The Culture of Nature: North American Landscape from Disney to the Exxon Valdez [Paperback]

Alexander Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1991

In this celebrated work, Alexander Wilson examines environments built over the past fifty years, as humans have continued to discover, exploit, protect, restore, and sometimes re-enchant a natural world in convulsion. Extensively illustrated.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This year's round-up of environment-related titles contains some of the best books I've encountered in years. The best of the good is Alexander Wilson's remarkable The Culture of Nature. -- Books in Canada

About the Author

The late Alexander Wilson was a horticulturalist, journalist, and partner in a landscape design firm. He taught and wrote widely on popular culture, media, and the environment.

Product Details

• Paperback: 335 pages
• Publisher: Between the Lines (April 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0921284527
• ISBN-13: 978-0921284529
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,486 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Book that Questions the "Naturalness" of Nature, January 4, 2004

By 

Kirsten Jacobson (Bangor, ME, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Culture of Nature: North American Landscape from Disney to the Exxon Valdez (Paperback)

In "The Culture of Nature," Alexander Wilson argues that our sense of what counts as nature or as natural is by no means a "natural" or spontaneous perception of a preexistant and untouchable Nature. Instead, he demonstrates that how we experience and think of nature are largely shaped by the cultural, social, political, and economic forces that surround us and pervade our experience even when we think we have escaped them by leaving the city and venturing into the great outdoors. To support his argument, Wilson offers compelling anaylses of theme parks, forest preserves, wildlife conservation programs, scenic roadways, car, truck, train and air travel, and more. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the city versus the wildnerness experience, in how cultural forces affect our sense of what is natural, and in the role that government and financial forces have on our experience of our surroundings--especially of our "natural" surroundings.