The Whole Forest for a Backyard

Crafted with an honest sensitivity, this charming book reflects the perspective of a small, free-range boy with a large imagination reared in one of our nations most cherished wilderness areas. It is mostly about the author’s growing up years in the 1950s and 1960s at the resort his parents owned thirty-two miles into the boreal forest from the town of Grand Marais, Minnesota. Far more than a sentimental journey into the past, here is a story of triumphs, tragedies, and transitions, which reveal in full the cathartic powers of nature. The lessons presented are all the more relevant today. Our need to reconnect with the wild has never been greater.

Timothy McDonnell of Bloomington, MN Timothy McDonnell grew up on the periphery of Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area. He recently retired after twenty-nine years of teaching English and reading skills to deaf and hard-of-hearing students in suburban Minneapolis. He now spends his time writing and doing volunteer work for a Twin Cities non-profit organization that helps individuals transition out of homeless shelters and into independent living. Timothy loves fly fishing, kayaking, and helping his wife fulfill their mutual commitment to happiness. When he is not in the woods, he is either writing about the woods or dreaming about his next journey.