May 2026 Reading: The Wild Dark by Craig Childs

You're invited to participate in the Wilderness Reading Group, led by the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA). We delve into topics related to the outdoors, nature, and wilderness through reading, contemplation, and discussion - with a new book pick every other month!

For May 2026, we're reading the book The Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light by Craig Childs

At a time when most people on Earth live in regions of acute light pollution, Craig Childs takes us on a journey to rediscover the awesome power of night itself. A night sky is not an absence of light; it is the presence of the universe. In The Wild Dark, master storyteller Craig Childs embarks on a quest to bike from the blinding lights of the Las Vegas Strip to one of the darkest spots in North America. Childs is a fearless explorer of both the natural world and the human imagination, making him the perfect guide to help us rediscover the heavens and to ask: "What does it do to us to not see the night sky?" In a book that is at once an adventure story, a field guide, and a celebration of wonder, Childs invites us to look up and to look inward, eyes wide and sparkling with stars.

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You're invited to participate in the Wilderness Reading Group, led by the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA). We delve into topics related to the outdoors, nature, and wilderness through reading, contemplation, and discussion. We'll gain a deeper understanding of wilderness through fiction and non-fiction selections, including works by renowned authors such as Aldo Leopold, Timothy Egan, Robin Wall Kimmerer, Wallace Stegner, Terry Tempest Williams, Edward Abbey, E.O. Wilson, and others. Check out past readings on our Blog Reading list!

The reading group meets every other month, in person, in Boulder, Colorado. All are welcome (IPWA and the general public). Please RSVP. Even if you haven't finished the book selection, feel free to join us for informal conversations where we reflect on the book, answer discussion questions, and foster connections with each other.

These books are widely available at local libraries, online library apps (such as Libby), bookstores (including our favorite local independent bookstore, Boulder Bookstore), and online retailers.

Please consider joining us for an upcoming Reading Group gathering at the Rayback Collective, in Boulder, CO! We'll share our reflections about the book and our own experiences. All are welcome (IPWA and the general public). If the weather is good, we'll be at one of the picnic tables in the courtyard. Beverages and food are available from the Rayback Collection and various rotating food trucks.

Check out our Events page for upcoming dates!

Thursday May 28th, 2026 - The Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light by Craig Childs - 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Reading Group Gathering at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here