Senior Editor Jason Gardner picks his favorite book of the fall, Solitude: Seeking Wisdom in Extremes—A Year Alone in the Patagonia Wilderness by Robert Kull (978-1-57731-632-9), reviewed in the September/October issue of ForeWord.

Jason Gardner, Senior Editor

How long have you been with the company?
I’ve worked for New World Library for twelve years. I’ve been acquiring books for the last ten.

What is the book you are most excited by this season, and how did it come to your attention?
Of course I’m excited about all my fall books, but I’m probably most personally excited about Solitude: Seeking Wisdom in Extremes--A Year Alone in the Patagonia Wilderness by Robert Kull. I’ve always loved writers who approach the natural world from a mystical or spiritual perspective (for lack of better words), particularly Buddhist-leaning writers Peter Matthiessen, Gary Snyder, and Jim Harrison. So I was excited when Christian de Quincey, a writer and agent who formerly worked as managing editor at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, sent me Robert Kull’s manuscript. Kull traveled to a remote island off the coast of Patagonia with supplies to live by himself for an entire year. The manuscript was adapted from his journal, which also became his PhD dissertation. In addition to the raw, vivid details of his daily life—both inner and outer—Bob interweaves philosophical meditations on what solitude means in this increasingly connected technological world. His goal was to explore the very things we typically try to avoid in our busy lives, whether they’re physical or psychological. In the end it’s both an examination of human consciousness, an experiment in awareness, and a beautiful description of wildlife, terrain, and weather.

What can you tell us about the author?
Check out Bob’s bio: “Born in Ventura, California, Robert Kull has spent years wandering North and South America working as a scuba instructor, travel guide, construction worker, logger, community organic gardening teacher, truck driver, bartender, dishwasher, firefighter, photographer, and professor. In 1985 he lost his lower right leg after a motorcycle crash in the Dominican Republic. He began undergraduate studies at age forty and now holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia.” Clearly, Bob approaches life a little differently and maybe has the ideal background for this kind of undertaking. He’s been giving a slide show describing his year alone, which audiences have really responded to.

Who will enjoy this book?
We struggled a little in deciding where to shelve this book since it includes elements of several genres: Jon Krakauer--like adventure reportage, armchair travel, nature writing, and philosophical/spiritual explorations of consciousness. In the end, nature writing made the most sense, but I think the book could appeal to readers interested in any of these subjects.

What can you tell us about the (excerpt) published online?
The book consists of journal entries, interspersed with interludes on such topics as other solitaries, solitude and meditation, and technology and desire. The excerpted introduction gives a great overview of Bob’s motivations and preparations for this adventure.