That’s not to say that he doesn’t have something new and important to add to the fire. As one of the last of his kind, Connors uses the solitary time reflecting on the place of humankind in both the modern and natural world. “The life of a lookout is a blend of monotony, geometry and poetry, with healthy dollops of frivolity and sloth,” he writes. “It’s a life that encourages thrift and self-sufficiency … To be solitary in such a place in such a way is not to be alone. Instead, one feels a certain kind of dignity.”
Philip Connors: Fire Season @ Sam Weller’s Bookstore, 254 S. Main, 801-328-2586, April 9, 6 p.m., free. SamWellers.com