A Returning Wind

by Gordon Rogowitz

A stressed man fed up with corporate life is trying to get back to nature. When he returns to his hometown and reunites with family after a breakdown, he immerses himself in the tranquil landscape and writes in his journal about the awe of untouched wilderness. Soon he becomes obsessed with messages in nature, so much so that his girlfriend is convinced he’s losing it. Yet he is reassured when he meets a former monk who drinks a bit, who informs him that nature is at the core of human spirituality. A number of unusual events occur, including a disturbance on Hopi land, but eventually the man discovers how reconnecting with nature can restore him as well as our out-of-balance world. (Available in paperback or e-book.)

290 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 16, 2012

About the author

Gordon's books consider approaches to freedom in life and the actions people take to create a kinder world. Much of his writing concerns the interplay of nature, technology and humanity. His novel A Returning Wind is the journey of a man caught up in a corporate muddle compelled to seek answers in nature, whereas his non-fiction book Finding Balance: Stepping Stones for Enlightened Living is a book of reminders on finding happiness in life. Gordon's writing has been influenced by Henry David Thoreau, whose cabin on Walden Pond was located near his birthplace in Massachusetts. Today he lives in New Mexico, which still retains the kinds of untouched landscapes Thoreau so greatly admired. Gordon's work reflects his years serving as an ecology professor and also reflects his love of traveling and meeting people of diverse cultures.

Reviews

[Russel Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a hiker and a journal-keeper. I've spent countless nights alone in the backcountry, writing by headlamp. Noah's journal entries felt so familiar. The way time stretches, the way a raven's call becomes an event, the way you start talking to rocks and snakes. This isn't a thriller. It's a slow, honest meditation on why we keep going outside. Bill Bryson meets Into the Wild but quieter and more introspective.

[Jack Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this while planning my next backpacking trip in Arizona. The accuracy of the landscape details, the junipers, the volcanic pebbles, the way sound carries in canyons, told me Rogowitz knows his terrain.
The journal entries felt like something I'd scribble in my own notebook after a long day on the trail. Not a fast read, but a rewarding one. For fans of Edward Abbey and The Living Mountain.

[Angela Adamo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a trail runner and a Thoreau fan. This book surprised me. It's not action-packed, but it's rich in the way that matters to people who spend time outside. The part where Noah watches the herd of antelope and feels their collective awareness, that moment stopped me. Also, Bill the monk is the kind of trail companion we all wish we had. Scraggly, wise, and slightly drunk. Perfect.

[Mandeep Hulme · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever packed a tent, a stove, and a journal into the desert and just ... sat ... you'll understand this book.
The pacing is slow because the desert is slow. The wind, the waiting, the small epiphanies. I loved the Hopi burial scene, the idea of giving back to the land instead of just taking.
That's a philosophy every hiker and camper should carry. A hidden gem.

[Alexis Poynton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a climber and a sucker for books that treat nature as more than scenery. This one does. Noah's breakdown isn't just psychological, it's physical. You feel the grit, the sunburn, the exhaustion. The motorcycle crash chapter is terrifying in its immediacy. And the near‑death vision? Haunting.
If you loved Into the Wild but wished for a more hopeful ending, try this.

[Taylor Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a lifeline. I've been in that gray fog after a breakdown, and Rogowitz captures it without melodrama. The scene where Noah's father tells him "Gahddamn bitch, cheating on you like that" chilling. But the hope comes through. Worth every page.

[Sanine Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't write reviews often, but this one got me. I've been recommending it to my colleagues (we read mostly nature writing and literary fiction). It sparked a great discussion about "giving back" vs. always taking. A hidden treasure.

[Josepoh Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prose is plain, no fancy metaphors, but that's the point. It's like sitting on a rock and watching the sun go down. Honest and unhurried. If you need a break from loud books, try this. It's a deep breath.

[Lois Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted more of the guitar playing. Noah's band, his songs, felt underexplored. But everything else made up for it. Bill the monk is one of those characters who'll live in my head for years. The way he says "life is a series of improbable events". I've already stolen that line.