David B. Williams with Lynda V. Mapes — ‘In the Range of Fire and Ice’

Third Place Books and the North Cascades Institute welcome back David B. Williams for a conversation about his new book, In the Range of Fire and Ice: A Human and Natural History of Washington’s Cascades, as part of our fall 2026 Nature of Writing Series. Author and environmental journalist Lynda V. Mapes joins in conversation.

Blending human and natural history into a vivid portrait of one of North America’s most dynamic landscapes, In the Range of Fire and Ice is a lively, groundbreaking exploration of Washington’s Cascade Range. This encyclopedic, celebratory book—illustrated with a blend of historical and modern photographs—is Williams’ richest since Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound.

This event is free and open to the public. For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

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A deep appreciation for the transformative power of literature and art has been at the heart of North Cascades Institute since the very beginning. The humanities provide important lenses through which we inhabit and understand our shared landscapes. Our Nature of Writing Speaker Series celebrates the creative minds illuminating the natural world with the turn of a page.

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About In the Range of Fire and Ice. . .

Blending human and natural history into a vivid portrait of one of North America’s most dynamic landscapes, In the Range of Fire and Ice is a lively, groundbreaking exploration of Washington’s Cascade Range. Drawing on conversations with anthropologists, park rangers, ecologists, and climate scientists, as well as firsthand experience, award-winning author David B. Williams brings readers into the mountains to uncover stories etched in the landscape over millennia.

From traditional Indigenous huckleberry harvesting grounds and ancient footpaths to erupting volcanoes, shifting glaciers, and forgotten mining camps, In the Range of Fire and Ice reveals the Cascades as a place of both deep time and constant change. While past logging, mining, and fires left lasting scars, the Cascades also tell powerful stories of recovery and resilience–returning wolverines and wolves, the remarkable rebirth of Mount St. Helens, and growing stewardship in the face of climate change. Through rich storytelling and careful research, Williams invites readers to see the Cascades not only as mountains, but as a living, evolving realm of fire, ice, and hope.

David B. Williams is an author, naturalist, and tour guide. He is the author of numerous books, including the award-winning Homewaters: A Human and Natural History of Puget Sound plus Wild in Seattle: Stories at the Crossroads of People and Nature; Cairns: Messengers in Stone; Stories in Stone: Travels Through Urban Geology; and Waterway: The Story of Seattle’s Ship Canal and Locks, the latter two of which were finalists for the Washington State Book Award. Williams writes a free weekly Substack newsletter, the Street Smart Naturalist. He lives in Seattle. Learn more at geologywriter.com.

Lynda Mapes for 27 years was a staff reporter at The Seattle Times, specializing in coverage of the environment and Indigenous cultures and governments. She has been awarded numerous fellowships and honors, including twice winning the international KAVLI gold award for science journalism from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest professional science association. Lynda and two of her colleagues at the Times also were finalists for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting. She has written seven books and is the winner of the 2021 National Outdoor Book Award, and 2021 Washington State Book Award for non-fiction.

About Third Place Books

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle’s Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events