“Go Find: My Journey to Find the Lost – and Myself” is the topic of the next discussion of the UP Notable Book Club on Thursday on Zoom. The author, Susan Purvis, is a former Marquette resident. (Courtesy photo of the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association)
MARQUETTE – Former Marquette resident Susan Purvis will speak about her award-winning memoir “Go Find: My journey to find the lost – and myself” at the next UP Notable Book Club event on Thursday.
The Crystal Falls Community District Library, in partnership with the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association, has planned authoring events with UP Notable Book List winners.
The next discussion, on “Find it,” starts on Thursday at 7 p.m. on the Zoom platform. Attendees are asked to contact Evelyn Gathu prior to the event at egathu@uproc.lib.mi.us or 906-875-3344. It is recommended that they borrow a copy of the book from a local library or purchase it in advance from a local bookseller in order to get the most out of these events.
“Go Find: My journey to find the lost – and myself” recounts Purvis’ rescues with Tasha, her black Labrador, in some of the most dangerous ski areas in the north. The events are available to all UP residents free of charge.
The UPPAA provided a description of the book.
“Somewhere between looking for gold in Latin America as a geologist and marrying a new husband, 33-year-old Susan Purvis is lost.
“Susan believes that having a puppy and working on the slopes at the last major ski resort in Colorado will make her life better. When she learns of avalanches that people spill without warning, she challenges herself, “What if I teach a dog to save lives?” This quest drives them to train the best search dog possible and vows not to leave anyone behind.
“With no idea how to care for a houseplant, let alone a dog, she chooses Tasha, a five-week-old Labrador retriever. With the face of a baby bear and the temperament of an NFL linebacker, Tasha constantly tests Susan’s determination to turn her into a rescue dog. Susan and Tasha jockey for alpha as they pursue certification in avalanche, water and wilderness recovery. Susan eventually learns to really communicate with Tasha by seeing the world through her dog’s nose. “
As the first female team in a male-dominated search and rescue community, they encounter resistance at every turn, the description says. You don’t get paid “Even a bag of nibbles for your efforts”, Still, they embark on dozens of missions to rescue missing people or recover the remains of victims of nature and crime.
“Training with Tasha on site to find, rescue and rescue the lost became Susan’s passion.” according to synopsis. “But it was also her fact – she was in many ways as lost as anyone she’s ever been lifted out of an avalanche or found huddled in the woods. ‘Lostness’ doesn’t just refer to losing track. People can get lost in a relationship, business, or life.
An expert in wilderness medicine and an exceptional speaker, Purvis worked on film sets for the National Geographic Channel, truTV, and appeared in science documentaries, “The hottest place in the world” aired on BBC and Discovery. She has been featured or cited in the Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, CNN, and numerous magazines and newspaper articles.
Since 1998, Purvis has owned and operated Crested Butte Outdoors International based in Whitefish, Montana. Her mission is to teach students to think critically in unconventional environments.
Purvis teaches high altitude medicine for the local mountain guides of Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest and was a medic in a remote encampment and icebreaker in Antarctica, explored for gold in the Dominican Republic and produced a documentary in the Amazon jungle.
She also worked at an emergency ski clinic in Crested Butte for a decade, where she also worked as a professional ski patrol, guide, K-9 avalanche expert, and search and rescue member. Purvis has been named Marmot’s Brand Ambassador and received congressional recognition for her role in avalanche search and rescue.
“Find it” has received many positive reviews on Amazon including:
≤ “If it’s true that you have to get lost to be found, this book is my new introduction.” – Laura Munson, New York Times bestselling author of “This is not the story you are thinking, ”and founder of Haven Writing Retreats.
≤ “This is so much more than a dog story. Susan Purvis takes you on an exciting and turbulent journey of high mountain search and rescue. A hike with ups and downs that also becomes a metaphor for life and relationships. Your moving, humorous and genuine writing style will inspire you. Read it and you will discover. ”- Dale Atkins, past president of the American Avalanche Association.
≤ “Susan Purvis captured the essence of a personal journey we all take to find our own truth. From the high Himalayas to the Montana wilderness, Sue led a life of service as she sought her true path. And she found clarity in the loyalty and determination of an avalanche rescue dog. ‘Go Find’ is a gem! ”- Jennifer Lowe-Anker, author of “Don’t forget me: a memory.”
For more information about the UP Notable Book List, UP Book Review, and UPPAA, please visit www.UPNotable.com.
Latest news and more in your inbox
Comments are closed.