This Incomparable Land : A Book of American Nature Writing

Looks at the history of American nature writing and gathers essays by Audubon, Thoreau, Muir, Carson, Matthiessen, Hoagland, Dillard, and Lopez

Lyon, professor of English at Utah State University, makes a strong case for the literary values of the genre of nature writing. He presents a fine mini-course on the history and development of the American nature essay from the 17th century to the present, a survey that in itself makes the book eminently worthwhile. Also included is an anthology of works by the expected (and obligatory) authors: Thoreau, Muir, Burroughs; Matthiessen, Carson, Krutch; Dillard, Abbey, Lopez. There are some pleasant surprises that give us an opportunity to sample the writings of Alexander Wilson (on the wood thrush), Thomas Nuttall (ornithology), Liberty Hyde Bailey (environment). In this splendid collection of nature essays, Lyon offers as well an extensive, albeit not complete list of books for further reading.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Lyon has compiled a representative selection of American natural history writers, from precolonial to contempory times. In his excellent introduction to this anthology, he traces the development of the nature essay, from early French and Spanish explorers to modern ecologists. He concludes with a massive bibliography that will keep the diligent student reading for quite some time. In a work of this kind, it is always easy (even fun) to quarrel with the selections: Why no Emerson, Gary Snyder, or deep ecologists? Many of Lyon's choices, especially some of the early writers, will be new to natural history buffs, and his introduction gives perspective to contemporary writing. Recommended for libraries with an active natural history collection.
- Randy Dykhuis, OCLC, Dublin, Ohio
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.