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Listening Point
“Listening Point tells of what I have seen and heard on a bare glaciated spit of rock in the Quetico-Superior country. Each time I have gone there I have found something new that has opened up whole realms of thought and interest. From it I have glimpsed the immensity of space and at times the grandeur of creation.
“I believe that I have experienced there one of the oldest satisfactions of man; when as he gazed upon the earth and sky, he sensed the first vague glimmerings of meaning in the universe. I know that while we were born with curiosity and wonder, and our early years are full of the adventure they bring, such inherent joys are often lost. I also know that, being deep within us, their latent glow can be fanned to flame again by awareness and an open mind.
“Listening Point is dedicated to rekindling that flame by capturing this almost forgotten sense of wonder, and learning from rocks and trees and all the life that surrounds them truths that can encompass all.
“I named this place Listening Point because only when one comes to listen, only when one comes sharpens one’s awareness, can one see and hear in the sense in which I use these words. Everyone has a listening point somewhere, some quiet place where he can contemplate the awesome universe. This book is simply the story of what such a place has meant to me. The experiences that have been mine can be known by anyone who will make the effort.”
Thus the author of The Singing Wilderness sets the tone of his new book—a book that not only successfully recaptures the to-be-treasured sense of wonder of which he speaks, but also brings to life, in all its essential grandeur, the unparalleled heritage of lakes and rivers and forests we are so fortunate to be able to call our own. Listening Point is a book that will rekindle spirits wearied by the turmoils of twentieth-century living—that will teach us a new way to look at the world around us and to feel the better for it.
With 28 magnificent black-and-white drawings by Francis Lee Jacques.
“I believe that I have experienced there one of the oldest satisfactions of man; when as he gazed upon the earth and sky, he sensed the first vague glimmerings of meaning in the universe. I know that while we were born with curiosity and wonder, and our early years are full of the adventure they bring, such inherent joys are often lost. I also know that, being deep within us, their latent glow can be fanned to flame again by awareness and an open mind.
“Listening Point is dedicated to rekindling that flame by capturing this almost forgotten sense of wonder, and learning from rocks and trees and all the life that surrounds them truths that can encompass all.
“I named this place Listening Point because only when one comes to listen, only when one comes sharpens one’s awareness, can one see and hear in the sense in which I use these words. Everyone has a listening point somewhere, some quiet place where he can contemplate the awesome universe. This book is simply the story of what such a place has meant to me. The experiences that have been mine can be known by anyone who will make the effort.”
Thus the author of The Singing Wilderness sets the tone of his new book—a book that not only successfully recaptures the to-be-treasured sense of wonder of which he speaks, but also brings to life, in all its essential grandeur, the unparalleled heritage of lakes and rivers and forests we are so fortunate to be able to call our own. Listening Point is a book that will rekindle spirits wearied by the turmoils of twentieth-century living—that will teach us a new way to look at the world around us and to feel the better for it.
With 28 magnificent black-and-white drawings by Francis Lee Jacques.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 1958
50 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Sigurd F. Olson
22 books77 followersSigurd F. Olson was an American author, environmentalist, and advocate for the protection of wilderness. For more than thirty years, he served as a wilderness guide in the lakes and forests of the Quetico-Superior country of northern Minnesota and northeastern Ontario. He was known honorifically as the Bourgeois — a term the voyageurs of old used of their trusted leaders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 21, 2014
Sigurd Olson's classic book about creating a place to experience solitude and wilderness. He relays the story of Listening Point from its conception and development through his experiences there and as a base for adventures nearby in the BWCA and Quetico. Many of his most intimate reflections on nature are based upon observations from his time spent there.
January 2, 2016
Olson writes of things that are near and dear to my heart. Even before I moved to the region I was pulled to it in such a way as I cannot explain. I have felt connections to the North and the experiences and hardships it offers since I was a child. I have experienced many of the stories or situations Olson has penned...to a much lesser degree, but still. Chapter 28, "Far Horizons" spoke volumes to me. I understand exactly what he is trying to explain. Chapter 28, especially, has made me so homesick. I yearn to hear the loons, the splash of whitewater against the gunwale, the slap of a beaver tail upon the water during the evening calm. The wind rising up and encompassing your entire existence. Oh, to feel the stinging of rain, pushed sideways in the gray gloom of an early afternoon storm; as you furiously paddle for shore and feel as much an exhilaration in your soul for actually living as you feel pure fear for your continued existence. I miss my home.
December 23, 2017
Listening Point is a wonderfully poetic book about Sig. Olson’s time in the Quetico-Superior Boundary Waters area. The chapters are each their own individual story told in a wonderful rambling style. This can sometimes make the book hard to follow, especially if you’re a nighttime reader, but it’s easy to get back on track by re-reading a paragraph or two. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys nature, history, and/or poetic writing as Sig. does a great job producing images by utilizing all three aspects of writing.
April 27, 2009
This book was unbelievable, Written by a great teacher and a man who really knew what it meant to be close to nature and to respect it. Set in northern Minnesota its his quest to have to perfect cabin and a place to write in the wilds of America, and he certainly finds it along with a little adventure with his wife, who was his constant companion.
March 9, 2008
Having been to Listening Point, I enjoyed reading Olson's writings from that place.
August 30, 2014
Another important book by Sigurd. We need the reverence for wilderness at this time as much as any time in history.
November 11, 2023
Some beautiful imagery and thoughts but much of this feels dated and privileged and simplistic. Nothing here really inspires me to think about nature differently and more often it frustrates me in the hypocrisy that isn’t really recognized by the author. It lacks the self reflection I like in better nature books. Still, it makes me want to see this area more, even though I’m sick of reading about the glorified Voyageurs.
November 9, 2018
Listening Point, by Sigurd F. Olson, was first published in 1958 and had gone out of print. The University of Minnesota Press’s Fesler-Lampert Minnesota Heritage Book Series has brought Olson’s serene observations back to life for another generation of readers to enjoy.
Sigurd Olson (1899-1982) was an environmentalist and an award-winner conservation activist. Listening Point took aim at introducing people to the importance of wilderness preservation. His books cover the genre of nonfiction, nature, and outdoors. Listening Point is one man’s portrait of a special place in Northern Minnesota. His observations would appeal to anyone who has an appreciation for nature and wilderness or anyone who wants to learn more about the beauty of our country as it used to be in all its unspoiled splendor.
Olson’s observations from “Listening Point,” a point of land in the Quetico-Superior wilderness, relay his experiences from his first night there sleeping under the stars to his plans and eventual building of a cabin. “From this one place I would explore the entire north and all life, including my own.” wrote Olson, “For me it would be a listening-post from which I might even hear the music of the spheres.” The title of book, although describing a physical location, also has the reader reflecting about the peace and beauty of a less complicated world.
The chapters in the book are all self-contained and tell their own unique story. “Fleur-de-lis” describes Olson’s experience with planting the iris-like plant at Listening Point and making it thrive. Laughing Loon describes his adventure in a canoe where he came upon a Loon family and his observations of their behavior when they are separated from the baby. Although it was a little disturbing to read Olson’s dialog about how he purposely separated the baby loon from its parents, he also goes on to explain that this was done to observe and record how the parent loons reacted and what efforts they went through to defend their offspring. The baby was reunited with its parents after only a few moments. Each chapter in Listening Point begins with and black and white etched drawing of the chapter theme. The simple illustrations complement the book’s theme of natural beauty.
The author writes from the viewpoint of a scientist, but also from the viewpoint of someone who wants to preserve the world the way it was created. Olson was a conservationist so he is reflecting on the natural habitation of the area. He is also describing behaviors and growth patterns of the native plants and animals so that his audience can have a better understanding for how best to preserve what we have. Keep in mind, that this book was written in the 50’s and there was already “sprawl” starting to creep into these pristine wilderness areas.
Sigurd Olson’s writings and observations have helped keep the Quetico-Superior area and the BWCA a true wilderness even 50 years after Listening Point was first published.
“Only when one comes to listen, only when one is aware and still, can things be seen and heard.”
Sigurd Olson (1899-1982) was an environmentalist and an award-winner conservation activist. Listening Point took aim at introducing people to the importance of wilderness preservation. His books cover the genre of nonfiction, nature, and outdoors. Listening Point is one man’s portrait of a special place in Northern Minnesota. His observations would appeal to anyone who has an appreciation for nature and wilderness or anyone who wants to learn more about the beauty of our country as it used to be in all its unspoiled splendor.
Olson’s observations from “Listening Point,” a point of land in the Quetico-Superior wilderness, relay his experiences from his first night there sleeping under the stars to his plans and eventual building of a cabin. “From this one place I would explore the entire north and all life, including my own.” wrote Olson, “For me it would be a listening-post from which I might even hear the music of the spheres.” The title of book, although describing a physical location, also has the reader reflecting about the peace and beauty of a less complicated world.
The chapters in the book are all self-contained and tell their own unique story. “Fleur-de-lis” describes Olson’s experience with planting the iris-like plant at Listening Point and making it thrive. Laughing Loon describes his adventure in a canoe where he came upon a Loon family and his observations of their behavior when they are separated from the baby. Although it was a little disturbing to read Olson’s dialog about how he purposely separated the baby loon from its parents, he also goes on to explain that this was done to observe and record how the parent loons reacted and what efforts they went through to defend their offspring. The baby was reunited with its parents after only a few moments. Each chapter in Listening Point begins with and black and white etched drawing of the chapter theme. The simple illustrations complement the book’s theme of natural beauty.
The author writes from the viewpoint of a scientist, but also from the viewpoint of someone who wants to preserve the world the way it was created. Olson was a conservationist so he is reflecting on the natural habitation of the area. He is also describing behaviors and growth patterns of the native plants and animals so that his audience can have a better understanding for how best to preserve what we have. Keep in mind, that this book was written in the 50’s and there was already “sprawl” starting to creep into these pristine wilderness areas.
Sigurd Olson’s writings and observations have helped keep the Quetico-Superior area and the BWCA a true wilderness even 50 years after Listening Point was first published.
“Only when one comes to listen, only when one is aware and still, can things be seen and heard.”
May 23, 2020
After many years of wilderness travel and advanced study in geology, biology and ecology, Sigurd F. Olson longed for a place near his home in Ely, Minnesota that he could go to regularly to be close to the nature he loved. He found this on the shores of a nearby lake, "a composite picture of all the places in the north that I had known and loved" as he wrote in the first chapter of this book. He named this place Listening Point, and he eventually built a small cabin there. The contents of this book are essays in which he explores the many discoveries he made in this place.
Many writers I have read in books I classify as "spiritual formation" have emphasized the importance of listening. "Listen and you will hear the voice of God," is the message of many of these. Sigurd takes this further, as these essays explore the discoveries he made not only by listening and careful sensory observation, but also by applying his vast knowledge of geology, history, and evolutionary science. The result is that the reader learns not only about natural things but their significance as well.
In the opening pages of the book Sigurd introduces us to this idea by quoting William Blake, "To see the world in a grain of sand, / And heaven in a flower; / Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, / And eternity in an hour."
As an example, in his chapter on the wild iris known as Fleur-de-lis, he tells about the plant's origination in France, how it was brought to the border country by French colonists and spread to the interior by the voyagers. It becomes a lesson in botany, ecology and history, all in one.
Sigurd's writing contains description that I have found unmatched in literature. In his essay "Cock of the Woods" he describes the pileated woodpecker; "Then off it went, it's wicker-wicker wicker shattering the silence of the point. I watched its undulating flight through the trees until it disappeared over a ridge and then I heard the loud staccato once more, this time from a dead pine, like a pneumatic drill reverberating against its brittle harness."
This is Sigurd's second book, published in 1980. I have read it many times, and cherish it. Sigurd inscribed my copy on one of my visits with the words, "For Gary: I hope some day you will find a Listening Point that means as much to you as mine does to me. Warmest regards, Sigurd F. Olson."
I am still looking for my listening point, but I am so grateful that Sigurd has taught me how to look.
Many writers I have read in books I classify as "spiritual formation" have emphasized the importance of listening. "Listen and you will hear the voice of God," is the message of many of these. Sigurd takes this further, as these essays explore the discoveries he made not only by listening and careful sensory observation, but also by applying his vast knowledge of geology, history, and evolutionary science. The result is that the reader learns not only about natural things but their significance as well.
In the opening pages of the book Sigurd introduces us to this idea by quoting William Blake, "To see the world in a grain of sand, / And heaven in a flower; / Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, / And eternity in an hour."
As an example, in his chapter on the wild iris known as Fleur-de-lis, he tells about the plant's origination in France, how it was brought to the border country by French colonists and spread to the interior by the voyagers. It becomes a lesson in botany, ecology and history, all in one.
Sigurd's writing contains description that I have found unmatched in literature. In his essay "Cock of the Woods" he describes the pileated woodpecker; "Then off it went, it's wicker-wicker wicker shattering the silence of the point. I watched its undulating flight through the trees until it disappeared over a ridge and then I heard the loud staccato once more, this time from a dead pine, like a pneumatic drill reverberating against its brittle harness."
This is Sigurd's second book, published in 1980. I have read it many times, and cherish it. Sigurd inscribed my copy on one of my visits with the words, "For Gary: I hope some day you will find a Listening Point that means as much to you as mine does to me. Warmest regards, Sigurd F. Olson."
I am still looking for my listening point, but I am so grateful that Sigurd has taught me how to look.
December 16, 2020
Sigurd Olson was one of the best-loved nature writers of the second half of the Twentieth Century, and one of the most important leaders of the movement to preserve wild lands all over North America.
As his biographer, I nearly always recommend that people start with "The Singing Wilderness," which was his first book and a New York Times bestseller. Lots of great essays in here about the emotional connections people experience in nature. Then I recommend they try "Listening Point," which best expresses Sigurd's land ethic. Finally, I recommend "Reflections from the North Country," his most philosophical work.
If you're looking for a book that's more about wilderness adventure, though, try Sigurd's "The Lonely Land," about a journey along the wild Churchill River in 1955.
As his biographer, I nearly always recommend that people start with "The Singing Wilderness," which was his first book and a New York Times bestseller. Lots of great essays in here about the emotional connections people experience in nature. Then I recommend they try "Listening Point," which best expresses Sigurd's land ethic. Finally, I recommend "Reflections from the North Country," his most philosophical work.
If you're looking for a book that's more about wilderness adventure, though, try Sigurd's "The Lonely Land," about a journey along the wild Churchill River in 1955.
August 23, 2015
This book is a collection of observations and reflections from a point of land where Olson builds a cabin. But it is more than that, it is also a story that relates his experiences in the wilderness and his daily observations of life in this corner of the world. He was an early conservationist; my daughters attended an elementary school named for him. I have read several of his books and just bought today his biography by David Backes. I want to know more about this man who helped preserve many wilderness areas of the US especially here in Minnesota.
December 5, 2018
This is one of the most intriguing and soul satisfying books I have ever read. The insights that Olson has for nature and how it enhances our life are many. He paints pictures with his words and through his passages he brings feeling of peace appreciation for the wild and wonderment of the world. The sketches at the beginning of each chapter are phenomenal. I highly recommend this book. It's the perfect vacation!
October 25, 2024
Pretty good! Like a lot of environmental books, Olson explains the wonderful feeling one gets when out in nature, alone, looking at the world in its barest reality. He doesn’t get super annoying and call for a “RETVRN” to nature and claim all development is bad, but he acknowledges that conversation and keeping some places as wilderness is good for flora, fauna, and us. Bonus points for being about Minnesotan wilderness.
Want to read
February 6, 2014This book is said to remind Americans that exertion in wilderness can be a tonic for regaining vigor and serve as an aid to physical recuperation...
I find the title alone both calming and intriguing.
(want to read)
I find the title alone both calming and intriguing.
(want to read)
October 26, 2018
I remember loving Sigurd Olson when I first encountered his writing at age 12 or 13. I wanted to see if his books still had the same impact on me-- I'd say now I can see how dated they are, but there are still some inspiring wilderness accounts and vignettes.
March 14, 2023
Once again Sigurd Olson with his writing helps me return to the Boundary Waters to enjoy the wonder and joy and challenge of wilderness. Oh to be paddling today...
July 16, 2011
Beautiful
September 6, 2020
I enjoyed this book as a quiet way to start the day, or calming way to wind down, with the imagery of the North Woods, lakes and rivers, and geologic history of that part of the world. But Olson romanticized the wilderness and the voyageur-type too much for my taste. His reverence especially for the voyageur did not age well, because it seems to largely discount the fact that Native Americans lived and traveled in that land and those waterways with canoes and paddles far before any white person showed up. The few mentions of Native Americans are in the retelling of legends or tales that were presumably all told and retold among white men, so I had little faith in their authenticity. Olson probably thought he was sufficiently including their history among all these essays, but it's a romanticized version that relegates Native Americans to the mythic past.
June 1, 2021
Loved it just as much as Singing Wilderness. This book focuses more on Sigurd Olson's private property/cabin on Burntside Lake (although he does not identify the lake). More beautiful descriptions of scenes in the Boundary Waters area. The last chapter is especially though-provoking - discussing man's sudden departure from nature in the last 100 years and the need for wilderness. I did a BWCA trip with 3 other guys during the reading of this book.
May 1, 2022
This was Sigurd Olson's 2nd book of essays written in the year of my birth. In it he tells of how he chose this spot, a few miles outside of his home in Ely, MN, as a retreat house. The Listening Point Foundation has made it a place one can visit along with his house in Ely. While his earlier book, THE SINGING WILDERNESS, was more of a philosophical exploration of nature, his background as a teacher shows up more often in this book. Another enjoyable read by Sigurd Olson.
July 20, 2025
I enjoyed the pictures I painted in my mind while reading this book. I haven’t traveled deeply into the Quetico-Superior/Boundary Waters Canoe Area, but I have been near it in the lakes and woods of the area as well as loving every minute spent alongside Lake Superior. The language used is rather poetic in a way, very descriptive and like listening to someone tell the story while sitting with them before a campfire. Leaned some geology, botany, history, biology, etc etc along the way too.
May 3, 2020
Writing: still lovely, but boy did this make me miss the -- already extremely loose -- structure of the last book, The Singing Wilderness, which follows the passage of the seasons. This one is more, "stuff I saw/heard/thought about while at my cabin," and it tried my patience a little bit. But I'm really not the target audience. That's like... Ron Swanson.
January 29, 2022
I haven't met one of Sig's books that I haven't loved. His love and passion for preservation of the north country in Minnesota makes us kindred spirits. He is one of the reasons I chose to set my books in Ely, Minnesota and in the BWCAW. If you want to get a true feel for this special land, I strongly encourage to read his books.
September 26, 2025
Sig sets a nice balance between conversational tone and detailed information - on glaciation, plant history, etc. He has a theory of wilderness in itself, but he doesn't make a fetish of it to the exclusion of human activity and history. Indeed, some of the most searching and morally weighted passages in this volume concern his own tension between undevelopment and development.
November 4, 2019
So, I really wanted to love this book. Then, after the first chapter I was hoping to like the book. I couldn't get past the second chapter. It's kind of like reading someone diary - which can be interesting and compelling. Not so in this case for me.
August 17, 2021
Having toured Listening Point, I could visualize the all of the beautiful places beloved by conservationist and author Sigurd Olson. Each essay is calming and meditative. Perfect for just before bedtime.
December 11, 2023
Olson’s memoirs of guiding travelers across the Canadian Shield during the 20th Century are fantastic descriptions of nature and help explain the renewing effect of time spent outdoors with eloquence.
March 19, 2025
This is my second time through this book. I have all or most of his other books. I respect that I will read through each of them periodically over the years. His poetic prose captures the spirit and experience of the Northwoods. I get to escape there for a season wherever I pick up one his books!
December 23, 2019
An annual winter read to fuel my hunger for spring, camping and paddling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews