The Waters Between Us

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What to expect

A charming and delightful reminiscence of growing up loving the woods, waters, fields, and fauna of Massachusetts by Michael Tougias, New York Times bestselling author of The Finest Hours, Overboard!, and Fatal Forecast.

Untamed. Unsupervised. Uncontrolled.

Boyhood in the 1960s and ’70s was a time for exploration and mischief. Author Michael Tougias found more than his share of misadventures in the woods and on the water: some life-threatening but others innocently hilarious.

Over time—and after reading a multitude of adventure books—these experiences took shape in his quest to be a mountain man, owning a cabin in the forest and living off the land. Part of that dream would come true but only after a family tragedy that shook his world and forced changes in his life.

This is also a story of a complex and strained relationship between father and son, the efforts at understanding, and ultimately respect and devotion.

In The Waters Between Us Tougias channels Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods to mix laugh out loud humor with insight into the natural world through the eyes of a curious boy.

Critics Review

  • “A song of praise to the outdoors, an apology for boyhood misunderstandings, and a loving appreciation for a father whose grace, joy, and kindness…quietly nurtured them both.”

    Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author
  • “The thing Mr. Tougias credits with saving him from more serious trouble—is his love of the outdoors, a dynamo of fascination and adventure, a place that draws him back endlessly.”

    Wall Street Journal
  • “Celebrates a time before cell phones and social media cluttered our lives, when a kid could…find high adventure in the woods and streams around him.”

    Stephen Sautner, author of A Cast in the Woods
  • “The natural world is Michael’s place of inspiration, solace, and healing, and this book will take you there too.”

    Tom Reed, author of Give Me Mountains for My Horses

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