Book Description
From the day it was released in 2000, Keeping a Nature Journal has struck a profound chord among professional, casual, and occasional naturalists of all ages. In response to this groundswell of enthusiasm, we have revised KEEPING A NATURE JOURNAL, updated the interior design, and created a new cover. Undoubtedly the most exciting new element in this second edition is a portfolio of 32 illustrated pages from Clare Walker Leslie's most recent journals, reproduced in full color.
What makes KEEPING A NATURE JOURNAL so popular? It is inspiring and easy to use. Clare and co-author Charles Chuck E. Roth offer simple techniques to give first-time journal-keepers the confidence to go outside, observe the natural world, and sketch and write about what they see. At the same time, they motivate long-time journal-keepers to hone their powers of observation as they immerse themselves in the mysteries of the natural world. Clare and Chuck stress that the journal is a personal record of daily experience and the world around us. Nature's beauty can be observed everywhere, whether in the city, suburbs, or country.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent introduction to nature journaling.......2007-06-14
I bought this book unseen hoping to get some good ideas for a curriculum development project for elementary school kids I'm working on. I wasn't disappointed. This is a beautiful book. It's well written by 2 authors who are obviously passionate about the subject matter. Reproductions of Leslie's journal pages throughout the book also help you see the sorts of things that are possible and are a real inspiration. Her images are often quickly drawn and a little on the rough side, suggesting that anyone with a few minutes, a few colored pencils, a blank book, and a love for nature is capable of making a gorgeous nature journal. The book covers ideas for how to start a nature journal, the kinds of equipment you need, things you might want to keep an eye out for, and suggestions for improving your artistic skills. As I'd hoped, there is also a section for eductators who wish to use nature journals to teach people, young and old, about nature and the environment in which they live.
This book contains a lot of great information and the images from Leslie's journals are amazing. I think anyone who is into nature journals (as I am) would appreciate this book, as well as those who wish to start one.
Beautiful and Useable Book.......2006-08-11
I love this book- the art is absolutely beautiful and the general layout really shows it off. It talks about how to begin nature journaling, giving tips on both starting the habit and learning to draw! I love the approach it takes, fostering a closeness and syncronicity with nature and its cycles!
Love This Beautiful Book!!!.......2006-04-29
Our family loves this book - we love the examples from actual nature journals and it has really inspired myself and my children to keep our own nature journals. As we do so, we come to have a better appreciation for the amazing creations all around us. The author really helps to encourage even budding artists to keep nature journals, which helps some of the more timid artists in our family.
Wonderful teaching tool........2004-02-03
I coordinate outdoor workshops for women to provide them the opportunity to learn new skills. We hosted a new class,Nature Journaling, and the instructor needed a book to suplement her curriculum. I selected this book based on the Amazon recomendations and further research. Both the instructor and participants loved the book. It was very helpful and useful once they left the workshop.
I think this book is a great resource in any EE/nature/writing library.
Wonderful, inspiring book!.......2002-11-14
This book inspired me to start my own nature journal and gave me the confidence to draw in it! Wonderful, encouraging and instructional. If I can draw nature, then anyone can!
Book Description
Millions know Thomas Merton as the author of The Seven Storey Mountain, the autobiography that became an international bestseller and a modern spiritual classic. Merton, a prolific spiritual writer and social activist, inspired a generation from the silence and solitude of a Trappist monastery. Decades after his death, he remains a modern spiritual master, a source of wisdom on peace, racial harmony, poverty, alienation, and the engagement of Eastern and Western spiritual traditions.
Now Merton is also revealed as a man whose spirituality is rooted in nature, an environmentalist ahead of his time. His writings on nature serve as a primer on eco-spirituality. He approaches ecology as a spiritual issue, one that exposes the degree of human alienation from the sacredness of the planet.
When The Trees Say Nothing gathers for the first time over 300 of Merton's nature writings, grouping them thematically into sections on the seasons, elements, creatures and other topics. Edited by Merton scholar Kathleen Deignan, the collection is cohesive and accessible, drawing from both Merton's public writings and his recently published private journals. The lyrical writings are enhanced with Deignan's own informative Introduction, along with a Foreword by Thomas Berry, renowned spiritual mentor for the environmental movement.
Unique and powerful on its own, When the Trees Say Nothing is enhanced with the art of John B. Giuliani, known for his stunning iconography. Giuliani's drawings harmonize exquisitely with Merton's meditations on nature, making When the Trees Say Nothing a spiritual and aesthetic prize.
Customer Reviews:
When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on Nature.......2007-01-18
Very good read, with a 5 star being his The Seven Storey Mountain. This is a great collection for anyone looking to group Merton's works in to topics, seasons, or just short chapters. This is a definite "must get" for anyone into Merton or nature, even if they are not looking to use it for prayer and meditation. This is the book you sit and read as Merton walks you through the woods of beautiful landscape and little creatures, taking you away from the kids, city life and traffic.
Become One With the Creative Mystery.......2004-03-01
Kathleen Deignan, a professor of religious studies at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York, really outdid herself here in compiling and editing some THREE HUNDRED works by Thomas Merton in this text. It's not a particularly long book, surprisingly, with only 190 some odd pages in it. With that being said, not much is left out here, either. It's by all means complete. There are chapters on the four seasons - on the mountains and the forests. Nature herself.
Merton even likens a mountain to sainthood, seeing God`s creative beauty and wonder all throughout nature. If you have ever been to the Abbey of Gethsemani, you may understand why that is, too. The monastery is surrounded by absolutely stunning and expanding landscape, the perfect spot for the kind of reflection and introspection Merton apparently did in this work. He urges us to be engaged with nature. That probably means for us modernists to get out there off of our sometimes lazy butts and take a walk; go ride our bike. Whatever it is feel your connection to nature in a very raw sense. It opens up the sunshine that is already within. Merton's helpful finger pointing us the way in this work on how wonderful nature really is, serves as truly a great inspiration to do just that.
say nothing is everything that matters.......2003-10-17
Kathleen Deignan's When the Trees Say Nothing
is a fresh rendition of Thomas Merton's writings evoked from creation. In times when chatter is normative and being alone is mistaken for loneliness we have a wonderful lectio book of quotes and context of 'seeing' from the inside.
This book will live beyond the writer but not without chanigng many readers into the vast beauty of 'silence'.
Spiritually rewarding for readers of all faiths.......2003-04-07
Compiled and edited by Kathleen Deignan ( Sister of the Congregation of Notre Dame), enhanced with drawings by John Giuliani (Founder and Overseer of The Benedictine Grang, a spiritual center in West Redding, Connecticut), and featuring an informative foreword by Thomas Berry, When The Trees Say Nothing: Writings On Nature is an impressively thoughtful and thought-provoking collection of commentaries by the late Thomas Merton (1915-1968), an influential Catholic monk, poet, spiritual writer, and social activist. The commentaries, observations, and writings are superbly organized into eight chapters: Seasons; Elements; Firmament; Creatures; Festivals; Presences; and Sanctuary. These, along with the postscript "Sophia," a section of notes, a list of abbreviations, and a bibliography, combine in a movingly written, enthusiastically recommended volume of readings that are appropriate and spiritually rewarding for readers of all faiths who seek to experience the sacred and the sacramental in God's handiworks.
Average customer rating:
- Going Blind?
- A Superb Collection ...
- The Ultimate Naturalist
|
Nature Revealed: Selescted Writings 1946-2006
Edward Wilson
Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins University Press
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The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth
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On Human Nature
-
Naturalist
-
Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition
-
The Future of Life
ASIN: 0801883296 |
Book Description
Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson is one of the leading biologists and philosophical thinkers of our time. In this compelling collection, Wilson's observations range from the tiny glands of ants to the nature of the living universe. Many of the pieces are considered landmarks in evolutionary biology, ecology, and behavioral biology. Wilson explores topics as diverse as slavery in ants, the genetic basis of societal structure, the discovery of the taxon cycle, the original formulation of the theory of island biogeography, a critique of subspecies as a unit of classification, and the conservation of life's diversity. Each article is presented in its original form, dating from Wilson's first published article in 1949 to his most recent exploration of the natural world. Preceding each piece is a brief essay by Wilson that explains the context in which the article was written and provides insights into the scientist himself and the debates of the time.
This collection enables us to share Wilson's various vantage points and to view the complexities of nature through his eyes. Wilson aficionados, along with readers discovering his work for the first time, will find in this collection a world of beauty, complexity, and challenge.
Customer Reviews:
Going Blind?.......2007-08-04
Wilson is brilliant and this book contains a wonderful variety of his work in their original form. But why is it reproduced in teeny tiny print? Better buy a magnifying glass too if you want to read everything. Also some articles were originally printed in color so maps and graphs with color coding are lost in black white and gray. I only gave this book two stars for the presentation, not the content.
A Superb Collection ..........2006-06-06
This is a superb collection of over sixty original scientific papers, book extracts and other articles by Ed Wilson, one of the all-time great scientists. Each article is placed into historical context with a new introduction by Wilson. Organized by major theme area rather than chronologically, the book illustrates how Wilson's grander biological theories have been underpinned by a deep, relentless inquisitiveness. Wilson's fascination with the diversity of nature in general and ants in particular really shines through. The production quality of the book is excellent. Even at the full retail price the book is a bargain; the currently discounted Amazon price is astounding. This book is well worth buying even if you have most of the original papers.
The Ultimate Naturalist.......2006-05-17
E.O. Wilson is America's foremost writer on biology, biodiversity, and conservation. (He has two Pulitzer Prizes to prove it.)In "Nature Revealed," we get a look at his most significant writings, just as they appeared in the original journals. This selection gives us a look into the mind of one of today's most brilliant and influential scientists, but it also presents a moving clarification of some of the most important conservation issues facing us today. Everyone who cares about the fate of the earth should read this book.
Average customer rating:
- Poetry at its best
- An amazing read
|
On Desert Trails With Everett Ruess
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
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Binding: Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Everett Ruess: A Vagabond for Beauty/ Wilderness Journals Combination Edition
-
Sandstone Sunsets: In Search of Everett Ruess
-
The Wilderness Journals of Everett Ruess
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Raven's Exile: A Season on the Green River
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Soul of Nowhere
ASIN: 0879058250 |
Book Description
9X12 In, 96 Pp, 45 Black & White Illustrations We Are Proud To Introduce This Handsome Commemorative Edition of On Desert Trails With Everett Ruess (First Introduced In Our 60, 000 Copy A Vagabond For Beauty), Which Was Originally Published In 1940 and Has Since Become A Collector's Item. The Poetry, Letters, and Artwork Contained In This Book Reveal The Adventurous Young Artist Who Loved The Arid Wilderness and Disappeared Into The Desert of Southern Utah. To The Original Book We Have Added Many Photographs of Ruess On The Trail, Along With Others Taken By Ruess of The Land That So Inspired Him. A Special Appenidx Tells The Salt Lake Tribune's Account of Its 1935 Expedition To Southern Utah In Search of Everett Ruess.
Customer Reviews:
Poetry at its best.......2005-02-03
Everett Ruess is a marvelously gifted poet. He writes in elegant lines teeming with passionate imagery. "Wilderness Song" is the most incredible piece and describes nature at its fullest. Any poet can write beautiful lines, but Ruess writes with soul, the soul of an aficianado of the wilderness.
An amazing read.......2004-06-23
A chilling voice out of the past from one who loved wilderness so much he vanished without a trace in it. I am hard pressed to come up with a book or person who was able to articulate the beauty around him more than Everett Ruess. In a tragic twist this lover of the purity nature gave and continues to give a painter's perspective in words to the American west despite the mysterious circumstances surrounding his disappearance. He left behind not only the beautiful writings of a master (and at such a young age) but also a mysterious tale of intrigue that leaves people guessing to this very day. Was he a victim of murder or did his love for wilderness drive him into the vast unknown to live out his days in the peaceful tranquility only nature can provide? Buy the book and formulate your own opinions. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
Here is a richly drawn and vibrantly personal exploration of America's supreme river.
“Some of my best time on the River has been in the company of game wardens, biologists, commercial fishermen, clammers, trappers, hunters, and a smelly, mud-smeared coterie of river rats in general,” wrote John Madson of his thirty-year acquaintance with the Mississippi. UP ON THE RIVER takes us into this world, with forays into the river's fascinating history and ecology. This is a loving and sometimes uproariously funny tribute, full of unforgettable characters and creatures. Like Joseph Mitchell's Up in the Old Hotel or William Warner's Beautiful Swimmers, this is a classic book about a singular American place.
An experienced biologist, conservationist, and outdoorsman, John Madson traveled America from the Rockies to the Florida Everglades. His books include Where the Sky Began, which was named a New York Times “Notable Book” of 1982; Out Home; and Stories From Under the Sky. Madson died in 1995, leaving behind a rich legacy.
Customer Reviews:
An accurate description of life along the upper river........1999-01-11
Madson's book is a refreshingly accurate and honest disclosure of the lives of those who have made their lives along the banks of the upper Mississippi. He takes the time to get to know those people and then he welcomes the reader into their homes, stores, and living rooms. Reminiscent of a Steinbeck, "Travels With Charlie", the reader is charmed into the history and personality of the river towns and their people from Beaver Island to Harper's Ferry. Madson's understanding of the river and his ability to share it with all readers, regardless of their previous Mississippi River experience, is a tribute to "River Rats" everywhere. This book is a Terry Redlin in text form.
Book Description
PLEASE NOTE: This book is scheduled to ship in March. By purchasing it now, you are PRE-ORDERING this book. Your book will ship by March 20th. THANK YOU!
As a "voice for the voiceless," Jim Willis touches human hearts as deftly as he bonds with the animals he rescues. His writings have inspired animal lovers around the world in over a dozen languages. Now, with publication of his collected writings in the USA and the UK, the Author has made a generous arrangement with the publishers that can benefit the fundraising efforts of all animal rescue, conservation and environmental groups.
In Pieces of My Heart - Writings Inspired by Animals and Nature the author paints an emotional rainbow with a palette akin to Thoreau, Khalil Gibran, James Thurber, Chief Seattle, and James Herriot. Pieces of My Heart encompasses favorites such as "We Are Their Heroes," "How Could You?," "The Basset Chronicles," and "The Zen of Cat," as well as a treasure-trove of new writings. Included is an Appendix of suggestions and resources for helping animals; and a Foreword by Dr. Marc Bekoff, author of Minding Animals: Awareness, Emotions, and Heart and co-founder with Dr. Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals/Citizens for Responsible Animal Behavior Studies. Illustrated by Christine J. Head. (Softcover, 312 pages.)
Pieces of My Heart is a soulful, heartfelt tribute to animals and a plea for compassion. As you immerse yourself in its truths you'll reach for the nearest animal to hug, you'll smile through tears, and you'll feel the urge to run barefoot in the grass.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding humanitarian .......2007-08-09
The spiritual nature of these "beasts" comes through in each poem and story and essay. I found them each and every one to be powerful. They encourage me when I feel too run down to continue my little rescue efforts.
This is from a man who practices what he preaches. Not only does he advocate on behalf of all homeless and abused pets,he also takes care of many of the ones no one else wants. Animals ask only for a safe place to rest, some clean water and decent food. Jim Willis reminds us that each of us can make the world a brighter, kinder place.
Pender County Resident.......2007-08-09
First of all I would like to say that I love this book. It is so heart touching. Second of all in reponse to Kat Lady. I am a former resident of Pender county. Pender County NC is a rural area and the mentality that many, many people in this area have towards animals is heartbreaking and unforgivable. I would be wiling to bet that those dogs that Mr. Willis took were probably being neglected and/or mistreated. The laws of this area often fail the animals and many die waiting for reports of animal abuse/neglect to be investigated or resolved. And not enough people in the area care enough to do any thing about it. Mr Willis taking those dogs may have the best thing that had ever or would ever happen to those dogs. I admittedly don't know the whole story, but I do know how many dogs in that area are treated-- kept chained their entire lives in the humid and severe NC heat without adequate provisions. So why not hold your judgement?
INDICTED FELONY COUNTS.......2007-08-06
Nationally recognized ARA author and animal
rights activist is nailed for theft.
This person was hailed by the NCVAW as a
wonderful person and a part of their crowd.
Goes to show you what they are made of. Goes
to show you what these fanatics will do....
***NEWS: Author of the book "PIECES OF MY
HEART" and
essay "HOW COULD YOU", JIM WILLIS, INDICTED
ON TWO
FELONY COUNTS OF LARCENY OF DOG by Pender
County
Grand Jury***
The Pender County, NC Grand Jury returned two
true
bills to indict Jim Willis for Larceny of
Dogs on July
23, 2007.
Case No. 07-CRS-51009, State of North
Carolina vs.
James Charles Willis states:
"The jurors for the State upon their oath
present
that on or about the date of offense shown
and in the
county named above the Defendant named above
unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did
steal, take
and carry away a dog, a female white lab
sheep dog mix
with black spots with solid black right ear
and black
and white left ear, named 'Krissy', . . ."
Sources say this dog has not been recovered.
If you
have seen this dog or know of it's
whereabouts, please
contact the Pender County Sheriff's
Department at
(910)259-1212.
Some animal lovers have suggested boycotting
the sale
of Jim's book, 'Pieces of My Heart' and
removing his
poetry from their web sites until such time
as the dog
is recovered.
Case No. 07-CRS-051399, State of North
Carolina vs.
James Charles Willis states:
"The jurors for the State upon their oath
present that on or about the date of offense
shown and
in the county named above the Defendant named
above
unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did
steal, take
and carry away a dog, a male Dalmatian dog,
white in
color with black spots, named 'Damon', . . ."
Sources say this dog was recovered at the
home of
Robert Hoggard, of Wilmington, NC, where Mr.
Willis
has been a house guest since April.
In a separate action, Jim Willis was found
GUILTY of
HARASSING PHONE CALLS in the Pender County
Court on
July 26, 2007. Despite pleading not guilty,
Mr.
Willis was found GUILTY and was sentenced to
30 days
in jail (suspended), 24 months of
unsupervised
probation, was assessed $115.00 in court
costs and
received a fine of $570.00 in restitution. He
was
also ordered to have no contact with the
person he was
harassing and was ordered not to go on her
premises.
not what I thought.......2007-01-18
I'm only half way thru the book, as it lost my interest, I purchased it thinking that it was a story of a guy rescueing dogs, but as of yet, nothing, just poems, and short stories. not satisfied.
One of my favorites.......2007-01-10
I love this book. I bought copies as gifts for others. Anyone who has ever loved a pet will recognize the heartfelt thoughts of Jim. The essay "I Loved You Best" never fails to move me to tears, yet laughter also reigns supreme in these tales of the special bond between human and pet. That essay is one of my favorite pieces of writing of all time, and I'm a prolific reader and poetry lover. Jim's simple style and honest approach make for a wonderful and moving experience. If your heart has ever been touched by your own beloved pet, or by the throwaway unfortunates in our society, this book is a must.
Average customer rating:
- Talent, Passion, Perseverance: A Portrait of the Artist
- audubon's best single collection
- A Masterpiece of Nature Writing
|
John James Audubon (Gift Edition): Writings and Drawings (Library of America, 113)
John James Audubon
Manufacturer: Library of America
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Audubon's Birds Of America (The Audubon Society Baby Elephant Folio)
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John James Audubon: The Making of an American
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Audubon Art Prints: A Collector's Guide to Every Edition
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William Bartram: Travels and Other Writings, Travels through N.&S. Carolina, Georgia, E. & W. Florida, Travels in Georgia and Florida, 1773-74, A Report to Dr. John Fothergill, Misc. Writings
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John Muir : Nature Writings: The Story of My Boyhood and Youth; My First Summer in the Sierra; The Mountains of California; Stickeen; Essays (Library of America)
ASIN: 1883011817 |
Amazon.com
John James Audubon's indelible portraits of American birds have long since cemented his reputation as one of our truly magical realists. Yet the artist, who was born in Haiti in 1785 and died 66 years later on his 30-acre estate in upper Manhattan, was not only a sublime featherhead but a trailblazing nature writer and diarist. Doubters should take a gander at the Library of America's splendid Writings and Drawings. This new compendium features 64 full-color plates, most of them from the Ornithological Biography, which demonstrate the compositional and dramatic brilliance that Audubon brought to his work: seldom has the black vulture, or Coragyps atratus, looked so elegant or sleekly satisfied, and his colloquium of ruby-throated hummingbirds (a.k.a. Archilochus colubris) is an almost comical study in group dynamics. Yet it's the texts--journals, letters, diaries, a brief memoir, and a pair of essays on artistic technique--that are the true revelation here.
Audubon was not, for the record, a kind of starry-eyed precursor to the Sierra Club, leaving nature untouched by human hands. It's telling that in his self-portrait, the artist is gripping neither palette nor paintbrush but a flintlock rifle. Gunning down his ornithological subjects was a necessary prelude to portraying them. Still, Audubon had quite a few of what we moderns would call conflicted moments, during which his admiration for, say, the Mississippi kite would temporarily halt the killing spree. Here the sight of a mother attempting to rescue its chick manages to stay his itchy trigger finger--for a millisecond, anyway:
My feelings at that moment I cannot express. I wished I had not discovered the poor bird; for who could have witnessed, without emotion, so striking an example of that affection which none but a mother can feel; so daring an act, performed in the midst of smoke, in the presence of a dreaded and dangerous enemy. I followed, however, and brought both to the ground at one shot, so keen is the desire of possession!
The aesthetic and taxidermal impulses have torn apart many a naturalist since then (although, to be sure, the stricken diarist was later annoyed to discover that another animal had cut in on his action: "What was my mortification, when I found that some quadruped had devoured both!") Elsewhere, Audubon records the topography of the Mississippi Valley in vivid detail, or grumbles about the tight job market: "Visited several Public Institutions where I cannot say that I Was very politely received; in one or Two Notable ones (Not Willing to Mention Names) I was invitd to Walk in and then out in very quick order." Audubon's early-19-century orthography, which the editors have meticulously retained, may take some Getting Used To. And the sheer piling up of avian corpses can seem almost comical to a modern reader. Still, Audubon worshipped pretty thoroughly, and very productively, at the shrine of the natural world. And let's recall his verdict on Liverpool's industrial landscape, which he observed during a 1826 visit: "Naked streets look dull." If only there'd been a long-billed curlew on hand! --James Marcus
Book Description
A landmark volume collects the writings and drawings of America's greatest artist-naturalist
The breathtaking art of John James Audubon's Birds of America has been celebrated throughout the world since it first appeared over 150 years ago. Less well known is Audubon's literary legacy -- the magnificent volumes of natural history he published during his lifetime, as well as the remarkable journals, memoirs, and letters left behind at his death. Now, with The Library of America's unprecedented John James Audubon: Writings and Drawings, Audubon the great nature writer takes his rightful place alongside Audubon the artist.
Here is the most comprehensive selection of Audubon's writings ever published, along with a spectacular portfolio of his drawings. The "Mississippi River Journal," the foremost record of an American artist's progress, details Audubon's first wilderness bird hunts. Selections from his "1826 Journal" follow him to Europe, where his abilities were finally recognized. Audubon's masterwork, the five-volume Ornithological Biography, is here generously represented by 45 entries. Charming, haunting, and violent by turns, these vivid intimate portraits of the habits and habitats of America's birds, from the curious mating rituals of the Wild Turkey to the sublime spectacle of the migration of the now vanished Passenger Pigeon, changed American nature writing forever. The "Missouri River Journals" evoke the vanishing American Indian and the hardships of frontier life. An extensive selection of letters charting almost 20 years of Audubon's artistic development, along with two essays on artistic technique and a brief memoir, round out the volume. For the first time, all texts have been painstakingly prepared from original sources. General and ornithological indices will aid the reader in the field as well as in the study. Sixty-four full-color plates, and fascinating manuscript sketches, some never before published, offer a unique perspective on Audubon's art.
Customer Reviews:
Talent, Passion, Perseverance: A Portrait of the Artist.......2007-08-17
Considering the high regard in which Audubon is held today, the reader may be surprised to learn how hard he had to struggle to get there.
Having failed repeatedly in his business ventures, he decided to concentrate his efforts on his true talent: observing, drawing and describing the birds of America. The fact that Alexander Wilson, a self-taught naturalist like Audubon, had pursued the same goal before him and enjoyed the support of the influential Philadelphia establishment seems to have encouraged rather than deterred young Audubon. He was sure he could do better, and in his jottings he never misses an opportunity to point out mistakes and shortcomings in Wilson's work.
The Mississippi River Journal of 1820-21 is, to my mind, the most interesting part of this collection. Raw diary entries, unedited and uncorrected, give a vivid account of this expedition which started in Cincinnati on a "flat boat" and ended in New Orleans. It may come as a shock to the reader that Audubon and his companions shot and killed practically all the birds he drew and described, and often ate them afterwards. They also bought birds from other hunters or, when in a town, at local markets. All manner of birds were briskly traded as food or pets, or for ornamental purposes.
During this trip, Audubon was destitute most of the time and always eager to get a free meal from a generous host. Letters of recommendation introduced him to a number of worthies, and he often replenished his funds by drawing portraits or giving drawing lessons to the children of wealthy citizens. There was some interest in his ornithological work, but not enough to secure financial backing. Through all these disappointments and humiliations, he remained a keen observer - not only of birds and other wildlife, but also of the country and the people in it.
His fortune changed with his visit to England and Scotland. Excerpts from his 1826 Journal show his surprise and delight in being graciously received, and even lionized, by important people who arranged for him to show his work in public and enlist subscribers.
The 64 color plates included in this book are selected from watercolors, aquatint engravings and lithographs, and show the full range of Audubon's art; they include birds that were abundant at the time but are now extinct (or nearly so), such as the Passenger Pigeon, the Carolina Parakeet, and the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Forty-five entries from his "Ornithological Biography" give a fascinating account of the life and habits of American birds. To our modern sensibilities, his writing style seems a little effusive at times, and we might prefer to see our birds depicted in less dramatic poses; but there is no doubt about his enthusiasm, and he obviously captured the Zeitgeist.
The Missouri River expedition (1843) was designed to find new species of quadrupeds. This journal is more polished than the Mississippi Journal, but I find it less appealing. Somehow, A.'s true passion seems to have been birds, not quadrupeds.
Some personal letters, essays, autobiographical notes and descriptions of his technique round out the portrait of an artist who rose from obscure origins to the highest honors (member of illustrious societies, dinner with President Andrew Jackson at the White House), and whose name is still a household word in America today.
audubon's best single collection.......2007-01-04
to be read wholly as occasional readings and very enjoyable; allows one to imagine the bird life and other wildlife in America in the days of exploration and settlement, and how much of nature we have lost.
A Masterpiece of Nature Writing.......2000-10-14
Anyone looking for a chronicle of the American wilderness in its infancy would do well to start here. There is great charm in the journals of 1820, where the spellings are still Audubon's own, and the flavor of the times -- especially regarding life on the frontier, and concerning everyday life in old New Orleans -- is everywhere. With his "Bird Biographies" of everyday varieties, as well as descriptions of now-extinct species, such as the Carolina Parakeet, and Ivory Billed Woodpeckers, this book is a treasure not just for nature lovers and bird aficianados, but for lovers of history as well.
Book Description
In a lifetime of exploration, writing, and passionate political activism, John Muir made himself America's most eloquent spokesman for the mystery and majesty of the wilderness, a master of natural description who evoked and celebrated with unique power and intimacy the untrammeled landscapes of Alaska and the American West.
Customer Reviews:
A Look At the Life of an Amazing Man.......2007-05-07
This Autobiography of John Muir was a look at the life of an amazing man. He was the type of writer that could take you to the place where he was living and make you feel like you were right there with him. His childhood experiences in Scotland and the farm life of Wisconsin formed the basis for how he viewed and related to the rest of his life and those around him. He was a world traveler who looked through the eyes of creation to observe ecology and invention. As a world traveler I also observe through the eyes of creation and as a native Californian I have had extensive experience hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada's. John Muir's writing style took me back to the places I have loved and remembered.
The Finest Natural History.......2007-01-04
John Muir was one of the founders of the early 20th century conservation movement and godfather to today's environmentalism. This collection of three books and shorter works demonstrates the reason. Muir's description of the natural world is at times scientific, at others spiritual. Here nature is not some remote thing but the living manifestation of God's love. This is not a religious book as such and yet he finds that all parts of the natural creation from rocks and mountains to trees and animals have inherent within them a life force which makes them precious. Humans are neither removed from nor a "higher" part of nature. Muir shows that we are part of this larger whole - a radical concept when he proposed it and radical still. Muir set the standard in calling for preservation of the natural world. He was a genius as an inventor and scientist and, in addition, is one of our finest writers ever. These collected Nature Writings are simply beautiful and wonderfully presented in this Library of America edition.
John Muir: Outdoorsman, Conservationist, and Literate Genius.......2003-09-15
"American forests! the glory of the world!"
- John Muir, 1901
Of all the extraordinary men and women that have made our nation great, one stands above all others for his dedication to preserving its unequaled natural beauty: John Muir. Founder of The Sierra Club, this lover of the western forests' legacy to our generation is the National Park system, through which millions of acres of unique ecosystems have been set aside for everyone's enjoyment.
"Muir: Nature Writings" is a collection of the writings of this Scottish expatriate who first stepped foot in America in 1849 as an eleven year old brawler and budding naturalist. Blessed with a childhood mastery of Latin and Greek as well as a discerning and disciplined eye, the learned boy possessed a poet's heart, a scientist's mind, and a theologian's soul. A genius, who as a teen whittled precision wooden scientific instruments, Muir used his diverse skills to vividly portray nature's life and death struggles on his family's Wisconsin farm in "My Boyhood & Youth." Here we find Muir learning to swim by observing frogs or recollecting the mindless slaughter of the Earth's most numerous bird, the now-extinct passenger pigeon, a forlorn tale that foreshadows the conservationist he was to become.
While in college polishing his mechanical skills, Muir was detoured into studying botany. Dropping out to make powered tools for factories, an accident left him rethinking that detour; he forsook the factory and walked across America. His journey led him to the Sierra Mountains, chronicled in "My First Summer in the Sierra." Now working as a shepherd, Muir drove his flock through Yosemite while making detailed nature studies. Marveling at the natural beauty of the land he would eventually champion as one of the first National Parks, Muir wrote: "We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us. Our flesh-and-bone tabernacle seems transparent as glass to the beauty about us, as if truly an inseparable part of it, thrilling with the air and trees, streams and rocks, in the waves of the sun, - a part of all nature, neither old nor young, sick nor well, but immortal."
Muir's writings here run the gamut from analytical to thrilling. In "Stickeen", the author and a canine companion cheat death while stranded mid-storm between crevasses of an Alaskan glacier. (A self-taught authority on glaciers, Muir would eventually have one in Alaska bear his name.) "The Mountains of California" is an in-depth look at the geologic formations, plants, and animals of the region. In this piece, he tells of being stuck on the side of volcanic Mt. Shasta, staying warm in the bitter cold by nestling up to steam vents. Muir also laments the loss of the vast meadows of the San Joaquin Valley as he discusses how to make a living post-Gold Rush by raising bees for honey.
What makes Muir so unique when compared with today's environmentalists is this belief that we can live in harmony with Creation if we take simple steps to prevent despoiling it. In "The American Forests" he wrote: "No place is too good for good men, and there is still room.... Every place is made better by them. Let them be as free to pick gold and gems from the hills, to cut and hew, dig and plant, for homes and bread...." Muir's balanced view of Man's place in the wilderness overwhelmingly reflects his Christian faith, for he never fails to stand in awe of each living thing God has made. That our government leaders were so swayed by Muir's writing attests to the power of his "holy" persuasion. All of us are indebted to John Muir's single-minded devotion to America's wilderness.
("Muir: Nature Writings" is part of the Library of America series. This diverse collection of the writings of great Americans ranges from sermons of early American preachers to analysis of the Vietnam War. The works of Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant, Flannery O'Connor, and James Thurber are but a few that comprise the series. An invaluable lookingglass into the heart and soul of our nation, this collection is essential reading for anyone who longs to know what makes America unique.)
inspirational in every way.......1999-10-11
A great writer writing about great things - you'll feel like you're in the middle of the Sierra yourself. Endlessly enjoyable.
Lovers of Muir, find your home in this volume!.......1999-08-29
In a world brimming with wonderful volumes of the work of John Muir, here is the one edition in which you may find virtually everything you seek. To find it in such a handsome, handy, easy to negotiate book makes this a must for all lovers of Muir's writing. Eight inches tall by six wide and two inches thick, it is a durable and willing partner for excursions through the wilderness. Created for long life among library shelves and scholarly studies, this sleek little friend stows away quite comfortably in backpack or oversized coat pocket. Those who don't know Mr. Muir will meet the great lover of wildness (and perhaps history's most influential advocate of preservation) presented in a lovingly researched volume which includes informative notes on the evolution of Muir's field journal entries into published pieces, a chronology of his life and literary career, and all of the major writings for which he is known. A generous selection of his published essays and magazine articles reveal many previously unsuspected jewels of poetic prose. As a lifetime devotee of the works of Shakespeare, the Bible, and the immortal Scottish bard Robert Burns, Muir could recite extensive passages from all. Likewise, his writing breezes through the imagery and lessons drawn from these potent sources. Coffee table books brimming with Ansel Adams photography, biographies of Muir, and collections of his correspondence are all aspects of any comprehensive Muir collection. The words themselves, however, simple and elegantly bound, are where the journey might well begin.
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John Burroughs' America: Selections from the Writings of the Naturalist
John Burroughs
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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ASIN: 0486297462 |
Book Description
A rich selection of passages from the authors 25 books includes delightful pieces, written with grace and elegance, about the rewards (and frustrations) of trout fishing; the lives and habits of foxes, chipmunks, hawks, weasels, honeybees, and other creatures; the rhythms of the seasons, and many other topics. Enhanced with 28 charming woodcut illustrations.
Books:
- Last Place on Earth (National Geographic)
- Listening to Whales: What the Orcas Have Taught Us
- Marine Ecology: Processes, Systems, and Impacts
- Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
- Microarray Gene Expression Data Analysis: A Beginner's Guide
- Mother Nature: A History of Mothers, Infants, and Natural Selection
- Mover Of Men & Mountains
- National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Western Region (Audubon Society Field Guide)
- National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Trees of North America : East (The Audubon S ociety Pocket Guides)
- Native and Cultivated Conifers of Northeastern North America: A Guide (Comstock Book)
Books Index
Books Home
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Handbook of Nature Study
Nature Journal: A Guided Journal for Illustrating and Recording Your Observations of the Natural World
The Sierra Club Guide to Sketching in Nature, Revised Edition
A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning
The Burgess Bird Book for Children (Dover Science Books)
