Leave Only Footprints, Conor Knighton
Leave Only Footprints, Conor Knighton
11 Rating(s)
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Leave Only Footprints
My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park

Author: Conor Knighton

Narrator: Conor Knighton

Unabridged: 10 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/07/2020

Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A delightful sampler plate of our national parks, written with charisma and erudition.”—Nick Offerman, author of Paddle Your Own Canoe

From CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Conor Knighton, a behind-the-scenery look at his year traveling to each of America's National Parks, discovering the most beautiful places and most interesting people our country has to offer

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY OUTSIDE

When Conor Knighton set off to explore America's "best idea," he worried the whole thing could end up being his worst idea. A broken engagement and a broken heart had left him longing for a change of scenery, but the plan he'd cooked up in response had gone a bit overboard in that department: Over the course of a single year, Knighton would visit every national park in the country, from Acadia to Zion.
 
In Leave Only Footprints, Knighton shares informative and entertaining dispatches from what turned out to be the road trip of a lifetime. Whether he's waking up early for a naked scrub in a historic bathhouse in Arkansas or staying up late to stargaze along our loneliest highway in Nevada, Knighton weaves together the type of stories you're not likely to find in any guidebook. Through his unique lens, America the Beautiful becomes America the Captivating, the Hilarious, and the Inspiring. Along the way, he identifies the threads that tie these wildly different places together—and that tie us to nature—and reveals how his trip ended up changing his views on everything from God and love to politics and technology.
 
Filled with fascinating tidbits about our parks' past and reflections on their fragile future, this book is both a celebration of and a passionate case for the natural wonders that all Americans share.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Books with Brittany on April 01, 2021

Basically took my breath away at the end......more

Goodreads review by Mark on May 13, 2020

When Conor Knighton’s fiancée left him, he wasn’t sure quite what to do until he saw a promotion talking about the National Park’s 100th anniversary. Soon, he was making plans to visit all of the official National Parks in 2016, reporting on some of them for CBS Sunday Morning. After experiencing su......more

Goodreads review by Deb (Readerbuzz) on May 19, 2020

We forget, but there are lots of ways to read a book. I read a book last week. It was an immersive experience. The book is Leave Only Footprints: My Acadia-to-Zion Journey Through Every National Park. It was written by Conor Knighton who undertook the journey to visit all fifty-nine* American nationa......more

Goodreads review by Neil on February 21, 2021

I had high hopes for this book as an avid Parks fan. Although I spent a fair bit of time in the parks growing up, I fell back in love with them myself during the 2016 centennial and have visited over 200 park units in the last 5 years. I was excited to learn someone made a trip like this in a single......more

Goodreads review by Ali on March 16, 2020

I had the lucky chance to pick up an advance copy at work. It was on our shelf, and something about it called out to me. It was the perfect book for me to read right now. I'm currently going through a challenging part of my life, and have set a goal for myself- travel the country and see many of our......more

Quotes

“Conor Knighton is not only blessed with Charles Kuralt’s peripatetic curiosity and John Muir’s reverence for nature, he shares their all-too-rare gift—his writing makes you want to hit the road and see for yourself what truly makes America great.”—Mark Adams, New York Times bestselling author of Turn Right at Machu Picchu
 
“A touching, funny tour of the weird and wonderful in the American wild. If you love our national parks, you’ll love visiting them all with the thoughtful, always entertaining Conor Knighton as your witty, energetic guide. His enthusiasm is contagious and shines on every page.”—Steve Hely, author of The Wonder Trail

“I am crazy about this book. It’s a delightful sampler plate of our national parks, written with charisma and erudition and leavened by a healthy dollop of humor. When Conor Knighton tells you to take a hike, you’d do well to pay attention.”—Nick Offerman, author of Paddle Your Own Canoe
 
“You don’t have to be a national parks geek like me to love this book. However, in Conor Knighton’s capable hands, you will be a national parks geek as soon as you dip into this great narrative.”—Rinker Buck, author of The Oregon Trail: A New American Journey
 
“In Leave Only Footprints, Conor Knighton does what would require a lifetime for the rest of us. Over the course of a year, he goes on a mission of discovery, sharing something new and fresh about each of our national parks and encouraging us to also visit—and preserve—the places that reflect Americans at our best.”—Jonathan Jarvis, eighteenth director of the National Park Service
 
“Knighton is a companionable guide, light on his feet, with a steady store of . . . excellent descriptive passages, good background material, and a few sweeping insights into why national parks are so essential. . . . A fine tour d’horizon of our national grandeur.”—Kirkus Reviews

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