Walt McLaughlin has a degree in philosophy but insists that his thoughts regarding the relationship between humankind and nature arise from his extensive backcountry experiences. He has a dozen books in print, including a narrative about his immersion in the Alaskan bush, Arguing with the Wind, and one about hiking though the Adirondacks, The Allure of Deep Woods. He is also the driving force behind a small press called Wood Thrush Books. He lives in Vermont.