John Burroughs combined scientific observation with poetic spirit in his nature writing. This collection of essays explores Burrough's life and character, as well as his role as a writer and his relationships with contemporaries including Whitman, Thoreau, Emerson and Muir.

A collection of essays by noted naturalist John Burroughs in which he contemplates a wide array of topics including farming, religion, and conservation. A departure from previous John Burroughs anthologies, this volume celebrates the surprising range of his writing to include religion, philosophy, conservation, and farming. In doing so, it emphasizes the process of the literary naturalist, specifically the lively connection the author makes between perceiving nature and how perception permeates all aspects of life experiences.