"Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks" by Andrea Lankford

I read the original and well put together book "Haunted Hikes" by Andrea Lankford and really enjoyed it.  I saw that she also wrote another book about her time in the National Parks.  It looked interesting too so I read that one recently and really enjoyed it too!

First off "Ranger Confidential:  Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks" really delivers with what it's title suggests.  This is a very open, honest and human book about what its like to be a ranger in the National Parks.  Andrea tells her very personal at times stories about getting her foot in the door as a ranger, and she talks about her friends experiences too.

AND, like her book "Haunted Hikes"...  this one gets a little dark.  The book covers a lot of first hand accounts of people dying in the parks.  Like, a lot of them.  There are falls, plane crashes and other deaths.  Andrea talks about how a 1993 movie influenced suicides at the Grand Canyon.  There is a crazy story involving a BASE jumper's death during a protest at Yosemite.  The jumper was protesting the park trying to keep people from BASE jumping for their safety.

There are some sweet stories too.  The author talks about trying to save turtles and helping them survive.  She talks about horses knowing when to help with ranger work.  There are some great stories of survival and rescue.

The book does end on a tragic note as a close friend dies.

This is just a well done book though, lots of honesty and ups and downs.  I really enjoyed reading it and, like Andrea's other book I mentioned, this one also gets my highest possible recommendation.