Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire (Paperback)

by Marybeth Lorbiecki (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Aldo Leopold (1886-1948) is revered among environmentalists and naturalists for many reasons: as an officer of the U.S. Forest Service, he was instrumental in formulating policies that helped protect wildlands and wild animals; as an activist, he helped found the Wilderness Society and other public-interest organizations; and as a writer, he crafted a number of fine, philosophically charged essays and books, including his famous memoir, A Sand County Almanac. Marybeth Lorbiecki's overview of Leopold's life addresses each of these contributions in turn, and it does a good job of explaining why Leopold's influence should endure today. Of added interest are the many photographs Lorbiecki has discovered in family and government archives, images that help flesh out a figure who has, in ecological circles, become something of a saint--and, as a result, a little unreal. Curt Meine's Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work addresses Leopold's work in greater depth, but readers seeking a sense of his many contributions, and why they matter, will find much of value in Lorbiecki's well-written pages. --Gregory McNamee

From Library Journal
While not the first biography written about environmentalist Aldo Leopold (see Curt Meine's Aldo Leopold: His Life & Work, Univ. of Wisconsin, 1988), this one is definitely a worthwhile addition to the literature. Sufficient facts and context are provided to leave the reader informed yet not overburdened with detail. Environmental writer Lorbiecki does not offer much interpretation of events but rather allows us to see Leopold's development through description of his life and his own philosophical evolution. We see his emergence as a leader in wilderness preservation, and game and then wildlife management. We also see his development as a husband, father, and mentor. The presentation of Leopold's public and private lives is well balanced. He is portrayed here not as a saint but as a thinking man, willing to learn and change. Those unfamiliar with Leopold will relish this book; those who already know him will enjoy the retelling. This highly readable, lavishly illustrated biography is recommended for all environmental collections, public and academic.?Nancy J. Moeckel, Miami Univ. Libs, Oxford, Ohio
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (June 10, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195129660
• ISBN-13: 978-0195129663
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,941,690 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best biographies I've ever read of this great man, June 20, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire (Hardcover)

Being an environmentalist and teacher I have long been acquainted with the work of Aldo Leopold. This book, while unstinting in praise for the man, lets his life work speak for itself. I was impressed by three things: One, the depth of his feeling for sustainable landscape, whether used or preserved. I had somehow believed that his revelation with the dying wolf was the beginning of his environmental conscience, but it was there almost from the beginning. Two, the evolution of his feeling for the preservation of wildlife. Although he was a hunter all his life, his feeling toward "predators" took a 180 degree turn during his life, as did the nation's, eventually. Finally, we see the handicaps he labored under, from an early severe illness to problems in later life, that makes his accomplishments even more impressive. I am often put off by biographers because they feel that every day in the life of their subjects mush somehow be accounted for. By what looks like severe editorial restraint, she allows her book to flow like an exciting novel. I have already bought extra copies for friends working with the enviornment and will probably do more

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A lightweight treatment of a heavyweight thinker, April 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire (Hardcover)

As someone who is intimately familiar with the work of Aldo Leopold I was quite diappointed with this book. Although there are no glaring inaccuracies with the biography there is one obvious problem with it. A far far superior treatment of Leopold's life and work has already been written. Curt Meine's book "Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work" is such a better treatment of both Leopold's 'life and work' that Lorbiecki's book never needed to be written. "A Fierce Green Fire" is a superficial treatment of one of the most, if not the most, profound thinkers of our time and cannot hold a candle to Meine's book. If Leopold enthusiasts really want to learn about Aldo Leopold I would suggest Meine's book--don't cheat yourself.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An fascinating biography, January 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Aldo Leopold: A Fierce Green Fire (Hardcover)

I've been a long-time fan of Leopold's A Sand County Almanac. In reading it again recently, however, I realized how little I knew about Leopold's background. Lorbiecki's biography is a well-written introduction to one of the great 'fathers' of conservation.

Leopold's career truly ran the gamut, from foresty to public relations to writing to academia. But beyond his work life, Lorbiecki illustrates the importance family played for Leopold, both in shaping his values from childhood, and in the devotion he later showed to his wife and children.

I'd strongly recommend that anyone interested in Leopold, and more generally in the history of American land and game conservation, to give A Fierce Green Fire a try.