A review by liberrydude
Phenomenal: A Hesitant Adventurer's Search for Wonder in the Natural World by Leigh Ann Henion

5.0

Aptly named. This book is phenomenal. Henion is a on a quest or should I say many quests. She is a seeker. But what is she seeking? Is it the truth like the recently reissued X-Files? Perhaps. But she is a seeker of mystery and meaning. She beautifully blends the experience of travel with philosophy while she recounts her personal challenges. Great travel writing with soul. Reminds me of Pico Iyer or Bruce Chatwin. Also Kathleen Norris' Dakota: a Spiritual Geography. She is a seeker of phenomenal experiences some of which I had no previous knowledge. I've been to Puerto Rico but knew nothing of the bioluminescence of Vieques Island nor did I know about the daily lightning storms at Lake Maracaibo. Other trips are more familiar like the Northern Lights, eclipse chasing, and pilgrimages to volcanoes. I was left with a sense of wonder too after reading this book and I wonder what she has in store for us in her next book. I eagerly await it.