Wilderness Lost: The Religious Origins of the American Mind [Hardcover]

David R. Williams (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this scholarly, clearly written monograph, Williams traces the influence of Calvinism on American literature and thought from the 17th century to the present. Along the way, he insightfully summarizes the views of such significant figures as Dickinson, Edwards, Emerson, Hawthorne, Holmes, Melville, and Thoreau. Williams admires the Calvinist tradition's willingness to face both literal and figurative wilderness and contends that American culture lost something significant when Calvinism decayed in the 19th century. Recommended for all academic American studies collections, particularly those interested in the relationship between literature, psychology, and theology. Susan A. Stussy, Marian Coll. Lib., Indianapolis
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 293 pages
• Publisher: Susquehanna Univ Pr (February 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 094166421X
• ISBN-13: 978-0941664219
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,104,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Baby boomer David R Williams, born in Boston in 1949, experienced the 60s up close and personal. Taking 1968 off before entering college, he shipped out in the merchant marine, fought against the Vietnam War, worked to elect McCarthy president, rioted in Grant Park, and arrived at Harvard in time to take part in the campus take over.
He later earned a Masters in Theology from Harvard Divinity School and a PhD in American Civilization from Brown. He wrote Wilderness Lost and Sin Boldly! and won the "Excellence In Teaching" Award at George Mason University. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Czechoslovakia in 1991, has two sons, Nathan and Sam, and lives in semi-rural Virginia in a former black community, "Swampoodle," where he brews his own bitter beer.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Readable, Relevant Discussion of American Literature, May 24, 2000

By 

denise landers (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wilderness Lost: The Religious Origins of the American Mind (Hardcover)

As a student of American literature and a creative writer myself, I have to say that Williams provides the most convincing and powerfully written explanation of what it means to be an American author. I would urge anyone with an interest in American literature to buy this book, you will not regret it.