Learning the Valley: Excursions into the Shenandoah Valley (Non Series) by John Leland - 2010

Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press, 2010. Book. Near Fine. Hardcover. 1st. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Learning the Valley: Excursions into the Shenandoah Valley (Non Series), 134pp including index, In Learning the Valley, award-winning nature writer John Leland guides readers through the natural and human history of the Shenandoah Valley in twenty-five short essays on topics ranging from poison ivy and maple syrup to Stonewall Jackson and spelunking. Undergirding this dynamic narrative of place and time is a tale of self-discovery and relationship building as Leland's excursions into the valley lead him to a new awareness of himself and strengthen his bond with his young son, Edward. Spanning some two hundred miles through the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains in western Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley is the prehistoric home of mastodons and giants sloths, the site of a storied Civil War campaign, and now a popular destination for outdoor adventures to be had beneath the oaks, chestnuts, hickories, maples, and centuries-old cedars..