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Remote: Finding Home in the Bitterroots
When DJ Lee’s dear friend vanishes in the vast Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness of Idaho and Montana, she travels there to seek answers. The journey unexpectedly brings to an end her fifteen-year quest to uncover the buried history of her family in this remote place. Although Lee doesn’t find all the answers, she comes away with a penetrating memoir that weaves her present-day story with past excursions into the region, wilderness history, and family secrets.
As she grapples with wild animal stand-offs, bush plane flights in dense fog, raging forest fires, and strange characters who have come to the wilderness to seek or hide, Lee learns how she can survive emotionally and how the wilderness survives as an ecosystem. Her growing knowledge of the life cycles of salmon and wolverine, the regenerative role of fire, and Nimíipuu land practices helps her find intimacy in this remote landscape.
Skillfully intertwining history, outdoor adventure, and mystery, Lee’s memoir is an engaging contribution to the growing body of literature on women and wilderness and a lyrical tribute to the spiritual connection between people and the natural world.
As she grapples with wild animal stand-offs, bush plane flights in dense fog, raging forest fires, and strange characters who have come to the wilderness to seek or hide, Lee learns how she can survive emotionally and how the wilderness survives as an ecosystem. Her growing knowledge of the life cycles of salmon and wolverine, the regenerative role of fire, and Nimíipuu land practices helps her find intimacy in this remote landscape.
Skillfully intertwining history, outdoor adventure, and mystery, Lee’s memoir is an engaging contribution to the growing body of literature on women and wilderness and a lyrical tribute to the spiritual connection between people and the natural world.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
February 6, 2021
Would I recommend it? To a very specific audience. (To my current close friends on Goodreads: No.) I'm torn on the rating of the book. I think if I could wholeheartedly recommend it to more people then I'd bump it to 4 stars.
Thoughts
I was so very intrigued in the beginning and I devoured the first 50 pages in an afternoon of cozy comfy reading. And then it turned into 20 pages at a time. And then a couple days of pause. And then 10 pages at a time while switching to end the evening with another book. Which took me to the final stretch of 22 pages remaining and my determination that on this Saturday morning, "Must. Finish."
I'm so happy acknowledgments ended with "I'm reminded of how many people across the United States and the world devote their lives to preserving wild places--my deepest gratitude to all those dedicated souls." I'm happy she ended on that note, because it feels to me, that DJ Lee, herself, is no longer wanting to be a participant of the wilderness. On page 194 she wrote, "Yet something in me has wanted to release the pull of this land. I want to love it, but I don't want to consume it or let it consume me." And on page 197, "The wilderness needs to be protected, but I need to let it go." I find this perhaps upsetting or maybe it makes me really sad for her. I absolutely love nature and wilderness and I derive such joy and pleasure from being out in it. I never want to let it go again, like I had in my 20s. But I also don't feel consumed by it so I don't have that sense that it has an unrelenting grip on me. It is simply a place for me to escape to, to admire, to enjoy, to discover, to venture in. I have only but fond memories tied to it (even trails that caused anguish at the time have made for the most hilarious and enjoyable memories afterwards).
"...I told her [mother] I might write about my grandparents, about her, about the wilderness, about Esther's illness. I wouldn't write a linear story. Neither our experiences, nor the wilderness, nor history, nor memory could be held to a narrative straight line."
And with this quote you've been warned by me. This is NOT a linear story. May want to get paper and pen ready if you want to make a precise timeline of events. I did not do this. At times I wish I had. It wasn't the easiest of storylines to follow. If perhaps DJ would have referenced her own age during certain parts of her story it may have helped me a bit (without having to have a calculator to figure out how old she is that particular time in her life story). There are multiple timelines within a chapter. I understand why this couldn't be a linear story. To have written it linearly it would make for a very clinical story. But whenever a book jumps this much it's always a strain on me. I don't appreciate it when authors leave readers hanging (this is a memoir - not a thriller - the events have occurred) and many times the book doesn't loop back to finish out that thought or story. Only time it did was with Amy's retelling of her search for Connie, but even there I felt I was left hanging - like Amy had more to say. (And when hiking, please don't repeat what Amy did. If you head out for a day hike and that's what you tell people you are doing then don't make it into a week long excursion. And without proper food, water, and overnight supplies. Especially when there is already a search for one missing person--technically, 2 people disappeared at the same time.)
If you set out to read this book because you are really interested to find details about Connie then you will be disappointed. Connie is woven within the pages, but she is not the main story. I learned that she was loved and respected by many, even those who barely knew her or met her only once. She must have been one charismatic person. I would like to have known her. (She makes me think of a specific WTA person I know who will forever have a lasting impression on me.)
The book is primarily about the author finally being able to connect the pieces of history of her family --some scattered and many hidden. Some within historical records and many based on stories of people who knew her grandfather and some from her mother's and grandmother's personal belongings. She discovers that there is a long history of mental illness - mainly depression - on her mother's side of the family. I am often intrigued to read stories about others who grew up with mental illness in their families and perhaps always hope that I can find a way to relate. Depending on how their stories go I often find they are also hard for me to read. Mental illness runs on my mother's side of my family and my relationship with my mother is a tough one - however, my story is very different from the author's.
Perhaps my favorite quote from the book is from DJ's grandfather that he wrote at age 17: "Depression is caused by a lack of faith in the ultimate purpose of life, and exceedingly harmful to yourself and those about you." While I don't agree with the first half, and much more is known today about causes than in George's time. The 2nd part. No matter the science. The cause. The end result is the same.
What I liked and enjoyed about the book is I learned several things about the Bitterroot Wilderness and the landscapes described are familiar to me. It's also neat to hear the names of towns and places that I know or have been to. The book was a find via Auntie's Bookstore's newsletter which is a local store in Spokane, WA. The newsletter featured local authors and there was a live Zoom event with the author which I didn't attend. I'm happy that I read this book by a local author and I do think and feel that there are many good parts, but I also do hold back on recommending it to people I know.
Thoughts
I was so very intrigued in the beginning and I devoured the first 50 pages in an afternoon of cozy comfy reading. And then it turned into 20 pages at a time. And then a couple days of pause. And then 10 pages at a time while switching to end the evening with another book. Which took me to the final stretch of 22 pages remaining and my determination that on this Saturday morning, "Must. Finish."
I'm so happy acknowledgments ended with "I'm reminded of how many people across the United States and the world devote their lives to preserving wild places--my deepest gratitude to all those dedicated souls." I'm happy she ended on that note, because it feels to me, that DJ Lee, herself, is no longer wanting to be a participant of the wilderness. On page 194 she wrote, "Yet something in me has wanted to release the pull of this land. I want to love it, but I don't want to consume it or let it consume me." And on page 197, "The wilderness needs to be protected, but I need to let it go." I find this perhaps upsetting or maybe it makes me really sad for her. I absolutely love nature and wilderness and I derive such joy and pleasure from being out in it. I never want to let it go again, like I had in my 20s. But I also don't feel consumed by it so I don't have that sense that it has an unrelenting grip on me. It is simply a place for me to escape to, to admire, to enjoy, to discover, to venture in. I have only but fond memories tied to it (even trails that caused anguish at the time have made for the most hilarious and enjoyable memories afterwards).
"...I told her [mother] I might write about my grandparents, about her, about the wilderness, about Esther's illness. I wouldn't write a linear story. Neither our experiences, nor the wilderness, nor history, nor memory could be held to a narrative straight line."
And with this quote you've been warned by me. This is NOT a linear story. May want to get paper and pen ready if you want to make a precise timeline of events. I did not do this. At times I wish I had. It wasn't the easiest of storylines to follow. If perhaps DJ would have referenced her own age during certain parts of her story it may have helped me a bit (without having to have a calculator to figure out how old she is that particular time in her life story). There are multiple timelines within a chapter. I understand why this couldn't be a linear story. To have written it linearly it would make for a very clinical story. But whenever a book jumps this much it's always a strain on me. I don't appreciate it when authors leave readers hanging (this is a memoir - not a thriller - the events have occurred) and many times the book doesn't loop back to finish out that thought or story. Only time it did was with Amy's retelling of her search for Connie, but even there I felt I was left hanging - like Amy had more to say. (And when hiking, please don't repeat what Amy did. If you head out for a day hike and that's what you tell people you are doing then don't make it into a week long excursion. And without proper food, water, and overnight supplies. Especially when there is already a search for one missing person--technically, 2 people disappeared at the same time.)
If you set out to read this book because you are really interested to find details about Connie then you will be disappointed. Connie is woven within the pages, but she is not the main story. I learned that she was loved and respected by many, even those who barely knew her or met her only once. She must have been one charismatic person. I would like to have known her. (She makes me think of a specific WTA person I know who will forever have a lasting impression on me.)
The book is primarily about the author finally being able to connect the pieces of history of her family --some scattered and many hidden. Some within historical records and many based on stories of people who knew her grandfather and some from her mother's and grandmother's personal belongings. She discovers that there is a long history of mental illness - mainly depression - on her mother's side of the family. I am often intrigued to read stories about others who grew up with mental illness in their families and perhaps always hope that I can find a way to relate. Depending on how their stories go I often find they are also hard for me to read. Mental illness runs on my mother's side of my family and my relationship with my mother is a tough one - however, my story is very different from the author's.
Perhaps my favorite quote from the book is from DJ's grandfather that he wrote at age 17: "Depression is caused by a lack of faith in the ultimate purpose of life, and exceedingly harmful to yourself and those about you." While I don't agree with the first half, and much more is known today about causes than in George's time. The 2nd part. No matter the science. The cause. The end result is the same.
What I liked and enjoyed about the book is I learned several things about the Bitterroot Wilderness and the landscapes described are familiar to me. It's also neat to hear the names of towns and places that I know or have been to. The book was a find via Auntie's Bookstore's newsletter which is a local store in Spokane, WA. The newsletter featured local authors and there was a live Zoom event with the author which I didn't attend. I'm happy that I read this book by a local author and I do think and feel that there are many good parts, but I also do hold back on recommending it to people I know.
September 6, 2020
This was an interesting memoir focusing on the author’s search for answers about her family history and search for her missing friend. DJ Lee’s family has a long history of living and working in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho and Montana. The author spent time there on numerous occasions to find out more about the lives of her grandparents and their history. Interspersed in the book is the search for her friend Connie who went missing in the dense wilderness area. The descriptions of the area and the wilderness are wonderful. You feel as though you are immersed in the forest. Along the way we also meet many interesting characters that live or travel to this area. I admired the tenacity of the author both for researching her family history for years and her strength and perseverance in the wilderness.
June 4, 2022
3.5+ ? Another reviewer Agnes summed it up well for me as I felt similar it wasn't exactly what I expected, definitely not a search for her friend in the wilderness, more a search for her own acceptance and understanding of her family through generations woven in with the present with her own reflections. I really enjoyed learning more about the bitterroots and I love anything about the connection to the wilderness and our souls, but though I devour the first few dozen pages I found myself pushing a few pages a night to finish. I would still recommend it as long as you know what to expect... now have the urge to go visit the bitterroots!
April 15, 2021
Haunting account of the search for a missing friend in the big wild of Idaho intertwined with an exploration of the author's deep family connection to that place. The book explores the deep generational power and influence of wilderness on our lives.
May 11, 2020
I love this book. The characters and settings are so clear and sharp. I especially admire the story's raw emotional vulnerability. I have walked through much of the Bitterroot Mountains and appreciate the personal and historical perspective this story gave me about a landscape I love.
May 2, 2020
I was thrilled to come across this book by OSU Press, and immediately related to the author. Having spent many hiking days and nights in the Bitteroots, I did relate to the descriptions of the wilderness, desire to get away, and descriptions of characters - especially those seeking the joy and solace of nature and space. The book encouraged me to learn more about Connie, urging me to look online for other news articles about her after finishing the book. The parallel journey of learning the story of someone lost in the mountains while seeking answers to the author’s past were compelling. I did hope to feel more emotion - of loss, of finding peace, of forgiveness - expressed by the narrator, and I finished the book wishing for more. I do recommend this read, both for those who have experienced wilderness in spots like the Bitteroots, and those who haven’t yet.
June 21, 2020
Remote: Finding Home in the Bitterroots put me right into the very footsteps of DJ Lee, her family and the community who lived and loved that land. Although I'm only a day hiker myself, I've spent enough time in the wildness to relate to her experiences and I loved finding out about her fascinating family and following along with the mysterious disappearance of a good friend.
July 24, 2020
Searching for family history and self in the beautiful and rugged Selway Bitterroot wilderness. DJ portrays the various characters and personalities that are drawn to and love the wild that changes their lives forever.
June 2, 2020
“Remote,” by DJ Lee
When an author compels me to jot down quotable thoughts and turns of phrase, she’s hooked me. DJ Lee’s “Remote” worked that magic:
“Neither our experiences, nor the wilderness, nor history, nor memory could be held to a narrative straight line” beautifully describes the content and structure of this book.
“More comfortable in archival mountains and textual forests than the real one outside the window,” Lee is in unknown territory, and has to remind herself to get out of the way, to “empty yourself, be careful not to control the outcome, not to want this or that.”
The multiple threads of her exploration begin as a teenager and the adoration of her maternal grandmother, whose “only agenda seemed to be helping me form a sense of self.” This is the same woman who endured marriage in the very remote Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness “to a man I didn’t love and who didn’t love me.” Who was this man who had made her grandmother so miserable? What was this place? Who and what shaped me? The untangling of family begins. A difficult relationship with her mother is clear early on. But her mother is the stunning dedication. You know you’re in for a ride.
Lee needs to understand the wildness because that’s where the family story began over a century before. But, “The wilderness has her way with you. She reveals and she conceals.” For this thread, she finds two spectacularly unique guides: the indomitable Forest Service volunteer, Connie, who knows the remote forest like the back of her hand and inconceivably goes missing. And the pilot-photographer Dick, whose knowledge of the forest’s science and history opens up an entirely different appreciation for the interdependence of the natural world. “Along some riverbanks, scientists had found salmon DNA in the tops of some of the tallest trees.” “Earth is a sentient being.”
There are other characters, threads, revelations, and observations and they are magnificently interwoven into subtle juxtapositions; the reader feels as if a story’s momentum has paused, but Lee circles back to fill in pieces, places, new or revised meaning and understanding. She is so gutsy with revelations of personal vulnerabilities and attitudes. Her language is memorable. These pages are so full of life’s complex realities and disturbances. “And then the story I’d created abruptly changed.” What was “hidden in plain sight now radiates significance.” “Constellation.” “Confluence.” “Collage.” “Unfolding.”
Last one. “Resolve can see a person through the toughest of times, but often at the cost of vulnerability, the true passageway to intimacy.”
One fine read!
When an author compels me to jot down quotable thoughts and turns of phrase, she’s hooked me. DJ Lee’s “Remote” worked that magic:
“Neither our experiences, nor the wilderness, nor history, nor memory could be held to a narrative straight line” beautifully describes the content and structure of this book.
“More comfortable in archival mountains and textual forests than the real one outside the window,” Lee is in unknown territory, and has to remind herself to get out of the way, to “empty yourself, be careful not to control the outcome, not to want this or that.”
The multiple threads of her exploration begin as a teenager and the adoration of her maternal grandmother, whose “only agenda seemed to be helping me form a sense of self.” This is the same woman who endured marriage in the very remote Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness “to a man I didn’t love and who didn’t love me.” Who was this man who had made her grandmother so miserable? What was this place? Who and what shaped me? The untangling of family begins. A difficult relationship with her mother is clear early on. But her mother is the stunning dedication. You know you’re in for a ride.
Lee needs to understand the wildness because that’s where the family story began over a century before. But, “The wilderness has her way with you. She reveals and she conceals.” For this thread, she finds two spectacularly unique guides: the indomitable Forest Service volunteer, Connie, who knows the remote forest like the back of her hand and inconceivably goes missing. And the pilot-photographer Dick, whose knowledge of the forest’s science and history opens up an entirely different appreciation for the interdependence of the natural world. “Along some riverbanks, scientists had found salmon DNA in the tops of some of the tallest trees.” “Earth is a sentient being.”
There are other characters, threads, revelations, and observations and they are magnificently interwoven into subtle juxtapositions; the reader feels as if a story’s momentum has paused, but Lee circles back to fill in pieces, places, new or revised meaning and understanding. She is so gutsy with revelations of personal vulnerabilities and attitudes. Her language is memorable. These pages are so full of life’s complex realities and disturbances. “And then the story I’d created abruptly changed.” What was “hidden in plain sight now radiates significance.” “Constellation.” “Confluence.” “Collage.” “Unfolding.”
Last one. “Resolve can see a person through the toughest of times, but often at the cost of vulnerability, the true passageway to intimacy.”
One fine read!
December 18, 2020
"Wilderness has her way with you. She reveals and she conceals." DJ Lee's Remote: Finding Home in the Bitterroots explores her family's connection and history with Moose Creek, a ranger station ensconced within Idaho's Selway-Bitterroot corridor.
Lee has an endless fascination with the Bitterroots through two perspectives. Her grandparents, George and Esther, lived in the region during the 1930s. Connie Watson, a friend, ranger, and guide known as Mama Moose, vanished from the region in 2018. Lee searches for signs of her missing friend while simultaneously searching for clues about the true relationship between her grandparents. Esther had written she was miserable the entire time they lived in the Bitterroots and Lee wants to figure out why. She gleans pieces from archival research, photographs, Esther's brief memoir, and from her mother, Shirley. Lee also tries to establish better rapport with her mother, despite the divisions in their relationship.
Lee does commit a couple of historical errors. She discussed the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 and the surrender of Chief Joseph in 1877 and claims those occurred under President Andrew Johnson when actually the first occurred under Ulysses Grant's presidency and the latter in Rutherford Hayes' term.
Remote is a haunting read due to Connie's inexplicable disappearance and the vast landscape. Lee includes numerous pictures and a map that enhance the story and allow visualization of the beautiful terrain and the people she describes. I enjoyed learning about the array of personalities punctuated in the region, especially pilot, photographer, researcher, and fact keeper Dick Walker.
After fifteen years of research and inquiry, I feel that the author did discover a sense of what she was seeking. She developed a deeper comprehension of both her mother's and grandparents' stories. Life in the wilderness can be glorious, but empty, picturesque but pernicious. Lee sums it up with "it is an ecology of stories that connects us all."
Story Circle Book Reviews thanks Janilyn Kocher for this review.
Lee has an endless fascination with the Bitterroots through two perspectives. Her grandparents, George and Esther, lived in the region during the 1930s. Connie Watson, a friend, ranger, and guide known as Mama Moose, vanished from the region in 2018. Lee searches for signs of her missing friend while simultaneously searching for clues about the true relationship between her grandparents. Esther had written she was miserable the entire time they lived in the Bitterroots and Lee wants to figure out why. She gleans pieces from archival research, photographs, Esther's brief memoir, and from her mother, Shirley. Lee also tries to establish better rapport with her mother, despite the divisions in their relationship.
Lee does commit a couple of historical errors. She discussed the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876 and the surrender of Chief Joseph in 1877 and claims those occurred under President Andrew Johnson when actually the first occurred under Ulysses Grant's presidency and the latter in Rutherford Hayes' term.
Remote is a haunting read due to Connie's inexplicable disappearance and the vast landscape. Lee includes numerous pictures and a map that enhance the story and allow visualization of the beautiful terrain and the people she describes. I enjoyed learning about the array of personalities punctuated in the region, especially pilot, photographer, researcher, and fact keeper Dick Walker.
After fifteen years of research and inquiry, I feel that the author did discover a sense of what she was seeking. She developed a deeper comprehension of both her mother's and grandparents' stories. Life in the wilderness can be glorious, but empty, picturesque but pernicious. Lee sums it up with "it is an ecology of stories that connects us all."
Story Circle Book Reviews thanks Janilyn Kocher for this review.
Read
August 21, 2020It’s actually very rare for me to read memoirs, but when I do it’s usually something about the wilderness. There’s just something so soothing and relatable to them since I aspire to hike the Appalachian trail at some point in my life. But I just love being able to go into the wilderness through a book. But this is one of those stories that will truly draw you in and hook you.
Lee does such an amazing job setting the scenery. You truly feel as if you could look around and find yourself in the Bitterroots. And I now have a new place that I must see at some point! The formative undertones to this book revolve around her search for her friend Connie, who went missing even though she is a woman very much capable of navigating alone in the wilderness. Throughout the story there is a sense of mystery and an almost sort of mysticism of the beauty of the Bitterroots. And I think that anyone that spends any time in the wilderness knows what I mean by saying that it is magical.
All in all this is a beautiful story that takes you on a journey. You get an inside peek into the life of Lee and her pivotal moments. It has also fully re-instilled the backpacking urges that I’ve been dealing with all summer. So, grab this book, grab a blanket, and go outside and read this one!
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
Lee does such an amazing job setting the scenery. You truly feel as if you could look around and find yourself in the Bitterroots. And I now have a new place that I must see at some point! The formative undertones to this book revolve around her search for her friend Connie, who went missing even though she is a woman very much capable of navigating alone in the wilderness. Throughout the story there is a sense of mystery and an almost sort of mysticism of the beauty of the Bitterroots. And I think that anyone that spends any time in the wilderness knows what I mean by saying that it is magical.
All in all this is a beautiful story that takes you on a journey. You get an inside peek into the life of Lee and her pivotal moments. It has also fully re-instilled the backpacking urges that I’ve been dealing with all summer. So, grab this book, grab a blanket, and go outside and read this one!
You can view my full review on my blog! I also post about a lot of different types of books!
Reader | Bookstagrammer | Blogger | Reviewer
@ya.its.lit - https://www.instagram.com/ya.its.lit/
Blog - https://yaitslitblog.wordpress.com/
August 16, 2020
DJ Lee, author of the memoir, "Remote Finding Home in the Bitterroots" has written a memorable, book filled with vivid descriptions of beautiful and wild wilderness, that is full of adventure. Please note that the profits from the sale of the book will be donated to the Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund. The genre for this book is a memoir based on DJ Lee's memories of her friend Connie and also of DJ's family.
The author's friend Connie, is educated and physically strong and capable of negotiating the Bitterroot wilderness which is around, Idaho and Montana. What is so remarkable is that the wilderness doesn't show favoritism between women and men, and it is intriguing that women would be capable of dealing with all of nature's adventures. Connie disappears, and DJ Lee wants to find out where and why if possible. Connie's dog came home 3 weeks later without Connie.
There is a mystery of DJ's family that also appreciated the wilderness that she wants to explore at the same time. There are things that are both found and lost in this vast wilderness. I would recommend this unique and thought-provoking memoir for those who are intrigued by the beauty, remoteness, and mystery of nature.
The author's friend Connie, is educated and physically strong and capable of negotiating the Bitterroot wilderness which is around, Idaho and Montana. What is so remarkable is that the wilderness doesn't show favoritism between women and men, and it is intriguing that women would be capable of dealing with all of nature's adventures. Connie disappears, and DJ Lee wants to find out where and why if possible. Connie's dog came home 3 weeks later without Connie.
There is a mystery of DJ's family that also appreciated the wilderness that she wants to explore at the same time. There are things that are both found and lost in this vast wilderness. I would recommend this unique and thought-provoking memoir for those who are intrigued by the beauty, remoteness, and mystery of nature.
August 30, 2022
Family history, remote wilderness and a search for a missing forestry guide/friend. These topics are interlaced with episodes of familial mental illness and hunting/tracking. A long dead grandfather may have been one quarter Native American, a surprise.
A chilling note on the back of an old photo of her grandmother says,"Moose Creek Ranger Station, in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, where I spent many miserable years married to a man I didn't love and who didn't love me." This is not the whole story of course, and we meet the characters who live in this area.
The author seeks release from this Bitterroot family baggage with a role playing interpretative workshop exercise called The Knowing Field, and it seems to give some peace.
One unsettling thing happened on a family trip to the wilderness. Two Centennial Trail (1200 miles) hikers emerged from the forest. The woman appeared to need help and was afraid of her male companion, but then didn't ask for help. Another "curious relationship between women and wilderness" perhaps like the grandmother.
3.5
Latah libary system
A chilling note on the back of an old photo of her grandmother says,"Moose Creek Ranger Station, in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, where I spent many miserable years married to a man I didn't love and who didn't love me." This is not the whole story of course, and we meet the characters who live in this area.
The author seeks release from this Bitterroot family baggage with a role playing interpretative workshop exercise called The Knowing Field, and it seems to give some peace.
One unsettling thing happened on a family trip to the wilderness. Two Centennial Trail (1200 miles) hikers emerged from the forest. The woman appeared to need help and was afraid of her male companion, but then didn't ask for help. Another "curious relationship between women and wilderness" perhaps like the grandmother.
3.5
Latah libary system
August 25, 2020
Remote Finding Home in the Bitterroots is a captivating beautifully written memoir.
Though I live in Maine, I am not much of a nature person though we have miles and miles of trails and wilderness to explore. However, while reading this memoir, the writing was so authentic and descriptive I felt as thought I was right there in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
DJ expertly writes about the disappearance of her friend and the death of her grandmother. Her grandmother left behind a secret box and this sends DJ on a journey to understand who she is and what her place is in the wilderness.
There are questions yet to be answered after reading this book, but as it is a memoir, I think that is true of any story.
I very much enjoyed the pictures that were included in the book that helped to bring the story to life and picture what the wilderness looked like.
I was pleased to find out that the profits from the sale of this memoir will be donated to the Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund.
Though I live in Maine, I am not much of a nature person though we have miles and miles of trails and wilderness to explore. However, while reading this memoir, the writing was so authentic and descriptive I felt as thought I was right there in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
DJ expertly writes about the disappearance of her friend and the death of her grandmother. Her grandmother left behind a secret box and this sends DJ on a journey to understand who she is and what her place is in the wilderness.
There are questions yet to be answered after reading this book, but as it is a memoir, I think that is true of any story.
I very much enjoyed the pictures that were included in the book that helped to bring the story to life and picture what the wilderness looked like.
I was pleased to find out that the profits from the sale of this memoir will be donated to the Connie Saylor Johnson Wilderness Education Fund.
September 8, 2020
This is memoir that reads like novel, wandering in and around the physical space of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, and meandering through time, following thought rather than flat chronology. In a smooth blend of historical fact and personal conviction, tied together with description that transports the reader into each scene, Lee has shared with us her own experience of how place frames personal history, and offered a few treasures to help us begin the journey to this discovery for ourselves if we so choose.
While she doesn't use the words, Lee's connection with the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness brings to mind the #bioregionalism movement I first heard of through Jenny Odell's How to do Nothing. Separated by landscape (urban vs wilderness) as much as by miles (San Francisco vs Montana and Idaho), both still carry a deep reverence for the history of the land - a firm belief that in order to live our best lives we need to live in healthy relationship with where we live.
While she doesn't use the words, Lee's connection with the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness brings to mind the #bioregionalism movement I first heard of through Jenny Odell's How to do Nothing. Separated by landscape (urban vs wilderness) as much as by miles (San Francisco vs Montana and Idaho), both still carry a deep reverence for the history of the land - a firm belief that in order to live our best lives we need to live in healthy relationship with where we live.
August 30, 2020
Although I have never been to the area or done hiking on this kind of scale, DJ Lee does an amazing job of making you feel like you are in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness with her as she searches for her friend who has gone missing while all trying to discover answers to old family secrets after the death of her grandmother. Memoirs such as this, with the vivid descriptions are why this is becoming one of my favorite genres. While all the questions weren’t answered, this is definitely a book for both readers who enjoy the life story of others as well as those with a love for the great outdoors.I thank Suzy’s Approved Book Tours and the author for the review copy of this book.
4.5/5 stars
4.5/5 stars
September 2, 2020
You will journey in to the wild with Remote! This was a remarkable story where the author, DJ Lee, transports us to the Selway-Bitterroots Wilderness. It’s a protected wilderness area that spans through Idaho and Montana, at 1.3 million acres, it’s one of the largest in the US. I had never heard of it!
In this memoir, DJ Lee is out to find answers when she learns her friend vanishes. In extreme wilderness, she uncovers so much about her life, her past and realizes that sometimes there are no answers for what really happened. I love a good memoir and this one is a short, profound read. I don’t want to share to much but the images and descriptions in the book are great and you will fly through this one. I think you would really enjoy it! It’s out now!
In this memoir, DJ Lee is out to find answers when she learns her friend vanishes. In extreme wilderness, she uncovers so much about her life, her past and realizes that sometimes there are no answers for what really happened. I love a good memoir and this one is a short, profound read. I don’t want to share to much but the images and descriptions in the book are great and you will fly through this one. I think you would really enjoy it! It’s out now!
July 7, 2020
The disappearance of a forest ranger in the Selway-Bitteroot Wilderness, and the death of her grandmother, who leaves behind a mysterious box, lead DJ Lee on a 15 year quest in seek of answers to better understand her place in the wilderness and her family. Along the way she beautifully writes about her relationship with the remote land in which her grandparents had worked and lived, and a growing understanding of the intergenerational trauma experienced by the women who'd raised her. Although many questions remain unanswered, she uncovers a deeper connection to the wilderness, her family, and herself.
August 10, 2020
When I found out that this book is based on and written by an author in my home state of Idaho, I immediately snatched it up. It is a part of Idaho that I know nothing about, and now plan to take a vacation to this area to see the beautiful scenery for myself.
When her friend goes missing in the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness of Idaho, DJ Lee takes up a mission to find her. She sets out into a nature filled journey that doesn't bring all of the answers she seeks, but it does bring about an amazing story. Rich with history and nature, Lee brings the strong female characters into the spotlight.
It's a great read! Full of adventure, mountains and mystery.
When her friend goes missing in the Selway-Bitterroot wilderness of Idaho, DJ Lee takes up a mission to find her. She sets out into a nature filled journey that doesn't bring all of the answers she seeks, but it does bring about an amazing story. Rich with history and nature, Lee brings the strong female characters into the spotlight.
It's a great read! Full of adventure, mountains and mystery.
August 15, 2020
This is the beautifully told story of the authors fifteen year journey of self discovery and family history. It's definitely not a linear story but rather one of thoughts and experiences with the thread of the mystery of what happened to her friend Connie, a retired ranger who went missing in the wilderness. I loved the vivid descriptions of the natural beauty of the Selway-Bitterroots wilderness area and the rangers and those who call this area 'home'. I recommend this one to my fellow nonfiction readers who would enjoy a woman's journey through life and wilderness.
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Thanks go to the author and Suzy's Approved Book Tours for my gifted copy and including me on this tour.
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Thanks go to the author and Suzy's Approved Book Tours for my gifted copy and including me on this tour.
August 23, 2020
The wilderness is not a world I would walk (or wander) into on my own. However, when reading Remote, I found myself deeply captivated by the connective experiences the individuals had and continue to have in a world composed of unrestrained animals, uninhibited nature, delicate and complex histories, and the simultaneous disquietude and comfort in silence.
DJ Lee is a prolific writer and her gift of storytelling brings to life the told and untold stories of family, friends, acquaintances and the land of the Selway-Bitterroots Wilderness in a beautiful and captivating narrative.
I am grateful to have been transported into the Bitterroots...even if only for a short period of time.
DJ Lee is a prolific writer and her gift of storytelling brings to life the told and untold stories of family, friends, acquaintances and the land of the Selway-Bitterroots Wilderness in a beautiful and captivating narrative.
I am grateful to have been transported into the Bitterroots...even if only for a short period of time.
August 29, 2020
15 years in the making...what a memoir. We follow DJ Lee’s journey to uncover her family history. Including piecing together a picture of her grandfather whom she never met and her grandmother’s mental illness. She follows their story to the Selwey-Bitterroot wilderness where her grandparents lived in a cabin when her grandfather worked for the forest service. DJ’s tale of her family past is woven around a present investigation into her missing friend, Connie, who disappeared from that same wilderness. An endearing tribute to how our lives are shaped by those before us, our relationship to the wild, and of course to Connie herself.
August 30, 2020
Stunning
There is a certain explosive pleasure in reading a book written by a friend, especially one that opens up the wilderness outside and inside that friend. I’m stunned by the beauty, economy and mystery of DJ Lee’s historical-cultural-ecological-genealogical-biological exploration. Images and ideas in the book swirl in my imagination like the Milky Way she shares in a photograph. The DJ who weaves this delicate steel spider web narrative is not and yet is the Debbie I met decades ago. I feel lucky to know both wise women.
There is a certain explosive pleasure in reading a book written by a friend, especially one that opens up the wilderness outside and inside that friend. I’m stunned by the beauty, economy and mystery of DJ Lee’s historical-cultural-ecological-genealogical-biological exploration. Images and ideas in the book swirl in my imagination like the Milky Way she shares in a photograph. The DJ who weaves this delicate steel spider web narrative is not and yet is the Debbie I met decades ago. I feel lucky to know both wise women.
September 11, 2020
Peaceful, adventurous, and enlightening all at once! DJ Lee takes us with her on a journey of better understanding of nature and all its mysteries. Searching thru the wilderness for her friend Connie, in this memoir, the author uncovers a kinship with the outdoors while she unravels the mysteries of her family's past. Beautifully written, this was such a personal story and although I don’t often read memoirs, this one really intrigued me from the beginning and I would highly recommend getting lost in Remote:Finding Home in the Bitterroots.
June 11, 2020
I was intrigued and basically enjoyed the book. Her search for her family roots and dynamic led to self-discovery, but also led to a lot of speculation and dead-ends. Her grandfather was a forest ranger in the Bitterroots and lived at the Moose Creek Ranger Station with his wife and children. Lee goes on a twelve year search for her family history and learned to love the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
August 14, 2020
The complexities of family, the beautiful descriptions of the scenery - this book itself is gorgeous. I learned so much from reading it. Lately I’ve been gravitating towards books that teach me something. Another thing I loved is the lack of stereotypes. This book is so profound, and I can not recommend it highly enough. If you’re looking for a book to learn from, and a new area to explore, Remote is most definitely your book.
July 13, 2020
When you consider the vastness of the Bitterroot landscape it’s a wonder that anyone knows anyone. In fact, it’s just the opposite. The closeness and compassion between “Wilderness” people is tight and mighty. This book paints that picture. I enjoyed following DJ’s journey of discovering her family/herself and discovering the wonder of the Bitterroot.
September 23, 2021
A wonderful book that weaves together family tales, local knowledge, and intimate encounters with the natural world. Lee adds a sense of mystery to the "nature writing" genre, as she searches both for lost friends and lost family history. Ultimately, our relation to the natural world, the wild world, emerges as the greatest mystery of all.
May 22, 2021
I really enjoyed this book...the style, the subject matter. I grew up in Lolo, MT and only stepped foot into the wderness once. This narrative makes ME long for the wilderness.
August 17, 2020
A beautifully written memoir that was engaging and so descriptive I could picture I was there with her among all of this beautiful scenery and I loved the photos added in !!!! A profound story of life and loss and finding herself I loved her truth and the beauty of it all. Highly recommend you pick up this book!
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