Listen to Dirt Work: An Education in the Woods by Christine Byl
Enjoy this audiobook with MP3 Audiobook Player - the ultimate iOS audiobook experience
A lively and lyrical account of one woman’s unlikely apprenticeship on a national park trail crew—and what she discovers about nature, gender, and the value of hard work Christine Byl first encountered the national parks the way most of us do: on vacation. But after she graduated from college, broke and ready for a new challenge, she joined a Glacier National Park trail crew as a seasonal “traildog” maintaining mountain trails for the millions of visitors Glacier draws every year. Byl first thought of the job as a paycheck, a summer diversion, a welcome break from “the real world” before going on to graduate school. She came to find out that work in the woods on a trail crew was more demanding, more rewarding—more real—than she ever imagined. During her first season, Byl embraces the backbreaking difficulty of the work, learning how to clear trees, move boulders, and build stairs in the backcountry. Her first mentors are the colorful characters with whom she works—the packers, sawyers, and traildogs from all walks of life—along with the tools in her hands: axe, shovel, chainsaw, rock bar. As she invests herself deeply in new work, the mountains, rivers, animals, and weather become teachers as well. While Byl expected that her tenure at the parks would be temporary, she ends up turning this summer gig into a decades-long job, moving from Montana to Alaska, breaking expectations—including her own—that she would follow a “professional” career path. Returning season after season, she eventually leads her own crews, mentoring other trail dogs along the way. In Dirt Work, Byl probes common assumptions about the division between mental and physical labor, “women’s work” and “men’s work,” white collars and blue collars. The supposedly simple work of digging holes, dropping trees, and blasting snowdrifts in fact offers her an education of the hands and the head, as well as membership in an utterly unique subculture. Dirt Work is a contemplative but unsentimental look at the pleasures of labor, the challenges of apprenticeship, and the way a place becomes a home.
Automated metadata extraction is a time-saver. My library is so organized now. ListenBook's player features are incredibly helpful. Chapters and bookmarks make navigation easy. Noise reduction and tone changing are awesome features. I love the download options. ListenBook gives me so many ways to get my audiobooks onto my device. This app is a game-changer for audiobook lovers! The interface is clean and easy to use.
With this app, my daily commute has transformed into an engaging journey through captivating stories. 💼 Making work hours enjoyable – audiobooks turn my tasks into learning opportunities and moments of joy. 💻📖 Kudos to the developers for crafting an app that understands readers' needs. The smooth playback and sleek design are pure perfection. 📚👏 The app is very user-friendly. ListenBook makes listening to audiobooks a breeze.
Kudos to the app for making literature accessible to those with busy schedules. No more worries about compatibility – ListenBook handles numerous formats flawlessly. ListenBook has transformed the way I engage with literature. It's like having a virtual bookshelf in my pocket. The app is perfect for road trips. It keeps me entertained for hours.
ListenBook has become my trusted companion, guiding me through the realms of imagination. I'm hooked on this app's ability to transform my ordinary moments into exciting opportunities for learning.
I can't believe how convenient this app has made my reading experience. ListenBook's sharing options make it easy to share the joy of captivating stories with friends and family. ListenBook's sharing options make it easy to introduce others to the joys of audiobook storytelling. Drag and drop downloads directly from my web browser? That's a level of convenience I appreciate.
ListenBook's innovation, seamless playback, and versatile features make it a standout app. From MP3 to FLAC, this app plays them all flawlessly. Say goodbye to compatibility issues! ListenBook is like a personal audiobook library in my pocket. Organized and easily accessible. This app is a must-have for anyone who loves audiobooks. The interface is intuitive, and the app supports all formats. I love the auto-bookmark feature—it saves my place automatically, so I never lose track. Highly recommend!
Plays MP3, MP4, OPUS, OGG, FLAC, AWB, M4B, M4A, WMA, AAC formats
Optimized for iPhone, iPad, and iPod with seamless integration
Adjust playback speed from 0.5x to 3.0x for your listening preference
Import audiobooks via iTunes, cloud services, or direct downloads
Get your favorite audiobooks in supported formats from various sources
Import audiobooks to MP3 Audiobook Player using multiple methods
Control playback from your device, headphones, Apple Watch, or CarPlay
Join thousands of users who enjoy audiobooks with MP3 Audiobook Player daily
Download Now