Book Award-winning author of In Earshot of Water and Interrogating Travel

“Nominally, these stories are about outdoor (mis)adventures, but I promise you'll laugh, cry, and nod your head in recognition of deeper wisdom, often all within the space of 600 words.”
--Eli Francovich, outdoors editor for The Spokesman-Review and author of The Return of Wolves

“Ammi's stories are like her life—unbridled and unique, with enough humor to hold her (and you) through the sweat and the tears of living as true to her calling as she can and still remain on this planet. Do not miss this chance to travel with Ammi, but be forewarned, it may be contagious.”
--Dulcie Witman, LADC, MFA, and owner of Wide Open Writing

“Regardless of the situation, her brilliantly crafted and precise prose provokes a range of strong emotions. Read one Ammi Midstokke story, and you’re hooked.”
--Marianne Love, author, blogger, freelance journalist

“ All the Things is a collage of memoiric musings, a collection of seventy-seven short essays, each crafted with whim, wit, and wisdom. Midstokke, an obsessive long-distance runner as well as a strong and confident forty-something mother, slows down to the speed of solitude in midlife, to contemplate fleeting moments of awareness that arise from a myriad of daily dramas and personal traumas, moments often overlooked, moments ripe for reflection, moments which may illuminate a path to spiritual redemption. “I am looking for my story, even as I write it,” writes Ammi Midstokke. And aren’t we all?”
--Carl D. Barrentine, Emeritus Associate Professor of Humanities and Integrated Studies, University of North Dakota

252 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2023

Reviews

[Linda Elsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know Ammi, we are not really friends but someone I see on the trail from time to time. I see her and her amazing dog Freya. She is actually friends with my son and his life partner, and through them,
I've gotten to know her a bit more.
I pre-ordered this book as soon as I could and read it almost non-stop when it arrived. I have sensed her humor and inner driving force, and it is all apparent in these essays and much more, of course.
I have several favorites certainly, but will let you pick through and choose what connects with you. I am not a runner like Ammi, but an old woman that hikes everyday and can relate to her through the mountain air we share.
Five stars for the great writing and how many laugh out loud moments she gave me.

[Brenda Kochis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a longtime fan of Ammi's Spokesman Review essays, I could not wait to get my hands on this book. It is everything I imagined. A series of essays that give you a unique insight into who Ammi is and the world of nature. Since most are a couple of pages, the book can be picked up at any time and an essay read and absorbed. Some parts are funny, a delightful romp into what can go wrong in a place where you are isolated and "living off the grid". Other parts are more serious and soul searching.
Wonderful book, well written, and worth every bit of time spent with it. Her essays are in the paper once a week, so this collection puts so much together.

[Becky Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well written and fun to read. From running to climbing mountains and living in the trees to parenting and learning to open to love, this book made me laugh and cry. Thank you Ammi for opening your life in these pages. There are some sweet life lessons and funny situations that make reading this like relating to a real person. This book is a joy.

[Chad Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of essays is a great read! In short, Ammi’s writing is engaging and funny, but really I found it philosophical and thought provoking. There are many parts to which I could relate, even if I’m a guy living in the city these days. While this is an easy read be sure to take a few breaks and think about the underlying moral of the story. Maybe while you’re out for a run.

[Angelina Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing short stories that grab your sense of awe and adventure. Humorous and thought provoking. The author seems to truly understand the hardships that life can handle you and yet the importance of finding lesson and laughter through the experiences.

[Britt-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of her columns from the Spokesman Review. She has a charming voice and it's fun to read about her adventures through life. Gifted to me by a friend.

[Annie Frederick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining. Made me laugh. Inspired me. Sent copies to friends. Will re visit certain essays