Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, And Dying In The National Parks by Andrea Lankford

Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks by Andrea Lankford is a memoir that offers an inside look at the life of a U.S. National Park Ranger. Lankford, a former ranger herself, shares her personal experiences from her time working in some of the most famous and remote national parks in the United States, such as Grand Canyon and Zion. The book provides a candid, often gritty portrayal of the challenges, dangers, and rewards of working in the national parks, as well as the emotional and physical toll it takes on those who dedicate their lives to preserving and protecting these natural spaces.

The memoir is structured around Lankford's experiences on the job, detailing the many facets of park ranger work, from law enforcement and search-and-rescue missions to managing visitor safety and dealing with the aftermath of accidents or deaths in the parks. Lankford discusses the complex and sometimes dangerous situations that rangers face, including navigating remote wilderness areas, dealing with lawbreakers, and responding to emergencies, all while balancing the need to educate visitors and preserve the environment.

One of the central themes of Ranger Confidential is the intense and often dangerous nature of the work that park rangers do. Lankford recounts a number of harrowing stories from her own career, including the physical dangers of working in rugged terrain, the emotional weight of responding to accidents and fatalities, and the personal sacrifices required to live and work in isolated and often harsh environments. She also highlights the deep sense of commitment and pride that comes with the job, despite the many challenges rangers face.

We opened the discussion by talking about our experiences with the National Parks: Which have we been to? Which were our favorites?

As the book intended, we were shocked by what happens behind the scenes, and Lankford writes in such significant detail that the raw and gritty accounts were uncomfortable to read at times. Among the surprising revelations were 1) the countless deaths that occur (through suicide or by accident) and 2) the amount of rescue missions that the rangers must perform. It was not surprising to know that tourists often make poor decisions (often for a selfie), and part of our discussion was why that is. We discussed how National Parks have made nature very accessible to people of all ages and experience levels, giving under-experienced visitors the illusion that they can do more difficult excursions that perhaps possible.

Throughout the book, Lankford also details the sexism she and others experienced in the workplace, with women seen as “test cases” to see if they could do the job, often struggling to gain the same respect as men. Finally, and tragically, she ends with the death of her colleague, a person whom we connected with throughout the book which stunned us all. Is Lankford justified in feeling jaded and angry?

Complaints regarding this book were strictly on the chronology in which events were told. The story perspective toggled between different people and events were not in sequence, often jumping forward and backward through the decades. If anything, this book deterred members from wanting to visit the parks or become a park ranger.

Group mean rating: 7.1/10