Heart Of The Sound [Hardcover]

Marybeth Holleman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2004

"You can’t step in the same river twice—although I once believed I could. I believed that the pieces of my life I had chosen, those I held close to my heart, would, once chosen and held, remain the same."—from the book

How does one recover from disaster? That question is at the heart of Marybeth Holleman’s lyrical, elegiac response to the repercussions of the Exxon Valdez oil spill that devastated Alaska’s Prince William Sound in 1989. Twining together the destruction of an ecosystem and the disintegration of her marriage, Holleman explores the resiliency of nature—both wild and human—and the ways in which that resiliency is tested. Like the oil that remains pooled beneath rocks years after the tanker spill, the emotional wounds of the past lie just below the surface. Recovery and restoration from the pain wrought by human hands does not come easily.

If much of nature writing is about the heart’s search for an unspoiled, perfect landscape, The Heart of the Sound is about what happens when the return-to-paradise fantasy is over and paradise is lost. In language rich with passion and hard-won insight, Holleman creates a captivating picture of a woman who found her Eden in the sweeping fjords of Alaska only to lose it to ecological tragedy. But somewhere within that loss, she finds herself.

 

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A love song to one of earth’s loveliest and most threatened places intertwined with human loves, disappointments, and healing. An extraordinary book full of wonder and passion and a courageous story about the heart of Prince William Sound and about sounding the depths of our own hearts."—David W. Orr, author of Earth in Mind
 

"This book has it all: an original, compelling story; lyrical, evocative prose; a clear-eyed and passionate storyteller. It has true transformative power."—Annie Dillard, author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

 

"In this vivid and honest account of love, loss, and allegiance to place, Marybeth Holleman engages troubling questions about human impact on the wild. Ultimately, the ravaged landscapes of Alaska and of her own heart teach her to find joy in impermanence."—Lorraine Anderson, editor of Sisters of the Earth: Women's Prose and Poetry About Nature

 

"Part celebration, part quest, part hard-hitting critical debate, The Heart of the Sound floats us into wondrous new territory. In this graceful meditation about love, loss, and learning, Holleman's prose shimmers like sunlight on clear water."—Nancy Lord, author of Fishcamp: Life on an Alaskan Shore

 

"Beautiful writing about Prince William Sound, like one long love poem...a story about a place that breaks your heart, and breaks it again."—Janisse Ray, author of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood

About the Author

Marybeth Holleman teaches creative writing, women's studies, and literature at the University of Alaska and has published essays, articles, and poetry in various journals and anthologies.

 

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: University of Utah Press; 1st Edition edition (February 19, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874807913
• ISBN-13: 978-0874807912
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,818,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Raised in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, Marybeth Holleman transplanted to Alaska's Chugach Mountains over 25 years ago, where she lives with her husband, Rick Steiner, her son James, and two wild huskies. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (go tarheels!) and an MFA from the University of Alaska Anchorage, where she has taught creative writing and women's studies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hope in the Face of Despair, April 12, 2004

By 

Melissa G. Walker (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Heart Of The Sound (Hardcover)

After reading this book, I bought another copy to give to a friend who had experienced a series of losses and was fighting off despair. She took the book in her hands. Trusting my advice, she ran her hand over the cover of the book and said quietly, "It's beautiful."
"Yes," I responded, "and so is the story. I know it may seem strange that a story about an oil spill and it's aftermath could be a source of hope, but trust me." My friend randomly opened the book and turned to this passage which she read aloud, "The cries of loons had always comforted me, a comfort I now craved, for I was fearful of feelings . . . ."
The Heart of the Sound is the kind of book I like to read and recommend, because in the reading of it I get to know a brave and committed woman who understands her life as an adventure and a journey with challenges both personal and public. I learn about a place unspeakably beautiful and threatened by forces that threaten us all. I learn about life forms that I simultaneously long to see in actuality and feel that I have seen through the reading: a sea otter floating on the water holding and suckling her infant on her chest; killer whales seemingly dancing in synchrony; and bears fishing for salmon. When I finished this book, I put it down feeling enriched and grateful and confident I would read it again. And, I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn about Alaska, natural history, and environmental challenges, as well as those looking for a good story full of adventure and courage.
Marybeth Holleman brings to her writing an open heart and the capacity to embrace the inevitable pain that comes with loving a person or a place. In the process, she uncovers the joy and hope that is available to all who nurture life.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Concern Born of Love, May 9, 2004

By 

Anne Coray (Southwest Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart Of The Sound (Hardcover)

One of the things I most admire about Marybeth Holleman is something she told me in person: "I moved to Alaska because of Prince William Sound." This statement is verified in her writing, which is replete with examples of her love and devotion to the place, even when the environment presents obstacles. Camped on Decision Point, she finds the terrain so water-logged it takes five railroad flares to start a fire and she and her husband are forced to don head nets to escape the swarms of no-see-ums. This is not the kind of experience most of us come away from feeling enraptured, but Holleman's reverence and awe never falter.

Crucial questions are presented in the last third of the book. In the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill Holleman casts a critical eye on restoration money designated for scientific study. "All this counting, tagging, radio-implanting, all these projects, research, buildings--I could not fathom how they would help restore the wild," she writes.

Finally, the book takes on a larger scope, asking that we take a hard look at our adaptability to environmental degradation. Things that bother her should trouble us all: noise pollution, species' extinction, global warming, acid rain. How is it that we have come to accept these phenomena as "natural" by-products of economic growth? Thanks to Holleman and other nature writers these issues will continue to surface in discussions across the nation. And, if we are lucky, those in power will begin to listen.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Journey of Discovery, April 5, 2004

By 

Deb Ward (Anchorage, AK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Heart Of The Sound (Hardcover)

Marybeth Holleman is a gifted writer who captures the strength and beauty of a wonderous place while sharing her own story of personal growth. Her prose weaves a tale of discovery and disappointment, joy and sorrow. Having visited Prince William Sound myself, I could picture the incredible beauty of the forests, tidal pools and marine life as I read the book. Her detailed descriptions of birds, plants, terrain and water evoked in me a longing to further explore and experience the Sound. I am grateful that Marybeth told the story of the devastation and despair created by the Exxon Valdez oilspill. We must never forget. This is a book for everyone who values a connection with wild places and the ocean.