In his most autobiographical writing to date, Gary Snyder employs fire as a metaphor for the moment when deeply held viewpoints yield to new experiences and minds broaden and mature. This metaphor continues the idea that in nature, fire is, in some cases, necessary for the health and protection of the natural ecosystem. Snyder writes and riffs on a wide range of topics, from explorations of southwestern European Paleolithic cave art to his own poetic history with Haiku.