Defending Wild Washington: A Citizen's Action Guide. E. Whitesell, ed. 2004. The Mountaineers Books, Seattle. 384 pp. $19.95 paperback.

Good advice on saving wild Washington: Buy this book! Not only is it an invaluable guide to the practical politics of protecting wilderness areas in Washington State, but it also provides a comprehensive overview of the state's geography, environmental history, complex and diverse ecology, and rich history of environmental activism. Of most importance, Defending Wild Washington provides sound and useful advice on what can and should be done now to protect Washington's remaining wilderness areas. This work is the impressive product of a team of students at The Evergreen State College, led by Environmental Studies faculty member Edward Whitesell and visiting professor Benjamin Shaine, who did extensive research on virtually every key aspect of Washington State's ecology. Defending Wild Washington is especially powerful and instructive in telling the individual stories of the long-term, passionate work of environmental activists, past and present, in protecting and reviving Washington's wild places.