Masterfully presented, three American wildernesses hang in the balance between David Brower - ‘the most militant conservationist in the world’ - and a series of antagonists, each experts in their fields, who stand to gain monumentally from their pursuits. While this could easily fall into a black and white struggle between a hero of the natural world and the villains who want to its beauty, Encounters does something far more extraordinary. McPhee shows each of these characters as they are: ambitious, intelligent, and multifaceted men who are doing what they think is best for the world. The reader is left to decide. No less remarkable is David Brower who defies all expectations - and manages to turn insurmountable odds to his side.