Moon Over Humboldt, A Novel by Jim Hight
An old-school logger and a young environmentalist, enemies in the culture war dividing their rural California county, cross paths in a 12-step program and find in each other a kindred spirit who could help each man rebuild a life shattered by addiction and loss—if they can navigate their differences.
“A stunning, heart-tugging debut—Hight paints a setting reminiscent of Richard Powers’ The Overstory while weaving a tale of addiction as crushing as David Sheff’s Beautiful Boy!”
“An emotional tale full of love, anger, regret, and the other things that make us human. The story brought me to tears.”
About Jim
Jim Hight had written for dozens of newspapers and magazines in Los Angeles and Boston before he moved to rural Humboldt County, California, in 1996 as the staff writer for North Coast Journal. The city boy was intrigued and fascinated by his new subjects—loggers and forest defenders, fishermen and scientists, ranchers and dairy farmers, small-town mayors and tribal leaders, county sheriffs and cannabis growers. His writing delighted readers, and he won an environmental and agricultural reporting award from the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
But Hight had moved to cannabis-friendly Humboldt at the worst time for his recovery from marijuana addiction—and the best time for this novel, as things would turn out.
Talk It Out
In addition to writing, Jim has another vocation that probably won’t surprise readers of Moon Over Humboldt: he helps people who disagree about politics and morality talk things over in ways that can reduce fear and anger and increase trust and respect.
