Nature Literature discussion

Please add you comments about The Control of Nature, our January 2016 BOTM, here.

Got my copy on the bedside table. Looking forward to a Good Read!

The last chapter of "The Control of Nature" is about The San Gabriel mountains at the edge of Los Angeles. They have lots of brush fires there, and, when it rains, flooding and debris flows.

Well, you guessed it, in the news today: http://tinyurl.com/znuemce
"Voluntary Evacuations in Effect for Neighborhoods Near Burns Areas."

Sounds like they didn't read their McPhee!

In the case of the Atchafalaya chapter, attempts to control the Mississippi River are not to allow people to live there, but to allow for commerce on the river and protection of industry in the delta.

From McPhee's description, it seems the people have to fend for themselves to protect their towns and subsistence areas, while the full might of government technology is brought to bear to keep the river flowing to bring goods to ports and industry.

There I go being cynical again!

These are all wonderful suggestions, many I've read but would relish a reread, and some are new to me. I recently read Tambora - the Eruption that Changed the World by Gillen D'Arcy Wood. It is an amazing investigation of the 1815 volcanic eruption on Tambora in the Indonesian island chain, and the follow on famines, cholera epidemics, a U.S. depression, weird weather events - the year of no summer - and even the literature produced during the weather anomalies: Frankenstein and Dracula. The author examined Mary Shelley and Lord Byron's diaries, etc. Fascinating and I believe relevant for today. Just a suggestion. I am game for all suggested.

I really love McPhee's meandering writing style :0). If any of ya'll enjoy his style also, I highly recommend Encounters with the Archdruid by him (it's phenomenal) and I'm looking forward to reading his triptych on geology sometime in the next year or two as well.

In Control of Nature, it is a little surreal reading about the "control" of the Mississippi delta now that we live in a post-Katrina world but McPhee was pretty prescient about the dangers of losing the swampland that protects areas like New Orleans from strong storms from the south.

Kitristen wrote: "I really love McPhee's meandering writing style :0). If any of ya'll enjoy his style also, I highly recommend Encounters with the Archdruid by him (it's phenomenal) and I'm looking for..."

I agree with the recommendation for encounters wth the Archdruid. I also recommend The Pine Barrens and Survival of the Bark Canoe.

I recommend any of John McPhee's books but I'm still amazed by The Orange. I can't believe he got a whole book out of that subject that was interesting and entertaining.

He also has as series of four books on Geology. The series won him a Pulitzer. In Suspect Terrain is one o the titles.

Just finished reading the Mississippi / atchafalaya chapter. Good to read something that looks at the big picture. Sometimes anecdotal, sometimes with a little dry humour, this chapter left me feeling just a little bit stunned having visited the area and not realising the magnitude of the rivers power and potential. Am planning to go back soon.
Reading the kindle edition and very much missing post- katrina analysis.

I finished the book yesterday. I found the first and last chapter rather slow and at times confusing. However, I liked his descriptions and his sense of humour.

I throughly enjoyed the second chapter. I was almost going to give the book a break but when I got there it was a breeze. It was so interesting and for some reason just kept me wanting to read and read.

This was a fabulous read . Sorry I didn't have more to say about it .