My husband Jonathan and I have written many natural history and outdoor adventure travel books together. He has written several on his own, and I have published one title by myself.
Our books are very special to us, especially our nature books, because each one represents a real part of us ~ a passion for a place, for wild things, for wildness. The creative process for writing a book is the same as that for creating jewelry, cutting a cabochon, or even cooking ~ it is a sum of many parts, carefully wrought, over time, into a final work to be shared.
All of our nature books combine our writing and artistic skills, and most of them drew upon my daily nature journals. We each write separate chapters, or we alternate writing sections or sidebars. Jonathan is a wonderful scientific illustrator, and I field sketch. Below are some of our nature books, and reviews from fellow naturalists, authors, and media. I've also added a few scans of almanac pages, and click here to hear a reading by me for a radio program in Tucson, of the introduction to the month of May.
A full list of our work is on our JandRHanson.com website, here.
"An exquisite guide book for what to look for in this intriguing area." - Jim Harrison
"This book is vibrant with fresh insights into a landscape that many of us barely know but already love." - Gary Paul Nabhan
"A reference guide both scientifically accurate and immediately understandable . . . a welcome addition to all bookshelves and backpacks." - Tucson Weekly
"The Hansons analyze, categorize, and bring to life every month of the year." - Tucson Citizen
"A valuable reference tool for both casual and detailed scientific inquiry." - Desert Leaf
"An abundance of information in short and sprightly bites, adding up to a definitive guide." - Santa Cruz Valley Sun
"Someone recommended this book to me when I first moved to Tucson after living 'up north' all my life. I had relocated to Arizona for a job and was in somewhat of a state of culture shock at the lack of green grass, no four seasons, etc. This book was a real god-send for me. It breaks the year into 12 months and describes what is happening in the environment in terms of climate, wildlife, plant life, and the constellations. It is filled with fun-facts and things to do and watch for, so adults and children alike will find this book fun and interesting to read. It is fascinating learning about the uniqueness of the Sonoran desert and it made me really appreciate how incredible and diverse it really is! I now recommend this book to everyone (native or newcomer) and buy it regularly as a 'welcome' gift to my colleagues that relocate here from other parts of the country. I highly recommend it." - B. Gores, Amazon.com review
"To adequately describe a place like the San Pedro River, if such a complex and fascinating place can ever be adequately described, one must know it like an old friend. To reach that level of familiarity, one has to have spent countless hours with the place, gaining an intimate knowledge of the multitudes of nuances and wonders to which the casual visitor will be oblivious.
If a person gains such a level of understanding of a great natural area, and if that person happens to be an accomplished writer, a worthwhile and entertaining book may be the result, if we, the readers, are lucky. Fortunately, that is precisely what has happened in the case of the book, The San Pedro River, by Roseann Hanson.
Few areas in our country are more biologically rich than the San Pedro River. This small river and the riparian forest that surrounds it are home to more species of wild animals than virtually any other area of equal size on the North American Continent. Nearly 400 species of birds have been seen there. The San Pedro was named one of the Last Great Places in the Northern Hemisphere by the Nature Conservancy. Having been there, I would not hesitate to drive thousands of miles to walk its banks again.
Ms. Hanson knows the San Pedro River from having roamed its forests over much of her life. Too, she is an alert observer and an excellent writer with a deep understanding of people and wildlife, and a real gift for description. Her rendition of the call of a yellow-billed cuckoo was so well done that I instantly recognized the bird before reading its name later in the text. I could hear the call; it took me back to the West Virginia Appalachians where I grew up, and to the haunting song of what we then called the rain crow.
If you have any interest in birding, in wildlife, in ecology, in the Southwest, in the preservation of certain of our most precious natural areas, or in the San Pedro River itself, or if you simply have a desire to sit down and read something that can transport you to an incredibly interesting outdoor area, buy at least two copies of this book. You'll want to share it with friends, and you won't want to be without a copy yourself." - Amazon.com review
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In summer 2009 Jonathan and I are starting a new book project together, a natural history journal and essays on our years as naturalists in the remote Brown Canyon, on a national wildlife refuge. And Jonathan is still working on his book of short stories. I will be publishing these titles through my company, ConserVentures, under the impress Natural Selection Press.
I will have a few of our books available for sale soon, and meanwhile please buy our books from your favorite independent bookseller or Amazon.com.
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