The Backwoods of Everywhere

"Mixing fighting words and wonder, Burrillo extends the boundaries of ‘backwoods’ to back yards, city riots, and the depth of the Grand Canyon. He reminds us to be vexed, amused, and serious about the mark we put on the world."
—CRAIG CHILDS, author of Tracing Time and Virga & Bone

"An entertaining wander through some serious topics—whiteness and racism, land use and abuse, and how our pasts shape and follow us. Burrillo is part philosopher, part activist as he explores numerous rabbit trails, but he shines most brightly when he returns to his beloved path of archaeology and Indigenous people, providing original insight, irony, and wit."
—JULIA CORBETT, author of Out of the Woods and Communicating the Climate Crisis

"An eclectic constellation of essays inspired by the author’s deep love of place, The Backwoods of Everywhere leads us into fascinating landscapes while compelling us to reassess both their exploitation and their preservation. By turns bracing and meditative, Burrillo’s compelling narrative voice illuminates how adventures far afield can inspire us to a vital reimagination of our concept of home."
—MICHAEL P. BRANCH, author of On the Trail of the Jackalope

"This collection of essays begs the question, is so-called progress worthwhile when it’s to the detriment of the natural world? Tongue-in-cheek references throughout bring levity to the subject matter as readers consider the thin line between appreciation and exploitation of our rapidly dwindling resources or how a place becomes a home. A timely reminder that we are living on stolen land and borrowed time.”
—MACKENZIE CHASE, Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine