In these essays, Golden reflects on the ethical and personal challenges she faced in a harsh and isolated environment and examines the ways nature has influenced her understanding of the human spirit. Through her experiences on the borders of Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico, Golden’s customary view of the world changed.
The essays highlight often-shunned animals like pack rats, rattlesnakes, ants, prairie dogs and other desert creatures that some consider better dead than alive. Golden honors these animals for their unique abilities and the roles they play in the wild world, calling attention to their risk of extinction. These essays aim to move readers to save the desert animals before it’s too late.