Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth [Mass Market Paperback]

William Logan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1996

William Bryant Logan has written an elegant and thoughtful natural history of the sustain us, as well as memoir of his own highly personal connection to it. He combines science, philosophy, and history with a quirky curiosity about why the universe works the way it does. After reading Dirt you won't see the teeming life we walk on every day in quite the same way.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In these brief, elegant essays, the author raises the concept of dirt to new levels. Logan, a monthly columnist for the New York Times, looks at soil formation and development. His topics range from quarries and the foundations of cathedrals to graveyards and earthworms, from husbandry in ancient Rome to composting in Florida. Logan pays tribute to the dung beetle as a symbol of renewal; he notes that dirt is the source of many drugs that work against infectious diseases (penicillin, streptomycin). He discusses the many forms of clay and the agricultural practices of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and the Iroquois. Dirt is a natural history of the soil and our connection with it.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Logan displays a precision of language that would be envied by any poet." The Independent" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 203 pages
• Publisher: Riverhead Trade (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573225460
• ISBN-13: 978-1573225465
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #659,619 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Agricultural Sciences > Soil Science

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Liked it so much it's my #1 Christmas gift to others., December 8, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth (Mass Market Paperback)

Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth by William Bryant Logan is an enlightening and heartening read for anyone who studies the earth in science or daily living. Although a few of the factoids are not quite correct (watch that logarithmic scale!), this book is full of fascinating science of the soil, surrounded by heartfelt prose. Logan makes earth-centered philosophy accessible to anyone who has ever had a gut feeling that the land is good. The religion of the soil he presents is unobtrusive, yet all-pervading. Read it and feel good.

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting and Provocative!, August 25, 2005

By 

Dorothy R. (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth (Hardcover)

A galaxy of stars! Dirt is unique, unlike any other book I've read. (Bill Logan tends to write books like that -- his new one, Oak: The Frame of Civilization, is also unlike anything I've read, including Dirt.) The essay format works well. Logan's writing is cogent, witty, at times poignant; his imagination is fantastic. Rousing and satisfying my curiosity, he asks intriguing questions, and in seeking answers follows paths I would not have thought of but am glad to be led down by such a brilliant, quirky, earthy guide. Technicalities of soil science and geology are illuminated by personal experience and reflection on spirituality, childhood dreams Ilike digging to China), and encounters with masters of human achievement. This book may be ten years old but it's still exciting and provocative. I'm pleased to hear it is to be the subject of a documentary film; I hope that will lead to a reprint of this book, which is long overdue.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspires passion for regeneration through soil., December 16, 1997

By 

Joan M. Stevens "mamabotanica" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth (Mass Market Paperback)

I feel in love with this book. Bought it as a gift and had much trouble giving it up. What a beautiful testimony to the earthly process of life and death in which we all participate. Logan's cross-disciplinary commentary was heartfelt and informative. I have told everyone I know to read it. It is magnificent.