Holdfast

Naturalist and philosopher Kathleen Dean Moore meditates on connection and separation in these twenty-one elegant, probing essays. Using the metaphor of holdfasts--the structures that attach seaweed to rocks with a grip strong enough to withstand winter gales--she examines our connections to our own bedrock. "When people lock themselves in their houses at night and seal the windows shut to keep out storms, it is possible to forget, sometimes for years and years, that human beings are part of the natural world," she writes. Holdfast passionately reclaims an awareness of the natural world, exploring the sense of belonging fostered by the communal howls of wolves; the inevitability of losing children to their own lives; the fear of bears and love of storms; the sublimity of life and longing in the creatures of the sea; her agonizing decision when facing her father's bone-deep pain. As Moore travels philosophically and geographically--from Oregon's shores to Alaska's islands--she leaves no doubt of her virtuosity and range. The new afterword is an important statement on the new responsibilities of nature writers as the world faces the consequences of climate change.

First sentence: In the green, light-shot sea along the Oregon coast, bullwhip kelp lean toward land on the incoming tides and swirl seaward as the water falls away, never letting go of their grip on the ocean floor.

Year

1999

Language

English

Publisher

The Lyons Press

Editions

3

Pages

184

ISBN

9781592283279

Data source: Wikidata