Land Elsewhere

Trade Paper Original | ISBN: 9798890920492 | Nonfiction | $17.95 | 200 pp | Trim: 5.25 x 8” | February 2027

What happens when you're truly immersed in the wilderness? What can be born from stillness?

Eytan Pol longs for wildness and open space after growing up amid the highly cultivated lands and dense cities of the Netherlands. Drawn to the vast landscapes of the American Southwest, he arrives at Capitol Reef National Park in January 2020, eager to experience the iconic redrock country as a volunteer park ranger. But just as he starts to settle in, the world shifts. The park shuts down and no visitors are allowed for nearly two months so Pol now checks on trails populated by lizards, snakes, birds, and ever- changing desert light. 

In this quiet wilderness, Pol’s journey takes an unexpected turn as he faces the raw power of nature and deep challenges of self-discovery in a world that’s suddenly come to a halt. With a newcomer’s fresh eyes, he learns the value and wonders of American public lands.

EYTAN POL received a PhD from Texas Tech University, where he studied American literature. Pol teaches at New Mexico Tech and lives in Socorro, New Mexico, with his wife and daughter.