The Height of Our Mountains: Nature Writing from Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley (Paperback)

~ Michael P. Branch (Author), Daniel J. Philippon (Author) "Virginia is a Country in America that lyeth betweene the degrees of 34 and 44 of the north latitude..." (more)
Key Phrases: contemporary nature writers, tree farming, nature writing, United States, New York, North America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A strong sense of place is evoked in this impressive anthology of nature writing from the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. Seventy selections drawn from four centuries of writing include excerpts from letters, travel journals, diaries, novels, speeches, government reports, and personal essays that explore the interaction between humans and the natural world." -- Library Journal

"All Virginia outdoor enthusiasts have visited the Blue Ridge, and all of them with a taste for reading will want to own The Height of Our Mountains." -- Old Dominion Sierran

"With its mixture of fiction, personal, and scientific writing, the book has something for everyone... From colonization to contemporary times, the list of writers represented (70 in all) is both impressive and surprising, including Jefferson's former slave Isaac, James Audobon, Walt Whitman, Willa Cather, Ellen Glasgow, and Annie Dillard." -- Blue Ridge Outdoors

"The Height of Our Mountains will without a doubt be an extraordinary resource for the residents of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley, but because of its remarkable inclusiveness and the vividness of its selections, it will also be invaluable for the rest of us, who -- as teachers, writers, citizens, family members, and naturalists -- are striving to identify ourselves more knowingly, joyfully, and faithfully with our own homes in nature." -- John Elder, from the foreword

"A convincing demonstration of the cultural richness and power of place over more than three centuries of time." -- Lawrence Buell, Harvard University

"This wonderful book is as subtle, varied, and inspiring as the landscape it chronicles. Every page, unfolding the deep changes brought by four hundred years of destruction and rebirth, reveals a new perspective on the mountains and valleys of Virginia. Branch and Philippon weave these words and images together with just the right measure of expertise and passion; we could not ask for better guides." -- Edward L. Ayers, University of Virginia

"An astute and critical collection of writings that shows clearly, across time, how a landscape, and the human perception of it, shares in the creation of a region's literature. This is a valuable book in service of a place." -- Rick Bass

"This anthology is of real interest to both the naturalist and historian inside all of us... It is fascinating to see the variety of responses to the same region over nearly four centuries." -- Stonecrop: A Natural History Book Catalog

"A model of regional nature-writing anthologies." -- Virginia Quarterly Review

Review

"The Height of Our Mountains will without a doubt be an extraordinary resource for the residents of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley, but because of its remarkable inclusiveness and the vividness of its selections, it will also be invaluable for the rest of us, who -- as teachers, writers, citizens, family members, and naturalists -- are striving to identify ourselves more knowingly, joyfully, and faithfully with our own homes in nature." -- John Elder, from the foreword

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press (March 5, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801856914
• ISBN-13: 978-0801856914
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #483,197 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #91 in	Books > Travel > United States > States > Virginia
  #93 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Ecology > Mountains

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely resource for Virginia history, August 6, 2004

By	T. M. Scott (Ames, IA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The book's title is a quote from Thomas Jefferson, "The
height of our mountains has not yet been estimated . . .".
Jefferson's essay is among the 70 reprinted here, from
1612 to 1948. This historical material is fun to read
and is a great resource for children and others studying
Virginia's history and geography.

5.0 out of 5 stars Virginia Writing, February 20, 2009

By	Deb (Forest, VA United States) - See all my reviews

A beautiful collection of writings about Virginia. A terrific read. There is something for everyone in this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars This one is a keeper!, April 14, 2008

By	Howie (North by Northwest) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This is a great book for anyone who is interested in the natural and human history of the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah Valley region. It contains over 70 essays from authors such as John Smith, Thomas Jefferson, John James Audubon to Edwin Way Teale and Annie Dillard, spanning nearly 400 years. The book has a highly informative, if somewhat didactic, introduction (which itself can be read as a brief history of the nature, culture and literature of the region) and many fantastic maps and illustrations. Preceding each essay is a short description of the author and the source of the selection (which I like very much), and there is also a thoroughly researched and meticulously organized bibliographical essay.

One can bring it along on a hiking trip in the Blue Ridge and read a few essays on a sunny meadow or a rocky summit, or use it as a portal to the rich literature about this region.