Spring is the season of daffodils and bird migration—and marks the arrival of new books, where David Henkes, the buyer for books, maps and government passes, faces the (fun) challenge of choosing from many titles for limited shelf space at REI. Henkes curates selections tailored to each store’s unique clientele, drawing on his experience as a former independent bookseller.
Different physical stores offer different selections. It’s Henkes’ job to place the right mix of books in the right stores. A new guidebook to Olympic National Park, for instance, will be sold at stores in the Pacific Northwest. Other choices are less intuitive, though.
“I might bring in 20 adventure narrative books…and place them in 20 different regions or states,” he said. “I’m able to test (a book) that way.” Henkes can categorize REI stores many ways—by geography, region or other similarities. This allows him to ship a book like Alpine Rising, a history of unheralded non-Western climbers (see below) to REI stores near the mountains and their climbing communities where customer interest likely will be highest. If the book sells well, Henkes can broaden the book’s distribution.
When considering whether a book is right for REI, Henkes said he asks himself two big questions: First, “How does this story—this children’s book or travel narrative, adventure narrative—connect to our REI customers in terms of being outside?” And he thinks about diversity.
All of these considerations are evident in several of the books that Henkes selected as books to highlight this spring. Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Chronicles invites readers into the intimate world of birdwatching, blending journal entries with Tan’s exquisite sketches, while Brenda Peterson’s Wild Chorus explores the profound wisdom found in our interactions with animals from whales to neighborhood raccoons. Going to See pays homage to the late Barry Lopez, featuring essays by esteemed writers reflecting on his enduring influence in the realm of nature writing. Lastly, Bernadette McDonald’s Alpine Rising sheds light on the often-overlooked heroes of mountain climbing, from Sherpas to local climbers, weaving together tales of triumph and resilience in the world’s highest peaks.
These thoughtfully curated books not only inspire a sense of wonder and discovery but also invite readers to connect with the natural world in meaningful ways. Not all of them currently are available in all stores, but all are available online.
Going To See: 30 Writers on Nature, Inspiration, and the World of Barry Lopez (Mountaineers Books)
“If the landscape had a storyteller,” said Henkes, “it would be Barry Lopez.” The acclaimed naturalist and writer passed away in 2020. This book isn’t by Lopez himself. Instead, it’s a Festschrift (the Germans have a word for everything!)—a collection of essays by writers who celebrate Lopez, his art and his influence. The list of 30 contributors is impressive, including many of the finest writers on nature in the English language today: Rick Bass, Gretel Ehrlich, David James Duncan. The stories they write range from intimate conversations they shared with Lopez to examinations of his writings. Henkes thinks Going to See will appeal not only to Lopez fans but also those who appreciate inspirational nature writing. $24.95
Wild Chorus: Finding Harmony with Whales, Wolves, and Other Animals
Peterson is the author of several books, including Build Me an Ark, “which I loved,” said Henkes. In this collection, Peterson tells stories of a life of interactions with animals both mundane and exotic. She also explores the wisdom we might glean from such interactions in our stressful, changing world. “She’ll have a story about whales, for instance, but then she’ll talk about raccoons in her neighborhood,” said Henkes. “She just has a great way of presenting either the animal or scene and helping to make you feel connected to it.” $24.95
Alpine Rising (Mountaineers Books)
Lovers of climbing and high mountains know the names of alpinists such as Maurice Herzog, the first man to reach the summit of Annapurna. But how many of us know the name Ang Tharkay? asks Bernadette McDonald. He was a Sherpa who carried the frostbitten Herzog on his back for miles. The conquest of tall peaks is filled with such forgotten stories. In Alpine Rising, McDonald, author of several books on alpinism, rescues these heroes from obscurity. She also looks to the current moment and documents the local climbers who are setting the records. Sales benefit the Khumbu Climbing Center (Nepal) and the ASCEND climbing program for girls (Pakistan). $29.95.
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan (Knopf)
In 2017, the novelist Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club) started birding. Soon she kept a journal of her sightings. Then the pandemic hit, and like the rest of us, Tan spent a good deal of time poking around her backyard looking at birds. “The book is laid out in sort of a journal form: Every other page is a different day and a different observation,” said Henkes. “And I had no idea that Tan is a very accomplished artist. She includes in the book her field sketches of the different birds that she has seen.” The result is “an ebullient nature lover’s paean to birds,” said Kirkus Reviews. The author discovers such wonder right at home and helps us feel that we can too, Henkes said. “That’s what really resonated with me: I’m a novice birder, so any time I’m going outside, I’m always listening to see what birds might be around,” he said. $35
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