Philip Connors’ A Song for the River

The Gila River and Wilderness are the heart and soul of A Song for the River, the latest book by Philip Connors. Every summer since 2002, Connors has been perched in a tower 50 feet above the Gila Wilderness, watching for fire.

His first book, Fire Season, recounted the lessons learned about mountains, wilderness, fire, and solitude. A Song for the River updates and deepens the story: the mountain he loves goes up in flames; a lookout on another mountain whom he comes to think of like a brother dies in a freak accident; and three high school students he admires die tragically in an airplane crash while researching the wilderness and the wild river they wish to save. What is it about the Gila that generates these themes of living and dying?

These are among the questions that will be explored when New Mexico People Places and Ideas host Stephen Spitz sits down with New Mexico author Philip Connors.

Produced with assistance of Tanya Cole and Lynn Schibeci

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