Ken McAlpine

"Our life is frittered away by detail," wrote Thoreau. Ken McAlpine took this admonishment to heart and spent a year living apart from society, whittling life down to determine what are the most important things. "Islands Apart" is his memoir of this year, spent in part on Channel Islands National Park and in part talking to people living on the fringes of American society.

McAlpine's premise is solid, and his descriptions of camping in solitude on the Channel Islands are vivid. show more Nature-lovers, particularly birders, will revel in his descriptions of wildlife found only off the coast of California. In addition, everyone who has ever asked, "Why are we all moving so fast?" will appreciate McAlpine's struggles with the same.

Chapters regaling readers with McAlpine's Channel Islands experiences -- both sober and hilarious -- are interrupted by chapters outlining his ventures into the fringes of society. The author spends time at a monastery, with the homeless, and in other venues. Unfortunately, these detract from, rather than enhancing, the writings about McAlpine's time spent in reflection on the Channel Islands, and the relationship between what seem to be two entirely separate books is tenuous. Nonetheless, one leaves this book appreciating daily life and a bit more aware of the dangers of living so intently that one misses out on life altogether. show less

This book is exactly the kind of thing I have been thinking and talking about for the past few months. Exactly what kind of impact does our "advanced culture" have on our lives? We are all so disconnected from nature and quiet and one-to-one contact that it is poisoning us in so many ways. Mr. McAlpine has done a wonderful thing - he has written a book that is thought-provoking, funny, and insightful without being preachy or snarky. I absolutely loved it! I'll be heading to my nearest show more bookstore and buying copies for presents. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't take something away from this book. Thank you, LTER, for gifting this book to me! show less

More than just a travel book, Islands Apart is a rumination on what it means to be human in today's society and our often too tenuous bond with nature. Frustrated by the way civilization cuts him off from the natural world, Ken McAlpine decides to spend some time alone with nature, camping for one week on each of the Channel Islands. In between camping trips, he visits fellow humans who are dealing with the challenges of society and solitude. Although a fine book could have been written just show more about his experiences on the islands, by interweaving his time with other humans, McAlpine gives the book a much wider appeal. This is not just a book about nature and how we spend time in it, it is a look at how our civilization affects our inner lives. At the same time, it is not overly serious, displaying a fine sense of humor that keeps the book from becoming preachy or pompous. show less

“Islands Apart”, by Ken McAlpine, is a wonderful new book, due out in July.
Spurred by the realization that the milky way is hidden by city lights, McAlpine decides to find the time and space to view it. At the same time, he examines our society’s penchant for rushing through life without savoring it.
Spending a week on each of the Channel Islands off California’s coast, he finds the solitude he seeks in order to “breathe slowly and think clearly, to examine how we live, and what show more we live for”.
McAlpine’s descriptions of the islands’ scenery and wildlife is often poetic and prompts questions of our true relation to the natural world.
Between island trips, he visits various locales near home, with an eye to rediscovery. His interactions with people from Hollywood Boulevard street characters to a Benedictine monk are thought-provoking and insightful.
This is not a preachy, moralizing book. In his quest to “examine our busy world and our place in it”, McAlpine simply observes and shares his thoughts, often with great humor. Think Bill Bryson meets Thoreau. show less