Wednesday, January 17, 2007

An urban denizen beseeches nature writers to focus on cities for a change

A friend who is an amazing writer wrote this for Grist. Read it:

Grist: "In Cities Is the Preservation of the Word:
An urban denizen beseeches nature writers to focus on cities for a change

By Jenny Price
09 Jan 2007

A plea to nature writers: Come write about Los Angeles. To all the young aspiring Thoreaus out there: Head to this megalopolis in droves, as if to Mecca. Chicago is also good. New York. Pittsburgh. Atlanta. Reno. Providence. Houston. Indianapolis.

Why does the venerable American literary genre of nature writing continue to ignore cities? Sure, a few wonderful writers are traveling the mean streets: very recently, Michael Pollan has rooted urgently through our supermarkets and kitchens. But when I browse the state-of-the-genre bible, the 2002 Norton anthology of nature writing, I can find only two essays -- out of the 83 written after 1960 -- that explore people's connections to nature in the places where most of us live...
More here.

5 comments:

Lorissa said...

Stumbled on your blog--like your comments. I wanted to comment on your 'Thyroid' post. Highly recommend the book "Thyroid Power" by Dr. Richard Shames. Fixed my hypothyroidism. A friend went to him after 4 miscarriages and finally had a successful preg. when he fixed her hypo (he practices at Univ. of California, San Fransico). Changed my life and hers.

Miranda said...

I am a writer who covers urban environmental issues -- working on a story about small, plot intensive farming in major cities right now and have a pitch circulating about urban environmental charter schools. And many more ideas buzzing around my head. But bifurcation -- city/country -- is the American way of seeing things. Hope I and Jenny Price and others can help change that through our work.

GreenFertility said...

Hi Riss,

yeah, the thyroid is pretty important! some people have gotten theirs fixed w/Chinese medicine, which is what I'm trying...

GreenFertility said...

Hi Miranda,

that sounds great. urban centers are actually really environmental. I love the idea of urban farming and urban charter schools.

p.s. i'm going to try to grow mushrooms indoors next. yippee!

Christi said...

This is being sent to all members of the NL Blogring/roll:

I have updated the link list using a blogroll system. If you want to add the blogroll (now calling it that instead of a ring do to the way it's laid out) to your blog, PLEASE e-mail me asap at jaded.pyratekK@gmail.com for instructions on how to add it. With this system I won't have to constantly contact members to add links, links will update on their own on your page.

Please contact me soon!
~christi