Adam Sowards

5 days ago | history.com | Adam Sowards

The 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption wrecked landscapes and took human life, but left many ecological lessons in its wake. Corbis via Getty ImagesPublished: May 09, 2025Last Updated: May 09, 2025After rumbling all spring, Mount St. Helens finally erupted at 8:32 on Sunday morning, May 18, 1980. When President Jimmy Carter flew over the area a few days later, he called the destruction “formidable.” What followed—the response and the ecosystem's recovery—also proved impressive.

Jan 22, 2025 | adamsowards.substack.com | Adam Sowards

The story of Grant McConnell (1915-1993) is one of convergences. It also is the story of someone who fell in love with a place, a type of affection whose depth transformed his academic career and catalyzed activism on behalf of a spectacular landscape: the North Cascades. Taking Bearings is supported by readers. To support my research and writing, please subscribe and consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Jan 15, 2025 | adamsowards.substack.com | Adam Sowards

This bonus newsletter is a monthly feature for paid subscribers. These extras showcase edited interviews with someone whose work intersects in some way with this newsletter’s focus—place, history, writing. I hope you enjoy this one and those to come. Taking Bearings is supported by readers. To support my research and writing, please subscribe and consider becoming a paid subscriber. At a mutual friend’s house about 15 years ago, I first met David A. Greenwood.

Jan 15, 2025 | adamsowards.substack.com | Adam Sowards

The teacher appears when the student is ready. This sentiment originates in Buddhist teachings, but it applies more broadly. In this case, the teacher was Barry Lopez, and I was the student by way of an archived 36-year-old letter to a different writer, Stephen Trimble. Serendipity makes for good stories—and sometimes useful writing advice. Taking Bearings is supported by readers. To support my research and writing, please subscribe and consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Jan 8, 2025 | adamsowards.substack.com | Adam Sowards

It is New Year’s season. The calendar stretches ahead of us, blank and encouraging. People resolve to cultivate new habits—more exercise, meditation, reading; less procrastination, social media, gossiping. A new beginning promises a New You™!Inevitably, we don’t do everything we intend. But the solution is simply to Begin Again, an inspiration with many roots. Taking Bearings is supported by readers. To support my research and writing, please subscribe and consider becoming a paid subscriber.