Customer Reviews

Wilderness and the American Mind, Third Edition

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A very important book describing the beginnings of environmental thought and conservation. Rodrick Nash brings us through the thought process we as inhabitants of Mother Earth have gone through to acheive, or atleast attempt to, a better understanding of "Wilderness". Using some of the greatest naturalists and conservationists, Nash brings us forward with americas perception of "Wilderness" and Environmental thought. He deftly describes our, (the Environmenalists), mistakes and our triumphs in the political arena in our attempt to preserve the remaining wilderness areas. I was lucky enough to have Rodrick Nash as a teacher and advisor for my undergradute work in Environmental Studies. His classes were always fun and thought provoking, he "baptised" many people to the environmental movement, through his lectures and his books. This book was distributed to all the members of congress prior to the vote on the Wilderness Act, and has been credited as being instrumental in the passing of that act, Again an Important Book.

Nash provides some of the best short writing about historic figures who are central to the environmental movement: Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, and Aldo Leopold. The theme throughout is wilderness, so readers should not make the mistake of thinking this is a definitive history of the environmental or conservation movements. However, as a scholarly introduction to major themes in environmental history, this book stands alone. The first two chapters are somewhat tedious, as Nash attempts to create a philosophical underpinning for American attitudes toward nature. The nature enthusiast who tolerates this somewhat awkward section will be rewarded with an insightful and informative read

This is an important work for anyone interested in the way the idea of wilderness has impacted on the American consciousness. A more recent and complimentary book is Max Oelschlaeger's 'The Idea of Wilderness'.

A few years ago, this book was suggested to me as a great place to begin a project I was working on in school. It became the keystone of information I was looking for. So much good and insightful information about so many important minds and events in wilderness thought. Nash has written a favorite resource for historical perspective on environmental issues.