Virga & Bone: Essays from Dry Places

by Craig Childs

"It's impossible to imagine another writer in America who is better than Craig Childs at elegizing the fearsome and confounding appeal of our most austere landscapes."
—KEVIN FEDARKO, author of The Emerald Mile

From the author of The Secret Knowledge of Water and Atlas of a Lost World comes a deeply felt essay collection focusing upon a vivid series of desert icons—a sheet of virga over Monument Valley, white seashells in dry desert sand, boulders impossibly balanced. Craig Childs delves into the primacy of the land and the profound nature of the more–than–human.

CRAIG CHILDS is the author of more than a dozen books on nature, adventure, and science, including The Secret Knowledge of Water and Atlas of a Lost World . His work has appeared in the New York Times , the Los Angeles Times , and Outside . Recipient of the Ellen Meloy Desert Writers Award and the Sigurd F. Olson Nature Writing Award, he lives in Colorado.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Essays, Science, Memoir, Audiobook, Environment

120 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2019

About the author

CRAIG CHILDS is a commentator for NPR's Morning Edition, and his work has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Men's Journal, Outside, The Sun, and Orion. He has won numerous awards including the 2011 Ellen Meloy Desert Writers Award, 2008 Rowell Award for the Art of Adventure, the 2007 Sigurd Olson Nature Writing Award, and the 2003 Spirit of the West Award for his body of work.

Reviews

[John Mccullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A born son of the Southwestern US, Craig Childs writes about his experiences in this vast, thinly-inhabited, mostly desert region. Rather than just a death trap, the region is alive in hardy plants and animals, rocks and history, replete with the ghosts of the people and animals that have lived and died here over the ages. While an expert in the area and its’ myths, he is still learning from the people whose ancestors have lived here for centuries to millenia. Recently-discovered human footprints have recently been dated to 21,000 to 23,000 years ago, if dating techniques are correct.

This is a good holiday gift book to those who would like to learn of the spirit of this huge desert region, for those who have left it but feel the need to reminisce, and everyone else in between. It is short and easily read at home or while traveling. A bit of a treat for those who enjoy finding treasures in out of the way places.

[Megan Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have one ounce of desert rat in you, you will be so ready for a trip to see some dusty, dry, but unbelievably gorgeous red rock and blue sky after reading this book.

[Tatyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blah... It jumps from place to place, from story to story. One minute I am reading about the buttes in Utah, the next moment I hear about Colorado, Death Valley, Burning Man crowd, etc. Too disorganized to enjoy (for me personally).

[Diane Winger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childs' mesmerizing prose is reminiscent of Edward Abbey. If the desert and nature call to you, you'll love reading his work. This collection of essays about experiencing the desert will draw you into dry and ancient places in the Southwest, sharing archaeological observations and modern viewpoints of a unique and strangely-beautiful arid world.

Disclosure: I have been privileged to participate in two writing seminars taught by Craig Childs, and hope to enjoy the opportunity to learn from this accomplished writer again in the future.

[Jeff Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

It starts and finishes strong, but the middle essays didn’t resonate as much with me personally. In my head I was comparing it pretty directly with Ellen Meloy’s “Seasons: Desert Sketches” from the same publisher, and I consider Meloy’s anthology one of my favorite books. Virga & Bone came a little short of such a high bar, but it was still a worthwhile and powerful read.

[August · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all have our favorite landscapes. For Craig Childs, it is obviously desert. His love for and appreciation of arid places comes through in every page and line of writing. In brief essays, each with a vague theme - bone, shell, springs - Childs weaves a disconnected tale of his experiences in various deserts, showing that there is far more to these harsh places than heat and dust.

The descriptions of the various desert landscapes Childs has encountered throughout his life were beautifully constructed, albeit a bit clumsy at times. As someone who has never ventured into a desert proper, it was wonderful for me to get to read such loving descriptions of the secret watering places deserts hide, or the towering, almost mystical rock formations. Along with this were brief descriptions of geologic history coupled with the more recent history of the Native Americans who thrived in these landscapes, as well as the stories told by the Native Americans who still call the southwest home.

While I enjoyed reading about nature by someone who is so clearly enthralled with his surroundings, Childs' essays sometimes ventured into a political territory that I felt detracted from the overall effect of the writing. While Childs doesn't shy away from the ugly parts of the desert, showing them hand in hand with the beautiful, descriptions of his encounters with various people - law enforcement, Native Americans, neighbors - often left a sour taste in my mouth. It's obvious that Childs is writing from a place of privilege, either unconcerned or unaware that, during his various hikes and travels, he's getting away with a lot of things many others might not. In addition, while his explanations of Native history and stories were often a welcome addition to descriptions of landscapes, enhancing my understanding of their natural beauty as well as their importance to people throughout history, Childs tends to veer into appropriation. Most vivid is his startling realization that he, along with his wife and infant, camped atop a hill during a storm, the setting of a Native American tale about First Man and First Woman in which, during a storm, they discover the infant Changing Woman and adopt her. Childs draws parallels between his own visit and the story, wondering if history repeats itself, and thus managing to equate his family to the first humans according to this particular Native American tradition. Further, he doesn't seem to care when later told that camping at that particular location is considered taboo - after all, there were no signs warning him and his family away.

This brief book of essays, although clumsy at times both in writing an execution, is clearly a love song to deserts, and Childs sees both the good and bad of these landscapes, apologizing for none of it. An enjoyable read, pleasant in its brevity, but much as I enjoyed Childs' lush descriptions of nature, if the book had been longer I don't know that I could have stomached slogging through the less enjoyable portions of the book.

[Sam Sills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t read this for the desert alone. Read this for the soul of humankind. This book is rich with soul searching, as are most, if not all, of Craig Childs’ books. I think these essays are more powerful because they are shorter and Childs cuts to the point quicker. There is a certain critique involved in some, maybe all, of these essays. But that’s what an essay should be. An essay analyzes. An essay gets an argument across. These definitely do.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serenade me with spaces I love, yes please.

[Diane Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved these essays about the desert. I have been to some of the places he has written about, and gotten some of the same spiritual feeling. So beautifully written

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Austin, Barry Lopez, Craig Childs...lovely desert writing

[Greg Bem · Rating 5 out of 5]

A striking, simple collection of reflections on deserts throughout the American Southwest. Childs maintains his curious and philosophical voice in a smaller format than former works.

[Sarah B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in here is very descriptive, almost poetry, yet it tells of the many adventures the author has been on. Some of the encounters he has had were surprising - also a bit scary. Going out into isolated places can be dangerous at times you know, but the book is all about the things he sees on these trips: the land and rock, the blue sky overhead, the shells in the sand, impossibly balancing rocks that weigh some crazy amount that could crush a house, being way up high during a thunderstorm... It's all about being out in nature.

Virga: This is the first essay in here and a few things in here confused me. I do wish the author had explained it better but he didn't. For one he never clearly stated what "virga" means. Maybe this term is common out west / southwest but here by the Great Lakes I have never heard it before. So I am reading this and wondering "what is he talking about"? Then he mentions an airplane with "fabric wings" and I really got confused! But it's a story about flying in an airplane...

Springs: This story was about Death Valley and how the author went on this hiking trip to look for these water holes. I enjoyed this one and it had a surprise in it too... about what is hidden underneath Death Valley. It talks about both science and describes the desert environment.

Exposure: Oh... This one was another one of those tales in here that confused me! And it's because of these two confusing tales that I am rating this book only three stars. So these two people travel across the desert to get to this "Burning Man" event. But they don't go to the gate?? They have tickets but they don't want to go to the gate to get in. It makes no sense to me at all. Plus the story mentions that the security was watching them on "radar" but radar from what I understand only works at a certain distance up in the air (because I have seen this on videos about airplanes; if you fly too low the plane can no longer be seen on the radar)... Makes no sense.

Balanced Rocks: I enjoyed this adventure he did with his friend. But I think I would be scared to go too close to that huge balancing rock!! Lovely story about hiking and sleeping outside.

Badlands: Oddly enough this was a story I could relate to somewhat even though I have never seen a desert environment. He talks of using discarded trash people dump out there as landmarks. I do the same here but I use certain buildings or other features. And if people come to clean the desert of this trash then you get lost ....

This is also the story I will probably remember the most because of the poor Barbie doll he found...

Landlines: Shipwreck and archeologists. Traveling with tourists. And something unexpected happens. Something bad.


Shell: A bit scary. Dealing with the police. Crossing the border... Lots of shells... Another scary encounter out in the desert canyons... Made me feel that going out to those places is not safe.

Bone: We all turn to just bone on the end...

The stories are a little dry at times...

[Anja · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like it was written by a young writer mimicking the voice of a writer they admired - which was surprising for how many books Childs has under his belt. The whole book felt deeply underdeveloped. There was an aspect of honesty and vulnerability missing from that work. It felt like it was trying too hard, and at times came off as incredibly arrogant and uninformed. The stories lacked depth and seemed forced.

[Laura Hoffman Brauman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful essays about the elemental nature of the desert - starting with virga - rain that evaporates before ever hitting the ground and ending with bone. Childs' love and sense of wonder and respect for some of the harshest landscapes in the US is evident in every page of this collection. If you have a sense of amazement - and some healthy respect for what nature can send your way, then this is an excellent collection. I will pull this out and revisit these works the next time I head to the Southwest.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not particularly love the desert even after more than 20 years, but I am still intensely fascinated by it and I love reading about it. Craig Childs writes beautifully about it, and I love his love for desert.

CN: One essay deals in part with the murder of a young girl.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Desert Solitaire wannabe. I can see what Craig Childs is trying to do here, but his writing is often dense and incomprehensible.

[fae .:book worm:. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a beautiful book, I learned so much :)

[Eli Poteet · Rating 3 out of 5]

i think the cover and the chapter sketches are my favorite part, besides that i dont think much of this corney collection of nature writings. i just cant take him seriously. the authors attempt to remove the human and emohasize the nature in his writings produced practically the opposite. all i can hear when i read his work is that he is a white guy with a buddy and is somewhere he maybe shouldnt be. for all his effort to honor nature, i think he is fucking stupid for trying to sneak into burning man thru a non existent backdoor. oh yay, another dude who thinks rules shouldnt apply to him because he is man.

[C. Varn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up outside of Torrey, Utah because of my fascination with the desert. Childs's brings a lot of the West and South West to life in an acute understanding of both detail and ecology. Childs makes his love of the acrid and arid clear and his understanding of the natural world's relationships even in the climates that seem most hostile to humans is painted with loving detail. A short work, but well-worth your time.

[Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed, I cried, I didn't want it to end!

[Kenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short collection of 8 essays by Craig Childs centering on the Colorado Plateau area captures the harsh, raw, and beautiful elements of the desert. I've lived in two different desert ecosystems (one being in the Colorado Plateau), and there so much that Childs was able to capture with his writing that reflects the nature of the desert. He touches on the magic of finding water in the desert, the way the desert doesn't hide its dangers, and the way that the desert grows on you and challenges you. I loved the imagery he uses with the bookend essays "Virga" and "Bone" to describe the desert, of rain that evaporates before it touches the ground and of bones that remain after everything else has worn away.

There were moments in the book where the author described his experiences in a way where I was taken aback- he describes running into law enforcement officers at the border and being able to joke around with them, continuing to hike in an area after several vehicles approached him and told him to turn back, and camping in an area considered taboo to camp at by indigenous folks (he didn't realize at the time, but he brushes it off). It felt like he was unaware of how some things he was doing affected other people or how another person might not be able to get away with the same behavior.

Overall, I came for the desert essays, enjoyed those essays, but left with a feeling that Childs hadn't acknowledged the privileges he holds that allowed him to do some things that others aren't able to.

[litost · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its obscure title and diminutive size, Virga & Bone feels like a poetry collection, and Childs’ writing is beautiful, sometimes so lyrical I wasn’t sure what he was saying, other times so precise I can picture it in my mind:

“The Plateau is more or less stable, bobbing on the sea of North America, rock layers mostly unbroken. Because the land is coming up, thirteen thousand feet at its highest, it gives evolution something to chew on, more stone rising from below for whatever river and winds want to make of it, making this the decomposing geologic freak show of the West, temples, nipples, chairs, spines, shoulders, buttes and mesas. Every turn is a little Zen garden, yucca and single-leaf ash held in a smooth bowl of rock, or an Easter egg standing thirty feet tall, a piece of limestone balanced on its tip, a slender toe holding it in place.”

Each of the eight essays is named after an ingredient he feels the arid Southwest is made up of: virga, springs, exposure, etc. They all took me directly to the American southwest and made me desperately want to return.

[Lisa Reising · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful writing from a lover of the desert. Here's an example:

"The desert is made of remainders. What is soft blows away. You get down to infrastructure, the hinges of fault lines and slender, sweet canyons. This is what dryness offers... To be in the desert is to see under the vellum. Beneath the struts, strands, lines, and cracks. What holds it all together and takes it all apart. This is where reason lies. It's not everybody's desired place, too severe, too broken or smooth, hard on the skin, hot on the eyes. You chip and bleed. You find what you are made of."

I am fast becoming a desert lover myself, after 25 years or more in the lush green of the Northwest portion of the US. From my own experiences out on the trails of my new home in southern Utah, the word pictures created by Craig Childs are inviting me to spend even more time out there.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Craig Childs is a writer I would read no matter what he chooses to write about. He lives and breathes the desert. He reflects on virga (clouds full of rain that never reaches the hot, dry land), springs of moisture in Death Valley, the pan American "Silk Road" through Central America, a trade route people have traveled for millennia, now the route for drugs, guns and refugees; he reflects on boneyards in remote Colorado and dumping grounds on the edges of Phoenix, and a journey on foot south through the desert to the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez). He says that erosion makes a freak show of rock temples, chairs, buttes, mesas, balanced rocks and ten thousand arches."Arriving here is a prayer to rain, letting the monsoons rise, the mountains darken, the deserts green. Evidence of every living thing emerges as if summoned."

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childs is one of the few nature writers that I read. Earlier books about ancient civilizations, archeology, etc. were more substantial - and for me, more interesting. The author has a flowing style that brings life to the rocks he climbs over, the shards of pottery he uncovers, the animals and flora he encounters. This book is a collection of essays written at different times and about different locations - with one thing in common: dry places.

FYI: virga is rain that evaporates before it reaches the ground.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

The essays written in this book are beautifully done by a Naturalist that loves the Mountain West. The descriptions in this book inspire me to go outdoors and write more essays.

I loved that the land is the main character in this story. I loved the description of the beautiful places I call home here in Utah.

I'll never take for granted the water found here in the desert. I want to hike through the gorgeous landscapes and look up at a clear night and see the stars still visible away from all the city light pollution.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I live in the high desert of Utah and have spent my life in the dry places of this land.
Just outside of my neighborhood, where houses have not, yet, been developed, I can walk among the dry, blue-green, sage brush and find shade among the junipers.
I've hiked among the red rocks of southern Utah and found the petroglyphs of the people who were here before my ancestors found this place, and I have found the tracks of creatures who walked this land millions of years before people were anywhere.
I love the dry places of my state.
This book is like a love letter to these places.

[Sarah Funnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love letter to dry places; to thirst, to bare things, and to the place of death in the order of the world. The author painted a picture of the desert that does justice to its diverse face and austere, but somehow beautiful inhospitality. I found the book poetic, striking, and even lyrical in some places. Highly recommended for anyone who thinks longingly of canyons, arches, and desert sandstone.

[Lauren | hereforagoodbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of essays about the western United States, the wildness and personality of the desert, and the relationship between us and the elements. I'm not originally from the southwest, but after spending 10 years here, I know what it's like to stand in a big city, and imagine that the streets look like canyons. I also love when autobiography & poetry combine, so this was an easy 4 stars for me.

[Benji · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these essays were quite good, vividly describing the deserts and ancient peoples of the Southwest. Some of the essays also smack of white male privilege, Childs camps on a butte that is taboo to visitation per Native Americans, sasses a border patrol agent, and tries breaking rules to get into Burning Man despite being explicitly told not to several times. Like, my guy, the world doesn’t revolve around you