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A Word for Nature: Four Pioneering Environmental Advocates, 1845-1913

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Dorman explores the origins of American conservation and environmentalism by studying four key men of the nineteenth century -- George Perkins Marsh (1801-1882), Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), John Muir (1838-1914), and John Wesley Powell (1834-1902). Thoreau and Muir appear often in works of this kind, and Powell is occasionally added and is best known for his trip down the Colorado River and into the Grand Canyon. But what of Marsh? This Vermont lawyer, legislator, and industrialist published the book _Man and Nature_ in 1864. His travels to Europe and the Middle East were part of his enlightenment into the relationship between humans and Nature. He was one of the first individuals to admit that "all nature is linked together by invisible bonds" and to see man as a "destructive power" in the scenario. He recommended restoration efforts for the rampant deforestation in the northeastern America of the mid-1800s and suggested governmental control of such an endeavor, in spite of that institution's many failings. For the biography of Marsh alone, Dorman's book is worthwhile reading. But even if you think you already know the basics about the other three personalities, you'll learn something new here. Dorman doesn't just rehash old information; he provides a fresh interpretation of their contributions, illustrating the societal influences that formed their belief systems, and connecting each man to at least one of the other three at least once. A good addition to the 21st-century environmentalist's bookshelf.