Book Description: When naturalist Heinrich sets out for a year in the wilds of Maine accompanied only by his pet raven, Jack, readers everywhere will want to tag along. Looking for the answers to life's questions in the richness of one small place, he settles into a rustic log cabin. There is research to be done - on songbirds, insects, and mosses; but there is also life to be lived - chopping wood, carrying water, and planting a garden. By melding his own life with the life of the Maine wilderness, Heinrich finds meaning within this complex fabric far beyond our ordinary perceptions. Throughout this year where "the subtle matters and the spectacular distracts," he brings us back to the drama in small things, when life is lived consciously. "Quirky, unassuming, humorous, enlightening, and just a little bizarre." (Washington Post Book World)