"A superb study of the implementation of the Wilderness Act, and a springboard for a new period in wilderness thought and advocacy."

James Turner's insightful book demonstrates the continued vitality and centrality of wilderness within American environmentalism.

"The Promise of Wilderness is an epic history of the heart, soul, and mind of the wilderness community over the last fifty years. Through personal stories of legendary conservation heroes, it provides a primer for all who work to protect special places. But even more, it is the story of the significant differences—the deep divide— over the seminal question: what is the role of the State in providing for the public good? This is the question before us today in our polarized political world—and the question we must answer in each conservation policy and political debate. Jay Turner reminds us frequently that in our democratic society 'all politics are local.' The Promise of Wilderness comes from the good will and passion of 'local' people who work for the public good to protect the few remaining wild places in this country."

"The most deeply researched, analytically rigorous, and elegantly written study of American wilderness politics since the 1960s yet produced."

"The Promise of Wilderness is an epic history of the heart, soul, and mind of the wilderness community over the last fifty years. Through personal stories of legendary conservation heroes, it provides a primer for all who work to protect special places. But even more, it is the story of the significant differences—the deep divide— over the seminal question: what is the role of the State in providing for the public good? This is the question before us today in our polarized political world—and the question we must answer in each conservation policy and political debate. Jay Turner reminds us frequently that in our democratic society 'all politics are local.' The Promise of Wilderness comes from the good will and passion of 'local' people who work for the public good to protect the few remaining wild places in this country."—William H. Meadows, Former President, The Wilderness Society

"A new crop of conservation historians is pushing up new interpretations of wilderness conservation. Jay Turner is a star of these new historians and his book, The Promise of Wilderness, well deserves reading by anyone who loves wilderness and wants to keep it. I hope it sparks lively discussion around the campfire."—Dave Foreman, author of Rewilding North America and founder of The Rewilding Institute

"James Turner's insightful book demonstrates the continued vitality and centrality of wilderness within American environmentalism."—Mark Harvey, author of Wilderness Forever: Howard Zahniser and the Path to the Wilderness Act

"A superb study of the implementation of the Wilderness Act, and a springboard for a new period in wilderness thought and advocacy."—Paul Sutter, author of Driven Wild: How the Fight Against Automobiles Launched the Modern Wilderness Movement

"The most deeply researched, analytically rigorous, and elegantly written study of American wilderness politics since the 1960s yet produced."—William Cronon , from the Foreword

A new crop of conservation historians is pushing up new interpretations of wilderness conservation. Jay Turner is a star of these new historians and his book, The Promise of Wilderness, well deserves reading by anyone who loves wilderness and wants to keep it. I hope it sparks lively discussion around the campfire.