Where the Deer and the Antelope Play

Introduction

In many ways, the inception of this book occurred one score and ve years ago, when I was working on a production of Sam Shepard s Buried Child at Chicago s excellent Steppenwolf Theatre Company. Back then, I had been well on my way to a comfortable life of blind materialism, hopefully emulating one of David Lee Roth s insouciant, musical short lms I had newly come to adore on a brilliant new cable channel, simply called get this: Music Television. Little did I suspect that by the time that play had closed, the trajectory of my life would be forever altered.
Sam himself had come to town to do some rewriting and polishing on his script, even though it had won him a Pulitzer Prize back in 1979. I guess he didn t entirely agree with the Pulitzer folks. That was certainly his prerogative, and I guess that s what made him so damn handsome, I mean smart. The production was a pretty big deal, directed as it was by Steppenwolf founding member Gary Sinise, and starring some honest-to-god hotshots like Lois Smith, Ted Levine, Kellie Overbey, Ethan Hawke, and the late, great James Gammon. Gary, a legendary actor and director, also happens to be an awfully generous fellow, if you re ever lucky enough to meet him he always treated me quite equitably, even though the rst time we met I was unaware his name was pronounced Suh-neese, and I said, It s nice to meet you, Mr. Sinus.
Despite that initial gaffe, Gary hired me as an understudy for the show and also as a makeup artist, to apply old-age makeup to James Gammon every night, just by way of some stippling and painted modeling with highlights and shadows, nothing fancy. I had a scenery shop in the warehouse where I lived, or I guess to be accurate I should say I had a futon and a hotplate in the warehouse where I cohabitated with my table saw and my pin nailers. I had also previously made some props for Steppenwolf, including some masks for Alex and his Droogs in A Clockwork Orange, a play in which I also

Nick Offerman is the New York Times bestselling author of Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living, Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers, and Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop, as well as co-author of The Greatest Love Story Ever Told, with his wife, Megan Mullally. Offerman is the narrator for the audiobook of Wendell Berry s latest, The Need to Be Whole, and co-stars in Episode 3 of The Last of Us. Nick and Megan live in Los Angeles, California, with their pups and a fairly decent collection of assorted wood clamps.

*An Amazon Best of the Month Pick*

At once a travelogue, a manifesto, and a rousing call to get outside, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is a breath of fresh alpine air, delivered by an amiable guide. Esquire

The book is an amiable ramble outdoors, with Offerman sharing his assorted experiences in the wild and his musings on nature, land use, labor, agriculture, and community. USA Today
 
Honest-to-God advice about how to enjoy nature. Outside magazine

Offerman brings dry humor and a reverence for nature and physical labor to his growing understanding of capitalist and colonial horrors, all while maintaining hope for the future.  
  Seattle Times

I found the book both entertaining and inspiring. . . . [It] has depths you may not expect from an actor/comedic performer/woodworker who goes to great lengths to entertain the audience but also has me thinking about the choices I make as I live in the world.   John Warner, Chicago Tribune

Offerman s thoughtful and hilarious musings at the nexus of human life and nature, particularly through the lens  of John Muir and Aldo Leopold . . . serves another welcome reminder that nature is for all.  

Funny, extremely sharp, and at the same time equally heartwarming, Offerman s love for the Land of the Free shines. Forbes

A timely hybrid travelogue/manifesto about the utter importance of touching grass, and so much more. Fast Company

"[An] insightful, witty look at his outdoorsy pursuits. New York Post

A great mix of wit and perceptive observation from travels in the United States and the United Kingdom . . . with a surprising amount of history, nature, and ecology thrown in. Library Journal

"Laced with humor, intellect, and fierce passion, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play is an entertaining getaway to a variety of unexpected American vistas." BookPage