Set in the late nineteenth century against the backdrop of one of America's most famous wild places, Diane Smith's debut novel tells of a young woman's dramatic journey to a greater understanding of her place in the world. A. E. (Alexandria) Bartram is a high-spirited medical student from the East whose real passion is botany. In the spring of 1898, she is invited to join a field study in Yellowstone National Park when its leader, Howard Merriam, a mild-mannered professor from Montana, mistakenly assumes she is a man. Once the scientists get over the shock of having a woman on their team, we follow their experiences over the course of a summer of adventure and collecting as they move from Mammoth Hot Springs to a camp high in the backcountry.From the group's human dilemmas emerge clashing concepts of science, nature, and economics. As the summer draws to a close, everything the team has accomplished is threatened, forcing them to change their perceptions of themselves and each other. Read Less