This volume investigates the evolving political, cultural, and intellectual frameworks that have defined American perceptions of wilderness from the era of first contact to the contemporary period. Michael W. Lewis compiles a series of original essays that challenge the notion of a singular, unified history of the American wilderness. By presenting a collection of competing interpretations, the text provides a multi-faceted analysis of how historical context shapes environmental ideology and policy.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this volume as a significant contribution to the field of environmental history for its refusal to impose a single, reductive narrative. Experts highlight the text as a useful resource for understanding the complex, often contradictory ways American society has conceptualized and interacted with its natural environment.