Review
Climate change is one of those topics that can put you straight to sleep if you're not the type who's drawn to technical jargon and scientific journals. It's also often spoken of in sweeping terms that don't necessarily make the average person feel connected to specific impacts; numbers tend to feel a little lifeless on their own. With DEEP, though, Porter Fox changes that. He takes a subject that touches everyone on Earth and finds a way to tether it to the individual -- in this case, individuals who like to click into a pair of skis or strap into a snowboard. And while we don't all have the good fortune of living full-time in a ski town, many of us do escape to the slopes when we can, a couple times a winter, or at least venture out in the name of A Family Vacation once in a while. The effect global warming could have on the world's snowpack is but one facet of a much larger issue, but it is a way in -- a path to understanding -- for some who might otherwise pay little attention to the news reports. For those already engaged with the climate change discussion, DEEP can serve to, well, deepen their comprehension of just how far the ripple effect extends. Fox does an admirable job of weaving the scientific with the social; he adds value to the conversation by focusing in on a segment of the population who has it in them to contribute to a solution. --Bonobo_girl
Porter Fox is one of the few writers whose byline will make me drop everything to read the story. His gift of language and detail is nothing short of extraordinary. In Deep, he takes his skills to the next logical step--a book that captures a culture and a climatic change on our planet that will affect all of our lives with an increasing immediacy in the years to come. This book is an instant classic for the heartbreaking true story at its core, and a must-read for adventure enthusiasts, epic tale fans, and for environmentalists of all stripes who possess an empirical mind. This book is the Perfect Storm for skiing, and maybe, for mankind. --Peter Kray
While there are plenty of alarmist books about our future in the face of climate change, Porter paints a truly beautiful picture of the role snow plays in all our lives, whether we ski and snowboard or not, as well as connects the reader with the deep and beautiful culture of skiing in a way that matches the kind of in-depth connection an author like Jon Krakauer makes with the culture of climbing and mountaineering and the audience - a treatment that has yet to be given to snow sliders before. It is a touching read on its own that will hopefully motivate readers of the book to engage in protecting the future of this planet for the myriad services and benefits it gives to us and our children. --Ryan Dunfee
About the Author
Porter Fox was born in New York and raised on the coast of Maine. He lives, writes, teaches and edits the literary travel writing journal, Nowhere, (nowheremag.com) in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated with an MFA in fiction from The New School in 2004. His fiction, essays and nonfiction have been published in The New York Times Magazine, The Believer, Powder, Outside, Men's Journal, National Geographic Adventure, Salon.com, Narrative, The Literary Review, Northwest Review, Third Coast and Conjunctions, among others. He has been anthologized in Best American Travel Writing, recognized by Best American Essays, nominated for two Pushcart Prizes and was a finalist for the 2009 Robert Olen Butler Fiction Prize. He recently completed his first collection of short stories and is working on a travel narrative set on the coast of Maine and an anthology of short fiction with poet, Larry Fagin. He has edited and written screenplays for Roger Corman and is a member of the Miss Rockaway Armada and Swimming Cities art collectives. He collaborated on installations on the Mississippi and Hudson Rivers, Venice Biennale (2009), Mass MoCA (2008), New York City's Anonymous Gallery (2009) and the Ganges River (2011).