John S. Farnsworth, PhD, is Senior Lecturer in Environmental Studies and Sciences, Emeritus. Since his retirement in 2018, he has published two books, Coves of Departure: Field Notes from the Sea of Cortes, and Nature Beyond Solitude: Notes from the Field. His forthcoming book, Reading Nature: The Evolution of American Nature Writing, will be released in the spring of 2025.  He lives on an island in the San Juan archipelago in the Salish Sea, where he continues to practice folk guitar and write about nature.