Books
The Cincinnati Arch:
Learning from Nature in the City
A wilderness lover relocates to the Rust Belt and learns from
his children and his neighborhood how to value urban nature as
a scene of delight and instruction.
From the publisher:
The "arch" of the book's title is richly resonant:
as the name of a geologic formation molding the urban landscape
Tallmadge comes to love; as an archetypal building form; and, in
its parabolic shape, as a metaphor for life's journey. Filled
with luminous lessons of mindfulness, attentiveness, and other
spiritual practices, this is a hopeful guide for finding nature
and balance in unlikely places.
From the reviews:
“This lustrous, continually deepening book, clearly the
work of many years of observation and deep thought, is an insightful
paean that reminds us that while it is thrilling to vacation in
the wilderness, it is far more important to treasure everyday nature
as manifest within ourselves and at our doorstep.” –Donna
Seaman, Booklist
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2004
University of Georgia Press
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From other nature writers:
“The Cincinnati Arch will be looked at as a literary
landmark “ –John Elder, editor of American Nature
Writing and coeditor, The Norton Book of Nature Writing
“A book certain to become a classic at birth... A
writer of scintillating image and rock-solid intellect” –Robert
Michael Pyle, author of The Thunder Tree and Chasing Monarchs
“Evocative and beautifully written.” –Ann
Zwinger, author of Wind in the Rock and Downcanyon
“A book the world needs.” –Scott
Russell Sanders, author of Hunting for Hope and The Force of Spirit
... More
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Meeting the Tree of Life:
A Teacher's Path
Drawn by the great nature writers, a young teacher finds adventure,
inspiration, and healing in the great wilderness landscapes of
North America.
From the publisher:
Tallmadge turns first to the mountains, whose clean, enduring
rock and sublime geometry promise a godlike view of the world,
and then to the deserts, whose austerity and remoteness offer the
strength to live without institutions. When his path forces him
out of the West, Tallmadge discovers in Minnesota’s canoe
country a “spirituality of water” that embodies goalless
travel and living by faith. Finally, the cone of the humble jack
pine, which needs fire to release its seeds, shows him what true
teaching and personal survival really mean.
From the reviews:
“Tallmadge’s accomplished collection of personal essays
carefully negotiates the convoluted, exhilarating, often dangerous
terrain where the paths of our personal and professional lives
intersect.”–Michael Branch, Western American Literature
“For all of us who strive to do ethical and meaningful work
without losing track of ourselves as human animals inhabiting a
still-rich natural world, this book is an inspiration.”–Nancy
Cook, ISLE
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1997
University of Utah Press |
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From other nature writers and scholars:
“Rich, original, redolent of pine and stream and duff,
this is a thinking man’s journey through the richest
of physical and intellectual landscapes.”–Sy
Montgomery, author of The Curious Naturalist and Journey
of the Pink Dolphins
“Line by line, the prose is polished, engaging, supple,
and steadily personal, whether Tallmadge is reporting his
experience or reflecting on ideas. ...I enjoyed Meeting
the Tree of Life, learned from it, and admired the intelligence
and skill displayed in the making of it.”–Scott
Russell Sanders, author of Hunting for Hope and Secrets
of the Universe
“Above all, Meeting the Tree
of Life is a superb read ...There
are passages of extraordinary beauty throughout this book,
among he best nature writing I have ever read.”–Mitchell
Thomashow, author of Ecological Identity
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Reading Under the Sign of Nature:
New Essays in Ecocriticism
Edited, with Henry Harrington
From the publisher:
“Reading Under the Sign of Nature is a groundbreaking collection
of ecocritical essays that reveals the exciting possibilities for
this form of inquiry. Included in this long-awaited volume are
critiques of contemporary and traditional prose and poetry representing
the diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural perspectives of familiar
writers from the American literary and nature-writing canons, and
of lesser-known authors from Native American, African American,
Occidental, and Far Eastern traditions.”
From other ecocritics:
“This important collection expands the dimensions of ecocriticism.
A wonderful introduction to ecocritical practice that will appeal
to literary scholars and critics in general.”–Scott
Slovic, University of Nevada-Reno and editor of ISLE
“Any reader of this collection–scholar, student, or
lay person–will gain a appreciation for and understanding
of ecocriticism.”–Ian Marshall,
Penn State University, author of Story Line: Exploring the Literature of the Appalachian
Trail
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2000
University of Utah Press |
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